The Film
The film "Mary of Nazareth" is a portrayal of the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ from her teenage years throughout to the Resurrection of Christ. The movie primarily seeks to delve into the hurdles and difficulties that Mary endured and the profound trust she had in God in her unique position as the mother of the Messiah. It also focuses on her personality and the values she possessed including humanity and compassion for others which further bolstered her relationship with Jesus Christ. The movie further illustrates the deep love that existed between Mary and her son Christ and how this turned out to a manifestation of the prophecies of old. The movie aims to emphasize the unique role that Mary had in God's plan to redeem humanity. Also, the film underscores the value of suffering as seen in the life of Mary, in building Christian faith. Most significantly, the work of Mary is the manifestation that God works through human beings and protects them. At the beginning of the film, the viewers are introduced to Mary's family members including her parents. An angel appears to her and receives a message that she will conceive the son of God (Mary of Nazareth, 2014)
God protects her from imminent danger and Mary repays the favor by portraying a childlike faith. Mary is determined to put the will of God in front of her own wishes. The portrayal of the holy family also inspires a sense of beauty especially in the early stages following the birth of Jesus. Whereas Mary is portrayed as a caring mother full of humanity and respect for the Lord, Joseph, on the other hand, takes the persona of a hard-working father ready to do all it takes to provide and protect the family. The presence of Mary in most of Jesus’ ministry proves that Mary was not only compassionate but also a strong individual who was determined to help whenever she could. Although the aggression of Herod’s soldiers and depiction of the crucifixes in the film can be inappropriate to young children, the film is an inspiration to all mothers who dedicate their entire lives in caring for their families through sacrifice and deep love. Although the film is primarily portrayed through saintly lenses, viewers can benefit from the humanistic values represented by the holy family (Mary of Nazareth, 2014)
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Summary from the Bible Perspective
Canales (2010) asserted that the two Gospel books that paint a picture of the early life of Mary include Mathew and Luke. It remains however important to note that the scriptures do not illuminate the early life of Christ but instead begin to consider it at the time of Jesus' birth. According to the Gospel of Luke, Mary was living in Nazareth during the reign of King Herod the Great. It was at this time that Angel Gabriel was sent to Mary to announce that she would conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26). Luke further notes Mary's virginity and draws the readers to his relationship to a man by saying, "a man named Joseph of the house of David" (Luke 1:26). The book of Luke further documents how Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zachariah in Luke 1:39-56. In Luke 2:4 and Mathew 2:1, describe how Mary delivered Jesus in the city of Bethlehem. The holy family subsequently received visits from the shepherds and the three wise men. Following the birth of Jesus, the holy family was compelled to flee to Egypt following Herod’s declaration of the death of all young male children (Scripture on the Life of Mary).
However, Mary and the rest of the family returned to Nazareth after Herod was succeeded by his son (Mathew 2:16-23). The Gospel according to Luke portrays both Mary and Joseph as faithful individuals who observed every passage of rite to please God. In Luke 2:41, readers learn that “his parents used to go up every year to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover.” Following the event where Mary and Joseph lost Jesus in the temple, the latter is not mentioned again with many speculating that he had died (Canales, 2010). Mary remained abreast to the ministries of Jesus and even attended some of the public teachings he had as witnessed in Mathew 12:46-50, Mark 3:31-35, and Luke 8:19-21. A notable incident was the event in Cana Galilee when Jesus changed water into wine. Mary was the one who told Jesus of the wine shortage. It, therefore, shows that Mary was part of Jesus life whether he was preaching or attending social gathering such as the wedding ceremony in Cana (Scripture on the Life of Mary).
Similarities and Differences
The film has played a significant role in the overall capture of the many life events and incidents of Mary as illustrated by the Bible including the appearance of the angel and announcement of her conception, visiting Elizabeth, the birth of Jesus, feeling to Egypt, and the ministries among others. However, the only difference seen in the film is the usual animation and prolonging of the events that the Bible describes typically in quick succession. Some of the words used in the movie are direct quotations from the scriptures while others are fabricated to enhance creativity and continuation of the film. Although the bible rarely gives information on the previous life of Mary, the movie allows the viewer second guess the life of Mary including her genealogy and close family ties. Overall, the film mirrors the Bible stories except for the few inconsistencies which have come to ensure that the film lasts for approximately 2 hours.
Impression and Evaluation
The film takes an artistic lens to portray the story of Mary and the holy family. Its success primarily hinges on its realistic depiction of the events as predicted in the Old Testament prophecies and further documented in the scriptures in the Gospel books especially Luke and Mathew. By including the role of King Herod, his brutality, and the subsequent fleeing of the holy family to Egypt, the film director depicts the adversity that surrounded the life of Mary in her role and capacity as the mother of the Messiah. As mentioned earlier, the rather frightening scenes painted in the film makes it unsuitable for a young audience. However, to women, it offers incredible values that could be leveraged in today's life to greater lengths. Mary has two essential attributes that define her role in the film. As the mother of Messiah, she remains faithful to God in the face of trouble and shows readiness to forego her ambitions in favor of that of God. As a woman and a mother, she shows strength, responsibility, and support for the work of her son. Therefore, my impression of the film is that it is educative and should not only be viewed to understand the family of Christ but also to acquire important family insights.
I rate the film highly because of the producer's ability to integrate biblical connotations to a movie in the most vivid way. I believe that it strengthens one's understanding of the scripture and further provides them with some of the missing links that the Gospels do not give. As a family person, I have learned the value of remaining united in adversity and always to trust God because he has a mission for everyone.
References
Canales, A. D. (2010). Mary of Nazareth. Retrieved from: https://www.smp.org/dynamicmedia/files/67270a1eefafe0f8457d559592c79a4f/TX001252_1-Background-Mary_of_Nazareth.pdf
Mary of Nazareth, (2014). YouTube. From: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQIDjlbjuKM
Scripture on the Life of Mary, International Marian Research Institute. From: https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/s/scripture-on-the-life-of-mary.php
