I guess I am still a kid at heart; I still love to go to the movies. Maybe it's because I have kids that I still find comic book characters fascinating. Be it Iron Man, Spider-Man, Superman, or as the case may be recently, Batman. It has to be more than me who finds thrill in the comic book stories spun by both DC comics and Marvel considering the substantial box office records broken last week. Somebody else out there loves this stuff too!
While I left the actually magazine's behind years ago, big screen or small, I find myself drawn to it like a moth to a flame. The new installment of Batman: The Dark Knight comes with far more action than its predecessor, Batman Begins. This time, Gotham City, is plagued by the crazed lunatic, the Joker. For those who thought Jack Nicholson broke the mold on how to play the villain, think again. The Late Heath Ledger may be nominated for an Oscar for his role. He may be considered one of the best bad guys ever to hit celluloid.
Okay, so I know this is not a movie review column, but I found some unique links between the Dark Knight and Jesus. For fans who have yet to see the movie... stop now! And yes, I know that Jesus is not a comic book character! But, here goes.
Batman upsets society. He is a vigilante who goes about fighting crime to protect the lives of people. But there is something else. He dares to reach down into the gutter to do the job others who are unwilling or too corrupt to take on. In many ways, while this endears him to the public, the criminals and even the police are not amused. In the same way, Jesus upset the social norms of His day. He dared speak to women, welcome children, heal the lame and leapers, even on the Sabbath. He was an advocate for the poor and oppressed and called the religious leaders and wealthy accountable for their actions. In short, both are depicted as larger than life heroes.
But, heroes are hard to come by. One great line from the movie is, "You either die the hero or you live long enough to become the villain."
Jesus embodied this quote. To those whom He healed, spiritually, physically, and mentally during his earthly life, he was a hero. Yet, in the last day of that earthly existence, Jesus was scorned, mocked, spat upon, and reviled as a villain. He died a horrific death and, had it not been for Joseph of Aramathea, His body might have been left for the dogs to dine upon. In this latest installment, Batman becomes the hunted villain too. I find it interesting that it is self inflicted fate. He allows the public to think ill of him rather than causing the people of the city to lose hope if they ever know the real story. The hero today may be the persecuted tomorrow. It was left to a crowd to condemn Jesus. A crowd that was incited to shout, "crucify Him!' again and again.
While I enjoy the fantasy of Batman, Batman is fictional. Jesus' life, self sacrificial death, and eternal life are a reality. Hebrews 1 says, "After He finished the sacrifice for sins, the Son took his honored place high in the heavens right alongside God, far higher than any angel in rank and rule." Again in Hebrews 2, "It makes good sense that the God who got everything started and keeps everything going now completes the work by making the Salvation Pioneer perfect through suffering as he leads all these people to glory."
Everyone needs this hero to save us. Be sure to pick the right one! I hope you can accept Jesus as yours!
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