My family and some good friends went to watch Disney’s version of C.S. Lewis’, The Chronicle’s of Narnia; Prince Caspian. While the movie was enjoyable, and the computer generated animation was phenomenal, I could not get past this nagging sense that something was wrong. It had been a while since I had read the book, but as soon as I got home, I went straight for my bookshelf and my own copy of Prince Caspian. After giving it a quick once over, I was able to determine that I had felt like something was wrong, because it was.
There were several events that had been changed, added, or deleted all together. What ultimately came from this exercise was not a movie critique, but an insight into something I would consider much more important. Two distinct thoughts struck me and have made a lasting impression. The first thought was, if people do not read the book, they will never see the difference. They would not know how differently Disney portrayed many of the events that took place. The second thought was that if it bothered me, how would C. S. Lewis feel? More specifically at what point does it cease to be C. S. Lewis’ story.
I know those do not sound like deep or even important thoughts, but when the switch in my head flipped from movie and fantasy story, to life and God’s Word, it suddenly felt very significant. Just think about this, if people do not know what the book says, in this case the Bible, how will they distinguish the many influences we have in our world today. In addition, if I was bothered at the editing of a story that I read, how much more right does God have to be bothered whenever we stretch His divine words around our own agendas? How far can a truth be stretched before it is no longer true?
Jesus pointed out just how important the role is that Scripture plays at the end of His parable about the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).
Luke 16:29-31 (NIV) 29 "Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 30 "'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' 31 "He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"
The phrase, Moses and the Prophets, refers to the Old Testament. Jesus’ point is not to diminish the power of a miracle, but to point out that the Scriptures are more than sufficient to point us to true life. In fact, a real Lazarus was soon raised by Jesus, and the result was that the Jewish leaders plotted more earnestly to kill Jesus. Because Lazarus was raised by Jesus, they were going to kill him as well. There was another that was raised from the dead as well, and even today people are trying to deny the power and historicity of Jesus’ own resurrection.
First, we need to take advantage of the amazing opportunity that we have as Christians today. The Scriptures are more available now than they have ever been before. They have been translated into numerous languages, and we are left with no excuse. As we read it, we cannot be like the Jewish leaders that were considered to be the experts when it came to the Scriptures, and still would not believe when a man rose from the grave. Their view of Scripture had been tainted by their own ideas. We must set aside our preconceived notions, and read God’s word looking for what He intended to say, so that we understand His truth, and not our own.
