5.29.2013

Jesus.. starring Jack Black?

I was listening to a preacher on the radio the other day speaking about how the religious leaders of Jesus' time viewed Him as a glutton, a drunkard, and a slob... for He chose to eat with sinners, and He associated with the most undesirable people of society. As I drove still listening I almost laughed as an image of Jack Black popped into my head. As I pondered about this I tried to imagine what it would be like if a movie were ever made about Jesus using Jack Black as the actor portraying Him. As I thought about it, believe it or not, I thought it would not only work, but it might even be the best movie ever made about Jesus! 

 
As a child, and before I could even read, there was the television. So naturally, along with what my family taught me, I relied on the TV to learn. With that - It seems that all of my life I've been trying to better know this person named Jesus. As a young child I was taught about Him in Sunday School. There I learned that He loved us little children. I would see the paintings of Him holding a little child in His lap. I knew He was a shepherd too, for some of the pictures I saw had Him holding a lamb. Sometimes too He was called a Lamb, but at this young age I didn't quite understand that part of Him. 

 
As I grew up I watched movies on TV with various actors portraying Him. These actors seemed to always match up with the pictures of Jesus I would see adorning the walls of my great-grandmother's house and other family members homes. He would always have a stoic and serious expression. In these pictures He was either knocking on a door, leading sheep, or hanging on a cross. 

 
Despite His Mediterranean heritage, He was almost always depicted as having flowing blond or light brown hair, and blue or green eyes. Even though He lived in an area with no modern plumbing, His clothing in these pictures always looked like He alone had access to Tide with Bleach, for His robe was brilliantly white, and of course He also had a purple outer garment as well. 

 
Like the pictures, the actors were always handsome looking men that were not widely well known. Jeffrey Hunter portrayed Jesus in King of Kings. Max von Sydow was the actor's name in The Greatest Story Ever Told. Also, who could forget the 1977 TV miniseries called Jesus of Nazareth, with Robert Powell? (another blue-eyed Jesus). It seems that Jesus always had to be molded into a specific image to appeal to the masses when making a movie about Him. 


While Mel Gibson's choice of Jim Caviezel to play the role of Jesus for his 2004, "Passion of the Christ" may have been at least closer to the right ethnicity, still this was once again a very handsome actor. That year, Jim Caviezel was even chosen as People Magazine's one of the "Sexiest Men Alive" and it was even blasphemously stated "The Sexiest Savior." on the picture.  

These movies were by no means bad movies, and I know they influenced me greatly as I grew up. Also, I'm not saying that Jesus was an ugly man, or that an ugly actor should be chosen to portray Him. I do believe though that from what I've read about Him, He didn't stand out in the crowd based upon His appearance. In fact, I believe He was very average looking just like everyone around Him. Kinda like Jack Black I suppose.

Isaiah 53:2,3 says, 

For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Jack Black has played the role of being a kind of "savior to the people" as well, for one must consider how much the orphans looked up to him in his movie, "Nacho Libre". If one wished to dig even deeper they might would find (aside from the Deity of Jesus) that there are even some parallels to be found with the two. Jack Black if he is anything, he can be inappropriate. In some ways, so was Jesus. As I previously mentioned about the religious leaders of Jesus' time viewing Him as a glutton, a drunkard, and a slob because of His association with sinners (basically us) - Jack Black (for his own reasons) already fits this image. One might would even say it's his trademark.

 
So I dare pose the question... Could God use the unlikely choice of a comedian and actor, and pretty much an average Joe like Jack Black to reach people? I say YES! 


I could see a seasoned actor like Jack Black speaking to a crowd of people at the Sermon on the Mount, but I also could see him doing what he does best... being inappropriate, and speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well... or inviting Himself to eat dinner at the home of Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (things a Rabbi was not supposed to do according to the religious authorities of that time). I also feel that myself personally, and maybe most people would identify more with an actor like Jack Black, who is often the celebrated underdog in his movies, and maybe even identify more with him than some of the supermodel, British accented, actors that have previously played the role.

 
Of course Jack Black couldn't go into his "Tenacious D" character to give this role the respect it deserves. In other words, he couldn't be a complete comedian.I do think however, that he could express joy, and laugh even. This would be something that would be a welcomed sight. Even though the bible says He was a man of sorrows, I don't think this meant He never cracked a smile. 

 
In 1993, a movie called "The Gospel According to Matthew" was introduced to the public. In this movie the director, Regardt van den Bergh, experimented by showing the world a Jesus that actually smiled and laughed. The actor, Bruce Marchiano played as Jesus in this production. While nobody knows (except those who were are Him physically) what Jesus' personality was really like, I believe based upon what I've read about Jesus in the bible, this portrayal come closer than some of the previous ones. 


I believe that even though it doesn't directly say in the bible that Jesus laughed, or smiled, I do believe that since He was a man, He also had all of a man's emotions - including happiness. Therefore, He smiled, laughed, and for all we know even played jokes at times. I loved this movie for it showed Jesus doing all of these things. Because of this I was drawn more into the "person" of Jesus, and yes, it cut even harder into my soul seeing Him crucified. Similar to this movie, I think if it were ever done with Jack Black, then it would also have that effect on the viewers.

Luke 10:21 says, 
In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

It's kind of hard for me to imagine someone rejoicing in the Holy Spirit, and not expressing that joy outwardly with either a smile, or laughter. Just the notion of Jack Black playing the role of Jesus alone is enough to make most anyone at least smile, even though I'm sure some would find it both blasphemous and preposterous. Yet isn't this God's style?

 
If we look at God's track record this is exactly what He does best. He takes the average, and even the most ridiculous person, and then He chooses these people to work through. Then  nobody could ever say that it was man that was successful, but God would be glorified. God took a gawky, awkward, teenage boy named David, and used him to slay a giant named Goliath, while an entire army of trained soldiers trembled. 

While I find it a humorous thought... If it were done respectfully, then YES, I'd watch a movie about Jesus if the actor portraying Him were Jack Black. I'd watch it!