It was only a matter of time before the Bible was made into a T.V. show. Produced, by Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, it was broadcast between March 3rd and March 31st this year on the History Channel. Burnett is known for producing reality T.V. shows. His latest show, “The Bible,” however, he regards as his “most important.” According to Nielsen ratings, 13.1 million people tuned in to watch the series premier.

The Creation Story

Everyone loves a good creation story, and the show, “The Bible,” delivers. However, everyone who is familiar with the Book is aware that some of the scenes in the T.V. show dont correspond to the printed Bible. This is to be expected but, nonetheless, its drawn criticism.

Part of the fascination for viewers is to tune in and see if they “got it right.” Some conservative Christians scholars believe that the show took liberties in this regards, getting the story partially right, but criticize the fact that “The Bible” has Noah recapping mankinds creation - its unlikely he would have known this story as it was probably written after Noahs life.

The Story of Abraham

This story is one of the more well-known stories in the Bible. In the show, there was some creative interpretation done, but the story remains relatively accurate. For example, Burnett and Downey used a lamb, not a ram (which is what actually appears in Genesis 22:13).

Thankfully, the show didnt have Abraham killing his son.

Saul

The infamous “bathroom scene” in the show changes the story a bit. Faithful Christians know that the king was actually defecating, not urinating. David sneaks up and cuts off a part of the kings robe. While this scene is changed from the Hebrew interpretation of the printed Bible, the change was understandable and probably done to appease sensitive viewers.

Jesuss Birth

People of all faiths tuned in to see the birth of Jesus. Even non-Christians are sometimes impressed over the stories told about Jesus in the Bible. Having them “come to life,” and dramatized, gives a concrete form to the stories in the printed Bible.

This is important for people of faith. Since The Book relies on your ability to visualize something that happened a very long time ago, a visual representation may help those new to the printed Bible more easily grasp concepts and ideas in The Book.

The T.V. series keeps with modern interpretations of Jesuss birth which may not be completely accurate. For example, the birth scene starts with Mary being pulled along on a donkey by Joseph - something that never actually happens in the printed Bible.

For viewers new to the Bible, it helps move the story along, and helps dramatize what could be an otherwise non-dramatic scene. It also helps to seamlessly connect this scene with the rest of the story.

Revelation

The death of Jesus and revelation is something that intrigues even the most skeptical of viewers. This is the story of a man who comes back to life and promises salvation for those who believe. For those who dont, they will suffer Gods wrath. Revelation, especially, is intriguing since it tells the story of a future where all non-believers will perish - something even non-religious people want to know about.

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