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KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
20th
Century Fox
Scott Free Films
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Theme:
The Kingdom of Heaven
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Insights:
Ridley Scott's Kingdom of
Heaven begins with a few simple sentences, one of which
contains a key word - "salvation". This is a movie
about the salvation of a soul. It is about a soul's
journey or "pilgrimage" from being lost to being found, from
being a slave to being set free, from being dead in darkness
to being alive in the Kingdom of Heaven.
There is only one way to make
this journey, and that is to follow The Way of the One who
opened the Kingdom of Heaven and made salvation possible -
Jesus Christ (Matthew
4:17). Balian's journey, therefore, is very
"Christ-like", and Balian himself is the picture of a true
follower of Christ, a Christian1.
| The Way |
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Balian's
Journey |
| Lost in
death |
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Europe in the grip of
repression and poverty. The first snowfall of
winter. At the cross -death, separation, and loss. "I
want nothing." |
| Found |
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One knight returns for
his son. The humble blacksmith is really the son of
Godfrey. The invitation is extended for a new life. |
| Confession &
Repentance |
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"I have done murder!"
"Haven't we all."
(Romans
3:23) The desire to seek forgiveness. |
| New Covenant |
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Reconciliation with
the father, becoming the son and heir. A covenant
made within the veil under the cross. Receiving the
father's ring and sword (authority and power). |
| Baptism |
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Ocean voyage, immersed
in death and raised into a new life in a new world.
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| Announcement |
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"I am the new one." |
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Confrontation with the enemy in the wilderness |
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Defeats the enemy with
the sword and comes out in strength. "Your enemies
will know your quality before you ever meet them." |
| Jerusalem |
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Submission: "God,
what is it You want of me?" Surrender: Burying the
cross. |
| The
Disciples |
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Identified by his
father's men. They know it is the true son because
he knows his father's eyes. |
| Making a new
Jerusalem |
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Defending the poor and
helpless. Digging the wells for the water of life.
Restoring the land. Confronting the enemy. |
| Refusing the
World's offer to take the Kingdom |
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Refuses to do a little
evil in order to do a great good. |
| Conquering
Death |
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Conquers the three
faceless black knights of death. |
| Returns to
set the captives free |
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Defends Jerusalem.
Sets others free - "Rise a knight. "Brings the
captives out. |
| Restoration
of the Bride |
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The invitation:
"Decide not to be a queen, and I will come to you." |
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Song of Songs 7: 10-12 |
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Spring |
Powerful Images
The Cross:
The movie begins with the
contrast between two crosses - the large visible cross at
the burial ground and the small hidden cross of pure gold on
Balian's dead wife. These crosses symbolize the theme
of the movie - the contrast and conflict between the large
visible cross of the kingdom of religion and the hidden pure
cross of the Kingdom of Heaven. Religion
marches to holy war with a large gaudy cross ahead of its
army; this kingdom ends in death for all who follow it.
The true Kingdom of Heaven is buried like a seed, just
as the small gold cross was at Calvary; this Kingdom ends up
producing life and a great harvest (Matthew
13).
The Mask:
The King of Jerusalem wears
a silver mask to cover the leprosy that is eating away his
flesh. The leprosy is a powerful image and metaphor
for the greed that has slowly corrupted him and his kingdom.2
Death is the great
unmasking as we see when Sibylla removes her brother's mask.
Later, while cutting her hair as a sign of shame and
remorse, Sibylla's own mask is removed in the mirror's
reflection. She sees the distortion of her soul as her
face turns to that of her dead brother.
The Gate:
Probably the most iconic image of the film is the image of
the two armies struggling at the broken wall of Jerusalem.
Everyone will interpret this scene differently, but what the
viewer must not miss is where this scene takes place. One of
Saladin's top advisors suggests the wall is weakest at the
Christopher Gate, while another questions that choice.
Balian and his men decided to make their last stand at this
sealed gate, hence the great battle scene.
There is no record of a Christopher Gate in the walls of
Jerusalem during the Crusader Period, nor is there one
today. The name Christopher means "Carrier of Christ"
and comes from the literal translation of the name, which
originally meant carrying Christ in one's heart.
Notes:
1. Christian means "little
Christ" (Acts
11:26).
2. In
II Kings 5, Gehazi's greed results in his
leprosy and that of this descendents.
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