Jack Bauer & the Gospel (Season 2)
I’m now deep into season 2 of 24. I don’t know why I wasn’t watching this show before. It’s good.
Earlier I posted about how Jack Bauer articulated a doctrine of sin in season 1. In that post I explained the good news that Jesus went beyond Jack’s doctrine of sin and, on the cross, took responsibility for what was not his fault (our sin).
Here in season 2 of 24 it’s great to see the doctrine of substitution getting some air-time. Faced with a nuclear threat, Jack Bauer decides that there’s a way for one man to die in the place of, instead of, millions. Thus one man (George Mason) dies as a substitute for millions of men and women. But, what’s different from George of 24 and Jesus of the Bible is this: George was an unrighteous substitute (he lived a sinful life), but Jesus was a righteous substitute (he lived a sinless life). As the sinless son of God, Jesus our substitute suffered the full fury that we deserve for our sins. And that wrath and death that Jesus endured on the cross makes the nuclear bomb of 24 look like a girl scout campfire. What a Savior we have!
I’m so thankful for 2 Corinthians 5:21:
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Keep watching 24 and you’ll see Jack Bauer teach a little lesson in ressurection.
One interesting observation regarding these kinds of stories, which have a “type of Christ”, is that they always fall down on one major point: the person to which appeasement needs to be made. I’m sure in 24 the person who gives up their life is trying to make peace with an evil regime.
An example I like is the story of “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.” If you remember in that story Edmund betrays his family and the citizens of Narnia by making allegiance to the White Witch. To save the traitor Edmund and Narnia, Aslan the great lion makes a deal with the White Witch. Aslan will take the place of Edmund. The White Witch demands that someone has to pay for the treacherous actions of Edmund.
So in a dramatic and sinister scene we see the White Witch and her creatures dancing around an altar with Aslan laid upon it. She lifts the knife and plunges it into Aslan’s heart. They celebrate their victory over the son of the emperor over the sea (Aslan). Although C.S. Lewis said this was just a story from a Christian worldview, there is one part to this story, which is very different to the Christian story of redemption.
It wasn’t the Satan (the White Witch) who demanded payment for the sin of the traitors. It was God. God Himself was the one who plunged the knife into His son. God takes sin seriously, so seriously in fact He sent His son to die that terrible death. It really shows us the amazing love of God, but also His intolerance for sin. Let us not take our sin so lightly. It is a big deal to God, enough to sacrifice His most prized son. That’s amazing love.
Justin, good insights into 24. I love that show! You’ll have to catch up in time for season 6 later this year.
Another show that I like and that has some biblical allusions is Extreme Home Makover. You’re probably laughing at that right now. But, in that show people receive grace. They receive something they cannot afford–just like in Christ we’ve received something we cannot afford.
Keep up the posts on the intersection of the gospel and modern entertainment!
Luke,
Sure, in that show your’e referring to (Extreme Home Makeover), they received something they cannot afford. But would one say that they deserve that house? I think one would say that as people say that one deserves to live in a nice house as long as you’re a good person, hard working person. But we didn’t deserve God’s love, we deserve His wrath. But he gave us His Son anyway out of his extreme love. I think that’s a huge difference.
Elisa,
I think you misunderstood my comment. I was saying what you are saying: that Extreme Home Makeover DOES depict people receiving something they don’t deserve (grace). So, I don’t think we’re at a difference at all.
Luke,
I think there’s slight misunderstanding about the show. The show builds brand new really nice homes for people who they say are honest, good, hard working, contributing good to society people. They just can’t afford a good housing, so they’re building a nice house for whom they think deserve a new house. Grace that God showed us is something that we received from God when we don’t deserve it. What if the show built the houses for other people who can’t afford the house but are not “good” people? Would they build a house for ex murderers, rapists, child molestors? I doubt it. What if they did? Would the show continue? Would people watch it? They think they’re doing something good by building a house for good people. Good people who deserves good housing. But Jesus sacrificed himself for ex murderers, rapists, prostitutes, adulters.
Elisa,
Now I see where we’re misunderstanding eachother. I completely agree with everything you’re saying about the gospel. In my viewing of EHM, I haven’t really noticed the aspect you highlighted (that homes are given to deserving people). My point was simply more general: that the show exhibits grace in that it freely extends an item of wealth to people who cannot afford that item. But what you said is also true: God’s grace is more scandalous and wonderful than EHM grace because EHM wouldn’t extend grace to murders, etc.
I’ve seen other blog topics about Jack Bauer as a “type” – I’m not sure it quite fits – I just see him as the ultimate utilitarian protagonist – any end justifies anything that brings about the greatest good……and I love him for it……
