1. A combination of Scripture, tradition, and creative license.
Slide 1/3
Netflix mary Contains Bible stories you know and love. The angel Gabriel visited Mary and told her, “You will become a mother and give birth to a son, and he will rule over the house of David.'' When Mary expressed surprise, Gabriel said, “All things are possible with God. You will name him Jesus, and all the world will know him, Mary, blessed are you among women.'' Because there are.” Humble Mary replies, “Leave it to me.” Mary visits Elizabeth, who is also pregnant, and tells her relatives, “This baby in my womb will jump at the sound of your voice.'' On the night of the birth of the Christ Child, a bright star appears over Bethlehem as the shepherds come to worship. The film also includes some Biblical elements not seen in other Christmas movies, such as Anna and Simeon rejoicing at the birth of Jesus in the temple.
Of course, the Bible's account of the birth of Christ is fairly short, so like almost all films about the birth of Christ, Mary adds elements that aren't in the Bible. Many of those plotlines come from the Catholic tradition. Mary's parents' names are Joachim and Anne. They are unable to conceive and pray earnestly for a child. (The Catholic Church celebrates her parents through holidays.) As a young child, Mary is a servant in the temple. (This is from the Proto-Gospel of James, an apocryphal document.)
Other elements of the film have no historical basis, including several key scenes in the final moments.
But the movie ends with a Biblical scene in which Simeon declares, “This child is destined to cause the rise and fall of many in Israel.”
Mary in the Netflix movie is the humble, faithful, grace-filled person I imagine when I read the Bible. She quotes the Bible. She prays fervently.
There is no doubt that Catholics and Protestants view Mary differently. As the late Protestant pastor R.C. Sproul pointed out, this contrast has led some in the Protestant tradition to underestimate the importance of Mary. Sproul once preached about her in a Mother's Day sermon. “We have become so caught up in the controversy with the Roman Catholic Church over Mary that we have missed this great example of piety,” he said. He has a point.
Photo credit: ©Netflix
