Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. We will pick up the story from another close friend and disciple of Jesus by the name of John. Now one of Jesus’ closest friends is sick and Jesus is nowhere to be seen. He had healed total strangers, even lepers with whom no one would associate. With this in mind, everyone was surprised that Jesus didn’t appear to make the effort to come and visit Lazarus when he fell ill, particularly when Jesus had healed so many other very sick people. Lazarus wasn’t so talkative, but no one was in any doubt that Jesus was his special friend. When they asked why He was so special, she would tell them that He was the Lord from heaven. Mary would tell all who would listen about His love for people, His healing powers and His humility. ![]() Mary, on the other hand, ever since she had Jesus visit her house was constantly talking to them all about this man, Jesus. At one stage or another, the town folk of Bethany had tasted some of her baked delights. Everyone knew them because Martha was a great cook and very hospitable. Lazarus lived in the town of Bethany with his two sisters. Imagine the talk at the markets and the questions from the kids: “Is it true?” Imagine the answers. They had attended the funeral of their good friend, Lazarus, and four days later people started to say they had seen him walking around. What would you do and say if it was them? Could this be possible? Has it ever really happened? The people in the town of Bethany faced this very thing. This can be very disconcerting because it looks like them, but you know it cannot be as you know they have died. I can remember having quite a double take after walking down the aisle of a shopping complex and suddenly seeing a man who closely resembled my father. I know I had this very experience a few times following my father’s death. He has a scene with brutal rock throwing and yet also a recurring goofy bit about light bulbs appearing over Clarence’s head.It is a common phenomenon that following the passing away of a loved one, you tend to notice people who look very much like the person who has died. He makes us shudder as nails are pounded into Clarence’s flesh, yet also includes humor at the crucifixion - from the actual guys doing the dying. Samuel comments powerfully on us today when white Roman police stop-and-frisk Black Jerusalem residents, but then wastes such a great potential vein to mine with a swanky dance party and cool choreographed moves. A critique of celebrity? A message about entertainment? That faith comes even to those who have none? That we kill all our saviors? It’s not even clear if this is a pro- or anti-religious movie. There are plenty of messiahs here - like Spider-Mans in the multiverse - but it is not clear what the filmmaker wants to say with them. Is Samuel honoring sword-and-sandal epics? Updating them? Mocking them? Looking at the Jesus story through a Black lens is immensely rewarding but the pay-off is poor. He mixes stilted language - “I must make haste” - with modern turns (“I’ve got the cobblestones on lock.”) This is the first Biblical epic to uses the term “dumbass.”īut Samuel never stays with any idea for long and “The Book of Clarence” lacks cohesion, as well as consistency, even if the acting is superb, especially from a soulful Stanfield. He apes biblical epics in his title fonts and the opening and closing of the camera’s iris. Samuel, whose previous movie was the all-Black Western “The Harder They Fall,” has some creative ideas, like using a chariot race to honor both “Ben Hur” and “Fast & Furious,” as well as wonderfully capturing the Last Supper like a painting come alive. When that fails he decides to pretend to be a messiah, too, and get paid for so-called tricks. He tries to become a 13th apostle to pay off his debts. We know things are going to end painfully for Clarence because one of the first images in the movie is of him on a cross.Ĭlarence doesn’t believe in God and certainly doesn’t believe that the local guy named Jesus is capable of miracles. ![]() “A man who lacks honor is a nobody,” his brother replies. “I’m not a nobody,” he tells his twin brother, Thomas (also Stanfield, naturally). ![]() Clarence is called the “village’s mischief maker” and even his mother thinks he needs to get his act together.
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