Christian
Message in The Matrix
Matrix
Trilogy Loaded with Allusions to Christianity
If
we take a closer look at The Matrix Trilogy we can begin
to find the threads that present the Christian message.
Christian metaphors are prevalent throughout the films and
provide the appropriate ingredients for the retelling of
the Christian Bible story.
The
first major emphasis in the films is on the question, "What
is the Matrix?" The answer to that question
provides Morpheus and his group the truth about their world,
their purpose, their destiny and hope. They come to realize
that they live in a computer-generated dream world constructed
by the machines (Artificial Inteligence) to control them.
Once unplugged they begin to see the world as it really
is and discover that their purpose is to destroy the Matrix
and unplug others from the computer-generated dream world.
We also
have a question that gnaws at us as human beings. It is
the question regarding our existence and purpose. "What
is the meaning of life?" or "Why do I exist?"
are a few ways the question is asked. Everyone has asked
themselves this question at some point in their lifetime.
And just like in the Matrix films the answer to that question
also brings us closer to knowing the truth about our world,
our purpose, our destiny and our hope.
What
is the Matrix for us? It is a world where we can
believe that we can be our own God and live a self-directed
and self-centered life. Where there are only our rules and
our wants. The Matrix is an illusion created to keep us
under control: under the control of sin, selfishness and
the popular ways of the world. It is a system that we are
plugged into that leads us to a lifestyle of self-indulgence,
instant gratification and pleasure. Where everything revolves
around us and how it makes us feel. It is a place where
truth and Jesus are not welcome.
When
we come to find the answer to The Question we find that
we live in a fallen world in which we are slaves to sin
and selfishness and that God has a plan to rectify this
problem. We find that we matter to someone. We find a Creator
who has a plan to fix the problem of our world; to save
and redeem our fallen world. In this plan we find promise
and a sense of belonging. We begin to understand that the
reason we exist is because God created us to love us and
he wants to have a relationship with us.
The
second major theme in the Matrix films is on making a decision
to know and follow the truth. When Neo meets Morpheus
he is given a choice to take a blue pill and believe whatever
he wants to or take the red pill and find out the whole
truth or reality. He has to make a decision that will define
the rest of his life. He cannot go back to his old life
once he takes the red pill. The same is true for us. To
find the truth we must be willing to pay the cost. We cannot
take a peek behind the curtain and then decide if we want
to believe or not. We must be willing to die to our old
life in order to exerience "the real." In the
end we must, like Neo, choose between living a life in ignorance
or in the truth.
A
third theme found in the film is on discovering our identity.
A very significant moment in the film was when
Neo said, "My name is Neo." At this moment he
corrects Agent Smith, who refers to him as Mr. Anderson,
and identifies with his new name and new identity. The result
of this identification is that he catapults into the air
and breaks free of Agent Smith as he pummels him into the
ceiling and then leaps unbelievably out of the way of the
oncoming train that was supposed to lead to his death.
When
we begin to believe the truth about ourselves in relation
to Christ we begin to likewise discover all we are capable
of accomplishing in Him. Neo found the truth and the truth
set him free from the Matrix. It also allowed him to experience
a new birth into a reality that would lead him to a transformation.
Jesus tells us, "I am the way, the truth, and the life"
(John 14:6). If we search diligently for the meaning of
our existence and God, we end up coming face to face with
the truth, Jesus Christ. This truth sets us free from the
bondage to sin and the world’s pull on us. It awakens
us to a new life with Christ as our mentor and friend. As
he enters our life we begin to find our identity in who
we are in relation to him and his plan for us.
The
message of purpose is also prevalent in the Matrix films
and is the fourth major theme. The idea that there
is a reason for why we are here and for everything that
happens in life is very much a part of The Matrix Reloaded
plot line. We also find that characters like the Keymaker,
Morpheus, Trinity and Neo all have a strong sense of purpose
in their lives. They know why they are on this earth and
are willing to fulfill their purpose and if needed die for
it.
The
same occurs when we find the truth of Jesus Christ and identify
with him. We begin to discover our purpose. As Christians
we realize that God had a plan to save the world through
his Son. We begin to realize that we are called to be a
part of something bigger than we could have ever imagined,
a cosmic plan of God to redeem the fallen world. Our purpose
becomes clear. We must play a part in the cosmic plan of
God. Just as Neo knew that he had to unplug as many as he
could and bring an end to the Matrix dream world.We must
in a similar way unplug people from the system of the world
and bring them to the truth.
The
fifth major theme in the films is the idea that there is
a battle between the forces of evil and good. The
sentient programs are the enemy in the Matrix films. We
are told that they "can move in and out of any software
still hardwired to their system." They are the gatekeepers,
the ones in positions of power, whose aim is to suppress
the truth at all costs.
Who
are the gatekeepers for us? We must come to understand our
enemy and all his schemes. Scripture tells us that our battle
is not against flesh and blood. We are told that it is against
the "the rulers, against the authorities, against the
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces
of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12).
According
to scripture our battle is not with human beings but the
powers of this dark world. There is another force at work,
the spiritual forces of evil. And these forces find their
allegiance with Satan. Satan is the enemy of God. He is
a fallen angel from heaven who chose to rebel against the
dream of God. He is the first to betray his ideals for his
own selfish notions. He is the lord of selfishness. He is
the ruler of this world; the master of illusions and the
great deceiver. He will use all means possible (people in
positions of authority, society, peers, etc.) to deceive
us in order to exchange the truth for the lies he wants
us to believe. His purpose is to thwart God’s greater
purpose and to take us away from the message of truth.
As
Christians we must prepare ourselves for the enemy and his
attacks. We must carry with us the armor of God (Ephesians
6:13-18) and remember that the weapons that we have to fight
with are enormously powerful and can destroy strongholds
(2 Corinthians 10:4).
The
sixth major theme in the Matrix Trilogy is the message of
a Savior. In the midst of the world’s problems
there comes the belief that there is someone who can help
us. A leader who can liberate us from our many chains and
set us free. A messiah who can rescue us and give us hope.
For
Zion, Neo is that person. In the end, he fulfills all the
prophecies. He saves Zion and ends the war against the machines.
What
Neo reminds us of is the message of the Gospel. That we
need a savior and messiah to rescue us from the many chains
that we have set up in our lives; to be set free to experience
life more abundantly and truthfully. The Messiah brings
us a message of hope and an invitation to seek the real
answers in our life. Where it counts. We must remember that
we cannot fulfill our life's purpose without the Messiah.
To
delve deeper into these major themes in the Matrix films
buy the book Matrix Reflections: Choosing between reality
and illusion by Eddie Zacapa.
