Kings on NBC - Episode Three - "First Night"

In this episode, the Queen is hosting a ballet. A generous donor has asked to sit next to David and is willing to pay $100,000 for the seat. The seat next to Silas was only going to catch $10,000. The Queen then makes a thinly veiled reference to I Samuel 18:7 when she says, "Silas commands his thousands, while David brings his hundred thousand." The Queen has Thomasina (the King's right-hand w0man) tell David that his seat is needed for a generous donor. He is uninvited and Jack sees this as an opportunity to "befriend" David. Someone recently pointed out that they always thought it was strange that the biblical Jonathan was willing to help David oppose his own father, and in effect, his own chance to rule. I think they were suggesting that Jack may represent what kind of friends they really were. I don't think so, as strange as it may seem, I think Jonathan really did love David as he loved himself (I Samuel 18:3). One thing we shouldn't do is read too much into the show. This "friendly" relationship may be more dramatic as it plays with the tension between these two up and coming leaders, but it goes beyond the biblical story. While Jack tries to set up David for a smear campaign, the Queen tries to set her daughter up with a rich young buisnessman. But neither of these stories is nearly as powerful as the tension between Silas and Rev. Samuel. During the ballet, the King gets a call from his mistress who says that his illegitimate son is in the hospital. Nothing is working, so Silas has Samuel picked up and dropped off on the side of a road. Samuel thinks he is being arrested, but Silas says he needs his consultation. They engage in the following conversation concerning God.

Silas: What does He want from me? Why does He act my enemy? Port Prosperity, is that the cost? I’ll take it back, I will rescind my offer.

Samuel: I cannot tell you of God’s mind. He shares with me at his pleasure. About this, He is silent.

Silas: I did right by Him. This land was once a place where men of faith feared to walk the streets and prayers came in whispers. I made it safe for men like you.

Samuel: So God owes you?

Silas: If not Him, you. Tell me what’s the fair trade?

Samuel: One offers sacrifice according to the offense. Only you can name that.

Silas: Sacrifice? Has he not moved past that yet? Give Him my best. Tell Him I've given too much.

Samuel: We make amends Silas. The pure, the unblemished for our sins.

Silas: He wants what I will not let him take. I will not leave this on the altar.

Samuel: Then you find another lamb.

Silas: No. Not even God is that cruel.

Silas drives off and hits an animal.

Silas: (looks up) Is this what you need? Something beautiful has to die to make you happy. (then he kisses the animal before snapping the dying animal's neck)

At the end of the show, Silas is sitting in the hospital. When his son wakes up he sees Silas and says, “Daddy.” Silas looks up. He kisses his son on the forehead. His mistress moves to touch his forehead, where there is blood. He tells her no and begins to walk out. She asks, “You have to go? What is it?” He says, “The cost.”

Roughly two thousand years ago Jesus went to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. This holiday is called the Passover because it is when the final plague, the angel of death passed over all the houses that had the blood of a lamb sprinkled on its door (Exodus). Jesus says that he is the lamb. He is the pure unblemished sacrifice. He who knew no sin, became sin so that we might be considered righteous. God is holy. Our sin separates us from God. In order to bring us to Him, God had to send the Son to die and rise for us. There is no longer any need for animal sacrifices for our sins. They have been covered by the Lamb, Jesus Christ. But that does not mean that we should no longer offer sacrifices. Jesus says that if we want to follow him, we must pick up our cross and carry it each day. God sent the Son as a sacrifice for our sins, let us respond by sacrificing the things that get in the way of a closer relationship with God and others. Let us sacrifice some of our comforts in order to comfort others. Let us not forget the scandal of the cross. God's love for us is scandalous. Let us give thanks to God by loving God and others in return.