Years ago, on my classroom wall I displayed variety of posters from films about Jesus
under the banner Who Do You Say that I Am?
The point of the collage was to show the diverse ways filmmakers have interpreted and presented
the gospel story to audiences over the recent decades.
The one poster that was always a conversation starter was this one here — of the 1999
sci-fiction action film, THE MATRIX.
The question on everyone’s mind was — how is that a Jesus film?
Today, we’ll explore the answer.
Released Easter Weekend, twenty years ago, this film intersects a variety of religious
and philosophical beliefs: Christian, Buddhism, Judaism, Zen, Existentialism, Gnosticism,
and Platonic just to name a few.
For the sake of simplicity, today I will only discuss the Judeo-Christian theme, as this
is my speciality.
If you are interested in learning more about how the other belief systems make their way
into the film, I recommend the book The Gospel Reloaded by Chris Seay and Greg Garrett.
As a matter of fact, It’s from this source that a lot of today’s ideas will be referenced.
Additionally, Despite launching a trilogy of films as well as an expanded universe,
again for simplicity purposes we will only examine the first film even though the religious
themes persist throughout the franchise.
What is the Matrix?
This of course is the existential question of the series — even serving as the original
website domain.
In regards to religious studies, today I have two theories on what the matrix could symbolize:
The first, The Matrix stands for the material things
in this world that serve as obstacles to faith.
The word itself is Latin for “Womb”, which implies a comfortable and safe existence.
Jesus says you can’t serve two masters and tells the rich man to go sell his possessions
before he can be able to follow him effectively.
At the leap of faith scene, Neo, played by Keanu Reeves falls to the ground when he doubts
his abilities due to what’s in front of him him.
The focus on the solely the material world makes it impossible to transcend belief.
Christ tells us of a kingdom that we can’t see with human minds, offers invisible water
that will cure all thirst, and beckons us to participate in the world of the unseen.
This requires our willingness to follow the white rabbit of divine moments and risk losing
the safety of familiarity in order to see things more clearly.
Once we’re willing to give faith our complete attention and be trained in mastering spiritual
disciplines can we then move the mountains that Jesus claims we can do.
In this theory, The Agents would then be those societal forces that wish to promote their
own goods that distract and numb the masses into a sleep of consciousness.
Sleep in the Bible is almost always a symbol for a lack of faith or even spiritual death.
Paul eloquently describes this in Ephesians:”“Sleeper, awake!
Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”.
2) The second theory suggested by Seay and Garrett is that the Matrix symbolizes organized
religion, a system firmly in place that gives us an acceptable way to deal with reality
and a plausible approach to answering the unanswerable questions.
Like the Matrix, organized religion keeps people asleep, dreaming, docile and unable
to ask questions or imagine alternatives.
The Agents, then would be those people who come down on you every time you try to examine
thoughts independent of the religion that has been so firmly implanted.
They squelch doubt, not by encouraging you to pursue your own thoughts and arrive at
your own conclusions, but instead by sticking a metaphorical gun in your face and threatening
you with non-acceptance and the threat that you will go to hell if you don’t conform.”
Morpheus, described by Agent Smith as the most dangerous man alive, teaches throughout
the film: the importance of seeing things for yourself, that the matrix can’t tell
you who you are, and that there’s a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.
As much as my viewers find comfort in the familiarity of religious structure, remember
that Christ himself never taught a religion, but a way of life.
Moving on, whichever theory holds true, you can’t deny the first film is a retelling
of the Gospel narrative with Neo as a Christ figure.
Neo as Jesus Christ Morpheus as a God the Father and John the
Baptist hybrid.
Trinity as the Holy Spirit or a female face of God
And Cypher as a Judas Iscariot - Satan hybrid.
Let’s examine each more closely: In 1999, no one would’ve imagined casting
Keanu Reeves as Jesus Christ, yet the allusions to the name are teased throughout the film.
Like Humble Jesus was from the little backwater town of Nazareth , Keanu of Bill and Ted’s
Excellent Adventure Fame and his Matrix counterpart Thomas A. Anderson, would’ve been the least
likely type of person expected to step into a messianic role.
But the name Anderson literally means “son of man”, with the middle initial
“a” implying that he was one of many potential messianic figures.
Historically, before, during, and after the time of Jesus there were many false-messianic
movements that typically ended with the execution of its founding member.
The question of whether or not Neo is the true messiah is ultimately the main focus
of the first film’s plot, with each character having their own opinion on the matter.
The name Thomas calls to mind the Apostle from the Gospel of John who doubts without
physical proof -- or maybe even a reference to the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas.
The first person to contact Anderson is Trinity, whose name clearly reflects the theological
entity.
Her role in the film is similar to that of the Holy Spirit in the gospels.
Like when the dove appears and affirms Jesus at the beginning of his ministry, Trinity
shows up and does likewise to Neo.
The Hebrew word for Spirit is the feminine word “Ruah” and often has been portrayed
as a female entity known as “Sophia” in the Hebrew Scriptures who states in The book
of Proverbs:
“When you find me, you find life, real life “(Proverbs 8:35)
Trinity does this twice for Neo in the film.
At the start, She is the first point of contact in bringing Thomas Anderson out of the Matrix.
And then again at the end, she’s the one who kisses him — bringing Ruah (breath)
into Neo’s dead being to resurrect him.
And when he rises,he becomes more than what he was.
More on that in a second.
Morpheus reflects two Biblical figures — God the Father and John the Baptist.
His name comes from the root word “Morph”, meaning “he who forms or molds.”
Think God molding Adam in Genesis 2! Morpheus calls Neo to fulfill his destiny, but also
lets him know that it’s his own choice to do so.
Free will is one of the ways humans are made in God’s image.
Further, Later in the film, upon thinking that Morpheus was killed, Tank says: YOu were
more than just a leader to us, you were a father.”
There are also references to Morpheus being a John the Baptist type figure.
Historians have described John as being...
“ a true prophet, illuminated, irritable, and passionate, in open rebellion against
the Jewish political and religious hierarchies.
Leader of a millenarianistic sect, John the Baptist announced the imminence of the Kingdom,
but without claiming the title of its Messiah.”
I still remember sitting in a movie theatre twenty years ago thinking the possibility
that if Neo wasn’t the one, it was definitely Morpheus.
But I was wrong.
In the Gospel of MAtthew when Jesus comes to John for his baptism, Jbapt says that “I’m
the one who should be baptized by you.”
Morpheus when greeted by the clearly impressed Neo for the first time, responds with similar
awareness: The honor is mine.”
And note that this exchange takes place during a torrential downpour -- a reference to waters
of baptism.
The scene ends with Neo taking the red pill that causes him to be “born again”.
In the gospels, Jesus doesn’t begin his public ministry until after John the Baptist
is arrested by King Herod.
Likewise, Neo doesn’t step up until Morpheus is similarly taken captive.
John the Baptist however was later beheaded, but likely in a concerted effort to include
the character in more sequels, Morpheus is not killed in the film — yet look at how
this camera shot interestingly teases nothing more than his head at the end of this scene.
Cypher of course is the final lead character, even being displayed alongside the other principles
on the theatrical poster.
His character is a Judas-Satan hybrid, which according to the Gospel of Luke is exactly
the reason why Judas betrays Jesus “Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot” (Lk
22:3)
At the start of the film we hear two voices — the female is Trinity, the male Cypher.
Before there was humanity, some traditions argue that Satan existed alongside the Trinity,
once a spirit with a righteous function.
This is the arrangement Cypher is found, on Morpheus’ team before challenging his authority.
In the Bible, immediately after Jesus gets baptised, he is guided into the desert where
he encounters the devil who is there to tempt him.
After passing a series of tests to prove whether or not he is the one, Jesus begins his public
ministry.
Throughout the film, Cypher constantly casts doubts and questions Neo’s identity.
And at the end of the film, it is cypher’s actions of betrayal that puts divine grace
into action.
His betrayal launches the final act of the first film… giving way to Neo’s crucifixion
... and then his resurrection.
Note that it’s Trinity’s kiss that raises Neo.
The breath of God breathing the divine spark back into the Christ.
And then we get the best resurrection portrayal ever presented in a hollywood film -- yes,
even better than the 2 seconds of a naked calf that Mel Gibson gave us in 2004.
Yes, I still hate that movie!
Tradition says that Jesus’ post-resurrected body was a glorified one that transcended
time and the limitations of natural law.
It was a physical body that became something much more -- it became imperishable and immortal
and I have never seen a Jesus film capture that essence better than what we get here.
The gospel of Luke ends with the ascension of Christ and so does this film.
Now before we move on, some skeptics might be quick to point out that Jesus wouldn’t
have condoned the amount of guns and violence in the film and so the metaphor isn’t spot
on.
Well, first this is an action movie that needs to sell tickets and make money in order to
make two lackluster sequels and an expanded universe.
So yeah.
And secondly, Jesus in Matthew 10:24: 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace
to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.did say that he come not to bring
peace, but a sword.
Jesus hung out with religious zealots, preached a new kingdom, attracted large crowds who
through him a king’s parade, was arrested for overturning the temple (which wasn’t
a very peaceful thing to do) and then was crucified under the charge of being a political
revolutionary.
Further, the greek word for gospel itself has its historical roots in proclaiming victories
on the battlefield; evangelist being the person who spreads the good news of success during
wartime; and the word for second-coming (Parousia) refers to the triumphant return of a troops
coming back from battle!
So yeah, Jesus began a revolution.
He and Neo were both born into a conquered world and as Seay and Garrett explain: “civil
disobedience simply won’t work on the machines of the matrix.
The Agents will simply shut you down and the system will feed you to the next guy.”
In addition to the Gospel imagery, the film forces us to reexamine the truths of the Primeval
Myth stories of Adam and Eve and the Tower of Babel
Seay and Garrett explain that: “Mankind longed to be the Creator instead
of the creation, and so it suffers a betrayal of its own making.
The greatest accomplishment of mankind -- artificial intelligence (A.I.) -- also longs to rule,
and so works to overthrow humanity, just as man sought to overthrow God, first in the
Garden of Eden, and later through science and reason.”
According to Genesis, humanity’s hubris led to exile and confusion.
Where God creates an orderly world, human defection brings it to chaos.
This cycle of apostasy persists throughout the entire Bible and continues through today.
Any other Judeo-Christian ideas in the film?
Morpheus’ ship, the Nebuchadnezzar refers to the Babylonian King who oppressed the people
of Israel, but then after his empire eventually collapsed, Israel found restoration.
This plaque near the ship’s nuclear reactor references Mark 3:11 -- a passage on recognizing
the son of god.
Zion, the last human city, was the name given to Jerusalem and was regarded as a place of
holiness, perfection, justice and hope of God.
Oracle is a literary device in Scripture referring to the voice of God.
and finally Morpheus says this quick line that I’m probably reading too much into
-- “the body cannot exist without the mind” Ummmm…..
St. Paul’s Body of christ imagery, anyone???
Yes?
No… okay maybe I’m reaching here.
Anyways those are my thoughts and I certainly enjoyed this opportunity to look back at the
theology of a film that came out when I was in college 20 years ago, when I declared myself
a religious studies major.
so Was it this film that laid the seed for me to be the theology teacher I am today?
Nope… that would’ve been Jesus Christ Superstar.