"The Bible" Miniseries: A Look at Episodes 7 and 8

Last week's episode of The Bible left us with Jesus telling Peter in his fishing boat that they were going to "change the world". Tonight's episodes, starting with the first hour aptly titled "Mission", begin to show how Jesus' presence changed the course of history. 

Executive producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey (who plays Mary, the mother of Jesus) summarize the ministry of Jesus. In it, we see Jesus feed the multitudes, heal a leper and paralyzed man. We hear the radical teachings of the Son of Man.

In a moment of faith testing, Jesus calls Peter to walk on water. It's this miracle and that of raising Lazarus from the dead that convince the disciples that Jesus is God's Son.

On this fourth night of The Bible, we also see what God's story has been leading up to - the sacrifice of Jesus and His resurrection. Episode 8, "Betrayal", dramatizes Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, his encounters with the Jewish priests and the last supper before Jesus' arrest.

At that meal, Jesus symbolically breaks bread and pours out wine, foreshadowing the beating he will take and the blood he will spill in payment for our sins, a custom believers practice today called communion.

Next week, on Easter Sunday, the last two hours of The Bible miniseries airs on HISTORY at 8/7c. Then, we'll see the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the beginnings of our Christian faith with the redemption of Paul (of Tarsus).