The Matrix
"The Matrix: Thomas Anderson to Neo…
A Simple Illustration of Salvation and The Walk Thereafter"
By Laura Healy
"Jesus replied, 'I tell you for certain that you must be born from above ["in a new way"] before you can see God's kingdom!' Nicodemus asked, 'How can a grown man ever be born a second time?' Jesus answered: 'I tell you for certain that before you can get into God's kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit. Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God. Don't be surprised when I say that you must be born from above. Only God's Spirit gives new life.'" (The Bible: The Book of John. Chapter 3, verses 3-8. Contemporary English Version.)
In "The Matrix" we see the development of the main character, played by Keanu Reeves, from Thomas Anderson into Neo. "Neo" is Greek for "new". As the character goes from being Thomas Anderson to being Neo, he goes through a "new birth". As the title states, this is a simple "picture" that the movie portrays once you define the interpretations of the contexts of the movie, each character, and the concept of "The Matrix". I watched the movie several times before I understood the whole thing. Each time I watched, some thing new lept out for me to be put together as a whole.
To understand this "picture" you must understand what each part symbolizes. We'll start with Morpheus, who symbolizes God, the Father. Thomas Anderson is searching for Morpheus in order to make sense of all the confusion in his life. You can see this when Neo asks the man coming to buy an illegal disc for his computer, "Ever have that feeling where you're not sure if you're awake or still dreaming?"
This leads him to an encounter with Trinity. At this point Trinity represents Jesus in people or the Holy Spirit moving upon these people to tell about Jesus. She knows about Neo, where he is and, more importantly, that he is seeking the answer to the question, "What is the Matirx?" She tells him, "The answer is out there, Neo, and it's looking for you, and it will find you, if you want it too." She calls him "Neo", a foreshadowing of what he will become.
Like Neo, we go through life asking questions about life and sensing, deep in our hearts, that there is more to life than we know. The truth is, God seeks us out and longs for us to come to Him even before we ever think about finding Him, or knowing Him, or loving Him. In fact, "God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never really die! God did not send His Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent Him to save them!" (John 3:16-17, Contemporary English Version).
Trinity, who also represents God; (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; i.e. the "Trinity"); at this particular point, tells Neo that she knows all about him, that she has been watching him. "Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great pleasure" (Ephesians 1:4-5; New Living Translation).
In the movie, Thomas Anderson finally meets Morpheus: (remember he represents God the Father). Morpheus and Neo engage in a real conversation about the Matrix; in essence they talk about what reality is. Thomas Anderson was born into bondage and he is a slave. Morpheus offers him two pills, each representative of a way he can go. It is a choice about his destiny. If Neo takes the "blue" pill there will be no change in his life. But if Neo takes the red pill, he will learn what the Matrix is, who he is, and where his life belongs. Neo will learn the truth about everything. Ultimately, "Truth" is a person-- His name is Jesus Christ! "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6, New King James Version).
Neo chooses the red pill. The pill's red color is significant because it symbolizes the Blood of Jesus. The Book of Hebrews tells us there is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood (chapter 9, verse 7,NKJV). Hebrews also tells us only with His own blood did Jesus enter "the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption" (verse 12, NKJV). "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7, NKJV); and "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 5:7, NKJV). Please understand this; "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name [other than the name of Jesus] under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12, NKJV). There is no other way!
As the red pill begins to take effect, things begin changing for Neo. First, Neo touches a mirror that ripples like Mercury. It attaches to his fingers and spreads to his whole hand. At this point Morpheus asks him if that's real. Quickly it spreads all over his body. Just as Neo goes into cardiac arrest, he finds that reality has changed. Neo exists in a slimy container. As Neo breaks out of the slime, he finds that his container is just one of billions. He looks around and is stunned by the horror of what he sees.
An insect-like machine suddenly appears. It seizes Neo by his neck, and detaches a large cable attached to the base of Neo's brain. Several other tubes connected to Neo violently disconnect and the container of slime begins to drain. Neo is flushed down a long tube into the place where the machines dispose of waste. It is mostly water and is running through what used to be a sewer system.
After Neo is completely immersed under water, the hoist of Morpheus' ship, the Nebuchanezzar, snatches him and lifts him out of the water and into the ship. This symbolizes water baptism, the complete immersion of Neo in water, and the raising up of him again. "When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:5, NKJV). The Apostle Paul says some interesting things about baptism. In Romans 6:4-6 he states, "For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised as he was. Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin" (New Living Translation).
As the Nebuchanezzar lifts Neo out of the water you see a red discolorization shaped like a heart in the center of Neo's chest. This signifies something awesome God does when He saves us. "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God". (Ezekiel 19, 20). Neo was given that new spirit and new heart.
Morpheus welcomes Neo to the Nebuchadnezzar by saying, "Welcome to the real world." Over the next several scenes of the movie Neo discovers what that true "reality" is. Morpheus fully reveals to him what "The Matrix" is, as well as the horrible place that he was in before being "flushed". The Matrix is a computer-generated world where people go about "living" their lives. In reality they are slaves. Just like people in our world today without Jesus. Whether people are chasing the "American Dream", living in the "American Dream", or just getting by, without Jesus they do not know the Truth. He is the Truth! Just like some of the people in the Matrix are hostile to those who have been set free, so there are people in our world today who are hostile towards those who have been "freed" through Jesus.
The world of containers where Neo first found himself is in reality where these people are. If Neo had taken the blue pill, he would have continued living his life until his death. Only when it was too late, would Neo realize he had ended up in the same place as these people.
"Hell from beneath is excited about you, to meet you at your coming; it stirs up the dead for you, all the chief ones of the earth; it has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. They shall all speak and say to you: Have you also become as weak as we? Your pomp is brought down to Sheol [the place of the dead; ultimately hell], and the sound of your stringed instruments; the maggot is spread over you, and worms cover you." (Isaiah 14:9-11, NKJV).
The Machine, specifically identified as the "artificial intelligence" that went to war with humanity, is the enemy. It symbolizes the devil; first called Lucifer, then Satan. The Sentinels, the machines who run the growth pods, the Agents inside the Matrix, and all other machines, symbolize demonic spirits who fell with Lucifer when he was kicked out of heaven; (see Isaiah 14:12-15 for a greater explanation).
That when humans die the machines take their bodies and turn them into a liquid to feed the "living" tells us something interesting. "You who hate good and love evil; who strip the skin from My people, and the flesh from their bones; who also eat the flesh of My people, flay their skin from them, break their bones, chop them in pieces, like meat for a pot, like flesh in the caldron" (Micah 3:2-3, NKJV). It also says something interesting about the people who will not "wake up", as has Neo, Trinity, Mouse, Switch, and Apoch. They do not accept Jesus, or they have never discovered the Truth. There are people who purposefully turn away from God, no matter how many times He tries to reach them. "Then they will cry to the Lord, but He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, because they have been evil in their deeds" (verse 4).
Finally one day all those who have not "woken up", who have failed to accept Jesus, will come before the Judgement Seat of God. "And the dead were judged according to their works…then the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works…[they were] cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:12-15, NKJV).
This is the reality. This is the truth.
Fortunately God has freely offered Jesus Christ as a ransom for us all.
Neo finally accepts it, but initially the reality of what the Matrix is horrifies him. Neo sees the truth, and accept it, no matter how horrifying that might be. Morpheus advises Neo to get a good night's sleep. Neo asks why. Morpheus tells him, "for your training". The next day Tank is fully introduced. Tank, Neo's instructor, symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Neo has been "saved" and "baptized in water". Now this scene symbolizes his baptism in the Holy Spirit. "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view toward God's own possession, to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:13-14, New American Standard).
The Holy Spirit is essential to our walk after salvation. "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth," Jesus told his disciples," it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Helper [Holy Spirit] will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you" (John 16:7, NKJV). After His resurrection, Jesus commanded them, "Not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, 'which', He said, 'you have heard from Me." (Acts 1:4, NKJV). So they went and those who waited received the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Contrary to what others may say or believe the reality is that the Holy Spirit has not changed. He is just as loving, just as powerful, and just as available today as He always was.
Just as Tank was essential for Neo's walk after salvation in the movie, the Holy Spirit is essential for our walk after salvation in real life. Neo would not accomplish anything with out Tank training him. The crew also needed Tank to enter and exit the Matrix. It was Tank who stopped Cypher before he could kill Neo. Tank ran the program so Trinity could learn how to fly a B-212 helicopter in less than 10 seconds. This is an example of walking in the revelation of God, and it does not happen without the active involvement of the Holy Spirit.
Several scriptures reveal how the early church leaders saw salvation in Jesus, followed by baptism in water, followed by the baptism in the Holy Spirit. One is Acts 8:14-17 (NKJV), "Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit." Here Peter and John went to a group of people who had already been saved and baptized, but had not yet received the Holy Spirit.
This actually happened with me. There was about a month in between when I was saved and when I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 19:4-6 (NKJV) shows it happening in a different way, "Then Paul said, 'John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.' When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied."
The thing to remember is how important Tank; symbolizing the Holy Spirit, is along with Morpheus, symbolizing the Father, and Trinity, symbolizing the Son-Jesus. I want to take a moment and remind you about interpretation. Obviously certain things have certain symbolic meanings. However, they don't necessarily have to possess the exact representation of that particular meaning in every situation to still be valid symbolically. For example, Morpheus symbolizes the Father. But when he is captured by the Agents, drugged, and needs the help of Trinity and Neo, at that point in the movie Morpheus does not represent the Father. But that does not make our interpretation of Morpheus as the Father invalid. On the contrary, most of the time Morpheus does symbolize God the Father.
Trinity at the end tells Neo she loves him. This is symbolic of the love that Jesus Christ has for us. In this case it is totally correct to show the love that Trinity is confessing for Neo because the love Jesus has is an all-consuming passion for each of us. He is our Bridegroom. We are His Bride. However, right before she says this, Trinity says, "I'm not afraid anymore." Well, Jesus is never afraid. But, overall, that does not cancel out that Trinity is symbolic of Jesus.
Let me mention another important thing. Tank, like the Holy Spirit, shows real, genuine excitement in what lies ahead. The Holy Spirit is like that with us. He is genuinely excited to be taking us on the journey, though it will always include difficulties ahead. He really is called the "Helper", and the "Comforter". We must also recognize that the Holy Spirit is the Power of God. That was demonstrated clearly when he killed Cypher. He would not allow Neo's death, as that would have meant the end of everything God the Father designed.
He tells Neo about "Zion", the only human city that has not been destroyed. Tank says, "If the war were over tomorrow Zion is where the party would be." Scripture tells us about Zion. "But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel" (Hebrews 12:22, NJKV).
In other words, Neo is not alone. He is surrounded by those who are alive; who share in the same cause, (the destruction of the Matrix), and by those who have gone on before and now cheer him on. This is important because as Neo begins to "walk out his salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12, NKJV), bad things occur. Switch, Mouse, and Apoch are killed, while Morpheus ends up in the hands of the Agents. This forces Neo to make a choice. This is where we will all go if we truly are following the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Neo must decide whether to let Morpheus die or try to rescue him. A rescue places Neo in great danger and may cost him his life. That's what Jesus meant when He said, "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39, NKJV). It is the same choice that we ultimately must make, whether to walk away from God or go after Him with all our heart.
Neo chooses, and succeeds in rescuing Morpheus. Morpheus and Trinity escape the Matrix, but Neo finds himself trapped and running from the Agents. Finally, Neo dies. He has laid down his life for Morpheus. "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for our brethern" (1 John 4: 16, NKJV). In laying down his life, Neo actually experiences a transformation. As Jesus explained, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." (John 12:24-25, NKJV).
Trinity, who definitely symbolizes Jesus here and now; (see the earlier explanation); says that Neo cannot be dead because she loves him, and the one that she loves would be the one. This profession of love that Jesus makes to his Bride carries with it everything that God is; "For God so loved the world…" (John 3:16, NKJV); and everything that He gives to us.
A transformed, resurrected Neo stands up. Now he sees everything as it truly is. The Agents, who used to overpower Neo, can no longer harm him. Neo becomes faster than the Agents. In fact, it is nothing for Neo to block every punch that Agent Smith throws at him. It has become easy. Finally, Neo destroys Agent Smith. As Agent Smith's body explodes, Neo glows brightly. An intense light emanates from him. The other Agents run in fear. That light, which the Holy Spirit leads us to, is the glory of God. It is not our glory, but His glory emanating from us. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2 Corinthians 4:7, NKJV).
That is where the Holy Spirit wants to take "whosoever will" (Revelation 22:17, King James Version). The first step is salvation, believing in Jesus. That will get you into heaven. Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV), "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Then you should be water baptized. As Peter explained to the crowd who was gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38, NKJV).
In speaking of that gift-- the Holy Spirit-- Jesus, after His resurrection, told his disciples that they should not depart from Jerusalem, "Don't leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you He has promised to do" (Acts 4:4, Contemporary English Version). Jesus had told them earlier, "Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you. The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of this world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don't see or know him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you. I won't leave you like orphans. I will come back to you." (John 14:16-18; Contemporary English Version).
It is important to say here that God the Father is God; Jesus the Son of God is God; and the Holy Spirit, He is God. That "the Lord our God, the Lord is One" (Deuteronomy 6:4) and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-- the idea of the Trinity; do not contradict each other at all. That is a mystery, yet it's still the Truth. Jesus said in continuing to talk about the Holy Spirit coming, "But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you." (John 14:26; Contemporary English Version). We should never refuse such an awesome gift that God would give us. So awesome, in fact, that He was known as "the Promise", God Himself, in the form of the Holy Spirit, coming down to dwell inside each of us. He will be there to guide us, to lead us, and to comfort us when the road gets tough.
It is extremely important that you accept and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Just as Trinity and Neo needed Tank in the movie, so also do we need Him in our everyday walk. Imagine what kind of a world Neo and Trinity would have been in - stuck inside the Matrix with no way to get out, if it hadn't been for Tank. In fact, every time they went in they relied on Tank to navigate for them. Any time there was trouble, they would place a call to Tank and he would guide them through, watching their positions on his computer and having access to whatever they needed. It is the same for us. If we refuse the Holy Spirit there are times in our lives when we will behave exactly like Jesus did not want us to - like orphans.
Now, here's a key. Water Baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism should happen at the same time as salvation or as close together as is reasonably possible. When you are saved you want to do like Jesus did. The prophet John baptized Jesus with water. "So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. Then a voice from heaven said, 'This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with Him'" (Matthew 3:16-17; Contemporary English Version).
However, for many people in the contemporary experience these as separate events. Though that is not the pattern of the early church and it would be better if we did experience them all at the same time; it's perfectly okay if you don't. In fact, sometimes you will see people praying to receive salvation and God will supernaturally zap them with the Holy Spirit. Far be it from us to call that into question if this happens-- He's God and we're not! In fact, you will find that there are so many different ways that God uses that it is impossible to categorize them. What's most important is that you experience all three; becoming saved, being water baptized, and receiving the Holy Spirit.
In my own life I was saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit a month later, (at a different place). But then by the circumstances of my life, I didn't receive water baptism until a couple of years later. I didn't even know I needed to be water baptized. Other people are saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit simultaneously and then later on water baptized. Still others are saved, then water baptized, then much later on, as often as several years, they receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
We are on a journey. In truth, we have been on a journey long before we ever receive salvation. God calls us and woos us long before we ever come to know Him. For some of us the journey is shorter. For others the journey is longer. God doesn't make everyone alike. Unlike the Machines, He creates humans like a flower garden.* Some are roses, some are daisies, some blossom fairly continually, others in the desert go long spells before they blossom. There are many, many more kinds of flowers. All different shapes, sizes, colors, and fragrances. There are so many that you would have to have a PhD. in botany to know them all, even then you probably wouldn't. In this journey there is still the issue of human will. For example, Cypher turned away and betrayed all of his comrades. He turned out to be thorns. We must commit ourselves to "die daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31, NKJV). There will be times that we're more successful than at others. But remember, "The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalm 145:8-9, NKJV).
The first sequel to "The Matrix", titled "The Matrix Reloaded", comes out next May (2003). I'll bet the interpretation of the theme of that movie is "Power against Power". There is an enemy and he does have power. Do you think that the Machine will just roll over and take it lightly? Or just give up? No, that is not the way it works, in the movie or in reality. That is why it is essential that we allow the Holy Spirit to take us on this journey. Everyone who was set free from the Matrix, with the exception of Cypher, went on to free others, and make sure that they gave their everything for the destruction of the Matrix.
They did not get saved and just sit at the back row of a church all their lives. No, they went after it. They did have power in the Spirit. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. For we do not wrestle against the flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:10,12, NKJV).
At the end of the first "Matrix", Neo calls up the Machine to tell him, "I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it's going to begin. I'm going to hang up this phone, and then I'm going to show these people what you don't want them to see. I'm going to show them a world without you. A world without rules and controls, without borders and boundaries, a world where anything is possible."
"But you, beloved, building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh" (Jude 20-23).
We must become "martyrs of His love".** That means whether we live or die it doesn't matter. The only thing important is our love for Him, and His love for us, and His heart of love for all the people who haven't heard of Jesus. The gospel must be preached and His kingdom needs to be established. By being saved, baptized, filled with the Spirit, and becoming a viable part of a local congregation, you can be part of this.
* This came from the writings of St. Therese of Lisieux, 1873-1897, a Catholic Nun who understood something about the movings of God in humanity.
** This idea also came from St. Therese of Lisieux, from her written prayer, "Act of Oblation to Merciful Love".
A Simple Illustration of Salvation and The Walk Thereafter"
By Laura Healy
"Jesus replied, 'I tell you for certain that you must be born from above ["in a new way"] before you can see God's kingdom!' Nicodemus asked, 'How can a grown man ever be born a second time?' Jesus answered: 'I tell you for certain that before you can get into God's kingdom, you must be born not only by water, but by the Spirit. Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God. Don't be surprised when I say that you must be born from above. Only God's Spirit gives new life.'" (The Bible: The Book of John. Chapter 3, verses 3-8. Contemporary English Version.)
In "The Matrix" we see the development of the main character, played by Keanu Reeves, from Thomas Anderson into Neo. "Neo" is Greek for "new". As the character goes from being Thomas Anderson to being Neo, he goes through a "new birth". As the title states, this is a simple "picture" that the movie portrays once you define the interpretations of the contexts of the movie, each character, and the concept of "The Matrix". I watched the movie several times before I understood the whole thing. Each time I watched, some thing new lept out for me to be put together as a whole.
To understand this "picture" you must understand what each part symbolizes. We'll start with Morpheus, who symbolizes God, the Father. Thomas Anderson is searching for Morpheus in order to make sense of all the confusion in his life. You can see this when Neo asks the man coming to buy an illegal disc for his computer, "Ever have that feeling where you're not sure if you're awake or still dreaming?"
This leads him to an encounter with Trinity. At this point Trinity represents Jesus in people or the Holy Spirit moving upon these people to tell about Jesus. She knows about Neo, where he is and, more importantly, that he is seeking the answer to the question, "What is the Matirx?" She tells him, "The answer is out there, Neo, and it's looking for you, and it will find you, if you want it too." She calls him "Neo", a foreshadowing of what he will become.
Like Neo, we go through life asking questions about life and sensing, deep in our hearts, that there is more to life than we know. The truth is, God seeks us out and longs for us to come to Him even before we ever think about finding Him, or knowing Him, or loving Him. In fact, "God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never really die! God did not send His Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent Him to save them!" (John 3:16-17, Contemporary English Version).
Trinity, who also represents God; (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; i.e. the "Trinity"); at this particular point, tells Neo that she knows all about him, that she has been watching him. "Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great pleasure" (Ephesians 1:4-5; New Living Translation).
In the movie, Thomas Anderson finally meets Morpheus: (remember he represents God the Father). Morpheus and Neo engage in a real conversation about the Matrix; in essence they talk about what reality is. Thomas Anderson was born into bondage and he is a slave. Morpheus offers him two pills, each representative of a way he can go. It is a choice about his destiny. If Neo takes the "blue" pill there will be no change in his life. But if Neo takes the red pill, he will learn what the Matrix is, who he is, and where his life belongs. Neo will learn the truth about everything. Ultimately, "Truth" is a person-- His name is Jesus Christ! "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6, New King James Version).
Neo chooses the red pill. The pill's red color is significant because it symbolizes the Blood of Jesus. The Book of Hebrews tells us there is no remission of sin without the shedding of blood (chapter 9, verse 7,NKJV). Hebrews also tells us only with His own blood did Jesus enter "the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption" (verse 12, NKJV). "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7, NKJV); and "the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 5:7, NKJV). Please understand this; "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name [other than the name of Jesus] under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12, NKJV). There is no other way!
As the red pill begins to take effect, things begin changing for Neo. First, Neo touches a mirror that ripples like Mercury. It attaches to his fingers and spreads to his whole hand. At this point Morpheus asks him if that's real. Quickly it spreads all over his body. Just as Neo goes into cardiac arrest, he finds that reality has changed. Neo exists in a slimy container. As Neo breaks out of the slime, he finds that his container is just one of billions. He looks around and is stunned by the horror of what he sees.
An insect-like machine suddenly appears. It seizes Neo by his neck, and detaches a large cable attached to the base of Neo's brain. Several other tubes connected to Neo violently disconnect and the container of slime begins to drain. Neo is flushed down a long tube into the place where the machines dispose of waste. It is mostly water and is running through what used to be a sewer system.
After Neo is completely immersed under water, the hoist of Morpheus' ship, the Nebuchanezzar, snatches him and lifts him out of the water and into the ship. This symbolizes water baptism, the complete immersion of Neo in water, and the raising up of him again. "When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 19:5, NKJV). The Apostle Paul says some interesting things about baptism. In Romans 6:4-6 he states, "For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised as he was. Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin" (New Living Translation).
As the Nebuchanezzar lifts Neo out of the water you see a red discolorization shaped like a heart in the center of Neo's chest. This signifies something awesome God does when He saves us. "Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God". (Ezekiel 19, 20). Neo was given that new spirit and new heart.
Morpheus welcomes Neo to the Nebuchadnezzar by saying, "Welcome to the real world." Over the next several scenes of the movie Neo discovers what that true "reality" is. Morpheus fully reveals to him what "The Matrix" is, as well as the horrible place that he was in before being "flushed". The Matrix is a computer-generated world where people go about "living" their lives. In reality they are slaves. Just like people in our world today without Jesus. Whether people are chasing the "American Dream", living in the "American Dream", or just getting by, without Jesus they do not know the Truth. He is the Truth! Just like some of the people in the Matrix are hostile to those who have been set free, so there are people in our world today who are hostile towards those who have been "freed" through Jesus.
The world of containers where Neo first found himself is in reality where these people are. If Neo had taken the blue pill, he would have continued living his life until his death. Only when it was too late, would Neo realize he had ended up in the same place as these people.
"Hell from beneath is excited about you, to meet you at your coming; it stirs up the dead for you, all the chief ones of the earth; it has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. They shall all speak and say to you: Have you also become as weak as we? Your pomp is brought down to Sheol [the place of the dead; ultimately hell], and the sound of your stringed instruments; the maggot is spread over you, and worms cover you." (Isaiah 14:9-11, NKJV).
The Machine, specifically identified as the "artificial intelligence" that went to war with humanity, is the enemy. It symbolizes the devil; first called Lucifer, then Satan. The Sentinels, the machines who run the growth pods, the Agents inside the Matrix, and all other machines, symbolize demonic spirits who fell with Lucifer when he was kicked out of heaven; (see Isaiah 14:12-15 for a greater explanation).
That when humans die the machines take their bodies and turn them into a liquid to feed the "living" tells us something interesting. "You who hate good and love evil; who strip the skin from My people, and the flesh from their bones; who also eat the flesh of My people, flay their skin from them, break their bones, chop them in pieces, like meat for a pot, like flesh in the caldron" (Micah 3:2-3, NKJV). It also says something interesting about the people who will not "wake up", as has Neo, Trinity, Mouse, Switch, and Apoch. They do not accept Jesus, or they have never discovered the Truth. There are people who purposefully turn away from God, no matter how many times He tries to reach them. "Then they will cry to the Lord, but He will not hear them; He will even hide His face from them at that time, because they have been evil in their deeds" (verse 4).
Finally one day all those who have not "woken up", who have failed to accept Jesus, will come before the Judgement Seat of God. "And the dead were judged according to their works…then the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works…[they were] cast into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:12-15, NKJV).
This is the reality. This is the truth.
Fortunately God has freely offered Jesus Christ as a ransom for us all.
Neo finally accepts it, but initially the reality of what the Matrix is horrifies him. Neo sees the truth, and accept it, no matter how horrifying that might be. Morpheus advises Neo to get a good night's sleep. Neo asks why. Morpheus tells him, "for your training". The next day Tank is fully introduced. Tank, Neo's instructor, symbolizes the Holy Spirit. Neo has been "saved" and "baptized in water". Now this scene symbolizes his baptism in the Holy Spirit. "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view toward God's own possession, to the praise of His glory" (Ephesians 1:13-14, New American Standard).
The Holy Spirit is essential to our walk after salvation. "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth," Jesus told his disciples," it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, the Helper [Holy Spirit] will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you" (John 16:7, NKJV). After His resurrection, Jesus commanded them, "Not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, 'which', He said, 'you have heard from Me." (Acts 1:4, NKJV). So they went and those who waited received the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Contrary to what others may say or believe the reality is that the Holy Spirit has not changed. He is just as loving, just as powerful, and just as available today as He always was.
Just as Tank was essential for Neo's walk after salvation in the movie, the Holy Spirit is essential for our walk after salvation in real life. Neo would not accomplish anything with out Tank training him. The crew also needed Tank to enter and exit the Matrix. It was Tank who stopped Cypher before he could kill Neo. Tank ran the program so Trinity could learn how to fly a B-212 helicopter in less than 10 seconds. This is an example of walking in the revelation of God, and it does not happen without the active involvement of the Holy Spirit.
Several scriptures reveal how the early church leaders saw salvation in Jesus, followed by baptism in water, followed by the baptism in the Holy Spirit. One is Acts 8:14-17 (NKJV), "Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit." Here Peter and John went to a group of people who had already been saved and baptized, but had not yet received the Holy Spirit.
This actually happened with me. There was about a month in between when I was saved and when I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Acts 19:4-6 (NKJV) shows it happening in a different way, "Then Paul said, 'John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.' When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied."
The thing to remember is how important Tank; symbolizing the Holy Spirit, is along with Morpheus, symbolizing the Father, and Trinity, symbolizing the Son-Jesus. I want to take a moment and remind you about interpretation. Obviously certain things have certain symbolic meanings. However, they don't necessarily have to possess the exact representation of that particular meaning in every situation to still be valid symbolically. For example, Morpheus symbolizes the Father. But when he is captured by the Agents, drugged, and needs the help of Trinity and Neo, at that point in the movie Morpheus does not represent the Father. But that does not make our interpretation of Morpheus as the Father invalid. On the contrary, most of the time Morpheus does symbolize God the Father.
Trinity at the end tells Neo she loves him. This is symbolic of the love that Jesus Christ has for us. In this case it is totally correct to show the love that Trinity is confessing for Neo because the love Jesus has is an all-consuming passion for each of us. He is our Bridegroom. We are His Bride. However, right before she says this, Trinity says, "I'm not afraid anymore." Well, Jesus is never afraid. But, overall, that does not cancel out that Trinity is symbolic of Jesus.
Let me mention another important thing. Tank, like the Holy Spirit, shows real, genuine excitement in what lies ahead. The Holy Spirit is like that with us. He is genuinely excited to be taking us on the journey, though it will always include difficulties ahead. He really is called the "Helper", and the "Comforter". We must also recognize that the Holy Spirit is the Power of God. That was demonstrated clearly when he killed Cypher. He would not allow Neo's death, as that would have meant the end of everything God the Father designed.
He tells Neo about "Zion", the only human city that has not been destroyed. Tank says, "If the war were over tomorrow Zion is where the party would be." Scripture tells us about Zion. "But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel" (Hebrews 12:22, NJKV).
In other words, Neo is not alone. He is surrounded by those who are alive; who share in the same cause, (the destruction of the Matrix), and by those who have gone on before and now cheer him on. This is important because as Neo begins to "walk out his salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12, NKJV), bad things occur. Switch, Mouse, and Apoch are killed, while Morpheus ends up in the hands of the Agents. This forces Neo to make a choice. This is where we will all go if we truly are following the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Neo must decide whether to let Morpheus die or try to rescue him. A rescue places Neo in great danger and may cost him his life. That's what Jesus meant when He said, "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 10:39, NKJV). It is the same choice that we ultimately must make, whether to walk away from God or go after Him with all our heart.
Neo chooses, and succeeds in rescuing Morpheus. Morpheus and Trinity escape the Matrix, but Neo finds himself trapped and running from the Agents. Finally, Neo dies. He has laid down his life for Morpheus. "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for our brethern" (1 John 4: 16, NKJV). In laying down his life, Neo actually experiences a transformation. As Jesus explained, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." (John 12:24-25, NKJV).
Trinity, who definitely symbolizes Jesus here and now; (see the earlier explanation); says that Neo cannot be dead because she loves him, and the one that she loves would be the one. This profession of love that Jesus makes to his Bride carries with it everything that God is; "For God so loved the world…" (John 3:16, NKJV); and everything that He gives to us.
A transformed, resurrected Neo stands up. Now he sees everything as it truly is. The Agents, who used to overpower Neo, can no longer harm him. Neo becomes faster than the Agents. In fact, it is nothing for Neo to block every punch that Agent Smith throws at him. It has become easy. Finally, Neo destroys Agent Smith. As Agent Smith's body explodes, Neo glows brightly. An intense light emanates from him. The other Agents run in fear. That light, which the Holy Spirit leads us to, is the glory of God. It is not our glory, but His glory emanating from us. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" (2 Corinthians 4:7, NKJV).
That is where the Holy Spirit wants to take "whosoever will" (Revelation 22:17, King James Version). The first step is salvation, believing in Jesus. That will get you into heaven. Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV), "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Then you should be water baptized. As Peter explained to the crowd who was gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38, NKJV).
In speaking of that gift-- the Holy Spirit-- Jesus, after His resurrection, told his disciples that they should not depart from Jerusalem, "Don't leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you He has promised to do" (Acts 4:4, Contemporary English Version). Jesus had told them earlier, "Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you. The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of this world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don't see or know him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you. I won't leave you like orphans. I will come back to you." (John 14:16-18; Contemporary English Version).
It is important to say here that God the Father is God; Jesus the Son of God is God; and the Holy Spirit, He is God. That "the Lord our God, the Lord is One" (Deuteronomy 6:4) and the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-- the idea of the Trinity; do not contradict each other at all. That is a mystery, yet it's still the Truth. Jesus said in continuing to talk about the Holy Spirit coming, "But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you." (John 14:26; Contemporary English Version). We should never refuse such an awesome gift that God would give us. So awesome, in fact, that He was known as "the Promise", God Himself, in the form of the Holy Spirit, coming down to dwell inside each of us. He will be there to guide us, to lead us, and to comfort us when the road gets tough.
It is extremely important that you accept and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Just as Trinity and Neo needed Tank in the movie, so also do we need Him in our everyday walk. Imagine what kind of a world Neo and Trinity would have been in - stuck inside the Matrix with no way to get out, if it hadn't been for Tank. In fact, every time they went in they relied on Tank to navigate for them. Any time there was trouble, they would place a call to Tank and he would guide them through, watching their positions on his computer and having access to whatever they needed. It is the same for us. If we refuse the Holy Spirit there are times in our lives when we will behave exactly like Jesus did not want us to - like orphans.
Now, here's a key. Water Baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism should happen at the same time as salvation or as close together as is reasonably possible. When you are saved you want to do like Jesus did. The prophet John baptized Jesus with water. "So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove. Then a voice from heaven said, 'This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with Him'" (Matthew 3:16-17; Contemporary English Version).
However, for many people in the contemporary experience these as separate events. Though that is not the pattern of the early church and it would be better if we did experience them all at the same time; it's perfectly okay if you don't. In fact, sometimes you will see people praying to receive salvation and God will supernaturally zap them with the Holy Spirit. Far be it from us to call that into question if this happens-- He's God and we're not! In fact, you will find that there are so many different ways that God uses that it is impossible to categorize them. What's most important is that you experience all three; becoming saved, being water baptized, and receiving the Holy Spirit.
In my own life I was saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit a month later, (at a different place). But then by the circumstances of my life, I didn't receive water baptism until a couple of years later. I didn't even know I needed to be water baptized. Other people are saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit simultaneously and then later on water baptized. Still others are saved, then water baptized, then much later on, as often as several years, they receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
We are on a journey. In truth, we have been on a journey long before we ever receive salvation. God calls us and woos us long before we ever come to know Him. For some of us the journey is shorter. For others the journey is longer. God doesn't make everyone alike. Unlike the Machines, He creates humans like a flower garden.* Some are roses, some are daisies, some blossom fairly continually, others in the desert go long spells before they blossom. There are many, many more kinds of flowers. All different shapes, sizes, colors, and fragrances. There are so many that you would have to have a PhD. in botany to know them all, even then you probably wouldn't. In this journey there is still the issue of human will. For example, Cypher turned away and betrayed all of his comrades. He turned out to be thorns. We must commit ourselves to "die daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31, NKJV). There will be times that we're more successful than at others. But remember, "The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works" (Psalm 145:8-9, NKJV).
The first sequel to "The Matrix", titled "The Matrix Reloaded", comes out next May (2003). I'll bet the interpretation of the theme of that movie is "Power against Power". There is an enemy and he does have power. Do you think that the Machine will just roll over and take it lightly? Or just give up? No, that is not the way it works, in the movie or in reality. That is why it is essential that we allow the Holy Spirit to take us on this journey. Everyone who was set free from the Matrix, with the exception of Cypher, went on to free others, and make sure that they gave their everything for the destruction of the Matrix.
They did not get saved and just sit at the back row of a church all their lives. No, they went after it. They did have power in the Spirit. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. For we do not wrestle against the flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:10,12, NKJV).
At the end of the first "Matrix", Neo calls up the Machine to tell him, "I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it's going to begin. I'm going to hang up this phone, and then I'm going to show these people what you don't want them to see. I'm going to show them a world without you. A world without rules and controls, without borders and boundaries, a world where anything is possible."
"But you, beloved, building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh" (Jude 20-23).
We must become "martyrs of His love".** That means whether we live or die it doesn't matter. The only thing important is our love for Him, and His love for us, and His heart of love for all the people who haven't heard of Jesus. The gospel must be preached and His kingdom needs to be established. By being saved, baptized, filled with the Spirit, and becoming a viable part of a local congregation, you can be part of this.
* This came from the writings of St. Therese of Lisieux, 1873-1897, a Catholic Nun who understood something about the movings of God in humanity.
** This idea also came from St. Therese of Lisieux, from her written prayer, "Act of Oblation to Merciful Love".
posted by KFF at 8:46 PM
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