Sunday Matinee #61 Alien³
Redemption and Deeds Done in the Darkness
John 3:14-21 | Revised Common Lectionary | EnterTheBible.org
Fourth Sunday in Lent | 03.10.2024
Context: Jesus is approached by Nicodemus under cover of night for a private lesson. Nicodemus is intrigued by what he has heard and wants to learn more, only not in front of his fellow teachers. As Jesus shares with him, he comes to this well-known verse and its follow-up which is not as well known but just as potent.
16 “For God so loved the world that God gave God’s only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Alien 3 | 1992
IMDb | Letterboxd | RRMC
Context: After escaping a planet ravaged by dangerous aliens who lay eggs inside your chest that eventually burst from you, Lt. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) has now crash-landed on a prison planet where there are no weapons to fight off the alien tearing through the prison population. She’s learned that indeed, there is an alien embryo growing inside her and she’s not just concerned about her impending death. She knows it’s a queen, and if a queen who can lay eggs is born, the cycle starts again and it’s all over for humanity.
Ripley: I want you to kill me.
Dillon: What the fuck are you talking about?
Ripley: I'm dead anyway. I can't survive it.
Commentary:
There are volumes written about this one little verse, John 3:16. It’s often used to evangelize, to bring assurance, and to inspire faith. It’s one that I heard out of context for years before finally turning to the page to read it in its fuller context and I have two anecdotal observations. First, many people only appear to know the first half of it. What I would hear quoted time and again was, “For God so loved the world that God gave God’s only Son.” That’s it. Nothing about belief or eternal life. That means people knew the what but not the why.
Second anecdotal observation: some people who do know the whole verse tend to view the second half as a godly gatekeeping tactic. God sent Jesus, but only for the believers. They’ll get that sweet eternal life. That may give some assurance and inspire some people’s faith, but as an evangelism tool it leaves a little to be desired. How many times do people really need to hear “You’re only saved if…” in their lifetimes?!
That’s why that verse after it, John 3:17, is so fascinating. It’s a reminder that this saving action is for the world. It seems, to me, to undo a narrow interpretation of the second half of John 3:16 and bring us back to the first half, “For God so loved the world.” God is interested in doing big things. Sweeping gestures with tremendous impact. A snarky, derisive nickname for some theology revolving around Jesus is to say “Jesus Is My Boyfriend.” It’s what Jesus does for me, it’s what Jesus and I do together. John 3:16-17 is a reminder it’s what Jesus and we do together.
Does Jesus go on to say those who do their deeds in darkness come under judgment? You betcha. Does he tie this to belief? Ya, sure. I also don’t see anything in here that is about permanence. I don’t see anyone being divinely condemned forever and ever, amen. And why? Because Jesus is telling this to Nicodemus, a teacher who approached him with a tiny bit of belief not during the day but under cover of darkness. If those whose deeds are done in the dark are forever condemned, why would Jesus bother saying anything to Nicodemus at all? He’s dead, anyway, right? Not to Jesus. And those who know the story of Nicodemus (John 3:1-21, John 7:45-52, and John 19:38-42) know that God is still at work on him. Just like us!
Some other writers can give you strong opinions about the messy production of and finished product of Alien³. There are hours of videos about it on the Internet (By the way, unpopular opinion: Can you imagine hating a piece of creative art so much that you spend hours creating a video talking about why you don’t like something?! You don’t have to watch those videos, you know.) For me, I’m interested in this moment right here, when Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) asks Dillon (Charles S. Dutton) to kill her.
He refuses. Does she have an alien queen growing inside her that will kill them all? You betcha. Is she dead anyway? Ya, sure. But he also knows what’s going on is bigger than just her. The one alien that is out there is killing them one by one can sense what is growing in her and it leaves her alone. Perhaps they can use that to their advantage. Dillon sees the need for a team. It’s not what the alien does to Ripley, it’s what the alien does to the group. They have to work together if any of them will have life after this terrifying ordeal. Afterward, he says, yes, I will kill you, and even that is to save us, the group. Eagle-eyed viewers who love a good wide angle shot of symbolism will even notice Ripley striking a “Christ pose” against the chain link fence as she anticipates her death. Ripley agrees to Dillon’s plan of waiting for her saving death so that she can live a saving life. I’m reminded that Jesus saves on the cross… and his life and his resurrection.
One more word about deeds done in the dark and who is “saved.” Charles S. Dutton has a story of resurrection. He killed a man in self-defense and was convicted of manslaughter at age 17. He got out, went back in, got in a fight, had a longer sentence, then he found education and theater. Now, he’s an actor, writer, and producer. When we talk about Jesus taking time with Nicodemus, we are talking about the holy taking a risk on each one of us, no matter our “deeds done in the dark.” May we all find resurrection in our lives.
Enjoy this post about Alien³?
Read Sunday Matinee #18 Aliens:
