Fiery Serpent on the pole??? Please help....

[Christy4Christ]

Does anyone have an interpretation for the fiery serpant on the pole scene in The Passion?

 

[Markh]

I haven't seen the passion- but Moses describes a fiery serpant on a pole somewhere in the old testemant.

This is to represent that Jesus has taken on the sin of everyone else.

the serpent best describes sin does it not. So I think that is your connection.

 

[Gen 22:14]

Does anyone have an interpretation for the fiery serpant on the pole scene in The Passion?

Hmmmm, let's go see it again tonight and I will answer then!

 

[countrymousenc]

The account is in Numbers 21 - The people complained that Moses had taken them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness. God sent poisonous ("fiery") snakes to bite them, and told Moses to make a representation of a snake on a pole. The people who looked at it were spared from dying from the snakebites. It is recorded in St. John's gospel, chapter 3, that Jesus said that just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, the Son of Man must be lifted up so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.

 

[KennySe]

I didn't see that serpent. When in the film was it?

(Taking this to the "imagery" thread.)

 

[Bastoune]

Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived. (Numbers 21:6-9)

This serpent (as Markh mentions) prefigures Christ, raised up on the Cross, is the one who truly gives life... He who is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE!

 

[Christy4Christ]

Thank you everyone! That was great info, I was asked this question and had no way to answer. I hate when this happens to me

I cannot wait until I have more knowledge so I can be ready to answer questions

 

[Michelina]

BTW, we see that symbol quite often and rarely think about it:
The Caduceus, the insignia of a physician/healer, 2 snakes entwined around a staff.

 

[Toney]

BTW, we see that symbol quite often and rarely think about it:
The Caduceus, the insignia of a physician/healer, 2 snakes entwined around a staff.

Well, not really. The Caduceus has two snakes intertwined. Nothing about two snakes in Numbers. The single snake staff from Numbers is better compared with the staff of Aesculapius who was renowned for his healing powers. The staff of Aesculapius is the actual staff of the medical corps and often confused with the caduceus, staff of Hermes or Mercury, messenger of the gods.

There is great symbolic significance and a great lesson in Numbers 21:4-9. (4)The Jews have taken 40-years to accomplish a two-week journey and are unstandably becoming impatient with God and Moses. (5) They blame both God and Moses and refuse to accept responsibility for their sin, which is disobiedience to God and his appointed. (6) God repays their venomous tongues in kind, with snakes, a well known Old Testament symbol. The bite symbolizes the pain of sin. (7) Well, they can't stand the pain so they repent. (8) So with the help of nails or rope, Moses affixes a snake to a pole as commanded by God. (9) The Jews look upon the snake and are healed. Not magically. The snake is merely a symbol that points to God, the source of their healing. Over and over and over again this lesson was taught in the desert.

This is the tie-in to John 3:14-15 and the relevance of the symbolism in the movie. Jesus became sin--He took on the sins of the world and teaches us the power of His healing might. It is the great gift of the cross, the only cure for our sin: The Passion of the Christ.

As God taught the Jews, there is no end run around the cross. I love to say, "Alleluia!" But first you gotta look at the snake that bit you -- sin.

 

[Markh]

it is fascinating how many links there are with events concerning moses and those with Jesus.