Customer Reviews

Close to Jesus

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just received this DVD set a week ago and have not stopped watching it. Biblical scriptures and stories have been brought so much closer to home. A few acting scenes leave much to be desired but overall I think that this set is very good - but what I want to know is the name of the actor that plays Jesus in the stories of Mary, Judas, and Thomas. I think he does a phenomenal job and really the only thing that I don't like about this set is that the cast is not included in the credits. IF ANYONE KNOWS WHO PLAYED JESUS THEN PLEASE LEAVE A POSTING HERE. Thank you so much.

I only watched the first episode on the 4 disc--Mary Magdalene. I know that I am re-studying the bible and as I was watching thie movie, it made logical sense why Mary slept with many men...when Jesus initially was there when she was about to be stoned for her adultery and later at the well, said you are married to 5 husbands (meaning intimate contact with men)...but this movie did not illustrate or show that and surprisingly showed her with the anointed oil, kissing his feet and washing it with her tears and wiping it with her hair...thought this was another woman with no name in the Bible...however it was well-written and brought tears to my eyes since women are mistreated and sometimes viewed as a prize or piece of meat as they explained in the movie (a man's possession and not to ever love them)....I enjoyed the acting (astounding and superb) and want to buy it and watch the other versions from the Public Library!

I had viewed & taped off air, the program on Mary Magdelene, with commercials. I didn't even know there were more programs in, what I guess is best called a "mini-series". The title characters in this series are barely given notice in scripture. With Mary Magdelene, her identity has become s much legand, that we really don't know her. She has been a mixture of various unnamed women in the Gospels - the woman whoentered a house where Jesus was having supper & washed her feet with her tears & dried them with her hair, the woman posessed by demons, thewoman caught in adultry. Could Mary Magdelene have really been all of these women "rolled into one"? Yes, it's possible, but unlikely. In this series, she is portrayed as a wife, whose womb was barren. Her husband divorced her for this, plus, he had fallen in love with another woman. She enters a life with a Roman officer, and then becomes a servant of Herodian, the second wife of Herod. Then, she meets Jesus & becomes one of his followers.

Joseph of Nazareth, is of course, Jesus' earthly father, who with Mary raised Jesus. In scripture, he isn't even quoted as saying even one word. We know he betrothed Mary. Mary rceived the annoncement that she was going to give birth to the Messiah. She traveled and visied a relative, Elizabeth & stayed with her until after Elizabeth's baby was born. When she returned to Nazareth, she was definately pregnant. Joseph knew he was not the father of the baby in her womb. He was going to divorce her, until an angel spoke to him. Then, he took Mary & brought her to his home. She was ready to give birth & they went to Bethlehem to register for the census. She gave birth there. The magi visited Herod to ask where the King of the Jews was. Herod didn't know, but his scribe told him the new King of the Jews would be born in Bethlehem. The magi find the child & present their gifts. They don't return to Herod. Herod orders all babies of two years or younger be slaughteres. In this program, Herod is portrayed as being really vicious. Scripture dowsn't tell us when Joseph died. This program shows him dying shortly after he, Mary & Jesus return to Nazareth from a visit to Jerusalem for one Passover. Scripture is silent after that trip. We are told, at one point, that Jesus' mother, brothers & sisters are looking for him. Joseph is not mentioned. We think he had died at some point before. Since scripture is silent on Joseph, this entire program is conjecture, but very nteresting.

Judas is forever known as the man who "handed-over" Jesus to the Jewish Temple priests, for thirty pieces of silver. Why did Judas need this money? This program explains that a friend's father had been imprisioned & was scheduled for crucifixion in a few days. The daughter felt she could buy her father's release by bribing one of the Roman guards. In this program Judas is portrayed as coming from a rich family in Jerusalem, who renounced his affluence to follow Jesus. Jerusalem is "bulging" with all the pilgrims who have come to the city for Passover. Pontius Pilate is trying to do everything to keep the people in Jersalem "in line". Turns out, the man supposedly in prison isn't in prison at all. Pilate's guards capture Jesus in Gethsemene & Jeus is tried, flogged, crucified. Barnabas is released as a Passover pardon. Judas commits suicide when he realizes what he has done.

Thomas is remembered as the man who doubted that Jesus had been risen from the dead. He sees Jesus being carried to the tomb that Joseph of Armithea had volunteered. This entire show addresses the time period of just before the Last Supper to Jesus appearing twice to his apostles. Thomas is on a quest to find what happened to Jesus' body. He even crosses a desert to findthe Roman who crucified Jesus, because he is in a community of crazy people. In this program, a bit more supposed story of who Joseph of Armitheas is. It's possible his story is at least partially true. Thomas returns to the apostles after Jesus has appeared to them & doesn't believe they actually saw th "master". Jesus appears to them & summons Thomas to come & touch his wounds. he does & the apostles are shown leaving Jerusalem after the Passover celebrations.

Each episode is about 90 minutes. They don't need to be viewed in any sequence - each episode is an individual program. It was definately worth the time & money!

These movies are fiction, but with biblical truths portraying Jesus's awesome character and real human emotions that we can all relate to. Well make visually and engaging stories. I enjoyed all 4 movies and actually watched them backwards starting with the 4th dvd. If you are looking for biblical accuracy, this is not it, but if you are looking to understand the character of God and how he relates to us humans, then you found a great series!

While the actors were professional and the man who played Jesus was good, I'd recommend "Jesus of Nazareth" and "Visual Bible: Matthew" over this product any day.

I just finished watching this 4 disc-set yesterday. Each is a 2 hour movie about the title character ie,Mary,Joseph of Nazareth,Judas and Thomas.Although the acting and dialog in my opinion was a VAST improvement of the horrible"Greatest Story Ever Told", I was nevertheless dismayed over how unscriptural these movies are. No wonder you cannot find any link of Danny Quinn (who plays Jesus) to this film. in his filmography it is not listed! BTW there "ARE" credits given on the 3rd and fourth discs at the "beginning" of the movies,but they are not like we Americans are used to seeing with the actors real name then the character they play! Instead it just says for example"with the participation of so and so! Very strange. I am very concerned that someone who is not familiar with the scriptures might believe these versions! For this reason I am not too pleased with these,and probably would not have even given them 2 stars, if I hadn't just been so thoroughly disgusted with TGSET that I had to turn it off after watching about 1/3!Do not bother wasting your money on this! The 2 disc set "In The Beginning" and "The Miracle Maker: The story of Jesus" is much more worth your money!

Very remarkable series of movies based on those close to Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Thomas. Of course some of it is subjective because we were not there but based on what we do know I believe it's accurate.

I purchased the video, Close to Jesus, for myself and it was outstanding. I purchased one for my brother and he never received the DVD. Where is it?! What happened?! This is a first from Amazon. I have ordered from Amazon for many, many years and I have always received my order(s). What happened? Please send the video to my brother. Thank you. Dawn

I do not own this dvd but I have seen all four episodes on an Italian station about 3/4 years ago. I really enjoyed watching them especially the ones about Judas and Thomas. The actor who plays Jesus is Danny Quinn, the son of the late Anthony Quinn.

The assertion that Jesus Christ never existed is beyond ridiculous. Whether you accept Him as your savior or not, his existence is thoroughly documented in many sources, including from those who were hostile to him and would have preferred he didn't exist - the Romans and the Jews. We have many reliable ancient Roman and Jewish texts from the time period of Jesus that corroborate his life and the message of the Gospels.

Only the most rabid, fanatical atheists deny the existence of Jesus. For factual information corroborating the existence of Jesus, I recommend "The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel.