"That is Written" Mission: Impossible and Biblical Symbolism

SPOILERS

In the beginning back in 1996 Paramount Pictures and Tom Cruise produced a spy-thriller known as Mission: Impossible. The film received positive reviews, however most critics regarded its story as incomprehensible. This may be because the film gained inspiration from a relatively unknown source. That source being none other than the book of Job from the Bible. Don't believe me? Consider this: Mission: Impossible is the story of a man who loses his friends and family in one fateful event (Job 1:13-19). As he works to understand his calamity, he allies himself with a small team of friends, though most of them make his situation worse (Job 4-37). The climax of his story takes place in a speeding whirlwind, where the nature of his suffering becomes clear (Job 38). In the end, our main man is given back his family and his life is restored (Job 42:10-17). On top of this, the book of Job is quoted several times in the film; with overt references to chapter 3 verse 14.

The Mission: Impossible series began with inspiration from the good book, and its latest film may be continuing this tradition. It appears to incorporate characters and plot details from Revelation. This book in the Bible is about the end of the world. In the past the Mission: Impossible films have dealt with preventing global catastrophe. This Mission, though, takes place after a doomsday device is loose across the earth, much the same way it is in Revelation. Although Producer Tom Cruise and writer and director Christopher McQuarrie have not yet stated what shaped their latest film, it would be fitting if they were inspired by the Bible's apocalypse. Having now seen this excellent film twice, here are my observations on Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One and its Biblical symbolism.

The Entity and the Deceiver: There's a well known quote that goes, "A story is only as good as its villain," and the villain of this Mission is an A.I. referred to as the Entity. This program is described as being godless with its chief weapon being deception. In the Bible there is also a "godless" villain who is known as the deceiver (2 John 1:7). This villain is the devil. He is "the father of lies'' (John 8:44), and just like the Entity, he uses his lies to control rulers and nations (Ezekiel 28:1-19). The devil, much like the Entity, rebelled against his creator and in that rebellion brought about destruction on the earth (Isaiah 14:12-15). Now, the devil roams "throughout the earth, going back and forth on it" (Job 1:7), because the devil cannot be everywhere at once. Similarly, the Entity (even though it is a non-physical program) is described as going from one nation's network to another, being "everywhere and nowhere."

Angels and Antichrists: To keep people from suspecting them, the devil and the Entity hide their villainy behind disguises. The devil "masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14), and the Entity uses a white suited human proxy. This proxy calls himself Gabriel, which is the name of an angel referenced in the book of Luke chapter 1. Gabriel, played by Esai Morales, is described as the Entity's "dark messiah." In similar fashion, the Devil has an antichrist (2 John 1:7). With this antichrist the devil will kill many people who oppose him (Revelation 20:4). In the Bible these killings symbolically occur in Rome, where the streets run with "the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people," (Revelation 18:24). Gabriel and the Entity also do most of their killing in Rome and Venice. The Entity and the devil are great forces of evil, however they share the same weakness; a weakness our film's hero hopes will destroy the Entity.

The Cross and the Key: The only thing that can stop a lie is the truth, and "the truth will set you free," (John 8:32). This is likely why in this Mission agent Ethan Hunt, played by Cruise, is not looking for a weapon but information. Hunt's adventure leads him to discover that the Entity's source code is in a sunken submarine located under a frozen sea. This source code can be locked away using a one-of-a-kind cruciform key. The act of using a key to lock away a great deceiver is also an important story point in the book of Revelation. In chapter 20 verse 3 the devil is thrown into an abyss, which is hell. The Entity also plummets down into a pit (one which is frozen over, mimicking Dante's depiction of hell in his book Inferno). The devil, though, as well as the Entity, is set free from this pit for a short time "to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth," (Revelation 20:7). The one who can stop the devil is the one with the key. In the book of Revelation Jesus Christ is described as holding "the keys of death and Hades," (Revelation 1:18). Jesus is the hero of the Bible, and this Mission's hero shares some of His qualities.

The Agent and the Christ: During Hunt's mission he is tempted to use the key for himself to do what every world power wants to do, "Control the truth, and the concepts of right and wrong." In the Bible people are also tempted to decide for themselves what is good and evil (Genesis 3:1-7). Jesus Christ, though, resists this temptation (Luke 4:12-13) and so too does agent Hunt. Over the course of Hunt's adventure, he obtains the cruciform key to destroy the Entity. Similarly, Jesus is given the authority to wield the key over death, after He gives His life for His friends and those who do not yet know Him (Matthew 28:18). Agent Hunt also says his oath is to live and die "for those he holds close and for those he'll never meet." In the Bible Jesus says if anyone wants to follow Him they must "take up their cross" (Matthew 16:24), however in doing so the world will then try to kill them (John 15:18). Agent Hunt as well is described as bearing a cross, which is defined as, "The closer someone gets to him, the harder it is to keep them alive." In order to protect those who follow Him, Jesus promises He will lay down His life for anyone who comes to Him (John 10:15), and Hunt promises his teammates, "Your life will always matter more to me than my own."

Failure and Faith: Despite all his apparent similarities to Christ, Hunt is not meant to be seen as a figurative depiction of Jesus. This is because, unlike Jesus who never sinned (1 Peter 2:22), Hunt is not a perfect person. One of his greatest follies displayed in the film is his desire to take revenge into his own hands. Contrary to Hunt's desires, the God of the Bible says, "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," (Deuteronomy 32:35). Those who fail to obey God are not perfect, and they need to put their trust in God (Proverbs 3:5). This trust, or rather faith, will be tested in order to prove that it is genuine. In the Bible God tests the faith of His followers (Hebrews 11:17–19). In a similar way, Hunt is tested after he fails to get on board a speeding train. Having no other options, Hunt listens to his trustworthy friend, played by Simon Pegg, who leads him up to the top of a mountain. At the cliff's edge Hunt is told he needs to jump from the mountain's side in order to successfully land on the speeding train. Hunt is in disbelief, but eventually he trusts his friend's guidance and takes a "leap of faith" (it is even called this on the film's soundtrack). Hunt's faith is rewarded, as is the faith of those who put their trust in God (Hebrews 10:35).

Thieves and Cowards: Hunt is not the film's only flawed character, nor is he its greatest. That position is held by the woman known as Grace, played by Hayley Atwell. Grace is introduced in one short phrase, "She's a thief." The Bible says thieves are sinners in danger of burning in hell (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). In the film Grace is constantly in danger. She knows the dire situation she's in, but instead of changing her lifestyle, she resorts to running away. She's not only a thief, but a self-preserving coward, and the Bible says all cowards have a place in eternal destruction (Revelation 21:8). Grace is a woman in need of saving, much like all sinners on earth (Romans 3:23), so she tries to save herself. Grace's plan, however, doesn't work, just like how anyone who tries to save themselves outside of Christ will ultimately fail (John 14:6). Grace is in trouble. She needs help, but she doesn't deserve it. In short: Grace needs grace.

Grace and Salvation: Hunt doesn't want Grace to die. He does everything he can to save her, but Grace is continually antagonistic to him. This dynamic also appears in Scripture, where Jesus rushes to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), but those who need Him reject Him (John 5:43). Jesus, though, is not stopped by the actions of His enemies, and Hunt is similarly unshaken. He offers Grace the choice to either go back to her life with the expectation of her demise, or she can freely join Hunt and become a new person. This good news from agent Hunt is similar, although disparagingly different, from the Bible's gospel. Jesus says anyone who freely follows Him will be "born again" (John 3:3) as a "new creation," (2 Corinthians 5:17). Someone is saved by Jesus, when they put their trust in Him (John 1:12). A similar act of trust also saves Grace. In the film's spectacular climax, agent Hunt tells Grace that he can save her if she trusts him. At first Grace doesn't, but then she puts her faith in him, and Agent Hunt doesn't let her down. The film concludes with Grace having a new life, as Hunt races off to continue his mission to destroy the Entity and save the world.