Religious Themes in Film

Lesson 4: The Matrix II: Zion, Trinity, and Christ

The Concept of Zion

In the Bible, Zion is a continuous theme. It’s most literal meaning is the city of Jerusalem, but it is used in scripture to indicate the place where God abodes on earth. Zion is the pride of the Israelite/Hebrew/Jewish people. Psalm 87 talks of this pride and uses “born in the city” to indicate a faithful people. “Indeed, of Zion, it will be said, “This one and that one were born in her, and the Most High himself will establish her.” Psa 87:5.

For the "saved" humans in The Matrix films, Zion is also more than a city. It is a symbol of pride and of hope. Having been born in Zion is particularly admired. Tank brags, “[I’m] a genuine child of Zion.”

>In the Bible, Zion is also the location of the Temple. The Temple of Jerusalem, for the Jewish people, has always been held as the most sacred. It is here that Yahweh actually abides.

The Temple, of course, is the center of life for people in the movie Zion as well. The machines know – as did the enemies of the Israelites – that by destroying the Temple, you destroy a people.

Morpheus’ speech in The Matrix Reloaded is reminiscent of Psalms and the book of Isaiah and their praise of Zion:

Morpheus: “The machines have gathered an army and, as I speak, that army is drawing nearer to our homes. Believe me when I say, we have a difficult time ahead of us.”

Jeremiah 6:23: “They come like men in battle formation to attack you, O Daughter of Zion.”

Morpheus: “This is Zion. And we are not afraid.”

Psalm 125:1: “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.” Psa. 125:1

John 12:15: “Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see ,your king is coming…”

Morpheus: “I stand here without fear because I remember… I remember that for one hundred years we have fought these machines. I remember that for one hundred years they have sent their armies to destroy us. And, after a century of war I remember that which matters most: We are still here.”

Isaiah 52:1: “Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength. Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again.”

And, when Zion erupts into dancing and singing…

Isaiah 35.10: “They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will fell away.”

For the Israelites, Zion was not only the center of their kingdom and religion, they considered it the center of the world, both geographically and spiritually. Some writings have Zion as the “navel of the world.”

So it is with The Matrix’s Zion, which is “deep under ground, near the earth’s core where it’s still warm, ” according to Tank.

Spend some time with Campbell's concept of the Navel of the World and compare his ideas with the Temple in Jerusalem and the city of Zion in The Matrix. (Campbell 40- 46)

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