The Truth Will Set You Free

© 2010 Stan Bohall
All Rights Reserved.

It may be difficult to find a better story than the film Amistad to illustrate Jesus statement, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). The story is loosely based on historical events that began in January 1839 in West Africa. There, a group of native Africans was taken by force and transported to the Spanish colony of Cuba via the Portuguese slave ship Tecora.

In Havana, the prisoners were falsely classified as Cuban-born slaves and sold to plantation owners, Jose Ruiz and Pedro Montez. As Ruiz and Montez were transporting the “slaves” aboard the schooner La Amistad, a 25-year-old Mendi African known as Cinque, led his fellow prisoners in a violent mutiny, successfully taking control of the vessel.[1] The Africans ordered Ruiz and Montez to sail east to Africa; but the Spaniards secretly changed course to return to Cuba, or at least to the southern coast of the United States.

After several weeks at sea, the weather-beaten La Amistad arrived at the tip of Long Island where it was seized by the American naval brig Washington. The commander took custody of the schooner and of the Africans on board. He and his crew transported them to the state of Connecticut, where slavery was technically legal, and presented a claim for salvage of the vessel, the cargo and the Africans. Six other parties also petitioned the court for custody of the African prisoners. The subsequent court proceedings, which went all the way to the Supreme Court, provide the core drama for the film.

For me, one of the most interesting aspects of the film is its portrayal of Christianity. Early in the film, a group of Christians approaches the prison housing the Africans. Two of the prisoners, Cinque and Yamba, observe the Christians kneeling and singing “Amazing Grace,” and wonder aloud if those people might be entertainers; but “why do they look so miserable?”[2]

Later, as the prisoners make their way in shackles toward the courthouse, Cinque says to Yamba, “Look, it’s those miserable-looking people again.” One of the activists places his hand on Yamba’s shoulder and says, “God’s blessing on you this morning.” Yamba shouts back in his own language, “I’m not afraid of you, or your medicine.” The man extends a Bible to Yamba and says, “Yes. You place your hand on this book, and I’ll pray for you.” Yamba yanks the Bible away from him, gives him a scowl and proceeds into the courthouse.[3]

Almost an hour later in the film, as testimony in the trial reaches a critical point, Cinque notices Yamba concentrating on the illustrations in the Bible he was given.[4] Then, having returned to their prison to await the verdict, Cinque again observes Yamba studying his Bible and comments, “You don’t have to pretend to be interested in that. Nobody’s watching but me.” Yamba responds, “I’m not pretending. I’m beginning to understand it.”

So he proceeds to show Cinque the pictures while providing his own commentary on fourteen of the illustrations.[5] During that conversation, the film also shows the judge praying in a church. That scene and the one that follows, a Via Dolorosa for the prisoners,[6] beautifully illustrate the Christian story.

As Yamba shows Cinque the Bible illustrations, he begins with the Hebrew experience, explaining, “Their people have suffered more than ours. Their lives were full of suffering.” Then, turning to the nativity scene, Yamba expresses, “Then he was born and everything changed.” So Cinque asks, “Who is he?” Pointing at Jesus’ halo Yamba responds, “I don’t know, but everywhere he goes he is followed by the sun.”

After several illustrations of Jesus’ ministry, Yamba says, “But then something happened. He was captured and accused of some crime.” Looking puzzled Cinque asserts, “He must have done something.” Yamba responds, “Why? What did we do?” Yamba then explains, “Whatever it was, it was serious enough to kill him for it. Do you want to see how they killed him?” Cinque nods in assent, so Yamba turns to the picture of the crucifixion of Jesus and the two thieves. Cinque responds, “This is just a story, Yamba.”

Yamba replies, “But look. That’s not the end of it. His people took his body down from this…thing…this…” and draws the shape of a cross in the air. Continuing to flip pages, Yamba says, “They took him in a cave. They wrapped him in a cloth like we do. They thought he was dead, but he appeared before his people again and spoke to them. Then, finally, he rose into the sky. This is where the soul goes when you die. This is where we’re going when they kill us. It doesn’t look so bad.” Yamba seems to display an expression of hope.

Amistad then shifts focus from Jesus to a prodigious display of the Cross of Jesus. The emphasis on the Cross begins as Yamba draws its shape in the air for Cinque.[7] Then we see the judge making the sign of the cross as he prays before a crucifix. Finally, Yamba flips to the picture of the three empty crosses as the judge rises from prayer, a large crucifix shown behind him.

There are several more crosses displayed during the Via Dolorosa scene: Two women extend them in a gesture of prayer, each of five nuns makes the sign of the cross and Yamba takes note of three masts in the harbor that remind him of the empty crosses he had seen in his Bible. The producers of Amistad do not want us to miss the significance of the Cross in this story.

During those scenes, heaven and earth meet. Time and eternity merge. Grace happens. Both Yamba and Judge Coglin experience a supernatural encounter with truth who is Jesus, the One who suffered and died on a cross though he committed no crime.

Yamba encountered the truth and was freed from his natural constraints to become a follower of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 61:1-3 and Luke 4:18-19). Interestingly, two books, based on the screenplay by David Franzoni, portray Yamba as becoming a baptized Christian.[8] Perhaps the screenplay included Yamba’s conversion that didn’t survive the film editor’s cut.

Judge Coglin encountered the truth and was freed from the shackles of the Van Buren administration to administer justice for the prisoners (Isaiah 58:6). Delivering the verdict was an immense challenge for the judge, for his manner as he walked to the bench, his demeanor while delivering the verdict and his facial expressions after he completed his judgment are those of one who had walked the Via Dolorosa.[9]

Yet, the prisoners’ quest for freedom was not over, for President Martin Van Buren appealed the case to the Supreme Court. There, former President John Quincy Adams argued in behalf of the prisoners acknowledging the truth on which Judge Coglin had based his decision: The prisoners had been born in Africa and therefore were illegally taken from their homes. Adams proceeded to argue, on the basis of the Declaration of Independence, that all humans are created equal and are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.[10] Adam’s argument at the conclusion of the film is compelling rhetoric.

Though the experience of Yamba and Judge Coglin encountering truth is fictitious, it could have happened. That sort of thing takes place all the time. Heaven and earth meet. Time and eternity merge. Grace happens. Many discover the truth that sets them free. The truth is Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified though he committed no crime.

For Personal Reflection
1. Read John 8:30-36 and consider the context of Jesus statement, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” N. T. (Tom) Wright has a timely exposition of this passage in his book John for Everyone, Part 1 Chapters 1-10.

2. How does reading John 8:30-36 influence your understanding of Jesus’ statement, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”?

3. What issues of freedom have you dealt with? How has the truth set you free?

[1] For those who haven’t seen the film, I’ll mention that it has an R rating largely because of the graphic violence in the first scene.
[2] 35:35 – 36:27. The portrayal of Christians in Amistad is confusing. Several of the Christians in this scene, and in the scene described in the next paragraph, display crosses. Protestants in that era would not have carried crosses. Supposing that they are Roman Catholic Christians is also doubtful, for they would not have given Yamba a Bible.
[3] 39:50 – 40:27
[4] 1:32:06 – 1:32:19
[5] 1:35:41 – 1:39:43. Is it a coincidence that this number matches the fourteen Stations of the Cross?
[6] 1:39:43 – 1:40:53
[7] 1:38:29 – 1:38:32
[8] Amistad: A Junior Novel by Joyce Annette Barnes, Based on the Screenplay by David Franzoni, 92 and 119; Amista: a Novel by Alex Pate, Based on the Screenplay by David Franzoni and Steven Zaillian, 257 and 310-312.
[9] The verdict in shown in Chapter 14, 1:40:54 – 1:45:40
[10] 2:08:27 – 2:18:44