As a young teen, I was enthralled by the novel, The Eagle of the Ninth, a historical adventure by Rosemary Sutcliff published in 1954. The novel was recently turned into a screen play for production as "The Eagle," starring Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, and Donald Sutherland. Released in spring 2011, it got mixed reviews. I enjoyed it just because it triggered memories of the novel that had captivated me as a teen. It is the story of the loyalty to his Roman master of a young Briton, who has been enslaved by the Roman occupiers of his country. After great trials, the two men become fast friends. The character Marcus Flavius Aquila, played by Channing Tatum, finds himself in attendance at a battle to the death between a professional gladiator and a young Briton, who refuses to fight the gladiator as a last act of defiance against his captors. This remarkable courage attracts the attention of the previously inattentive Marcus, who turns the tide of the crowd, which had been calling for his death, and after gaining the man's life, chooses to purchase him as his slave, against the sober judgment of his uncle, played by Donald Sutherland.

The Briton slave, Esca, played by Jamie Bell, is fiercely proud of his heritage and deeply outraged to be subjugated by the Romans and deprived of his freedom. Marcus has every reason to doubt the loyalty of this fierce young man, but trusts him with growing confidence. For his part, Esca is deeply grateful for the act of kindness shown him by Marcus when he rescued him from the contemptible little British arena returning to him his life. Esca demonstrates remarkable loyalty to Marcus as they team up in some close scrapes with death. Often, he could have betrayed the Roman to death, but the power of his kindness toward him made that impossible. In the end, Marcus and Esca became inseparable friends, Marcus giving Esca the choice of future travels in token of his freedom from slavery.

Christ has given us back our life. We were powerless against the gladiator of death. Christ turned the tide of the mob of yowling demons calling for our eternal demise. He bought us back from our subjugation to the kingdom of His enemy. He made us members of His household and servants to His church. He translated us from death to life. He freed us from the just claims of the law over us. We were slaves subject to death. Now we are His.