As a hearing child of deaf parents myself, I was thrilled in 2022 to see the movie CODA win best picture, deaf actor Troy Kotsur win best supporting actor, and Siân Heder win for best adapted screenplay. CODA stands for Children of Deaf Adults and the story centers around Ruby Rossi, a hearing teenage girl who is an amazing singer but is the only hearing member of her family. There are good lessons in the movie about overcoming differences and obstacles through some compassion and creativity.
It was a great movie but be aware: “Mr. Kotsur used the versatility of sign language to enhance Frank’s dialogue, which is sometimes salty enough to push the limits on the movie’s PG-13 rating.”[1] There’s one scene in particular where Frank Rossi embarrasses his daughter Ruby in front of a boy with some improvised, erotic sign language. Versatility has negatives but also positives…
Multiple words for love in Greek (eros, agape, etc.) conceal layers of meaning when translated to English. After watching CODA, I was reminded of an example where the expressiveness of sign language also adds layers of meaning beyond spoken English. (maybe spoken English is just a bad language?) Not all sign language is the same – there are many dialects – but the sign for Bible I use is actually two signs: “Jesus” followed by “book.” Every time I sign what I would just speak as “Bible,” there’s a reminder built right in that the Bible is a book about Jesus. From start to finish, the Bible is a record of why He needed to come, what He was like when He did, and what His followers should believe, know, and do. Jesus Christ is described right in the sign for Bible!
But there’s still another layer. In the book of 1 Corinthians, the apostle Paul defends his ministry saying that his message needs to focus on “Christ crucified”[2], not on performing miracles to those who want signs and impressing with fancy speech those who love wisdom. To sign “Jesus”, I touch the middle finger of my right hand to the palm of my left hand, then the middle finger of my left to the palm of my right. What does that signify? It’s an expressive reminder of the crucifixion of Jesus, and the nails that were barbarically driven into his hands. Thomas, one of the 12 main disciples of Jesus, said after the first Easter that he would not believe Jesus had risen from the dead “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side.” Eight days later, Jesus presented Himself to Thomas and said “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” To which Thomas replied: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:24-29). I don’t know if this was intended by the person who created the sign for Jesus, but it may be a liturgy recalling this encounter, reminding us that Jesus was crucified, yet lives!
So, whenever you think of the Bible, think of it in sign language where every single time you sign it, there is a reminder that the Bible is the book about Christ crucified. After Thomas declared who Jesus was, Jesus responded: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Every time I sign “Bible,” it testifies to those who have not seen Jesus of what He has done for them.
One Last Thing
By the way, to sign “book” you place your hands together flat, palms facing each other, in front of you, then open them as if your hands were the front and back of a book.
[1] Jurgensen, John. “Troy Kotsur of ‘CODA’ Wins Best Supporting Actor Oscar.” The Wall Street Journal, 27 March 2022.
[2] 1 Corinthians 1:23
Driving Toward the Morning Sun 