Downton Abbey Season 1 Episode 4

This week's episode of Downton Abbey was definitely more relational. I'm not a lovey-dovey person so honestly I wasn't a big fan or love popping up everywhere during this episode.Ms. Harris takes a night off from the house work and meets up with an old love interest from many years ago at the fair. Apparently, when they were younger he asked her to marry him but she declined. In this episode he asks again years later but she still says no. Her heart is torn and she doesn't know what to do. Mr. Bates has definitely begun to show more interest in Anna. He brings her dinner one night because she is not feeling well. One of the servant boys shows an interest in Daisy and wants to go to the fair with her. Thomas, knowing this and wanting to ruin everything, asks Daisy first. Daisy is too distracted by Thomas to see what is right in front of her. There are remnants of other relationships blossoming as well but these are the big ones for this week's episode.

One theme that can be found in this episode is the keeping of secrets. Whether full or deceit or simply wanting to remain private, it seems everyone has secrets and mysteries building up around them. This is not just happening among the servants either. When Ms. Harris leaves the house she tells no one where she is going or why. Mary is still agitated from the foreign man dying in her room. Isobel works to get Katherine fired from the hospital. One of the girls secretly peruses her dream of being a writer. And this is just the start. In this week's episode of Downton abbey, everyone has a secret.

When this topic of secrets is researched in the biblical text we come to 2 Corinthians 4:2. This verse states "Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God." Clearly Scripture does not condone the use of secrets in any way, deceitful or not. Instead, we are to always set forth the truth plainly. This being said, even the secrets people keep for privacy, such as Ms. Harris, are not excusable. There is no exception. The theme of secrets within the house in this episode of Downton Abbey is not supported by Scripture.