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Coming to a Theatre Near You . . .
Send us your reflections on the movie The Passion of the Christby Ronald W. Waters Actor Mel Gibson has directed and co-written a new movie on the death and resurrection of Jesus that will be coming to over 2,000 screens in the United States. I attended a by-invitation-only screening of The Passion of the Christ on January 20 in Chicago. Gibson himself was at the screening. The movie is without question the gripping portrayal of Jesus’ death that I have ever seen.
Movies about Jesus are either major motion picture productions that take extreme liberty with the biblical narrative, or they are films produced by religious groups that are underfunded and that slip into moralizing. “I didn’t try to make a religious film,” Gibson said, “but something that’s real, something not demonstrably overly religious.” Gibson also said, “I don’t think it’s ever been told as it should be.” Many Christian who see this movie will be disturbed by it. The violent way in which Jesus was treated is graphically presented. The movie has received an R rating (those under 17 must be accompanied by an adult, though provisions are being made for youth to see the movie as a group with a signed release from their parents). The beatings caused me to flinch. Tears came to my eyes as his blood flowed freely. My understanding and appreciation of Jesus’ extreme sacrifice was never as great before seeing this movie. When asked if the violence in the movie goes over the edge, Gibson responded, “It is intended to push over the edge. The enormity of the blood sacrifice is overwhelming—we needed every drop of it.” The movie has received a lot of negative publicity, especially from those who believe it will reawaken hatred toward the Jews. It is possible to come away from the movie with a negative attitude toward the Jewish leaders, but there is enough blame to go around. Gibson makes a cameo appearance in the movie, though you won’t see his face. It is his hand that holds the spikes driven into Jesus’ hands as he is nailed to the cross. Gibson said he tried to remain accurate to the scriptures, “yet I used my imagination.” Except for a couple of scenes in which his imagination may have gone beyond reality, the movie is faithful to God’s Word and to the customs and practices of the times. The movie is filmed entirely in Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic—the languages of the time. English subtitles are provided throughout the movie. I urge you to see it. And invite friends or relatives, especially those who may not be followers of Jesus, to see it with you. Your life and theirs will never be the same. For More Information:
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