Please send us your comments on Mel Gibson's "The Passion
of the Christ."  Click here

My family saw it last night.  We all felt that it was a
powerful reminder of what our Lord did for us.  My
children (17 & 16) are recommending it to their friends
as well.  What an awesome way to begin Lent.  —Kay Clancy

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Just saw the "Passion" movie.   I don't hate anyone
except the devil.  The idea that it is anti-Semitic is
sheer nonsense.   After seeing it...if I were to hate
anyone on the basis of a movie (which is sort of a
stupid reaction)...I would hate Italians.  The Roman
soldiers were portrayed as sick, vicious, non-human animals.  Why no outcry about that?

Answer:  Satan is un-nerved by all this attention on
Jesus the Son of God.  He is stirring up all the satanic
stink he can to discredit the movie. 

Sure, there were some parts I might have done a little differently if I were producing it....but...then...I don't
have 25 million to do it.  —Dan Miller

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Indescribable, I come up with words but they don’t come close to what I’m feeling. What struck me over and over again was knowing that Jesus my Savior would have suffered through all of the scourging, beatings,& the cross if it had just been for me alone!  I’m recommending it to all. What will You do with Jesus? Will He be Your Savior or Your Judge?  —Koni Bunse

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Going this weekend.  The comments I have heard about the movie locally have been pretty good. Most feel it is a very well done movie and very powerful. One or two felt the message of salvation was not emphasized in the movie—that Jesus did not speak enough. But by this point in Christ’s life Jesus had said all He was gonna say it was time for the act.  —Carl

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Yes, I went last night and it was awesome.  It was brutal and bloody, but also beautiful and we know the results.  It was in Cedar Rapids, IA and the theatre was full. Very few left, if any, and some were crying.  It is so well done, sound, action, colors, changes in scenes.  The actor playing Jesus does a great job.  A movie of our times that is a “must see” for Christians and hopefully many others.  —Mary Ellen Earles, Independence

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No, I probably won't go to see the movie because, No. 1,
I get a headache when I watch movies in a theater and second, the violence in the movie is more graphic than
I can handle.  —Joyce

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Yes.  My son, age 14, took a friend of his also.

Well done.  I felt it made more clear the details of what Jesus went through.  We had a good discussion on the way home.  The boys felt it was gory, but realized they felt this way because they knew it was a real story.  Other movies they have seen were fiction and just actors playing parts.  This movie touched them.
—Liz Lay

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Our church bought out two showing of the Passion and I saw it last night.  I was very apprehensive about seeing it because of all the violence I knew was portrayed.  It was a very difficult film to watch, and frankly I spent a great deal of it with my eyes closed.  There were several points on which I think it was not biblically accurate, such as the portrayal of Satan following Christ through His ordeal and the fact that it showed Him being beaten while He was carrying the cross.  I don’t know how long the beating scene in the movie was but I’m guessing it was half.  I didn’t need to see 60 minutes of Christ being physically destroyed in order to understand the message that He sacrificed His life for my sins.  The elements that gripped my heart were Mary at the cross, Christ’s death, and His resurrection, which are the things that always fill my heart about the story. The resurrection scene at the end of the movie was not more than a minute long. Yes, the crucifixion is key to who I am as a Christian, but it is the messages of Christ’s life, His words, His compassion, His love, and the hope of the resurrection that draw me closer to Him. Not the images of his body being ripped apart.  I cannot believe that anyone - even Jesus Christ – could have survived the beating as depicted in this movie and still have been able to carry the cross.  I simply think a human being would have died from such horrific injuries.  I came away haunted by the images, not swept away by Christ’s sacrifice.  I have already accepted and been grateful for His sacrifice.  Now I have to clear away those mental pictures and welcome back into my heart and mind the images of The Compassionate Christ who prayed for His persecutors and surrendered all to the will of the Father.  —Sandy

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Darrell and I have vacillated as to whether or not we will see the movie "The Passion of the Christ". I had a good conversation this morning with a United Methodist minister's wife who I highly respect her opinions and this is what she said. (She saw an early screening.)

She said it was good. She wishes the media would leave it alone and let people experience it for themselves. It was thought provoking. The scenery, music, and acting were wonderful. The scourging was overdone.   (It was hard to watch and lasted too long). She said I should see it. There were flashbacks that were neat but not necessarily biblical. Yes, there was the promise of resurrection but it happens so fast that unless you are watching for it you might miss it. She wished it would have

lasted 10 seconds longer.  The Barabbas acting was especially well done. It does not lay guilt on Jews. That is just part of the story. No anti-Jewish feeling at all. If there is guilt it is on everybody. Lent seems in a whole different perspective if one sees it. 

It will be interesting to read other peoples opinions of it. Most of what we have heard is people’s opinions who have not seen it! It is really getting talked about.

Love in Christ from both of us.  —Darrell and Carol Needham

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I saw the movie yesterday evening.  The theatre wasn't full, but they were certainly somber.   My sense of the movie was that it portrayed what could have taken place, although there were a few scences where I felt Gibson took license with the script.

I especially liked the way the women were included in the film.   I especially disliked the scenes of the devil, Jesus crushing the serpents head, and the crow plucking out the eye of the condemned thief.

The scenes of Jesus carrying his cross became very tedious.  There were places where I just wanted to cry, and a few places with humourous relief.  —Rev. Jim Gochenouer,  Ruthven United Methodist Church.

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It was a very powerful, educational, emotional experience.  I am glad I went but it was very hard to take the terrible suffering.   — Ken Kassel

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I did not go to see it with my husband and daughter-in-law.  I find it very hard to take violence and often leave a movie if I find it so.  I get upset at the Good Friday services and the glossed-over versions of the Crucifixion, and so knew I would not be able to bear His agony.  I have a good imagination and have read many accounts of the terrible Roman scourging and what a horrible death crucifixion is.  I did not need to see it in detail.  Perhaps I will go yet as so many say it is worthwhile.    —Janice Kassel

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Ditto to most of the comments that I have seen already. My most poignant observation was that as I watched, I was reminded that those stripes were for me. It was my sin that put him on the tree. Those who watch the movie will either be introspective or critical and their opinions will reflect which it is. —Quinton Tschetter

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I felt the movie did an excellent job at tying the life and death of Jesus together by using flashbacks.  And it did an excellent job of showing the human side of Jesus by portraying His relationship with Mary.  It also showed how divine Jesus is because no human could have survived being beaten so severely, no human could have not been resentful or actually prayed for those abusing him.  His death had nothing to do with the limitations on His physical body. He chose the moment of His death.  Jesus chose to feel the pain.  He didn't have to. He was only able to keep going because He is divine.  It was very hard to watch.  But I think all Christians need to see what Jesus sacrificed for us.  —Karen

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I saw "The Passion of the Christ" yesterday (Sunday) with several friends of various ages.  It happened to have been Communion Sunday for us and my first thought is that I hope I never again take communion without having the pictures of the suffering in Christ in my mind.  Our church is not taking a youth group to the movie, but rather, on the advice of a former pastor, are urging parents to attend with their children. (And to be careful of the age of children who attend.)  Our group was the last to leave the theatre—we were awestruck and emotionally drained—but in a good way.  We were half way home before anyone started talking—but talk we will.  Thanks to Mel Gibson for his faith and his courage! —Mavis

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My husband and I saw the movie on Ash Wednesday, and just took communion last Sunday.  Communion has a whole new meaning because of seeing this movie.
—Claudia Cargill 

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The Passion of Christ is rated "R." The "R" of course is because of the violence, the gore. In movie terms "R" stands for RESTRICTED, but in this movie "R" stands for: RELEVANT, for REALISTIC, for it REALLY happened for a REASON because we were REBELLIOUS we needed a REDEEMER, we needed to be RECONCILED, we needed to be RECOVERED, we needed to be REGENERATED.

Jesus needed to be REJECTED so that we could have a RELATIONSHIP not just a RELIGION.

The "R" is to REMIND us to REMEMBER what Jesus did to REMOVE our sin to RENDER Satan powerless, to RESCUE us from eternity in hell.

The "R" rating is to show that Jesus was RESPONSIBLE for giving you REST. As a RESULT of his death Jesus RETIRED your debt.

The "R" rating means that some will be REPULSED, some will REFUSE to believe, some will be RELUCTANT, some will think you are RIDICULOUS in believing that death was REQUIRED.

The "R" rating means that the RESULT of sin has been REVERSED and now, through faith in Christ, your REWARD is eternity and you are now RIGHTEOUS
before God because you have RECEIVED him as the RULER of your soul.

And that He, (Jesus) died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them and rose again! (2nd Corinthians 5:15)  —Sue

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I have not seen The Passion movie yet, but think I will agree with Zola Levitt who writes:

"Mel Gibson created a very authentic movie of the period. It shows lots of Jewish & Roman people, but there is no Arab personality.

"As far as Jews who call this movie anti-Semitic, on the one hand, the Jews are characterized as cold & almost sadistic, whereas in the Gospel they are presented as expedient government officials, ignorant of what they were doing. On the other hand, the Jews should have done much better by Jesus

"The good points to the movie is that it is the straight Gospel, with small additions that are not objectionable; it is a great witness, & a Christian work out of Hollywood, almost a miracle.  On the downside, is the brutality of the movie. Everyone is to be warned that you'll have to watch a solid hour of horrible torture, unjustified in the Gospel.

"Also there is a subtlety of doctrinal error here.  Catholics have a way of hyping something & giving it meaning which it did not have in the first place. An example is the bread and wine of Passover becoming Christ's actual body and blood in the doctrine of Transubstantiation. Lacking a knowledge of Passover the Catholics instead put this hype on it.  Likewise, not really understanding what the crucifixion accomplished, which is to say salvation for everyone who would believe, they instead hype the brutality of the thing. But the Gospel does not present the kind of bloodletting they have in the movie.  It is clear that these Roman soldiers crucified people all too often, and they didn't really know Jesus from anyone else. And while it is record that they humiliated Him, the kind of mocking and beating of this movie is not justified from a true reading of the Gospel.

"This sort of brutality runs against the idea of cruci-fixion, which was to have a person hang helplessly, struggling with injuries for days, until he suffocated or died from shock. Jesus died in six hours because he needed to be buried on the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He simply had an appointment (Leviticus 23:4-5). The idea was not to beat him nearly to death, so he would die almost immediately.  That just would not do what the crucifixion was supposed to do.  "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world", John 18:37 and "For even the Son of man came...to give his life a ransom for many", Mark 10:45.

"And finally, the resurrection is all but missing from this movie.  The whole point of Christianity, is after all, that Christ defeated even "the last enemy," Death. "
If you have seen it (I will the first of April when it comes here), let me know your reaction, please.   — Mary

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Dear ones,

Yesterday afternoon I went to the movie "The Passion of Christ".  Several observations: I would call this movie "shock and awe".  I liked the flashbacks, and felt there should have been more of them and delete the scourging and blood, which just went on and on.  I would not either recommend it or recommend it.  If you feel drawn to see it (by the Holy Spirit), then do go.  Some of the elderly women in our church went, and closed their eyes for a lot of the movie and were very disturbed by the gore.  But maybe that was its purpose, to disturb.  —Mary

 

Top of Page

 

A United Methodist News Service Commentary

By Steve Beard*

 It is not often that you see Christian ministers encouraging their parishioners to buy tickets to an R-rated movie, but that is exactly what is happening. Of course, I am referring to Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ,” perhaps the most hotly-debated-before-release film in the history of cinema.

I saw the movie in the boardroom of Gibson’s Icon Productions last November with a handful of rock musicians and artists. For a group who makes their living with microphones and electric guitars, they were stone silent at the end of the film. We all were. This is definitely not a date movie; it is a think flick. It is not meant to be a documentary; it is a piece of art. You need a cup of herbal tea and a handful of those aromotherapy candles to chill out and process afterward.

As we know, the Bible is filled with R-rated material - betrayal, greed, lust, murder, sex and excruciating violence. At bare minimum, “The Passion” reminds viewers that Christianity was born out of blood, pain and tears - a far more gritty reality than a Thomas Kinkade painting or a Precious Moments nativity scene. This is no small lesson to a culture whose crosses are studded with diamonds instead of splinters.

Church folks should be warned, this is not a family-friendly “Christian” movie such as “Chariots of Fire” or “The Ten Commandments.” “The Passion” is the most brutal movie you will probably ever see. People will be sobbing in the theaters or running out to get sick in the lobby.

This is the Sunday school flannel board lesson for a generation that grew up on violent video games, skipped church and stood in line to watch Quentin “Tarantino’s Kill Bill, Vol. 1” - a gratuitously bloody movie with no redemptive purpose. “The Passion” has an unmistakable gothic and art-house feel, with touches of the ghoulish and grotesque.

Is there too much gore and violence in “The Passion”? Probably. It made me turn my head. I just kept whispering, “Dear Jesus,” to myself throughout many of the scenes. It is the most brutally violent and simultaneously holy thing I have seen.

This is not the kind of movie that you merely watch; it is one you experience. Think back to when you first saw the movie “Roots” on TV, seeing a white man whip a black man’s back. It wreaks havoc on your gut. All of the high school history lessons about the Civil War changed in a dimension of your comprehension, moving from your head to your heart.  It is painful to watch as Jesus stumbles through the Via Dolorosa, the path of pain, on his way to Golgotha, as his beloved mother watches helplessly from the sidelines, flashing back in her memory to a time when she could still cradle her son in her arms.

As our group talked with Gibson after watching the movie, it was very clear that he was most vexed about the charges of anti-Semitism leveled against the movie. He spoke of venting his frustrations on his spiritual counselor, who simply would remind him that Jesus turned the other cheek.  “I am good eight out of 10 days,” he joked, referring to the cheek turning.  From my perspective, the film makes it clear that there were righteous and unrighteous Jewish and Roman leaders who played a part in the drama around the crucifixion of Jesus. It is fair to say that anyone leaving the movie theater with anti-Semitic fervor would have to be deranged and morally warped, or they didn’t watch it.

Ironically, Maia Morgenstern, who plays Mary, is the Jewish daughter of a Holocaust survivor. Furthermore, the only appearance that Gibson makes in the movie is when his hands are seen driving the nails into Jesus on the cross, simultaneously driving home the point of his own culpability in the death of Christ.

“I have always believed in God,” Gibson told us after the film. “From age 15 to 35, I was a hell raiser. In many ways, I still am,” he said, jokingly. He then went on to tell us that he had “come to a difficult point in my life, and meditating on Christ’s sufferings, on his passion, got me through it.” Christ’s passion became his obsession and ultimately a healing balm.  “I’m not a preacher, and I’m not a pastor. But I really feel my career was leading me to make this,” Gibson has said. “The Holy Ghost was working through me on this film, and I was just directing traffic. I hope the film has the power to evangelize.”

That should not be a problem. I have been a Christian for 20 years and after seeing “The Passion,” I wanted to sign up all over again.

 *Beard is the editor of Good News magazine and creator of Thunderstruck.org. Top of Page 

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Paul Harvey Comments on "The Passion"

I really did not know what to expect. I was thrilled to have been
invited to a private viewing of Mel Gibson's film "The Passion," but I
had also read all the cautious articles and spin. I grew up in a
Jewish town and owe much of my own faith journey to the influence. I
have a life long, deeply held aversion to anything that might even
indirectly encourage any form of anti-Semitic thought, language or
actions.

I arrived at the private viewing for "The Passion," held in
Washington, DC and greeted some familiar faces. The environment was
typically Washingtonian, with people greeting you with a smile but
seeming to look beyond you, having an agenda beyond the words. The
film was very briefly introduced, without fanfare, and then the room
darkened. From the gripping opening scene in the Garden of Gethsemane,
to the very human and tender portrayal of the earthly ministry of
Jesus, through the betrayal, the arrest, the scourging, the way of the
cross, the encounter with the thieves, the surrender on the Cross,
until the final scene in the empty tomb, this was not simply a movie;
it was an encounter, unlike anything I have ever experienced.

In addition to being a masterpiece of film-making and an artistic
triumph, "The Passion" evoked more deep reflection, sorrow and
emotional reaction within me than anything since my wedding, my
ordination or the birth of my children. Frankly, I will never be the
same. When the film concluded, this "invitation only" gathering of
"movers and shakers" in Washington, DC were shaking indeed, but this
time from sobbing. I am not sure there was a dry eye in the place. The
crowd that had been glad-handing before the film was now eerily
silent. No one could speak because words were woefully inadequate. We
had experienced a kind of art that is a rarity in life, the kind that
makes heaven touch earth.

One scene in the film has now been forever etched in my mind. A
brutalized, wounded Jesus was soon to fall again under the weight of
the cross. His mother had made her way along the Via Della Rosa. As
she ran to him, she flashed back to a memory of Jesus as a child,
falling in the dirt road outside of their home. Just as she reached to
protect him from the fall, she was now reaching to touch his wounded
adult face. Jesus looked at her with intensely probing and
passionately loving eyes (and at all of us through the screen) and
said "Behold I make all things new." These are words taken from the
last Book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelations. Suddenly, the
purpose of the pain was so clear and the wounds, that earlier in the
film had been so difficult to see in His face, His back, indeed all
over His body, became intensely beautiful. They had been borne
voluntarily for love.

At the end of the film, after we had all had a chance to recover, a
question and answer period ensued. The unanimous praise for the film,
from a rather diverse crowd, was as astounding as the compliments were
effusive. The questions included the one question that seems to follow
this film, even though it has not yet even been released. "Why is this
film considered by some to be 'anti-Semitic?" Frankly, having now
experienced (you do not "view" this film) "the Passion" it is a
question that is impossible to answer. A law professor whom I admire
sat in front of me. He raised his hand and responded "After watching
this film, I do not understand how anyone can insinuate that it even
remotely presents that the Jews killed Jesus. It doesn't." He
continued "It made me realize that my sins killed Jesus" I agree.
There is not a scintilla of anti-Semitism to be found anywhere in this
powerful film. If there were, I would be among the first to decry it.
It faithfully tells the Gospel story in a dramatically beautiful,
sensitive and profoundly engaging way. Those who are alleging
otherwise have either not seen the film or have another agenda behind
their protestations. This is not a "Christian" film, in the sense that
it will appeal only to those who identify themselves as followers of
Jesus Christ. It is a deeply human, beautiful story that will deeply
touch all men and women. It is a profound work of art. Yes, its
producer is a Catholic Christian and thankfully has remained faithful
to the Gospel text; if that is no longer acceptable behavior than we
are all in trouble. History demands that we remain faithful to the
story and Christians have a right to tell it. After all, we believe
that it is the greatest story ever told and that its message is for
all men and women. The greatest right is the right to hear the truth.

We would all be well advised to remember that the Gospel narratives to
which "The Passion" is so faithful were written by Jewish men who
followed a Jewish Rabbi whose life and teaching have forever changed
the history of the world. The problem is not the message but those who
have distorted it and used it for hate rather than love. The solution
is not to censor the message, but rather to promote the kind of gift
of love that is Mel Gibson's filmmaking masterpiece, "The Passion." It
should be seen by as many people as possible. I intend to do
everything I can to make sure that is the case. I am passionate about
"The Passion."

Please copy this and send it on to all your friends to let them know
about this film so that all go see it when it comes out.
 
P.S.  From Julie:  My daughter, Kristin, tells me they learned at her
church Youth Group that Mel Gibson stated he did not appear in his
own movie, by his choice, with one exception:  It is Gibson's hands
seen nailing Jesus to the cross.  Gibson said he wanted to do that
because it was indeed his own hands that nailed Jesus to the cross
(along with all of ours.) Top of Page

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A News Anchor's Perspective on "The Passion of the Christ"
by  Jody Dean

(Jody Dean is the Dallas/Ft. Worth anchor for CBS News.)

There have been tons of e-mails and forwards floating around recently
from those who have had the privilege of seeing Mel Gibson's "The
Passion of the Christ" prior to its actual release. I thought I'd give
you my reaction after seeing it last [week.] 

The screening was on the first night of "Elevate!" a weekend-long
seminar for young people at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano. There
were about 2,000 people there, and the movie was shown after several
speakers had taken the podium. It started around 9:00 and finished
around 11:00...about two hours in length. Frankly, I lost complete track
of time—so I can't be sure. 

I want you to know that I started in broadcasting when I was
13-years-old. I have been in the business of writing, performing,
production and broadcasting for a long time. I have been a part of
movies, radio, television, stage and other productions—so I know how
things are done. I know about soundtracks and special effects and
make-up and screenplays. I think I have seen just about every kind of
movie or TV show ever made—from extremely inspirational to extremely
gory. I read a lot—and have covered stories and scenes that still make
me wince. I also have a vivid imagination, and have the ability to
picture things as they must have happened—or to anticipate things as
they will be portrayed. I have also seen an enormous amount of footage
from Gibson's film, so I thought I knew what was coming. 

But there is nothing in my existence—nothing I could have read, seen,
heard, thought or known—that could have prepared me for what I saw on screen last night. 

This is not a movie that anyone will "like". I don't think it's a movie
anyone will "love". It certainly doesn't "entertain". There isn't even
the sense that one has just watched a movie. What it is is an experience—on a level of primary emotion that is scarcely comprehensible. Every shred of human preconception or predisposition
is utterly stripped away.

No one will eat popcorn during this film. Some may not eat for days
after they've seen it. Quite honestly, I wanted to vomit. It hits that
hard. 

I can see why some people are worried about how the film portrays the
Jews. They should be worried. No, it's not anti-Semitic. What it is, is
entirely shattering. There are no "winners". No one comes off looking
"good"—except Jesus. Even His own mother hesitates. As depicted, the
Jewish leaders of Jesus' day merely do what any of us would have done—and still do. They protected their perceived "place"—their sense of safety and security, and the satisfaction of their own "rightness". But
everyone falters. Caiphus judges. Peter denies. Judas betrays. Simon the Cyrene balks. Mark runs away. Pilate equivocates. The crowd mocks. The soldiers laugh. Longinus still stabs with his pilus. The centurion still carries out his orders. And as Jesus fixes them all with a glance, they still turn away. The Jews, the Romans, Jesus' friends—they all fall.

Everyone, except the Principal Figure. Heaven sheds a single, mighty
tear—and as blood and water spew from His side, the complacency of all creation is eternally shattered.

The film grabs you in the first five seconds, and never lets go. The
brutality, humiliation, and gore are almost inconceivable—and still
probably does not go far enough. The scourging alone seems to never end, and you cringe at the sound and splatter of every blow—no matter how steely your nerves. Even those who have known combat or prison will have trouble, no matter their experience—because this Man was not
conscripted. He went willingly, laying down His entirety for all. It is
one thing for a soldier to die for his countrymen. It's something else
entirely to think of even a common man dying for those who hate and wish to kill him. But this is no common man. This is the King of the
Universe. The idea that anyone could or would have gone through such
punishment is unthinkable—but this Man was completely innocent,
completely holy—and paying the price for others. He screams as He is
laid upon the cross, "Father, they don't know. They don't know..."

What Gibson has done is to use all of his considerable skill to portray
the most dramatic moment of the most dramatic events since the dawn of time. There is no escape. It's a punch to the gut that puts you on the canvas, and you don't get up. You are simply confronted by the horror of what was done—what had to be done—and why. Throughout the entire film, I found myself apologizing. 

What you've heard about how audiences have reacted is true. There was no sound after the film's conclusion. No noise at all. No one got up. No one moved. The only sound one could hear was sobbing. In all my years of public life, I have never heard anything like that. 

I told many of you that Gibson had reportedly re-shot the ending to
include more "hope" through the Resurrection. That's not true. The
Resurrection scene is perhaps the shortest in the entire movie—and yet
it packs a punch that can't be quantified. It is perfect. There is no
way to negotiate the meaning out of it. It simply asks, "Now, what will
you do?" 

I'll leave the details to you, in the hope that you will see the film—but one thing above all stands out, and I have to tell you about it. It comes from the end of Jesus' temptations in the wilderness—where the Bible says Satan left him "until a more opportune time." I imagine Satan never quit tempting Christ, but this film captures beyond words the most
opportune time. At every step of the way, Satan is there at Jesus' side
—imploring Him to quit, reasoning with Him to give up, and seducing Him
to surrender. For the first time, one gets a heart-stopping idea of the
sense of madness that must have enveloped Jesus—a sense of the evil
that was at His very elbow. The physical punishment is relentless—but
it's the sense of psychological torture that is most overwhelming. He
should have quit. He should have opened His mouth. He should have called 10,000 angels. No one would have blamed Him. What we deserve is obvious.

But He couldn't do that. He wouldn't do that. He didn't do that. He
doesn't do that. It was not and is not His character. He was obedient,
all the way to the cross—and you feel the real meaning of that phrase
in a place the human heart usually doesn't dare to go. You understand
that we are called to that same level of obedience. With Jesus' humanity so irresistibly on display, you understand that we have no excuse. There is no place to hide.

The truth is this: Is it just a "movie"? In a way, yes. But it goes far
beyond that, in a fashion I've never felt—in any forum. We may think
we "know". We know nothing. We've gone 2,000 years—used to the idea of a pleasant story, and a sanitized Christ. We expect the ending, because we've heard it so many times. God forgive us. This film tears that all away. It is as close as any of us will ever get to knowing, until we fully know. Paul understood. "Be urgent, in and out of season." 

Luke wrote that Jesus reveals Himself in the breaking of the bread.
Exactly. The Passion Of The Christ shows that Bread being broken. 

Go see this movie. Top of Page

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Brutal 'Passion' Worth Seeing, Discussing

A United Methodist News Service Commentary — Mar. 5, 2004
By Bishop Larry M. Goodpaster* 

Like millions of other people, my wife, Deborah, and I went to see Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ" when it opened. This motion picture was preceded by plenty of hype and has certainly generated a lot of attention since its debut. Gibson himself seems to be everywhere giving interviews and talking about his movie. Having seen it, I want to offer a few personal observations and join my voice to those of others who are doing the same. 

This is not a two-hour entertainment story to be enjoyed. I found it to be an intense, powerful and very emotional motion picture. It was gut-wrenching, and it did not let up much during the entire two hours. Deborah and I were drained when we left the theater. 

The movie not only took our breath away, but it took away any words that either of us could speak for some time. I was moved to tears and yet also to a deeper, more vivid awareness of the agony that Jesus endured for me—and, indeed, for the whole world. There were times when I had to turn my head or close my eyes. The graphic nature of the flogging and scourging at the hands of the soldiers was overwhelming. None of us can know for sure what it was actually like, although the references in the Scriptures and historical records tell us this was a harsh form of punishment. 

Given that very little of the beating is left to the imagination, I would strongly urge parents not to take their children to see this movie. There is a reason it is rated R, and we should pay attention to that. I am not sure about the appropriate age for a person to view it, but be warned ahead of time that there are some disturbing scenes. 

I hope there will be conversations, dialogue and a reading of the Scriptures before and after seeing this film. I do think the movie is worth seeing, and Sunday school classes or small discipleship groups may find it a helpful tool to explore the meaning of the suffering and death of Jesus. 

What about anti-Semitism? Those of us who are believers in and followers of Jesus Christ must always be very attentive and sensitive to that issue. Over the years, Christians have matured in the understanding and relationship that exists between us and people of the Jewish faith. Anyone who harbors anger, resentment, hostility or outrage toward Judaism has not heard the whole story of the love and mercy of Jesus himself. The film does depict Jesus offering forgiveness, extending love, practicing grace and renouncing retaliation. I hope we hear that very carefully. 

One piece of the picture that I found particularly inspiring was the word of forgiveness that Jesus offered at several points. I was moved in those moments of seeing Jesus beaten and nailed to the cross and yet offering forgiveness to those who were inflicting the worst upon him. Forgiveness is difficult. In the midst of the extensive violence and the mocking and humiliation Jesus endured, his voice and prayer of forgiveness were powerful. 

I fear that we have lost some sense of the suffering and death of Jesus in our effort to entertain, to be acceptable and to be comfortable with the Gospel. We pay lip service to sacrifice and suffering but couch it in terms that go down easy. This movie calls us to a different perspective. Perhaps Gibson went to an extreme in this attempt, but in an era when many auditoriums and centers for praise and worship are being built without any sign of the cross, we need some course correction. 

I am sure that the crucifixion was bloody and a particularly cruel form of death, and we dare not sanitize or gloss over that reality. Remember that the Passion and the crucifixion are not the end of the story. Without the resurrection, as Paul points out in Corinthians, our faith is in vain. I found myself profoundly thankful for the last 30 seconds of the movie and wished that part had been longer, but it was enough. God raised Jesus from the dead. After all the suffering, the pain and the cruelty of humanity, God redeems and transforms it all. 

I came away with a belief that you really had to know the story to catch some of the symbolism contained in the scenes, or even to understand some of the moments in the picture. Because of that, I am not sure how many nonbelievers will get it. However, we in the church need to be prepared to answer questions about the meaning and purpose of the suffering, the Passion and the crucifixion. 

For all that has been written or spoken about this film, I hope that if it does anything at all, it will drive us all back to the Gospel accounts, and to our reflections and contemplations about the mystery of our faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. 

*Goodpaster is bishop of the United Methodist Church's Alabama-West Florida Area.

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