“To
these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by
many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty
days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God”
(Acts 1:3)
This may be one of the
last messages expressing an opinion about Mel Gibson’s film, “The
Passion of the Christ,” by someone who has not yet seen the
movie. I’ve read the Book, so please be patient. It may offend
your sensibilities, but we will probably wait for the video and
see it in our own home, instead of at a theater. If you think
about it, you’ll agree that it’s NATURAL for people to talk about
things they have not seen. In fact, you may do it all the time
without even thinking about it. Have you quoted an article, but
can’t remember where you read it? We’ve all done it and will
likely do it again. Actually though, this message is not on the
movie itself, but rather it is about those who have seen it.
The title of the movie,
“The Passion…” is taken from
Acts 1:3, where an old Greek word for “suffering”
(“pascho”) is translated in the
King James Version of the Bible, as “passion.”
The reference is actually older than the King James, for it
appears in the Vulgate, as the Latin “passionem,”
which is the direct reference used in the Catholic Church and for
Mel Gibson’s title in this film.
We did see the movie
called “The Gospel of John” a
few months ago, which was a faithful rendering of John’s
eyewitness “Gospel” (“Good
News”) as depicted in the Living Bible. We liked it so much that
we wonder why it did not seem to get the same overwhelming
acceptance from the Christian “Evangelical”
community that is being given to the “Passion?”
I guess we’ll have to see “The Passion”
to find out.
We were fascinated by a
recent article in a local newspaper about the film (Long Beach “Press
Telegram,” February 28, 2004, “Religion”
section, page A19), where local religious leaders who had seen “The
Passion,” discussed the film. The articles were especially
fascinating because you could not ask for more different opinions
than those expressed in the article. It is also interesting that
their minds were not changed by what they observed on the screen.
Pastor Gregory Sanders,
a gentleman who loves the Lord, felt that “The
Passion” simply presents the truth, which is what many
people don’t want. He quoted another movie (“A
Few Good Men”) in relation to this one, stating, “You
can’t handle the truth!” And that’s a fact. Most can’t
handle the truth, don’t want the truth, and as Pastor Greg
continued, “The truth is very, very
difficult to face.” Jesus IS “the
truth” (John 14:6), and we shouldn’t be surprised when the
truth is not wanted, because most simply do not want the Lord.
Another gentleman, a
United Methodist Associate Minister, stated that some in his group
“seemed to have a judgment in hand”
(already had made up their minds before they saw it). He
confessed he was one of them. He found “The
Passion” to be powerful because “it
allows us to affirm that God feels and appreciates the suffering
of all and that ultimately, this suffering triumphs over death.”
He objected to the violence in the film and also that it was “Christocentric,
so Christ-centered that the other characters fell to the wayside.”
He wishes the “teaching” of
Jesus had been at the forefront instead of His death for our sins.
The next segment in the
article was by a lady who often contributes to the “Religion”
section, Rabbi Rebecca Schorr. She was “horrified
by the gratuitous violence and hateful portrayal of (her)
people,” the Jews, stating her “worst
fear had been confirmed. The Jews in the film had been stereotyped
as evildoers.” She saw what she expected to see.
Another gentleman, the
Senior Minister of a Congregational Church, said that because of “current
critical scholarship, Jesus was not a pre-existent divine being
sent from God, but rather a very human Palestinian Jew…”
He finds the film to be a “theological
statement rather than a reflection of historical reality.”
He felt that “the gospel writers were
trying to win converts to their own understandings…” He
wished the film had shown thousands of other Jews who were also
crucified, not understanding that Jesus’ death is different.
Pamela Hale, who
regularly contributes to the “Religion” section of the paper,
wrote: “I applaud Mel Gibson for his
courage to follow through and make this film despite the obstacles
he must have faced,” and she added: “Go
around, under, over or even through the obstacle(s) to get the
message of Christ to the world. It’s the least we could do after
what He did for us.” Amen.
We have heard in these
articles from one who believes in the Lord and liked the film;
from another who honors Christ as a Teacher, but draws back from
His work as our Savior. We heard from someone who feels guilt for
her people in what happened to Him, and does not want that guilt.
We heard from someone who prefers a theological Jesus to the One
who bled and died for you and me. And finally, we listened to a
believer who commends the film.
Actually, we are all
guilty of the murder of Jesus Christ. Isaiah prophesied of Him,
hundreds of years before His birth, “He
was wounded for OUR transgressions, He was bruised for OUR
iniquities; the chastisement for OUR peace was upon Him, and by
His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). John said of
Him, “He Himself is the propitiation for
OUR sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world”
(1 John 2:2). Your sins and mine were the cause of His death,
necessitated out of God’s love for you and me. I like the reality
of Corrie Ten Boom’s words of some years ago: “We
feel guilty because we are guilty.”
In deciding about Jesus,
we are His judges, each proclaiming Him guilty or innocent of the
charges against Him. God is OUR Judge, proclaiming US guilty or
innocent, based on our decision in relation to the Son. In
considering the evidence, I give greater weight to those who
actually witnessed His miracles, and saw Him after He rose from
the dead. This is their testimony: “To
these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many
convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days
and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God”
(Acts 1:3). They were convinced by the Risen Christ. It’s
important for us to LISTEN to those who were actually there.
Father, let us listen;
especially to those who saw and heard the Lord for 40 days after
He rose from the dead. Let us TRUST in Him who is the Truth. In
Jesus Name. Amen.
