Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of The Christ” lives up to all the hype and controversy that has surrounded the film for the past year and a half.
It is not merely another film depicting the life of Christ; it is a personal testament of faith that is as powerful as it is unsettling, as glorious as it is exciting and completely overwhelming in every regard.
The story is basic enough: “The Passion” depicts the final 12 hours of Jesus’ life, from his Agony in the Garden to his death on the cross.
Taken entirely from the gospels, it is as literal a translation of the Biblical texts as it can get.
Interlaced within the narrative are tidbits of Jesus’ life and ministry, including the Sermon on the Mount and the Last Supper. At its closure comes a glimpse of Jesus’ resurrection in his tomb.
All of the major characters are featured, including Pilate, Peter, Mary and Judas. But the greatest antagonist is the head priest Caiphas, who is also the center of the film’s controversy.
Throughout the film, Caiphas adamantly demands Jesus’ death and is the prime factor in his crucifixion.
But the film is not anti-Semitic in its portrayal of Caiphas nor in its treatment of the Jewish people.
Sure, Caiphas is Jewish, but he is also a politician. He wants what is best for his way of life, as a man in a powerful position. He is much like Pilate, stuck in his seat of power and executing Jesus to save his career rather than out of any immediate need for execution.
To both Caiphas and Pilate, Jesus is a threat to stability and thus must be eliminated.
Caiphas uses the Jewish populace for his own ends. When Pilate addresses the crowd for Jesus’ trial, he does not ask the Jew, but Caiphas directly.
It is only because Caiphas has a mob behind him that Pilate agrees to Jesus’ execution. But the mob itself is not unanimous in its cries, the loudest of which comes from the priests.
The Jews are not the bad guys. Only the power-hungry, manipulative and corrupt among them want Jesus to be executed.
Many Jews in the movie are specifically shown to feel compassion for and even aid Jesus during his agonies.
Christ’s torture and death are rendered in excruciating detail.
This is by far the most detailed and gory depiction of Christ’s life that has ever been presented in film. Christ does not just get whipped; he gets maimed. He is not crucified; he is dismantled.
This film is not for those with a weak stomach, since blood and guts are prevalent, and definitely not for children, who might not be ready to understand its message.
While many might object to Gibson’s graphic gore and violence, saying that it is excessive and mindnumbing, it is essential to the overall message of the film. There can be no passion without pain.
As audience members, we do not just watch Jesus’ agony. Rather, we experience it. Sure, it is a lot to take. But to really understand Christ’s message of suffering, you have to understand what Christ went through. This movie forces faithful Christians to put their money where their mouth is and live the way Jesus lived.
His passion is our compassion. This is not a Sunday school Jesus but rather a mature and realized Christ. That is the power of “The Passion.”
It is Mel Gibson’s personal testament of faith, but one that anyone willing to listen can and should experience.
As an adaptation taken from the gospels, the greatest truth it presents is the extremity to which Christ suffered and died.
Most Christ films focus on his ministry because it is the simplest to understand.
But to really understand Christ, one must go through what Christ went through.
Mel Gibson presents the brutal truth (maybe not historical, but at least in essence) of what following Jesus really means: persecution and pain, but with inevitable hope for a future happiness.
“The Passion of The Christ” is not an easy film to watch, but its appeal is wider than just the devout.
As a film about Jesus, it is meant for Christian audiences. But even non-Christians may experience the film as a powerful struggle of suffering and redemption, as seen through a persecuted and loving human being.
