CYPRESSWOOD CHURCH OF CHRIST

March 21, 2004

KEEP PRAYING FOR:

Our congregation                                                       David and Leon in the Navy

Our college students                                                  Our nation, leaders and military

The Stolte’s in Germany                                            Various friends, relatives and co-workers

Yevette’s dad will see a doctor this week about his heart

The Stehlik family at the loss of their brother-in-law

EVENTS COMING UP:

May 6^th - The National Day of Prayer

June 6-12 - Encounter

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11).

Powerful.  Thought-provoking.  Intense.  Bloody.  Awesome.  Violent.  Moving.  Any number of words can be used to describe The Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson.  It is a film about the last twelve hours of Jesus’ life and what He endured for us.  It opens in the Garden of Gethsemane and closes with Mary holding the body of Jesus (and a brief but inspiring resurrection scene at the end).  Unlike many movies made today where gratuitous, bloody violence is standard, in this movie it fits into the story as told in scripture.  Now I’m not one to go to bloody movies and I had qualms about this one, but I will go see The Passion again because there is so much to gleam from it.

I was particularly fascinated by the characters Mr. Gibson chose to highlight.  When Jesus was arrested, we all remember that Peter cut off the ear of one of the temple guards and Jesus healed him.  In the movie the guard sat in shock at what Jesus did and did not move as they took Jesus away.  The devil was portrayed by an actresses.  Seen in the Garden trying to discourage Jesus and several other times, it shows how evil tempts all of us.  And Judas is seen having to deal with his own personal demons after the betrayal of the Christ.  Jesus’ mother Mary is prominent throughout the movie, looking at how she saw her Son suffering and could do very little.  Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus’ cross, is pictured first as reluctant and then changing as he walked with Jesus, and finally leaving Calvary weeping.  All very moving.

The Jewish leaders were seen as vengeful and hypocritical, seeking to destroy Jesus on the basis of false information and lies.  Some leaders who opposed this were thrown out of the trial, others left during the witnessing of the beating of Jesus.  The Roman soldiers who scourged Jesus took great delight and joy in that as well as mocking Him.  But not all of them.  Some saw something more and were compassionate at points, both in the streets and on Calvary.  Pilate is an enigma, both in the film and in scripture.  Caught between a rock and a hard place, he struggles with what to do about Jesus, finally giving in and having Him crucified. 

Jesus is portrayed excellently.  We see the idea of a Lamb, silent, led to the slaughter.  The idea of showing the last twelve hours of His life shows what He had to endure physically.  It was almost an ongoing beating, mocking, and taunting from almost everyone around.  Carrying His cross through the streets and being beaten continually as well as mocked shows the depth of human depravity.  Of course we understand that it was for us that He endured all of this; but it doesn’t make it any easier to watch.  Finally, there was the ultimate separation from God.  What a painful moment!

Paul said that he wanted to share in Jesus’ sufferings.  What a difficult verse to live.  Everything that Jesus endured he wanted to share; mocking, denial, betrayal, false accusations, and physical pain.  Can we say the same thing?  In the Gospels, we read quickly of these events.  The authors do not dwell on the physical.  Crucifixion being the common form of punishment in the Roman world, maybe there was no need to dwell on it; all knew the painful realities of such suffering.  For us today however, we have been shielded from that.  Our Jesus is often seen praying, or having a halo around His head.  He is often depicted as One who is a good man and His suffering is talked about in obscure terms.  This movie changes all that.  What it does is to bring out the violence of sin and the depth to which God would go to rescue His creation, that is, you and me, from sin.  He knew no sin but was made to be sin (2 Corinthians 5:21); by his strips we are healed (Isaiah 53); forsaken and despised (Isaiah 53); the Lamb of God (John 1).  After watching this movie, one will certainly read scripture in a different way and will look at the characters with a great sense of connection.  The emotions, struggles and guilt that plague humans are seen.  One will also sing songs differently as well, whether the familiar “Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus” or the contemporary “The Purple Robe.” 

This is a movie to be reflected on.  There is certainly more than what I have briefly mentioned.  It is certainly a Biblical accurate movie, though some Catholic traditions came into view but do not overwhelm any scene or thought.  Jim McGuiggan has a saying when commenting on a movie he particularly likes.  “Everyone should be required to see this movie…if they want to.”  It is a tough movie to watch in parts, and tears will flow, but it is definitely worth watching…if you want.

                                                                                                    George B. Mearns