Benny Rutherford

What Mel Gibson has done with this movie is to depict a portion of Jesus Christ's life - the events leading up to His death by crucifixion. The movie is difficult to watch. And, I think, iintentionally so. One commenter said it had to do with Mr. Gibson's penchant for violent movies. I respectfully disagree. The Bible mentions that Jesus was a "man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." (Isaiah 53:1-12) Mr. Gibson's offering is one that, I believe, most accurately shows what Christ suffered. Most other movies about Jesus either gloss it over or don't bother to show it at all, since it would offend some viewers. This movie is violent. It has to be in order to show some measure of what Christ went through. Isaiah 52:14 says, "But many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he hardly seemed human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man." (NLT) This prophecy was fulfilled when Christ endured the traditional Roman beatings prior to crucifixions. However, I believe that Christ's beatings were worse than any other man's because He claimed to be a King (which He was) and Rome could not and would not tolerate any person perceived as overthrowing Roman rule. Too, the Sanhedrin and Sadducees, as well as the High Priest, were complicit in that they encouraged a 'little extra' for anyone who defied their religious practices and regulations. Let's face it, Jesus Christ certainly upset their various apple carts with the way He preached against what they had been doing to their fellow man. That these particular Jews were precisely conniving in what led up to Jesus' beating and crucifixion is exactly what Mr. Gibson depicts. Thus, when Christ proclaims from the cross, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." He is addressing those very people as well as those in Roman rule. That is NOT antiSemitism. It is truth. This is a fine movie that helps born again Christians understand the suffering, i.e., The Passion of the Christ. Paraphrasing what Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said, ours is not a cheap faith because what Christ went through cost the Father His Beloved Son in order that He might redeem mankind back into a personal relationship with Himself. Salvation, that is, the forgiveness of our sin, is available through belief in the Atoning death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is through our faith in what Christ did that God provides our reconciliation to Him. Well done, Mr. Gibson. I would love to see him follow this movie up with one about the days after Christ's resurrection until His Ascension into heaven and the subsequent spread of the Christian movement.