Passion of Christ Review

"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed."

I will never read the above passage the same again. Yesterday I viewed the newly released film, The Passion of The Christ. While I have much yet to digest about this movie, I want to offer a few observations here for those of you considering whether or not to go.

One thing you must know--it was gruesome. It's "R" rating for violence is earned. Although Hollywood has made cinematic violence a staple part of our culture, there is something particularly gut-wrenching about this movie. It actually happened.

The violence did not come across to me as gratuitous, but painfully true. In Mel Gibson's depiction of Jesus' suffering and death, the events unfolded as portrayed in scripture. While interpretive elements were added to the story line (for example, Satan appears in the opening scene as Jesus wrestles in prayer at the Garden of Gethsemane) the overall message is faithful to the Biblical record.

The cruel treatment of Jesus did not leave me with anti-Semitic feelings at all. It did not portray the Jews as uniformly against him. I did want to beat up a few Roman soldiers though. Those who flogged him and drove him along the path to Calvary were sadistic and unbelievably brutal. I found myself shifting in my seat, shaking my head, and closing my eyes. Their behavior was way beyond the performance of their duties as executioners. The only way I could come to terms with it was in association with the periodic appearance of Satan among the crowds. The soldiers seemed possessed, instruments of Satan's desperate plan to deter Jesus from his mission.

The movie strips away the gussied-up veneer the Church has applied to Christ's passion. A more palatable version of his death, a less rugged cross, fewer displays of bruises and blood still moves me to deep gratitude. But contemplating what really happened leaves me shaken and overwhelmed.

Should you go see the film? I can't answer that question for you. But I do not believe Mel Gibson was trying to pull off a stunt here, or in any way be manipulative on the big screen. He was trying to present a historical event vividly and faithfully.

It reminds me of the struggle I had deciding whether or not to see the movie Saving Private Ryan. When told of the violent opening scene depicting the storming of the beaches of Normandy, I was afraid what effect it would have on me. I eventually viewed it, after it came out in video. The reviews indicated that veterans were uniformly in agreement that it was a faithful rendering of what actually happened there. I felt it was something I needed to do. My father's generation put their lives on the line in WWII, and I didn't want the lesson to be lost on me. I saw the movie, with its carnage and chaos. It effected me deeply, but not in a bad way.

Here is what Saving Private Ryan brought home to me in a profound way. War is hell. The sacrifices required to gain the freedoms we enjoy (and generally take for granted) have been monumental. There are some things more important than this mortal life. Things like honor, and completing one's mission.

Which brings me back to this movie review. If it is true what they say, that a picture is worth a thousand words, then The Passion of The Christ is beyond words.

One last note. I expected the movie to end at Calvary. It didn't. The closing scene, no more than a minute in length, was the most powerful of all. There is the sound of a stone rolling, you are inside the tomb, and your first impression is that you are being sealed inside with Jesus' body. But wait! Darkness is giving way to light. The stone has rolled away from the tomb. The camera brings Jesus' face into view. He is looking outward toward the sunrise. He stands up. The camera lingers for an instant on a nail-pierced hand, as Jesus steps out from an empty tomb into the world.