Mel Gibson — The Passion

What is the Passion all about? A better question would be, “Who is the passion about?” The “who” is none other than the most controversial figure in history, an individual said to have lived 2000 years ago, a man named Jesus. Except for brief statements, his life is recorded in only one book, the Holy Bible. But that source alone has provided ample information to put the movie makers to work, the latest being Mel Gibson’s, "The Passion.”

  1. The first big one was Franco Zeffirelli’s “Jesus of Nazareth,” a 6-hour plus made for TV mini-series. It was a monumental production for 1977 and with its star-studded cast performing at their best, it dazzled one with the drama of it all, even though the script wavered from the biblical record.
  2. Then along came the “Jesus” Film, the most translated movie of all time--over 800 languages and counting. It’s probably been the most watched movie too. It placed a premium on accuracy.
  3. CBS popped off the “Jesus (2000)” miniseries and did not place a premium on accuracy.
  4. Now with The Passion Mel Gibson has captured the story in such a way, we are told, that you don’t watch the movie, you experience it.

This is the short list. A quick search on Amazon.com turns up 451 products claiming to tell you something about Jesus, just on VHS alone! Certainly Jesus is in the news, but what keeps him there? Just who was he?

Three Options

C. S. Lewis articulated the only options available to Jesus' identity. Based on what Jesus taught and the life he lived, Jesus was either:

  1. Lord, as in an Almighty God,
  2. Liar, as in the case of one who tells deliberate and calculated lies, or
  3. Lunatic; one whose mind has entirely left the rails.

Good man? A Prophet?

Of course some ask, "What about those that say Jesus was simply a great Prophet or a good Teacher?" Shouldn't "Prophet" and "Good Teacher" be added to the list? Well, as Lewis points out, Jesus did not leave those options open. To say the sort of things Jesus said, he had to be either Lord, liar or lunatic, but the good man and prophet options were not left open.

Mel Gibson and The Passion

So, if you watch Mel Gibson's The Passion, are you going to understand who Jesus is and why he lived, died and then came back to life? No, not likely. The story may be powerful and moving but the key reasons for his life will be missed.

You see the crux of the matter is that Jesus claimed to be God, and none of the Jesus movies including “The Passion movie” tell you what God is really like. To find that out you have to look at the rest of the Bible and that information is not found in the movie.

Other Questions left by The Passion

One review of The Passion commented "It made me realize that my sins killed Jesus." But that leaves questions too. “What is the definition of sin, and why should Jesus be killed for someone else’s sin?” Once again, none of these issues are clearly addressed in the Jesus movies. The answers are in the Bible, but they have not been put on the silver screen. This is unfortunate because if there is a God and he does not like our sin, then we best be informed on the matter.

Is there a solution?

To answers these and other questions, might I suggest you acquire a copy of the book, The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus. The Stranger is the equivalent to a Readers Digest short book edition of the Bible, and quotes vast portions of the Bible itself. It reads like a story, and a when you are finished, you will have an excellent feel for what the Bible is all about. Not only that, but the background gained in reading the "The Stranger" brings to life the passion of Jesus. It is unforgettable, belonging in the category of those things that you "must do." Then when you watch a Jesus movie, whether it is the Passion by Mel Gibson, or another passion movie, it will all make sense.