Why All the Passion over “The Passion”

April, 2004

by: Jack Hughes

Recently, Actor/Director Mel Gibson's movie “The Passion” has been released and doing surprisingly well in the box office sales. The controversy over the film has led to its widespread publicity and public awareness. Many have asked me, “What do you think about ‘The Passion’?” Others have asked, “Is Gibson's movie biblically accurate?” With some churches buying huge blocks of tickets and others setting aside the preaching of the Word to show the film during a church service, Christians are unsure what to think. Below I have asked and answered five questions which will help you sort through, “Why all the passion over ‘The Passion.’”

What was the motive for making the movie?

Money is usually the primary motivating factor for most of what the media industry produces, but not always. There are movies that have more than money as a motive. Films are made to make a statement, argue a point, dispense information, change the culture, etc. While these motives are certainly part of movie making, especially Christian movie making, they are usually secondary to the primary motive of most Hollywood films, which is money. “The Passion” succeeded in raking in 83.8 million dollars after the first weekend of its release! These are significant reasons to make any movie.

Mel Gibson has also revealed that his motive for making the movie was to get people to think about and consider the death of Jesus Christ. He is a Roman Catholic. Amazingly, he stuck very close to the Scriptures. In one interview he said the movie was a starting point or a jumping off point for those who might be seeking for the truth. In that light, Gibson's motive for making “The Passion” might be seen as an attempt at “pre-evangelism.” Gibson is a universalist (believes you can get to heaven many ways) but has attempted to faithfully portray the biblical account of the crucifixion.

Should a Christian go see “The Passion”?

This question is not something I can answer for you. The movie is very explicit and graphic. It has caused tender hearted people to get sick and or faint. One thing is certain, “The Passion” doesn't entertain. During the most brutal scene in the movie where Jesus is being flogged, I looked around and observed those in my row. There they sat teeth clenched, tears streaming down their faces, hands clutching their arm rests as if they were on a scary roller coaster. “The Passion” also doesn't fit into the typical horror movie either. No, the movie is a huge dose of reality mixed with a little fiction and theatrical license.

If you haven't watched the movie, I would warn you that it is extremely graphic! If you don't like brutality and blood, don't go. The prophet Isaiah described the suffering of the Messiah with these words in Isa. 52:14, “So His appearance was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” The movie was successful in portraying the incredible suffering that Jesus went through. This, I think, is the main benefit of the movie. It clearly portrays the suffering of Jesus Christ.

Modern Christianity is for the most part ignorant of Roman crucifixion. The death of Christ has become a warm fuzzy cliché in most Christian circles. People use the symbol of the cross in jewelry, ear rings, tattoos, and decorations in their homes. Most do this without realizing that the cross was one of the most cruel instruments of execution ever invented by man. “The Passion” helps correct this softened understanding of the death of Christ. The movie is profitable in that it helps replace false and shallow notions of Jesus' death and replace them with humbling, sobering realities of what actually happened two thousand years ago at Calvary.

What biblical allusions, inaccuracies and/or theatrical exaggerations are found in “The Passion?”

I was surprised at the biblical fidelity of “The Passion” yet there were a few things that were noticeably added or subtracted from the biblical account of the crucifixion. The movie visually portrays Satan and his demons. Satan is pictured as the black cloaked tempter always lurking in the background with calm evil intent. After the death of Christ, Satan is pictured suffering great anguish but the reason for Satan's anguish is never mentioned. The movie includes a brief demonic scare, in stereotypical Hollywood fashion.

Mary has a strong presence in the movie but she is mostly portrayed as a loving, grieving, supporting mother who understands that her Son must suffer and die. Gibson subtly juxtaposes Mary against Satan. In several scenes Satan is on one side of Christ and Mary on the other. While non–Roman Catholics might not pick up on this, Mary, who plays a huge role in the Roman Catholic religion, is portrayed as a protector of Christ and an overseer of the crucifixion. Most Roman Catholics believe that Mary is “Co–Redeemer” with Christ. They believe that you must go through Christ and Mary to get to heaven. This is why the Roman Catholic religion encourages praying to and worshiping Mary. Of course this is a heresy that is not taught in the Bible, but it is subtly present in the movie. It also comes out when the Apostles address Mary not by her first name but call her “Mother.” This is the most obvious Roman Catholic distinctive I noticed.

Other theatrical exaggerations are sprinkled throughout the movie. Jesus, after being arrested and bound with ropes and chains, is beat up in the garden and, while in transit, is pushed off a short bridge spanning a dry creek bed, the very bridge that Judas Iscariot happens to be hiding under. As Jesus is being hauled back up, he looks at Judas, then you hear the sound of swine (animals which were unclean to Jews) and then a lightening fast glimpse of a snarling demon flashes across the screen which sends Judas fleeing from his place of hiding and the audience to jump in their seats.

One of the glaring omissions for those who have studied the trial of Jesus leading up to the crucifixion is a key statement by the people. After they ask for Barabbas to be released and cry out for Jesus to be crucified, Pilate says, “I am innocent of this Man's blood.” The people's response, “His blood shall be on us and our children” is noticeably left out. This statement is very significant in that it makes all of the Jews who were present, responsible for the death of their Messiah. Yet in spite of these additions and subtractions the movie sticks surprisingly close to the Bible

Gibson purposefully included several clear biblical allusions in the movie to enhance the story. In the Garden of Gethsemane while Jesus is praying, Satan is there to tempt Him. As Satan watches Jesus agonize in prayer, a serpent slithers from under the black cloak and crawls toward Jesus. Jesus finishes praying, stands up and, with a decisive stomp, crushes the serpent's head with the heal of His foot, an allusion to Gen. 3:15.

In the flogging scene, the most brutal and graphic section of the movie, Jesus is repeatedly beaten with rods and after that suffers what seems to be an endless flogging by two Roman soldiers. They beat Christ mercilessly as other soldiers stand by jeering and laughing. This of course is an allusion to Isa. 53:5 which says, “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well–being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.” After the flogging scene, Mary enters the deserted Roman court with fine linens given to her moments before by Claudius, the wife of Pilate, who because of a dream tried in vain to encourage her husband not to sentence Jesus to death. Mary takes the linens and mops up the precious blood of Christ revealing to the audience that Christ's blood was too precious to be trampled under foot in a place of torture (I Pet. 1:18-19).

After Judas betrays Christ, demons disguised as children harass him. They chase him to the brow of a hill where he curls up covering his ears and eyes in an attempt to escape the torment. Suddenly the hellions disappear. As Judas removes his hands from his ears and opens his eyes, he discovers he is sitting next to the dead rotting carcass of a donkey that is covered with maggots. Flies are swarming all around him. Why the donkey and flies? Gibson needed some rope for Judas to hang himself with since the Roman Catholic Douay–Rheims Bible says Judas hanged himself with “a halter” (Mt. 27:5). Gibson's solution to this problem was to provide a dead donkey with a halter around its neck. Though the donkey is absent from the biblical text, there is a biblical allusion to Satan in the flies. One of Satan's names is Beelzebul (Mt. 12:24) which means “Lord of the flies.”

Another biblical allusion is seen as Jesus is hanging on the cross between the two criminals. As one of the criminals mocks and hurls abuse at Jesus a raven lands above the criminal's head and pecks out his eye. This of course is an allusion to Prov. 30:17 which says, “The eye that mocks a father and scorns a mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it.” Gibson also did a good job at including many of the prophetic details of the crucifixion found in Old Testament texts such as Psa. 22 and Isa. 53.

Throughout the movie biblical references pop up on the screen. There are also a number of flash–backs into Jesus' life and teachings. Many of the Scriptures quoted emphasize the important theological truth that Jesus willingly laid down His life. This to me was the most encouraging aspect of the movie. The movie attempts to remind the audience on several occasions that Jesus willingly submitted Himself to torture and death. He was not a helpless victim, as an unbeliever might see Him, but a voluntary sacrifice, “The Lord was pleased to crush Him,” and as Jesus said, “No one has taken it away from me, but I lay it down on My own initiative” (Isa. 53:10; Jn. 10:18). For those with a biblical eye, Jesus' willingness to die for sinners comes through loud and clear as He humbly submits Himself to “death, even death on the cross” (Phil. 2:8). When He is forced to carry His cross he clings to it like a dear friend. He is accurately portrayed as a man on a mission determined to die on the cross. From the perspective of a believer who knows why Jesus died, this aspect of the movie is glorious.

What was missing in “The Passion?”

While the suffering and death of Christ are covered thoroughly in the movie which is to be expected for a movie with that goal, purpose, and title, “The Passion” falls short in that it fails to clearly indicate the significance of the death of Christ. The resurrection is only given thirty seconds at the very end of the movie. “The Passion” reveals classic Roman Catholic ignorance of the true meaning of the Gospel. Most Roman Catholics understand and believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died on the cross for the sins of men, was buried and rose again on the third day.

But what most Roman Catholics are ignorant of is what to do with this information! Many Roman Catholics give mental assent to the facts of the Gospel but turn around and place their faith in their observance of the sacraments to save them. Hence the Roman Catholic teaches the facts of the Gospel but does not tell people what to do with those facts. The Gospel is tragically by–passed by a system which teaches you must work your way to heaven. What the passion doesn't do is clearly explain the purpose and significance of why Jesus had to die and what explicitly He accomplished on the cross. The audience is left shocked, rocked, and stunned by the death of Jesus but ignorant of its significance. This leaves people free to believe what they want which fits in very well with our post–modern culture.

How can God use “The Passion”?

“The Passion” has generated a huge opportunity for Christians to tell the world the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. For months to come people will be talking about it, creating many opportunities for Christians to fill in the blanks left out in the movie. When you speak to other people about “The Passion”, ask them if they understand why Jesus had to die and if they know why He willingly laid down His life. Talk to them about the love of God and how it is expressed in Jesus' death (Rom. 5:8; 8:32). Call them to repent of their sins and receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior so that they too might be saved by Jesus' work on the cross, and not their own good deeds. “The Passion” is a God given opportunity for you to preach the Gospel to those living in darkness and to explain why Jesus had to die on the cross.