Actor/director Mel Gibson has spent 25 million of his own money attempting to produce the most accurate portrayal of the last hours of Christ's earthly life. And that, in itself, has created controversy. So much, in fact, that no Hollywood studio would produce or distribute it.

Cinematic controversy aside (dialog in three dead languages and an R-rating for graphic images of Christ slowly being tortured to death), the real controversy is the subject.

Christ was the most controversial person to have ever lived. He warned His followers, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—'" (Matthew 10:33-35).

Sure enough, Christ's very capital charge was that he created controversy wherever He went: "He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching."

He stirred up people then—and now—by declaring, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father [God] except through me" (John 14:6, NIV).

Not exactly a tolerant, accepting, all-inclusive, non-judgmental, "let's all hold hands and sing Kum Bah Ya" way of looking at all other religions.

And if that wasn't enough to get one crucified, Christ claimed all people would be responsible for His death.

"We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the [Jewish] chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles [everyone not Jewish] to be mocked and flogged and crucified" (Matthew 20:17-19, NIV.

So, relax paranoid members of the Anti-Defamation League, who fear the film will incite violence against Jews. Christ was very inclusive when it came to assigning guilt for His death.

Most controversial, perhaps, Christ demanded a response to his passionate claims: "Are you for me or against me?"

Gibson has not only captured the passion of Christ, but two thousand years of continuing controversy and questions. He told reporters, "Moviegoers will be forced to make a decision about Christ after they leave the theater; they won't be able to just put it out of their minds. I hope [the viewers] come out of the film with a lot of questions."

The film has been doing just that for over a year now even though it's theatrical release is still over three weeks away. But this should be expected from a film about history's most controversial figure whose controversial message is filmed in a controversial manner.

Indeed, "The Passion of the Christ," will inspire dialog on many levels from cinematography (Is this a daring or deeply disturbing film?) to systematic theology (Was Christ who he claimed to be?)

And like Christ himself, the film is certain to stir up the people all over by his teaching.

Copyright © 2004 James N. Watkins. All rights reserved. For information on reprinting this article, click here.

Related sites
• Review: the polarizing passion of the Christ
• Top ten signs the star of "Lethal Weapon" directed "The Passion of the Christ"
• Original script: film based on these Gospel passages
• What's your 'passion' concerning Mel Gibson's film on Christ?
• How you can personally know Christ's passion
• Catholic.net, Gospelcom.net, Hollywood Jesus, and Youth Specialties all have excellent coverage of the controversial film

Reactions

Mallard Filmore by Bruce Tinsley

I'm becoming less passionate about Gibson's film. For instance, in a September 15, 2003, interview with The New Yorker ("The Jesus War: Mel Gibson's Obsession") Peter J. Boyer writes:

We talked of the nature of Gibson's faith, and I asked him about an aspect of Vatican II which has not been much discussed in the debate over his film. One of the council's most significant acts was its Decree on Ecumenism, which declared that all Christians, even those outside the Catholic Church, "have the right to be called Christian; the children of the Catholic Church accept them as brothers." This effectively overturned the Catholic notion that the only true course to salvation was through the Catholic Church.

I told Gibson that I am a Protestant, and asked whether his pre-Vatican II world view disqualified me from eternal salvation. He paused. "There is no salvation for those outside the Church," he said. "I believe it." He explained, "Put it this way. My wife is a saint. She's a much better person than I am. Honestly. She's, like, Episcopalian, Church of England. She prays, she believes in God, she knows Jesus, she believes in that stuff. And it's just not fair if she doesn't make it, she's better than I am. But that is a pronouncement from the chair. I go with it."

And yet Gibson spent a year courting Evangelicals' support of the film. Hmmm? rabid_riter@hotmail.com March 2004

I'm uncomfortable with all the extra-biblical scenes from Catherine Anne Emmerick and now this disturbing bit of info. However, I've gotta agree with Saint Paul:

"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice" (Philippians 1:18).

God is certainly using this to cause discussion and change lives. Jim

I have read a little on "The Passion of Christ" on your web site. Keep the good work up! I commend Mel Gibson for taking on such a challenge. I always thought that the stories and pictures portrayed, by us Christians, were too light. Jesus, God manifested in the flesh (St John 1:1; 14), went through tremendous abuse. For thousands of years, we have tried to depict his suffering as light. Every crucifixion of him has displayed small amounts of blood. This has been a lie all these many years. He bled like a bull!!! He was beat, until the flesh fell from his bones; he was cussed at, and stomped to a pulp!! Sin is not pretty! Since he died for our sins, you can believe the wippings and scorn showed just that! The few Christian produced films on his crucifixion, the rapture, and the book of Revelation, have been kind of whimpy!

I hate to say that, but being full of the Holy Ghost, it reveals the truth. I think it is sad that someone from Hollywood had to depict something graphic enough to show the truth and get the point across. I pray that God truly saves Mel Gibson with the Holy Ghost. For someone to go through these great lenghts, he is close to it and doesn't know. jennifermonk@juno.com (February 19, 2002)

Although Mel Gibson doesn't use "evangelical" vocabulary, I sense that he's a true brother in Christ. Jim

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