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.