“And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God”.
“The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.”
“And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.”
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,”
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
~~~1 Peter 2:24(KJV)~~~
“He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.”
While this incredible adaptation of the crucifixion of Christ was released in 2004, it took me until today to finally brace myself for what I would be viewing. I was familiar with Mel Gibson and had seen Jim Caviezel portray the De La Salle high school football coach, Bob Ladouceur, in the 2014 film “When the Game Stands Tall”. I must say I was impressed with Jim Caviezel’s quiet reserve which came through his character, his quiet reserve which is rooted in his faith. I had no doubt his faith would once again show forth through his quiet reserve as he portrayed Jesus Christ in “The Passion of the Christ”.
As a child, growing up in a Christian home and receiving my first Bible at the age of eight, I was very familiar with the crucifixion story and believed it without question. That being my premise, it would take me many years to read the scriptures surrounding His crucifixion, unable to internalize His physical and emotional suffering as well as grasp the cruelty and hatred of those involved. Thankfully, His resurrection followed His crucifixion, or I still would not be able to go there. I have since watched other crucifixion films, all well done. This crucifixion film would be no different, or would it?
Since the movie’s release I have occasionally watched interviews of Mel Gibson, but especially of Jim Caviezel. Jim Caviezel, again with his quiet reserve, shares bits and pieces of his experience portraying Christ during His last twelve hours. I desperately wanted to see this film, knew as a Christian I needed to see this film, but didn’t want to see this film due to the graphically realistic brutality I correctly knew simply couldn’t be edited out. And I knew I needed to allow myself to get emotionally involved. It’s the very least I could do, seeing what Christ did for me. It’s not about me and myself, my selfish emotions, but about Him and what He lovingly and sacrificially did for me, and for you.
Yes, this two hour movie begins and ends with much bloodshed. And Jim Caviezel is beyond recognizable at certain points. As a mother I felt myself holding my own adult son as Mary held hers, helpless yet now fully understanding the fulfillment of what it meant to be chosen to bear the Christ child. Watching this film, I found myself wondering just how anyone could remain coherent, even alive at all, throughout this nearly twelve hours of barbaric brutality. And then I heard myself saying, but He wasn’t just a man, He is the son of God. And I again am able to return to the heart of what it means to be a Christian, what it means to love and to forgive, to be forgiven. And I am redeemed, thankfully, I am redeemed.
As C. S. Lewis was quoted “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important”. Revelations 3:15-16 (KJV) “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold or hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth”.
