Media Watch: The Passion of the Christ

CONSIDERING THE PASSION
There has been a lot of hype concerning the movie by Mel Gibson, "The Passion of the Christ," and we feel the need to say a few words to our own people about viewing this film. Seen in the proper light, we believe this work can both enhance a believer's appreciation for his own faith, as well as reach out to his or her unbelieving friends and family -- to the extent that you also take the time to fill them in on the full mission and person of Jesus Christ. It is also a graphic and gory depiction and carries an "R" rating, so overly sensitive people may be shocked and parents should exercise caution before introducing such scenes to young children.

At a recent Sunday morning service, Pastor Steve outlined the following points to keep in mind:  

1) The movie is an artistic rendering of the Gospel account. There is much truth and some very accurate scenes, but there is also a lot of extra-biblical material that has been added. Therefore, Christians should first read the gospel accounts of the crucifixion, particularly John in chapters 18 and 19, to avoid confusion.

2) The suffering that is depicted in the film can only capture part of the torment Jesus must have really felt in regard to possessing both a human and a divine nature. As a man, He endured tremendous pain and abuse, but He also had to experience the loss of His Father's presence on the cross, and gave up more than we can possibly imagine to consummate His mission on earth.  

3) It must be kept in mind that the focus of this movie is on the final 12 hours of Jesus on earth, and that despite flashbacks, that this is a limited picture of who the Christ really is. Jesus' work on our behalf was also accomplished through His perfect obedience and sinless conduct during life, and He is even now glorified and reigning on high, interceding for us before His Father in heaven.  

4) Mel Gibson's focus on the suffering or "passion" of our Lord reflects his own faith convictions in support of Roman Catholic dogma and practice. The film is designed to be used as a devotional tool during the season of Lent, both by portraying the "stations of the cross" and leaving us with the image of Christ on the cross in order to better convey the eucharistic repetition of sacrifice in the Mass. Evangelicals will certainly want to look beyond this focus to find correlation with their own, more biblical beliefs, and to point others who see the movie to seek all of God's truth in His Word.

5) Sincere Christians should be wary of accepting the images of Jesus they view. The Scripture purposefully leaves out exact descriptions so that we may perceive the Lord from the heart rather than fix on a particular image or icon -- which will certainly be less than completely accurate. Furthermore, we must be careful to uphold the principle of the Second Commandment which forbids the creation of idols; and which we may do in our hearts by way of reflecting on one particular picture. Furthermore, to be wholly effective, the message of the Gospel is to be preached rather than just depicted. Finally, the brutality and excessive bloodshed shown in the movie may shock viewers into taking the suffering of Christ more seriously, but these scenes go beyond both the content and the intention of the Gospel accounts.