The Passion of the Christ

Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson born in Peekskill, New York, emigrated to Australia, and introduced to American audiences as an Australian actor, has now the claim to fame in his movie “ The Passion of the Christ. “  No longer viewed in his leather-clad title role of George Miller's Mad Max, as the post-apocalyptic action hero, and in Tim (both 1979), playing a retarded handyman in love with Piper Laurie. Now he has been and will forever be linked with the cross death of the Christ!

It has changed his life, in his own words “ realizing that this man’s death was for me, my sins made necessary Christ being nailed to that Cross “.  In fact, in the movie, the only visible act of Gibson is the nailing of Christ’s hands.  When questioned he replied “ why not, my sins caused it “

I have been asked by numerous people what I think of the movie. I haven’t seen it, but if God is pleased to use this means to bring the truth of how Christ died to this sin sick world, then who am I to condemn it. The movie has been criticized and praised for its violent, bloody portrayal of Christ’s final hours. 

The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:3  ‘how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures ‘ The gospel accounts all concur that Christ died a violent death. No other death has been described 600 years before happened, as did the death of Christ.  Isaiah 52:14

The prophet tells us “ his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men “ The cross is a grisly reminder of the hatred in the heart of man.

No actor, no movie screen has the total capability of truly and truthfully depicting how Christ died.  We can only enter somewhat into the sufferings of His soul as the Savior cried while on that Cross “ My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? “

From what I have heard, the movie describes in detail where Christ died, just outside of Jerusalem.  It depicts the night scene in the  Garden where he was betrayed by Judas. It rightly shows the picture of Golgotha, where he was nailed to that cross, as he bore the crown of thorns.

Peggy Scott, a sales manager with two local radio stations, with no pre-existing health problems, died of an apparent heart attack last week, while watching the climactic crucifixion scene in Wichita, Kansas. The film was stopped and a nurse in attendance went to the woman's side. "It was the highest emotional part of the movie," a spokeswoman said. It would be my prayer, that Peggy Scott took into Eternity, something of the personal provision that was made possible, by the death of Christ.

After the movie, one question must be answered by one and all…WHY DID CHRIST DIE?  We have libraries, web sites, and now a movie, and  many other sources of information to tell us where Christ died, when Christ died and how Christ died…but even after this popular movie, I must still turn to the pages of the Bible to find out ‘ WHY CHRIST DIED ‘.

Listen to the words of Galatians 2:20 when Paul writes ‘ the son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me ‘ and again in Romans 5:6 we read “ For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly “

Believing Christ died for everyone, saves no one!  Believing that Christ died for me, the sinner, the ungodly ( not like God ) one, saves me!

Whether people go to see the movie, because of it’s biblical and spiritual value, or because of it’s controversy, hopefully no one will be the same again, and it will send them to the most widely sold book in the universe the Bible, and they to discover ‘ why Christ died ‘

Again, the words of Paul to the Cointhians in 1 Corinthians 15:3 ‘ Christ died for our sins ‘  Someone has rightly stated “ Not to the Cross but to thyself, my living Savior would I cling, It was you and not the Cross, that bore my souls dark guilt...sins deadly sting. A Christless Cross, no refuge were for me, a Cross-less Christ my Savior can not be ! But Christ crucified……I rest in thee!!

Murray A. McCandless     2070 Route 121, Norton, NB  E5T 1E9   mmccand@nbnet.nb.ca