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February 12, 2004
The Passion, the controversy
On February 25th, The Passion of the Christ will open nationwide and not without a little bit of criticism. The movie is being labeled as anti-Semitic by several Jewish organizations and I think it's plain silly. Many of these organizations have not viewed the movie and are basing their remarks on the fact that the movie is said to be biblically accurate. Since I have not seen the movie, I can't really defend it, but I can say that if it is based on the gospels of the New Testament, it is not anti-Semitic. I would say that claiming that is like claiming that movies such as Pearl Harbor are anti-Asian.
I wasn't going to blog about the movie until I saw it, but this article in the Washington Times spurred me to write more:
'Passion' stirs Jewish debate
NEW YORK - Another war of religious words erupted over Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of the Christ," but this time it was Jew versus Jew.
A Manhattan debate over "Who Really Killed Jesus" drew an intense crowd of 1,000 as traditional Jews - those awaiting the Messiah - and Messianic Jews - those who believe the Messiah already has arrived in the person of Jesus - appraised Mr. Gibson's film.
First, the question of anti-Semitism in the movie. I think Gibson went out of his way to not to vilify Jews. I know that at least two references to their guilt in the crucifixion are not in the movie. The words that the crowd cried to Pilate, "Let His blood be on us and our children" were removed (Matthew 27) as was the protest about the sign "King of the Jews."
I also think that the question "Who killed Jesus," has to be answered as well, was it just the Jews?
Pilate and Herod passed Jesus back and forth several times before Pilate bowed to the political pressure to try him. Much, not all, of this pressure came from the Jewish leadership. It was Pilate, who issued the order as only the governor could order him crucified. Both the Bible and historical accounts show this.
So how was to blame?
- The Jewish Leadership
- Members of the Pharisees, Sadducees and chief priests saw Jesus as dangerous. Publicly they accused Him of blasphemy. So they hired false witnesses and petitioned Roman leaders for His execution.
- The Roman Leadership
- Pilate knew about the unjust motivation of the charges, received a divine warning, yet let political expediency take priority over justice.
(Like Pilate, whenever we allow expediency to win over justice or side with views solely because they are popular even when we know that someone is suffering unjustly, we are guilty.) - The Jewish followers
- The insistent people that blindly followed their leaders are the ones that chose to free Barabas and they embraced the moral responsibility that Pilate was trying to avoid.
- The gentile soldiers
- The executioners went beyond the requirements in their torture. They mocked Him, beat Him with fists, spit on Him, thrashed Him with barbed whips, pressed thorns into His head, and drove nails into his hands and feet.
- Jesus
- At several points, Jesus could have gotten out of the crucifixion, but he knew he had to complete His mission.
He warned His disciples on several occasions that He would suffer and die in Jerusalem and never resisted His accusers. During His interrogation before Pilate, at least twice, He was offered a chance to defend Himself, yet He didn't. By Roman law, a defendant who refused to make a defense had to be assumed guilty. - You and Me
- The need for Christ’s sacrificial death goes back to the first man and woman in the Garden of Eden. Their sinful rebellion against God sealed our fate, placing all mankind under the sentence of death and separating us from the God who made us (Genesis 3:1-24; Romans 5:12). Christ had to die, because there was no other way to rescue us from the penalty of death (Romans 3:23). Nothing but a perfect sacrifice could have been a worthy substitute for the punishment we deserve (2 Corinthians 5:21). No one but the Judge of the universe could have satisfied the requirements of the law against us (Romans 5:18-19). No one but our own Creator could have offered a sacrifice so infinite in value that it could buy the salvation of anyone who trusts Him.
God’s justice demanded payment of the death penalty for our sin. God’s love moved Him to offer His own Son as the only solution to restoring our broken relationship with Himself. It was Jesus’ love for us that kept Him on the cross more than the nails that pierced His hands and feet. The cross of Christ is a symbol of the depth of God’s sacrificial love.
I've strayed considerably from my original though about the movie, so instead of going on about the movie, I'll refer you to a Washington Times Editorial written by an Orthodox rabbi:
Protesting 'Passion' - The Washington Times: Editorials
As an Orthodox rabbi with a wary eye on Jewish history, I fear that these protests, well-intentioned though some may be, are a mistake. I believe those who publicly protest Mr. Gibson's film lack moral legitimacy. What is more, I believe their actions are not only wrong but even recklessly ill-advised and shockingly imprudent.
Posted by Jesse at February 12, 2004 6:08 PM
Comments
It's been fairly well-documented that Gibson "leaked" to the press that there were Jewish groups protesting the movie long before any Jewish groups had seen the film -- and long before any of them had actually protested. In short, Gibson purposely fanned the flames of controversy to drum up more publicity for his film, and, clearly, has succeeded. It became a self-fulfilling prophecy, so to speak. I'm disgusted beyond words by this marketing technique, regardless of the content of the film.
Posted by: Liz at February 12, 2004 10:07 PM
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