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Welcome to the online home of Tim Challies, blogger, author and web designer. My first book, "The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment," is now available everywhere.

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01/26/04
Comments (7)

The Passion of the Christ Updates

Scouring the news sites I came up with some interesting links in regards to Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ.

Hollywood Jesus has a review. You may want to turn down your speakers because the movie’s trailer plays automatically when you go to the site. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the review.

The Washington Times has an article about Christian leaders as well as some Jewish leaders who saw the movie. The Christians loved it while the Jewish people found it to be anti-semitic.

Lifeway writes about a showing for many Christian leaders. Those who saw it confirm it was Biblical and powerful. One of them comments specifically on the Protestant view of the movie saying “As Protestants, we may think there’s a little bit greater emphasis on Mary,” referring to settings in the movie, such as the scourging of Jesus, in which Mary is depicted as being present when Scripture does not confirm her participation. But Denison said it did not raise an overarching concern about the film.

Misc Reviews of The Passion of the Christ

The Passion of the Christ Updates

Comments (7) »


1. Ray Palompo
February 12, 2004
5:23 PM

Thanks for the site. I have a question:

Does the movie “The Passion of The Christ” depict the resurrection?

Thanks for your time.

Ray Palompo


2. Tim
February 12, 2004
5:45 PM

As far as I know it ends with Jesus walking out of the tomb. So the resurrection is kind of shown, though not what the resurrection accomplished.


3. Malessa
February 21, 2004
2:17 AM

Would be kinda kewl if they make a sequal to The Passion based on Acts… might help explain what Jesus’s death accomplished. I love Paul’s story as a testamony of how Jesus can change lives.


4. Donovan
February 25, 2004
3:14 PM

The movie is great, it is not anti-semitic, just as Scheilders List is not anti-semitic. Even though it shows Jews dying by the trainload. Great film, and it should win some awards, especially with James’ performance.


5. Linda
February 26, 2004
2:53 PM

The movie was distressing in that it was a display of brutality perpetrated by men with really bad teeth (did you notice all the evil men had really bad teeth?). The majesty that is God was missing. Usually the “hero” is somone we can relate to, there is some character development, some bond that is built between the auduience and the “hero.” That relationship is not well-developed, and though we who love Jesus know the Gosple accounts, I wonder what those who don’t love Jesus think of his persecution and crucifiction; it seems so out of context. Another comment I will make is that Mary at times seems to give strength to the brutalized Jesus, and I pondered: does God give men and women strength, or do we give it to God? It was a very puzzling portrayal of Mary, who was, I believe a woman.


6. Marc goudeau
March 2, 2004
10:45 PM

Mary is not just some woman, she is the mother of Jesus the son of God. In scripture it says she should be called Blessed.


7. Carolyn
March 7, 2004
4:51 PM

The Passion of the Christ: Movie Review

All the hype about Mel Gibson’s remarkable film, “The Passion of the Christ”, is what lead me to go see it. I had heard many opinions and read a few reviews on the movie, and even did some research of my own, but I needed to go see the film to truly understand what all the commotion was about. The perfect place to go see such a visually dependant movie is Silver City, Ancaster, so that’s exactly where I went, bringing along my anxious family. As I waited for the show to begin, many people, young and old filed into the theatre. It was remarkable to see what a tour-out it had become. Finally, the movie started to play. The subtitles translated into English what the actors were saying in Aramaic, which added a meaningful and authentic kind of touch to the whole experience. In my opinion, if Mel Gibson’s intentions were to depict the last twelve hours of Jesus’ life as gruesome and offending, he definitely achieved what he wanted to. On the other hand, as the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II stated, “It is as it was.” The film had many violent scenes, which seemed to be never-ending and longer than predicted. They showed how cruel and in-humane people in Jesus’ times were; making myself and many others reflect on our own lives and actions. “The Passion” had an excellent portrayal of each influential character; Jesus, Mary, Peter, Barrabas, Pontius Pilot, and many more. Each character had a significant role in the movie, and made it all the more authentic. The raw emotion depicted by Jesus was so powerfully presented that it had the audience, as well as myself, gasping, crying, and in utter shock. Although this controversial, inspiring, and whipped around film has re-opened old wounds between fact and fiction, and Jews and Christians, it is in my opinion that if Mel Gibson wanted to accurately re-tell the last twelve hours of Jesus’ life, known as His passion, he did it well and with precision.

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