The Passion of the Christ
 

Never seen this film. I've always heard of it, but have always had a sense of dread regarding actually seeing it. I suppose the brutality of it all keeps me from wanting to watch it. But, now, I recently saw parts of it put together with Tim Hughes - Here I Am To Worship, and now I really want to see it. If you have seen it, what did you think of it? Did it strengthen your relationship with Jesus? Had no effect? Would be interested in your opinion. Thanks.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

I thought it was an awful movie. The brutality of Christ's whipping was exagerated. I don't think there is any proof that his beating was that brutal. Mel Gibson also depicted the jews as cursed people with satan appearing among the jewish crowd. I thought the film had anti-jewish bias.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

I think it's a "must-see" movie, although I'd hesitate to call it "good." There are glaring inaccuracies and the obvious slant toward Roman Catholic folklore.

It may have been exaggerated; I don't really know. However, I appreciate that it wasn't made to look "pretty" and overly palatable like many of the other movies about Christ's crucifixion. I would lean toward the violent brutality over a polite little trickle of blood running down His cheek.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

It was a very moving movie. I saw it three times.
Actually from what I understand the Scriptures to say, there was nothing exagerated about what happened to Jesus.
The Scriptures say He was beaten so badly he was not reconizable as a human being.
It is brutal, but what He did for us is astounding.
I still remember one line of the movie even though it was spoken in the same language Jesus spoke. I'm going to say this as it sounds, probably no where near how it is actually spelled: "heave-a-la-comb", it means, "love one another".
If you have a desire to see it, then do so. It's not your let's get the popcorn, soda and comfy blankies kind of night at the movies....but, it was amazing.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

Saw it at the theater when it opened. I loved it even though I had tears in many scenes. Yes it strengthened my relationship with Him.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

dont listen to dedicated mind he is out left field with the lights off.

they showed both jew and gentile for and against Jesus, and i dont think his beating that was shown was anywhere close to what he probably actually endured.

it will make you tear up if it doesnt then man you gotta Cold heart, because everyone who is under Gods grace, really that should have been us on that cross.

also in the movie it didnt show them pulling out his beard either

isaiah 50:6

New International Version
I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

As a Jew I find your last sentence ridiculous.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

If you can let go of the analytical side and just let yourself be moved by the story, it's worth seeing.

As for being anti-semitic; if you read the Bible in a straight forward fashion, the Jews come off as being directly responsible for His death (obviously we're all responsible from a philosophical POV). Antisemitism forgets to acknowledge that Jesus forgave the Jews for what they did; an accurate telling of the story requires that they be shown as culpable, and that it be also shown that Christ was only concerned with their forgiveness.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

Never watched, have no intention to. I'm a bit of an old curmudgeon with this kind of thing. I wish it didn't take theatrics like this to move us. That being said, it moved many so I suppose I'm thankful for that.

However, the greatness of the story is the resurrection, without which the death is meaningless. I don't believe the movie featured much, if any, of that.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

I went and saw it when it came out. It was a very well made movie. I liked that they tried to be as authentic as possible to the time period. I do not remember it having much of a religious impact on me. I just thought it was a well-made movie.

True story: I was in the theater and I kept hearing sniffling noises. I thought to myself, "a lot of people must have colds or something in here." It was not until the lights came up that I realized that the sniffling noises were people crying. lol

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

EVERYONE that I know who had seen this movie wept. I watched it, didn't blink, didn't flinch. Whatev. The beating was brutal, but I'm with Brat, more realistic than the old movies with a trickle of blood down the face. Not really a movie you see more than once or twice.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

It showed the resurrection at the end, it was really well done.
Jim Cavezel did an excellent job. His father was a customer of my husbands.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

It's in my Netflix queue. Will probably be getting it on Wednesday. Thanks for all the opinions. Sandie's opinion really moved me the most. Thanks, Sandie.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

You're very welcome, Adam.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

I have never seen it. I don't think I want to.
I've purchased a DVD a couple of times and gave them away.
I just don't think I can watch it.

One of our daughters-in-law saw it with a group from her parents' church. She said she closed her eyes at times --just couldn't watch.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

yea the first couple of times i watched it i broke down, i never really had a picture in my head of how it possibly could have been

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

I don't think we can really imagine how horrible and brutal His suffering was.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

It didn't do or take away anything. I came away though with a greater appreciation of what I already knew about how he suffered, especially the scourging .

One thing that needs to be known is this movie is not entirely based on the bible, though obviously some accounts are biblical.

The movie is actually based on the visions of a roman catholic seer mixed with bible narratives

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Passion_of_the_Christ
. A principal source is The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ[11] the meditations of the stigmatic German nun Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774–1824), as told to the poet Clemens Brentano. Among the many elements taken from the Dolorous Passion are scenes such as the suspension of Jesus from a bridge after his arrest by the Temple guards, the torment of Judas by demons after he had handed over Jesus to the Jews, the wiping up of the blood of Jesus after his scourging, and the dislocation of Jesus’ shoulder so that his palm would reach the hole for the nail.[11] A second source mentioned was The Mystical City of God by María de Ágreda (1602–1665), a 17th-century Spanish nun.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

http://www.bible-history.com/past/flagrum.html

This sketch depicts a Roman Flagrum which was designed to quickly remove the flesh from the body of a victim.
http://www.bible-history.com/past/flagrum9.jpgThe Romans would, according to custom, scourge a condemned criminal before he was put to death. The Roman scourge, also called the "flagrum" or "flagellum" was a short whip made of two or three leather (ox-hide) thongs or ropes connected to a handle as in the sketch above. The leather thongs were knotted with a number of small pieces of metal, usually zinc and iron, attached at various intervals. Scourging would quickly remove the skin. According to history the punishment of a slave was particularly dreadful. The leather was knotted with bones, or heavy indented pieces of bronze.

Sometimes the Roman scourge contained a hook at the end and was given the terrifying name "scorpion." The criminal was made to stoop which would make deeper lashes from the shoulders to the waist. According to Jewish law (discipline of the synagogue) the number of stripes was forty less one (Deut. 25:3) and the rabbis reckoned 168 actions to be punished by scourging before the judges. Nevertheless, scourging among the Romans was a more severe form of punishment and there was no legal limit to the number of blows, as with the Jews. Deep lacerations, torn flesh, exposed muscles and excessive bleeding would leave the criminal "half-dead." Death was often the result of this cruel form of punishment though it was necessary to keep the criminal alive to be brought to public subjugation on the cross. The Centurion in charge would order the "lictors" to halt the flogging when the criminal was near death.

Re: The Passion of the Christ
 

Never seen the movie but seen the passion.


No movie gonna make one closer to God.