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Victory In Jesus
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 The Passion of
the Christ
Mel Gibson Movie
This film opened February 25, 2004
in over 2000 theaters nationwide!
Mel Gibson's "The Passion of
The Christ" will be one of the most influential films in history. Never before
have the final hours of Christ's life been so vividly portrayed.
Gibson wants people to understand through the movie,
if they don't already, the influence Christ has had on the world.
The overwhelming feedback from
preview audiences has been that the film represents a tremendous opportunity
to reach people with the message of salvation.
For more information, the latest
news and how to buy advance tickets go to www.passion-movie.com
After viewing the movie on February 23rd,
Reverend Jack
D. Cohen offers the following commentary:
"After seeing The Passion of the Christ, one of the most amazing things I noticed was
that it was the only movie I've ever been to where people just could not or did not move at the end. This movie moved me, very
powerfully, in an emotional and spiritual way. After the movie I was asked by a reporter from the Wilmington News Journal what I thought. Boy was that a question, because I did not know what was more important, what I thought or how I
felt.
I do have to say, I was not surprised by the degree of suffering depicted in the movie. Having studied in seminary the horror of suffering in Roman crucifixion and punishment, I knew that it was extremely torturous. As the Roman historian Tacitus and others had written, those who carried out punishment and crucifixion in the name of Rome were very skilled in those areas.
I was thoroughly moved by the relationship between Jesus and his mother Mary,
that was depicted in the movie. In the protestant faith of Christianity, I believe we do not often think about Mary the mother of Jesus and what she went through; however, Mel Gibson truly brought a reality of the close loving relationship of a mother and her son in a way that really hit home. Having three children of my own, I could not help but experience the hopelessness and enormity of pain that Mary went through in seeing her son brutally beaten and eventually crucified.
I believe this is a true wake-up call to the church to remind us of the great suffering that Jesus endured for each of
us.
Regarding the
Anti-Semitic claims pointed at Mel Gibson for this movie, I would like to address these from being in the interesting position of being both at Christian Pastor and having Jewish heritage of which I am greatly proud of. I love my Jewish heritage and I love Jesus and I am also intelligent enough to realize that throughout the 2000-plus years of the Christian faith, many have misinterpreted and misused the Scriptures to push personal agendas while perpetuating racism, sexism, and all other means of evil and oppression. Yet, I also recognize that Jesus grew up in Judaism and God formed an everlasting covenant with the Jewish people through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was
not the Jews that crucified Jesus, it was not the Romans that crucified Jesus, ultimately
it was ME and MY SIN, and you and your sin that caused the suffering and pain of Jesus!
As the prophet Isaiah wrote:
“Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are
healed.” ~ Isaiah 53:4-5 (NIV)
It is through the suffering of Jesus and our faith in Him as Lord and Savior from sin and death, and I am grateful to Mel Gibson for his commitment to step out of the Hollywood norm and take from his own pocket to bring the suffering of Christ to the forefront. I would highly recommend this movie, for it is for all people since Jesus came to save the
whole world from sin and death.
There were so many things contained in the movie that I know many have thoughts, feelings, emotions, questions, etc., and I know they may want to share and discuss with one another.
Therefore, on Sunday, March 14th at 2:30 PM, Moore’s Chapel hosted a time of open dialogue for anyone to come and discuss their thoughts, insights, questions and more regarding The Passion of the Christ in an informal, open, and friendly atmosphere."
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