twelve apostles

The Passion of the Christ is a 2004 American epic drama film. It was directed by Mel Gibson, starring Jim Caviezel as the main character of the film, Jesus Christ. I have already watched this film few years ago, most probably elementary years and sneaked important scenes on youtube and conferences with background music. And last July 31, 2013, we watched this film once again as a whole at our drama class.

Since I almost forgot the scenes, I thought that scenarios like Jesus feeding the five thousand people excluding the women and children with the use of five loaves of bread and two fishes, good Samaritan giving Jesus a drink, how Jesus get His Twelve Apostles one by one, healing, raising dead will be shown. But Passion of the Christ by Mel Gibson focused on Christ’s suffering and crucifixion.

Film opens as Jesus prayed and said to His Father that He is ready for what will happen at the garden of Gethsemane. I just can’t imagine His body so weak for He did not eat for several days but the hours praying, night and day. Jesus was also devoured by satan but He was not overcome.

There is this scene where Judas Iscariot‘s betrayal was shown. He handed Jesus to the pharisees and Roman soldiers and He was caught in the forest with Peter and Matthew right after Jesus’ praying and fasting for forty days. Then the Roman soldiers took Him and chained Him. He brought Him at the temple and executed by the pharisees with the crowd and said that Jesus’ teachings are wrong and He speaks blasphemous words. They disgraced Him and when the sun rise, He was brought before Pontius Pilate and Herod to be condemned to death.

And the suffering of Jesus physically came. He was beaten, His blood shed on the ground while Roman soldiers enjoyed doing it. Everyone in the room cried, you can hear the sober of the student watching the film. you can hear no one talking. As if everyone stopped from their businesses and focused on the presented passion of Christ. Mary tried to comfort her Son, so with the other disciples and the people Jesus helped but there’s nothing they could do. No one ever tried to believe after what He has done.

I burst out crying, reminisced God’s love and how I abused and neglected it. That I am the reason behind His suffering and He did not asked for my permission instead did it because He loves me. That my previous, present and future sin is paid because of His precious blood shed on the cross of Calvary. I feel so ashamed. I feel so small. I feel so selfish as if I only thought of my own pleasures and desires- that while I am doing that, Christ suffered to spare me and poured out His love and grace that I may come before His throne, confess and repent and eventually cleanse me from all my unrighteousness. Perfect love.

The film is so good that it carried me and put me on the people of Israel’s shoe and witness Jesus’ suffering. After watching the film, I was renewed and restored. That everything that I should do must be according to His will and for His glory. And there’s nothing could escape from God’s powerful, patient, perfect and proven love. Jesus rises from the dead and exits the tomb gave us new hope that He will someday return.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor present, nor future, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 8:38-39

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