February 26, 2004
© 2004 WorldNetDaily.com

As expected, Mel Gibson's film, "The Passion of the Christ," has touched off a firestorm of controversy. But there has been at least one surprise. Violence-embracing Hollywood – and its media supporters – are wailing over the "excessive violence" of "The Passion." Would you believe this from people who have praised and honored violent movies like "Pulp Fiction," "Scarface," "The Godfather," "Private Ryan," "The Gladiator," etc.

The film has also revealed the great difference between liberal ministers and theologians and conservative ones who believe in taking the Bible at face value. Liberals believe that the Bible must be interpreted allegorically and adopted to the "sensitivities" of modern society.

Liberals protest that they are offended at "the inaccurate and unnecessary violence." One minister even said that reverence for a bloody Jesus, gruesome nails and brutal cross does not bring atonement for sin.

It appears that an otherwise violence-tolerant media and film industry has become "puritanical" and wants to "sanitize" the brutality of Christ's crucifixion. Never mind that this is the way it is graphically described in the Gospels.

As a matter of fact, the Messiah's sufferings are graphically predicted in the Old Testament.

A thousand years before Jesus' birth, the Holy Spirit predicted through David the precise sufferings of hanging on a cross. And this was at least 700 years before the horrible execution by crucifixion was adopted.

It is predicted in Psalm 22, which begins with the very words that Jesus cried from the cross. The Gospels even record the exact Hebrew words that He used, "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, '"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'" (Matthew 27:46)

I believe this was repeated in three Gospels to point the reader back to Psalm 22 to get the answer to His rhetorical question. The spirit of the Messiah answers his own question, "Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel" (Psalm 22:3). It was at this moment the guilt for the sins of the world were put upon Messiah Jesus. Sin separated Him from God the Father and God the Holy Spirit. Note, He addressed them both, "My God, My God ..." God the Son was hanging on the cross.

Then His sufferings are described, "I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And You lay me in the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots."

There was no form of execution in Israel where the victim's "hands and feet were pierced." This was clearly a prediction of the Messiah's sufferings in crucifixion.

He is "poured out like water" – the profuse perspiration from suffering and the Middle Eastern sun.

"All of My bones are out of joint" – this happened from the weight of the body hanging over time.

"My tongue cleaves to my jaws" – the intense thirst from the suffering in heat. Jesus, as predicted said, "I thirst."

"I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me." – Jesus was hung nude upon the cross and his body was ripped to shreds.

"They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." – The Roman soldiers did not want to destroy his seamless tunic, so they cast lots for it at the foot of the cross.

In this prophecy, the gruesome sufferings of the Messiah's execution by crucifixion are described in detail.

Isaiah predicted something else concerning Jesus the Messiah that is extremely relevant to this uproar over the "Passion" film's emphasis upon His suffering.

Seven hundred and fifty years before Jesus' birth, Isaiah wrote, "See, my servant will act wisely; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him – his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness – so He will startle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand" (Isaiah 52:13-15 NIV).

Note that it predicts this servant of God's appearance (literally referring to his face) will be terribly disfigured and His body marred beyond human likeness.

This same prophecy continues in Isaiah 53, "Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being [fell] upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him."

The Hebrew prophet predicts that this Servant will be rejected and will suffer for the sins of his (Israelite) people. Once again, His terrible suffering and wounds are emphasized.

All of the four Gospels give great emphasis to their description of the tremendous physical punishment inflicted upon Jesus. The flogging with the Roman "cat of nine tails", which had bits of metal and bone in the leather straps that tore the flesh off the victim. The repeated punching with fists by the Roman soldiers, who were well known for the physical strength. The merciless forced march carrying his cross. It is all detailed graphically in the Gospels. Jesus' face no longer looked human by the time he was nailed to the cross, just as Isaiah predicted.

God did this in order to show just how much it cost Him to pay for the penalty of our sins set himself righteously free to forgive anyone who will accept His pardon as a gift. It cost God everything to make free the pardon He purchased for all who will own up to their sin and receive it.

Jesus gave us a memorial so that we would continually remember His death and what it accomplished. It is called "Communion." The Apostle Paul taught about this, "And when He [Jesus] had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." (1 Corinthians 11:24-26)

So when we see Mel Gibson's film and its violence, let's remember that this is basically the way it was. And remember that it was the Son of God's love that caused Him to voluntarily endure this for us, because He did not want us to perish under eternal damnation.

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