Saw THE PASSION for the first time a couple nights ago. I bought it last year but never really had the chance to sit down uninterrupted and watch it. I knew what Jesus went through for me because I have read it in the gospels umpteen times before. I had always been mildly offended by the artist renderings that made it look like the Romans dragged a single rose thorn across Jesus body multiple times. In reality, when the Romans were done with Jesus, He looked like a slab of raw meat according to all I have read. “Just as there were many who were appalled at him -- his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness …” (Isaiah 52:14) That is what scripture says with regards to the beating Jesus took. In my opinion, this movie comes as close as you could come to depicting that on screen. When the Roman scourge actually dug into His side taking chunks of flesh, I knew I was seeing what really, truly happened to our Lord. They beat the crown of thorns down about the head of Jesus. They mocked Him and spit on Him and continued to whip Him all the way to the top of Golgotha’s hill. He did that for us all. Other religions either deny the existence of Jesus or make Him out to be less than who He really was. I know Him personally. He is the Son of God and He is God. Since I am a visual learner, I will never forget the image of Christ hanging on the cross, bloodied, broken, a mere shell of a man; all for me, all for you. Reject Him if you are so inclined, but “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15) rlk
