On Feb. 25 there is a controversial movie coming to theatres: “The Passion of the Christ.”

The movie is about the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ of Nazareth’s life. The film is very graphic and tries to capture the reality of the death of Christ and all that he went through. The actors in the film are speaking the language of the day, which means Aramaic for the Jewish characters and street Latin for the Romans.

Mel Gibson, who is the director of the movie, is trying to present the most accurate and authentic account of what really happened in those last 12 hours. The movie is controversial because groups of people, particularly the Anti Defamation League, have spoken out about how the film portrays the Jews as responsible for the death of Christ and that the film will add to more anti-Semitism.

Now, obviously I have not seen the movie yet, but I believe people are jumping to conclusions about the effect the movie will will have on anti-Semitism. If people are going to hate Jews or any other culture, they are going to do it in spite of a movie.

The Anti Defamation League is saying that the movie will add fuel to the fire of people already hating Jews. But from early reviews of the movie and from what trailers I have seen, I don’t believe the movie will cause as much of a fuss as people are saying it will. On the official website of the movie: (www.adl.org/interfaith/gibson_qa.asp) it tells about how the movie shows the crowd calling for the death of Christ.

Within that crowd are Jews and Gentiles. Not only did Jews have a hand to play in the actual crucifixion of Christ, but other cultures as well. The movie also depicts Roman soldiers carrying out the actual torture of Christ, which is what the Bible also states.

For anyone to say that the Jews killed Jesus is ignorance in the first place. The Bible clearly states that Jesus died for the sins of the world and the reason he died on the cross was because you, me and every other person on the face of this earth have sinned. Jews had a hand in killing Jesus but you and I did as well because of our sin.

Physically, the Jews betrayed Jesus, the crowd called for His death and Pontius Pilate, being the high ranking official who could have stopped it, allowed it to happen. The Jews were not the only ones who were a cause of the death of Jesus.

Prominent religious leaders who have seen the movie include the Pope, Billy Graham, Dr. James Dobson and Jack Graham. Each one of these leaders say that it is biblical and have not seen any scenes that would cause anti-Semitism. I am not saying these guys know everything, but if there was anything blatant, I am sure at least one of them would speak out against it.

Finally, Jews did not kill Jesus, because He allowed Himself to be crucified. At any time throughout his suffering and despair He could of asked for legions of Angels to come and take Him off of the cross, but He did not.

Even before Judas betrayed Him he says in John 10:17-18, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”

Jesus Himself says that no one can take His life and that He had the power to stop anyone from crucifying Him, but He allowed it to happen because he loves us. He made a way that we could know God, by dying on the cross and raising from the dead.

I believe that the movie will be a good way for people to see with their own eyes what Christ went through in dying on the cross and the torture that He took upon Himself to get there. At the very least, pick up a Bible read the Gospels and see what Jesus went through, then go see if the movie lines up with the Bible or not.