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Over the past several weeks and months, we have heard all the media hype about Mel Gibson's new movie, "The Passion of the Christ."
There have been interviews by Diane Sawyer. There have been countless discussions with Jewish rabbis about the possible resurgence in anti-Semitism, questions to Catholics and Protestant priests and ministers concerning the historical accuracy of the film in light of Biblical accounts of the passion and crucifixion of Christ. Everyone seems to be weighing in on the subject.
I personally believe that the dialogue is good. People are talking about Jesus. However, I am not optimistic that people will flock to our churches in mass numbers in search of redemption and spiritual renewal.
First of all, Hollywood has never been a friend of Christianity with a continuous barrage of vulgarity and attacks on traditional family values. Secondly, and most importantly we need to remember that for the cross of Christ to be preached, or in this case depicted, faithfully, it will always be scandalous to the human mind. It should be no surprise to us, then, that it has caused so much controversy. Christ, when seen for who he really is, to listen to his claims as Lord over our lives, and to his demands, challenges and creates a crisis in our hearts. That crisis then will turn into either belief in him as the Son of God as he claims, our a rejection of those claims in the form of disbelief. There can be no third option.
As the apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians,
"but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 1 Cor. 1:23 (NIV)
Did you hear what he said, to the Jews, the crucifixion of Christ is a stumbling block. In the original language, the word is 'skandalon', from which we get the word, "scandal." In other words, it is offense to them. Not only to them, but to the Greeks, that is, non-Jews, the cross is foolish. In other words, nonsense or "makes no sense" to them. But here's the clincher! Paul goes on to say,
but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 1 Cor. 1:24 (NIV)
What think you of the Christ?
Tom Nuckels |