Passion of the Christ accurate?

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Was the Passion of the Christ accurate in the sufferings of Jesus?

If you vote YES, please answer the following question in your post:

How was Jesus able to carry the cross after the scourging at the pillar? It seems that with that kind of beating one would have trouble even attempting to walk.

Thanks!
James_2:24
 
James_2:24:
How was Jesus able to carry the cross after the scourging at the pillar? It seems that with that kind of beating one would have trouble even attempting to walk.
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I agree that no mere man could do it. But Christ, being God, had the strength to accomplish His will despite afflictions that would have killed any other man.

*“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13 *

Our sins are many, and He took our sins upon Himself. Hence the extent of his suffering, for our sake.

Just my opinion, of course.

Blessings.
 
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OhioBob:
I agree that no mere man could do it. But Christ, being God, had the strength to accomplish His will despite afflictions that would have killed any other man.

*“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13 *

Our sins are many, and He took our sins upon Himself. Hence the extent of his suffering, for our sake.

Just my opinion, of course.

Blessings.
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Well said!
 
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OhioBob:
I agree that no mere man could do it. But Christ, being God, had the strength to accomplish His will despite afflictions that would have killed any other man.

*“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13 *

Our sins are many, and He took our sins upon Himself. Hence the extent of his suffering, for our sake.
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Yes, I agree with this.
I believe there are historical records, anyway, that the Romans regularly scourged their prisoners to a point just short of death. Sorry to be so vague -read this in some scholarly link attached to a review of the film (I read hundreds of those reviews)

It would account for why Jesus died in a shorter period than expected (as the gospels record) - though not forgetting He chose the moment.

If you accept the “evidence” (?) of the Shroud of Turin, as I pretty much do, then it’s clear that a very severe beating was inflicted, back and front.
 
The only people who can answer that question accurately are the ones who were present at the time.

The lopsided answers to this poll are just a testament to human gullibility to believe something if they hear it often enough.

All we know is that Jesus was arrested, tried, scourged and crucified by the Romans.

Did Pilate ask Jesus, “What is truth.” who was there to record it?

Did Pilate wash his hands? I doubt it as that would ba seen as a sign of weakness by Rome and he wouldn’t be Governor much longer.
 
I agree with hermit that it is impossible for me to accurately answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

As for how He could carry the cross* – He had help, remember?

An interesting symbolisim I hadn’t noticed until viewing the DVD yesterday: Three times (four, if you count the flashback) Jesus falls broken – at the pillar, on the Via Dolorosa, on arriving at Golgatha – only to rise up upon seeing His mother. His death is for the salvation of the whole human race, but it is as if the membership of one immaculate person in that race makes it worth it.

(* And not to disparage the original poster, but this sounds like the Satan’s doubts in the garden scene: “How can one man bear the sins of the world?”)

tee
 
And just so no one thinks I don’t have disbeliefs (as in “suspension of …”): When this film was released, many critics, both professional and armchair, were disturbed by the amount of violence. I was not so.

Whether this was the case because I, personally, have been desensitized by other (IMHO more) violent movies out of Hollywood, or whether it was because as a Catholic I am accustomed to contemplating the passion, or whether it was because the wound effects were so over the top as to seem “unreal” I cannot say.

NB: I say “unreal”, not “inaccurate”. It just seemed impossibly brutal. But I have no doubt that all things are possible in Christ.

tee
 
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hermit:
The only people who can answer that question accurately are the ones who were present at the time.

The lopsided answers to this poll are just a testament to human gullibility to believe something if they hear it often enough.

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The Bible says much more than that. And eyewitness accounts are part of Tradition.

gullibility - are you referring to things like evolution, too?
 
I am extremely squeamish when it comes to violence in movies and I never go to see them, even when the violence is accurate and a crucial element of the story, like “Saving Private Ryan”. However, I felt compelled to overcome my weakness to see “The Passion” and it was one of the best things I ever did. The fact that our Lord loved me so much to endure such suffering struck me like a lightning bolt, and I pray that I’ll never forget that lesson.

That being said, I firmly believe that it is completely accurate. I am lucky to be the daughter of an historian & expert on Roman law and politics, so every time I’ve had a question I just call up Dad the walking encyclopedia. Some time before the movie came out, he gave me an excellent book by Ann Wroe called Pontius Pilate. It is fascinating, very well-written and quite engaging for a historical biography, and it reveals quite a bit that the ordinary person might not know. One of the things that struck me was the fact that Pilate ordered that Jesus be beaten so severely because he initially intended to release him - normally, those condemned to crucifixion got off with a lesser scourging.

To those that complained about the level of violence, I would ask if they know anything about Roman history. The Romans were consummate experts in torture & execution. I also read *A Doctor at Calvary, *and while it is for the most part a very technical medical description of how death occurred as a result of crucifixion, it drives that last point home. It is definitely not for those with weak stomachs. Both of these books really enhanced my experience of the film & I would recommend them to anyone.

I also heard a priest say that he is convinced that Christ did indeed summon part of His divine nature to endure the Passion, and it makes perfect sense to me.
 
I haven’t seen the movie, but look forward to doing so.

Jesus endured the suffering through His Divine will, willing that he survived until it was finished. Without drawing on the Divine, Jesus would have died in the garden (when he opened himself fully to the sins of the world, past, current, and future), during the scourging, during the carrying of the cross, on the cross before he did die.

This was the supreme act of love, enduring more pain and suffering than any human being has or will ever endure.
 
The scourging scene in the movie kind of annoys me. Yes, Jesus was beaten just before the point of death. But in Roman law, it was considered that the 40th lash would kill a person. So Jesus was stopped at 39. In the movie, He gets 39… then about a hundred more. Not even God would have survived that… once he became a human… Unless he willed himself too… but you get my point.
 
What I find fascinating is that the Shroud of Turin clearly shows a person scourged by the same instrument used in the movie. Did Mel Gibson use the shroud image as a source?
 
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hermit:
What I find fascinating is that the Shroud of Turin clearly shows a person scourged by the same instrument used in the movie. Did Mel Gibson use the shroud image as a source?
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Yes. I have definitely read at least 3 times that he studied the images on the Shroud in great detail, and I think I read that Jim Caviezel also spoke about how the Shroud was used as a constant reference . (I have read literally hundreds of reviews of the film off the Internet, so I can’t give any references)
I’ve just seen a video recording made in the US from a programme on PAX TV called “The Making of the Passion of the Christ”, sent out here to a friend. It shows Jim being made up, and to the left of the screen I’m dead sure there is a picture of the Shroud, and I think I heard it mentioned - I’d need to rewatch the video to be sure.
 
Our Holy Father Pope John Paul II said, it is as it was, in respect of The Passion of The Christ, as I understand it Mel Gibson consulted heavily with the church, both on translation and accuracy of the events .
 
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hermit:
Did Pilate ask Jesus, “What is truth.” who was there to record it?
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Lots of witnesses, centurians, etc. around.
Did Pilate wash his hands? I doubt it as that would ba seen as a sign of weakness by Rome and he wouldn’t be Governor much longer.
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He wasn’t.
 
  • As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men Isa 52:14*
This passage says that Jesus was beaten beyond recognition. That is why a movie could never portray the real horror of Jesus’ death.

This is also why I do not believe in the Shroud of Turin. The man on the Shroud is beaten and bloody but is still fairly recognizable. Jesus would have looked like a Nazi death camp victim or a dead dog in the road.
 
James_2:24:
Was the Passion of the Christ accurate in the sufferings of Jesus?

If you vote YES, please answer the following question in your post:

How was Jesus able to carry the cross after the scourging at the pillar? It seems that with that kind of beating one would have trouble even attempting to walk.

Thanks!
James_2:24
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In reading St. Katherine Emerichs books on the Life of Jesus Christ, you would find that in the scourging alone Christ lost more blood than was humanly possible for him to even live.
He still was Divine and I am sure God gave him a lot of strength to finish the Crucifixion for the sake of the Resurrection.
 
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hermit:
What I find fascinating is that the Shroud of Turin clearly shows a person scourged by the same instrument used in the movie. Did Mel Gibson use the shroud image as a source?
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Also in the books of St. Katherine Emerich but I am not really sure if he chose it from looking at the Shroud. In her book she described many different instruments used in the scourging.
 
The scene that some priests pointed out to me that was the most unreal was Pilate. How he appeared to make it look like he was totally innocent in the crucifixion. One priest stated it is in our very own creed. Yes it is biblical that he washed his hands. But our creed does say He suffered under Pontius Pilate.

He also stated that in Roman times it would not fit with the Roman ruler to listen to any woman on something like this. Dream or no dream.
 
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Toni:
He also stated that in Roman times it would not fit with the Roman ruler to listen to any woman on something like this. Dream or no dream.
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…Which, of course, is also biblical.

I’ve often wondered? Why the Apostles’ Creed says: “He **suffered ** under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried” and the Nicene Creed: “He **was crucifed ** under Pontius Pilate, suffered, died and was buried” :confused:

tee
 
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