Welcome, friends, to another
broadcast of Morsels for Zion's Poor. There was a lot of attention
and excitement which swirled around Mel Gibson's movie, The
Passion of the Christ. It is difficult not to be at
least curious about its content. The movie depicts the final twelve
hours leading up to the Lord's death, and it is a moving and
emotion-packed drama showing in gory detail the director's
concept of the physical ordeal he was put through in that period
of time. No one in the scripture records
the bloody specifics of this suffering with the stark realism
that this film depicts it in, in gruesome detail. Some have
objected to its bloody and brutal portrayal as if to say that it
exaggerates what our Lord endured. While I am no fan of violence
and gore, and do not think that something should be done just
for shock value, I imagine that the reality of his physical suffering
even exceeded what Mr. Gibson has portrayed. For sure
his physical pain exceeded that of any man before or since, because
the scripture says, we have not an eye-priest which cannot be
touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points
tempted like as we are, yet without sin. The Scripture also says
that His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form
more than the sons of men. The Bible also says that we would
turn our heads rather than look at Him. There is no way to comprehend
the magnitude of the physical torment that He endured for us. Now, it is not my intention to
be a movie reviewer or film critic and give my opinion as to its
artistic merit, nor even to debate the accuracy of this movie as
far as its adherence to Scripture is concerned. It's only a cinematic
production, not some new revelation which we stand in awe of. While
it may be an accurate depiction of the physical trauma he was
exposed to in that period of time, one thing that I am certain
of is that this film does not depict the true suffering of
our Lord. For while he indeed suffered excruciating and unimaginable
pain and agony in the tearing of his flesh and the marring
of his physical appearance, his suffering was much greater and
more intense than even this. There is no form or experience
of sorrow or pain that he is not personally acquainted with,
for he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows. He was truly a man
of sorrows, as he suffered more than any man. He endured the
mental anguish of being a man of faith among the faithless.
His disciples constantly fell short of believing as he did.
He endured the mental anguish of being rejected by his own
flesh and blood. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou
that killest the prophets and stonest them which are sent unto
thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together,
even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, and ye would
not. He endured the mental anguish
of being constantly misunderstood. His disciples seldom grasped
the spiritual nature of his kingdom. They thought it could be established
by the work of the flesh. Many of those who claim to be
his followers continue in this same error, even in the present
time. He endured the disappointment
of being let down by his friends in the hour of his greatest need.
While he prayed and agonized, his disciples slept, and even
when awakened, returned to their slumber. Could you not watch
with me for one hour? He endured the heartbreak of
being betrayed by one near to him and denied in public by one
of his closest friends. Judas betrayed him with a kiss.
Peter denied him with an oath. He endured the spiritual agony
of becoming sin for us. Being an obedient son, the main
thing that he desired in the earth was to do his father's
will. Yet the only way that he could do his father's will was
to become sin and therefore be displeasing in his father's sight.
This was the dilemma that he faced when he prayed, O my father,
if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Many have assumed
that he desired to be delivered from the physical suffering of
the crucifixion. He had no fear of death, nor
of the torment that awaited his flesh. But the agony of having
the filth and degradation of sin placed upon him, making him
an outcast from the one he loved more than anything in the world,
was a misery he could hardly bear, and to him a fate worse
than death. He endured the anguish and shame
of being declared an outlaw and an outcast in the sight of his
father, crying out, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
He endured the cross, despising the shame for us. But this man,
after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on
the right hand of God. Do you worship him? For a free
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