THE PASSION

We must be grateful to the BBC for presenting The Passion during Easter.  Hopefully it will cause many to think seriously about God’s love in sending His only Son to earth to die for our sins.

Sadly the play was full of glaring errors and viewers would do well to read the accounts of Christ’s death and resurrection accurately recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the Bible.  Incredibly the play sets the crucifixion and resurrection in a desert scene although John tells us that, “In the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb.”  [ John 19:41 ].  This is why Mary Magdalene mistook Jesus for the gardener.  [ John 20:15 ]

Perhaps the biggest mistake was to have Jesus crucified with nails through His arms and not through His hands.  Hands bleed very little but large nails hammered through the arms could pierce an artery and lead to a quick death.  Doubting Thomas wouldn’t believe Jesus had risen until He saw the print of the nails in His hands.  [ John 20:25 ]  This penetration of the Saviour’s hands by crucifixion had been foretold a thousand years earlier when crucifixion was unknown!  [ Psalm 22 verse 16 ]

One thing that did come over powerfully in the play was Pilate’s wife’s dream.  When she awoke she sent this urgent warning to her husband who was sitting on the judgement seat.  “Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.” [ Matthew 27:19 ]

Sadly He ignored her warning but washed his hands in water saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person.”  [ Matthew 27:24 ]  None of us can wash our hands of Jesus Christ, but if we repent of our sins He will wash them away through His blood shed on Calvary.