It’s that time of year again…Passover, Good Friday, and Easter. Whether it’s television, movies at the cinema, magazine articles, or a rise of attendance at church, this is one time of the year that people all around the world are interested in hearing something about Jesus.
Many movies have been made about Jesus through the decades, and this week, you’ll probably see a few pop up on television, satellite, and streaming services. Here are a few “Jesus movies” through the years: “The Life & Passion of Jesus Christ” (1902-1905), “The King of Kings” (1927), “The Gospel According to St. Matthew” (1964), “The Greatest Story Ever Told” (1965), “Godspell” (1973), “The Messiah” (1976), “Jesus of Nazareth” (1977), “Jesus” (1999), “The Miracle Maker” (2000), “The Passion of the Christ” (2004), and “The Color of the Cross” (2006).
If you had the time to sit down and watch these movies back-to-back, you would start to notice that Jesus is portrayed differently in each movie. “The Life & Passion of Jesus Christ” emphasizes the supernatural in Jesus’ ministry. “The Gospel According to St. Matthew” shows Jesus as a gritty, down-to-earth revolutionary. “The Greatest Story Ever Told” is full of Hollywood cameos and Jesus looks very American. “Godspell” goes even further and sets Jesus as a clown in New York. “The Messiah” downplays Jesus’ miracles and emphasizes the brotherhood of men more than the Christian faith. “Jesus of Nazareth” introduces a Jesus with a British accent, blue eyes, and hair like John Lennon. “Jesus” emphasizes the humanity of Jesus and His struggle with temptation. “The Passion of the Christ” emphasizes in a very real way (if not gory) both the human and supernatural. And in “The Color of the Cross,” Jesus is depicted as an African-American man.
What are we to make of this huge variance in these portrayals of Jesus? “Would the real Jesus please step forward?” Is He divine or human? Did He struggle with sin or not? Is He white or black? American, British, or Middle Eastern? Was His ministry carried out in Hollywood, New York, or Jerusalem?
Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” We humans have an interesting tendency—we try to make God in our own image. Instead of trying to be more like Jesus, it’s much simpler for us to make Jesus like us! The Bible had a simple, stark word for this practice—idolatry.
This Easter season, enjoy reading, watching, and meditating upon the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Just make sure as you’re doing so that the real Jesus doesn’t get lost in the mix! You can read about Him in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the New Testament.
