The Crucifixion of Christ--Do We Really Understand Its Significance?

As we are currently into the season of Lent in the Christian calendar, I was thinking about the Mel Gibson movie "The Passion of the Christ" that was released in 2004.  I admit that before I saw the movie, I knew from bible study that Jesus was crucified, placed on the cross, died and rose again in 3 days.  However, I did not really understand the magnitude of the pain and suffering He endured until I saw this movie.  Think about it; He was paying the price for all our sins--the sins of the whole world.  It could not have been a walk in the park.

I think Mel Gibson's movie portrayal of Jesus' crucifixion was the first movie to focus on the actual depth of the suffering He endured.  The movie was so graphic (I couldn't even watch the entire scene)--as He was continually flogged until bits of flesh were coming off His body.  Once I saw that, it made me realize that God truly loves His people, because He allowed His only Son to pay the ultimate price for my sins as well as the sins of everyone else.  It is ironic that I saw this movie on Good Friday--I think that this was no coincidence because I have never gone to the movies on a Good Friday.  I somehow felt compelled to go; I wanted to see what all the controversy surrounding the movie was about.

Before the movie came out, there was some backlash against the movie by some Jewish groups who felt that Jews were negatively portrayed in the movie as "Christ killers".  However, I think Mel Gibson was as accurate as possible in depicting the events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion and death.

According to Mart De Haan from RBC Ministries, in his pamphlet entitled "Who Killed Christ?", he addresses the concern of Jewish groups of anti-Semitism being stirred up by Gibson's movie.  Mr. De Haan pointed out the following:

1. Jesus was not a victim--He predicted several times that He would be crucified and suffer death on a cross.
2. Jewish leaders conspired to kill Jesus--The Pharisees, Sadduces, and chief priests were so jealous of Jesus-- how He was able to heal so many sick people and how so many people began to believe in His teachings that they felt their authority and leadership were being threatened.
3. A Gentile signed Jesus' death order--Pontius Pilate, a Roman official gave the final order to put Jesus to death because he did not want to risk his politicl future despite knowing deep inside that Jesus had done nothing wrong.
4. Roman soldiers treated Jesus like a criminal--the soldiers spat on Jesus, mocked Him as a king, beat Him with barbed whips, put a crown of thorns on His head, and marched Him through the streets like a criminal.
5. One of his own disciples betrayed Him--for 30 pieces of silver, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus by setting Him up to be arrested . 

What you can glean from this is that everyone has had a hand in killing Jesus, not just the Jews.  I think that Jesus' crucifixion, death, and resurrection has occurred for a purpose--so that God will forgive us for all our sins because Jesus has already paid the price.  This is something we should not take lightly.