The portrayal of Jesus Christ in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ and in the Gospel of John, Chapters 18-19

Abstract

This study entitled The Portrayal of Jesus Christ in Mel Gibson’s ‘The Passion of the Christ' and in the Gospel of John, Chapters 18-19 analyzed the events that lead to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as portrayed in Mel Gibson film, The Passion of the Christ in comparison and contrast with the account pertaining to the same events related in 18 and 19 chapters of the Gospel of John. The study aimed to identify the similarities and differences in the depiction of Jesus Christ in the film, and in the text. Similarities and differences between the accounts were identified through close reading of both text and film, and findings showed that the film was faithful in its depiction of most of the events, however had discrepancies specifically in two aspects - Jesus’ arrest in the garden of Gethsemane and His scourging. It can be concluded that Jesus’ characterization in both the text and film were closely related, with slight departures from the text, in terms of event sequence and dialogue. It is recommended that one ought to consult with the Bible, most preferably the Authorized King James Version- due to its superior texts, theology, translators, and technique in translation so as to verify whether evangelism methods abide by its precepts, particularly on visual portrayal of which God is highly critical of, and to also obtain a genuine portrayal of Jesus Christ.