This Christian Life

Jews and Christians are watching different films

“Early this past summer, Mel Gibson invited me to see “The Passion,” his film on the trial and crucifixion of Jesus. The invitation was significant in that I was the first practicing Jew and active member of the American Jewish community to be invited. He did so because he believed, correctly, that he could trust me. I have long worked to build trust between Jews and Christians, especially traditional Christians.

“…what Jews need to understand is that most American Christians watching this film do not see ‘the Jews’ as the villains in the passion story historically, let alone today. First, most American Christians—Catholic and Protestant—believe that a sinning humanity killed Jesus, not ‘the Jews.’ Second, they know that Christ’s entire purpose was to come to this world and to be killed for humanity’s sins. To the Christian, God made it happen, not the Jews or the Romans (the Book of Acts says precisely that). Third, a Christian who hates Jews today for what he believes some Jews did 2,000 years ago only reflects on the low moral, intellectual and religious state of that Christian. Imagine what Jews would think of a Jew who hated Egyptians after watching ‘The Ten Commandments,’ and you get an idea of how most Christians would regard a Christian who hated Jews after watching ‘The Passion.’”

—Dennis Prager

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