Hmmm...interesting approach. I wonder how they'll handle the end of the story, when Judas has already offed himself. Will they just end the story when he reaches the end of the rope, and trust us to know what happens on Day 3, or will we get the full blown Resurrection account?

As far as I'm concerned, if the Resurrection is presented in a manner faithful to the Scriptures, it can't be shown too many times.

BreakPoint/Chuck Colson Ping!

If anyone wants on or off my BreakPoint Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

Reminds me on an old Talyor Cardwell book.

Interesting.

ABC, huh?

No thanks...

Sean Penn as Judas?

A rather different review in World Magazine:

Passionless dialogue

by Andrew Coffin

On March 8, within two weeks of the release of The Passion of the Christ, ABC will air Judas, a made-for-TV movie about the disciple who betrayed Jesus. The latter film will not be served by its proximity to Mel Gibson's work. The effect is tempering: Those who hope the success of The Passion will produce more Hollywood movies examining the life of Christ should have second thoughts after watching the embarrassing Judas. Or, better yet, take the advice of WORLD and don't watch it.

If nothing else, Judas reveals Mel Gibson to be an artistic genius. The two films are a study in contrasts, but it's not worth dwelling on the comparison. Judas employs nearly every cliché that has become synonymous with bad biblical epics (and that Mr. Gibson sought to avoid), from bad hair to bad sets to really, really bad dialogue.

The movie purports to tell the back story of Judas, identified by ABC as "perhaps the most complex character in the Gospels." To do this, the script makes Judas central to almost every event in Christ's adult life. Judas wants an earthly king to overthrow the Romans, becoming a foil for Jesus, who has a more spiritual mission in mind.

Judas begins by stating that "the following film is an interpretative dramatization of Judas's relationship with Jesus." What exactly the film is interpreting is not clear, since it is most certainly not working from the Bible or accepted historic documents, except in rough outline.

Most of the dialogue hovers between the painfully funny and just plain painful. Judas first meets the Messiah after witnessing Jesus clearing the Temple of merchants. Judas, to Jesus, over a cup of wine: "You know, I have to tell you, I was very impressed with what you did at the Temple today." Jesus replies, somewhat chagrined and regretful, "Well, don't be. You know, I was trying to make a point and lost my temper. You can't change a man's heart by yelling at him, by humiliating him, by taking away his livelihood."

Later, Jesus asks Judas to handle His money, saying, "I'm no good with money. Whatever I have, I tend to lose." In another scene, Herod refers to John the Baptist as "a pain in the ass." It's enough to make one long for Aramaic.

The one interesting aspect of the production is that it works overtime to avoid the perceived anti-Semitism of a literal reading of the Gospels, creating a bizarre conspiracy scenario in which Pontius Pilate (Tim Matheson of Animal House fame) orchestrates the events leading up to the crucifixion in order to pin the blame for Christ's death on the Jews.

According Jesus Christ, it would have been far better had Judas never been born. Tells a lot about Judas' character.

interesting.

Amen!

They are always trying to ascribe good things to Judas's character, and excuse what he did.

For me, these verses do a good job of describing Judas:

"But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages."

"He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it."

I think I will spend the time trying to read the book first before I start with the what ifs.

The one interesting aspect of the production is that it works overtime to avoid the perceived anti-Semitism of a literal reading of the Gospels......

Too bad....................

Read Acts of the Apostles

Acts 3

1. One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon.
2. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.
3. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money.
4. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!"
5. So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6. Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."
7. Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.
8. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
9. When all the people saw him walking and praising God,
10. they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11. While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade.
12. When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
13. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.
14. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
15. YoYou u killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
16. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
17. "Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.
18. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.
19. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
20. and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus.
21. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.
22. For Moses said, `The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.
23. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.'
24. "Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days.
25. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, `Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.'
26. When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways."

Acts 4

1. The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people.
2. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead.
3. They seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day.
4. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.
5. The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem.
6. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family.
7. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"
8. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people!
9. If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed,
10. then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed.
11. He is "`the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. '
12. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
13. When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
14. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say.
15. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together.
16. "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it.
17. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in this name."
18. Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19. But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight to obey you rather than God.
20. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."
21. After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened.
22. For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.
23. On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them.
24. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
25. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "`Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?
26. The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. '
27. Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.
28. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.
29. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
30. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."
31. After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
32. All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.
33. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.
34. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales
35. and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
36. Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement),
37. sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet.

Acts 5

1. Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property.
2. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet.
3. Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?
4. Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
5. When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.
6. Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
7. About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.
8. Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price."
9. Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also."
10. At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.
11. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.
12. The apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade.
13. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people.
14. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
15. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.
16. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.
17. Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.
18. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.
19. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.
20. "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."
21. At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin--the full assembly of the elders of Israel--and sent to the jail for the apostles.
22. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported,
23. "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside."
24. On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.
25. Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people."
26. At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
27. Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.
28. "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood."
29. Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than men!
30. The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead--whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree.
31. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel.
32. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
33. When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death.
34. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while.
35. Then he addressed them: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men.
36. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
37. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered.
38. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.
39. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."
40. His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
42. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.

Acts 6

1. In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
2. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
3. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them
4. and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."
5. This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.
6. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7. So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
8. Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people.
9. Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called)--Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia. These men began to argue with Stephen,
10. but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.
11. Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak words of blasphemy against Moses and against God."
12. So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin.
13. They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law.
14. For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us."
15. All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

Acts 7

1. Then the high priest asked him, "Are these charges true?"
2. To this he replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran.
3. `Leave your country and your people,' God said, `and go to the land I will show you.'
4. "So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living.
5. He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child.
6. God spoke to him in this way: `Your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years.
7. But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves,' God said, `and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place.'
8. Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
9. "Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him
10. and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt; so he made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace.
11. "Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our fathers could not find food.
12. When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers on their first visit.
13. On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family.
14. After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all.
15. Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our fathers died.
16. Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money.
17. "As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt greatly increased.
18. Then another king, who knew nothing about Joseph, became ruler of Egypt.
19. He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our forefathers by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die.
20. "At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for in his father's house.
21. When he was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him and brought him up as her own son.
22. Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
23. "When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites.
24. He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian.
25. Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.
26. The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, `Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?'
27. "But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, `Who made you ruler and judge over us?
28. Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?'
29. When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons.
30. "After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai.
31. When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord's voice:
32. `I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look.
33. "Then the Lord said to him, `Take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground.
34. I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.'
35. "This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, `Who made you ruler and judge?' He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36. He led them out of Egypt and did wonders and miraculous signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the desert.
37. "This is that Moses who told the Israelites, `God will send you a prophet like me from your own people.'
38. He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us.
39. "But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.
40. They told Aaron, `Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt--we don't know what has happened to him!'
41. That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and held a celebration in honor of what their hands had made.
42. But God turned away and gave them over to the worship of the heavenly bodies. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: "`Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the desert, O house of Israel?
43. You have lifted up the shrine of Molech and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile' beyond Babylon.
44. "Our forefathers had the tabernacle of the Testimony with them in the desert. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen.
45. Having received the tabernacle, our fathers under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David,
46. who enjoyed God's favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
47. But it was Solomon who built the house for him.
48. "However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says:
49. "`Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?
50. Has not my hand made all these things?'
51. "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
52. Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him--
53. you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."
54. When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him.
55. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56. "Look," he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God."
57. At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,
58. dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
60. Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.

I'm sure there's no metaphysical reason why ABC couldn't broadcast something of quality, but I just don't see it happening in my lifetime...

As far as I'm concerned, if the Resurrection is presented in a manner faithful to the Scriptures, it can't be shown too many times.

I heartily agree.

Post 13 BTTT..

Judas, to Jesus, over a cup of wine: "You know, I have to tell you, I was very impressed with what you did at the Temple today." Jesus replies, somewhat chagrined and regretful, "Well, don't be. You know, I was trying to make a point and lost my temper. You can't change a man's heart by yelling at him, by humiliating him, by taking away his livelihood."

The one interesting aspect of the production is that it works overtime to avoid the perceived anti-Semitism of a literal reading of the Gospels, creating a bizarre conspiracy scenario in which Pontius Pilate (Tim Matheson of Animal House fame) orchestrates the events leading up to the crucifixion in order to pin the blame for Christ's death on the Jews.

If this is true (and I see no reason to doubt it, World is a good source as far as I know) this film is blasphemous and Colson has really, really screwed up by promoting this film. Jesus was sinless, He never "lost His temper" for Pete's sake!

I think I will spend the time trying to read the book first before I start with the what ifs.

Who is this addressed to? Are you speaking of the writers of this film?

I've heard different things about this from different people...

The actor who plays Judas said icky liberal squishy stuff---

The director is a Freeper who says real, Bible-believing Christians wrote and produced it--

Another reviewer who just said it was "bad."

And now this account which makes it sound very interesting.

And the director is a Freeper, supposedly.