5,000 pastors cheer Mel Gibson's 'Passion'

Washington Times ^ | 1/22/04 | Julia Duin

[kattracks]

ORLANDO, Fla.

[Happy2BMe]

"5,000 pastors cheer Mel Gibson's 'Passion'

I'll be right behind ya, Salem!

[Destro]

Yes. In fact I was hoping to hear for the first time Koine Greek being spoken in The Passion. Koine was the world wide Greek dialect spoken at that time and while I have read in it I have never heard it spoken in conversations. So I am kind of bummed from a historian's angle that he may not have this important language in the movie. His website for this movie does not have this language and Greek was one of the 3 languages that proclaimed Jesus, King of the Jews in a plaque nailed overhead. That is unforgivable. Did he do this because Gibson's breakaway Catholic branch is hostile to the Greek church? It could be.

[Destro]

I don't think the movie will gain in power by having Pilate and Caiaphas conversing in koine Greek....

That is a stunning thing to say. THAT IS EXACTLY THE LANGUAGE THOSE TWO WOULD HAVE CONVERSED IN!

Secondly, Greek was considered superior to Latin by the Romans themselves so how would a conversation in a labngauge the Romans found beauty in lack power to an audience? Is it because Catholics have an attachment to Latin and their antagonists who also claim primacy happen to be the Greek church?

[freebilly]

You have an interesting perspective on it, but I doubt if Gibson has hostility to the Eastern Church. Since the Gospels don't mention Greek being spoken (yes, I know they were written in Greek, after the fact) it's easier to leave it out than it is to put it in.

In any event, my high school Latin will get a workout. Unfortunately I'll have to wait another day to exercise my college Greek....

[Destro]

I can certainly appreciate Gibson’s passion to tell the story of the crucifixion realistically. But judging from the movie’s trailer, it’s pretty clear that he didn’t do his research very well. Why, then, the unending accolades about the film’s accuracy? Are reviewers simply unaware of the facts concerning crucifixion and the linguistic milieu of first century Palestine? Or do they dispute these findings? Perhaps their praise is intended more as a general commendation of the movie than as a commentary on the details. I really don’t know. I can, however, say this: caveat spectator.

[kayak]

This is based on previews of the film I have seen and read about.

Here is a report by someone who has actually seen the movie ... or, rather, experienced it.

My Experience at a Preview of Mel Gibsons's "Passion of The Christ"

[freebilly]

THAT IS EXACTLY THE LANGUAGE THOSE TWO WOULD HAVE CONVERSED IN!

A good speculation, but a speculation, nonetheless. Safer to have Pilate speaking Latin (not known for it's beauty or imagery), and Caiphas speaking Aramaic.

Finally, from a theatrical perspective, there are a very very small percentage of folks who will notice that Greek is missing from the movie.

Don't let it detract from your viewing of the movie.

[Destro]

Not just "a good speculation" it is the only one possible. Bothe of these educated and important men spoke Greek fluently.

[freebilly]

Perhaps their praise is intended more as a general commendation of the movie than as a commentary on the details.

I think you're correct that the praise is a general commendation of the movie. It's virtually impossible to get all the details right in a 2-3 hour film.

If the movie is 90% faithful to the details and 100% faithful to the Message I'll be ecstatic.

[Destro]

I am talking about historical accurate points rather then the film experiance itself.

[freebilly]

I will concede. You are most likely correct (98% probability).
With that I'm off to bed. Don't sweat the small stuff!

[Destro]

Historians sweat the small stuff!

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..the Romans who did such scourging were not sadists per say...

How do you know that?

[Byron_the_Aussie]

..the Passion is not based per say on the New Testament Gospel's but on the visions of a 19th-century German stigmatic mystic nun named Anne Catherine Emmerich...

Oh, great. Just what we need, the first Passion conspiracy theory.

[Moby Grape]

But the major studios don't have any problems with any film that denigrates Christianity of twist the truth, such as LAST TEMPTATION.

[Moby Grape]

"..the Romans who did such scourging were not sadists per say..."

Oh yeah, those blood fests in the arenas were just your everyday garden variety wholesome family entertainment spectacles meant to elevated humans to a new loving-caring level.

[ZULU]

Its not politically correct to produce pro-Christian films.

[ZULU]

"The Romans who had to do such things probably found them mundane and trying tasks that they wanted ended as soon as possible."

Its hard to imagine WAHT the Romans thought. They probably kjsut viewed Christ as another trouble-making Jewish radical. The Romans had lots of problems in Palestine long before Christ appeared on the scene. The political picture there was as turbulent as it is today.

The Jews in Jerusalem had rioted when Pilot took over when the Legions moved in with their standards and shields, aome of which had animal symbols, including, at times, wild boars, on them (sound vaguely familiar?)

In the Roman Army, discipline was harsh. A legioary who fell asleep on guard duty was beaten to death by his comrades. A Legion which digrcaed itself in battle (a rare event) could be decimated.

It was such a cruel and violent world that even by our standards, it is difficult to fathom how these people thought. They could hate with a vengeance - read about the destruction of Carthage.

[Byron_the_Aussie]

...those blood fests in the arenas were just your everyday garden variety wholesome family entertainment spectacles meant to elevated humans to a new loving-caring level...

(:^)

See, Destro's a historian, and he knows that Roman scourgers followed very strict guidelines:

Gee, Trianus, have we scourged this Jew 47 times, or 48 times? I'm worried we might be approaching our legal limit...

[ZULU]

The Romans spoke Latin, although some of the legionaries may also have spoken their own languages. By the time of Christ, a lot of the average soldiers were recruited from outside of Italy, although the higher oficers were still predominantly Roman or at lesat from Italy. One of the Legions involved in the destruction of Jerusalem, the Tenth, was recruited in Spain from Celt-Iberians and sons of Roman settlers there.