It was not intended as blasphemy. It is the passion story told from the perspective of Judas. Think of it as the “Gospel of Judas” set to music.
Saw it as a play on a college campus in the early ‘70’s and was quite impressed. Loved the movie and the soundtrack - even though it got terrible reviews. And then saw it as a stage play with Teddy Neeley and Carl Anderson. One of the best concerts ever...
Tim Rice, who wrote Jesus Christ Superstar, on Jesus Christ:
“For me it obviously indicates that, Christ was just a super-prophet who - a fantastic man, who made a big mark on his time, and we don’t really know all that much about him. The fact that an awful lot happened in Christ’s life that could easily be legend, I don’t think diminishes the importance of the legend. But, I think, as the years roll on, in the 20th and 21st centuries, I think less and less people are going to think of Christ as a god, and I think more people are going to see him as a generally good thing. I don’t see him as a god at all, and the opera doesn’t categorically say he wasn’t but I think it leaves the question very open.”
Blasphemy is not defined as what meets or doesn’t meet the criteria of our feelings.
Blasphemy is irreverence toward God. This includes the false claim that Christ is not God.