The Passion of the Christ Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Passion of the Christ - Essay Example There are various characters that make a huge impact on the development of the plot and the overall message of the film; first is Jesus who is introduced as a representation of righteousness, holiness and sacrifice throughout the film, second is Peter, a loyal disciple who fights for Jesus at Gethsemane but later betrays him due to the fear of death. Another character is Judas who is a representation of betrayal; he was a disciple of Jesus but he betrayed him to the Chief Priest and the Pharisees for thirty pieces of silver. Another prominent character is John, the disciple, Mary the mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, both who stood by Jesus through the whole process of capture and crucifixion, a show of unconditional love. Pontius Pilate, Herod Caiaphas and the chief priests are represented as figures of authority with Pilate and Herod representing political authority and Caiaphas representing the Jewish religion, which is depicted as loathing Jesus for blasphemy (The Passion of th e Christ, 2004). Other characters who assist in developing the theme of the movie are Simon of Cyrene who carries Jesus’ cross, Veronica, the woman who wipes Jesus’ face with her cloth on the road to Calvary, the Roman soldiers that depict the system as being crude and violent towards criminals, and the veiled woman who represents Satan (death) – she appears every time death is imminent. Pilate’s wife is also a key character who influences Pilate’s decision, and she later offers Mary and Mary Magdalene a piece of cloth to wipe Jesus blood from the place where he is chastised. Throughout the film, we see betrayal, redemption, hatred, violence and absolute submission; however, some of the most evident aspects of eucharistic are those of love, hope, faith, and forgiveness.