A Study Guide by Libby Tudball and Robert Lewis
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© ATOM 2014 A STUDY GUIDE BY LIBBY TUDBALL AND ROBERT LEWIS http://www.metromagazine.com.au ISBN: 978-1-74295-451-6 http://www.theeducationshop.com.au OVERVIEW phasis, Gibson has created a repre- HE PASSION OF THE CHRIST sentation of Jesus and the last twelve (Mel Gibson, 2004) is a film about hours of his life that raises many issues the trial and execution of Jesus and explores many themes. Tas told in the Gospels of Matthew, Jesus is handed over to the Roman Mark, Luke and John. soldiers and flagellated. Unrecogniz- This Study Guide provides a set of ac- able now, he is brought back before tivities and questions to help students The film opens in an olive grove, the Pilate, who presents him to the crowd analyse and appreciate the film. Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus as if to say ‘Is this not enough?’ It is has gone to pray after the Last Supper. not. Pilate washes his hands of the However, an understanding of the film Jesus resists Satan’s temptations to entire dilemma, ordering his men to do requires a detailed cultural knowledge turn back. Betrayed by Judas Iscariot, as the crowd wishes. of the origins of Christianity, and there Jesus is arrested and taken back to are several activities designed to within the city walls of Jerusalem where Jesus is presented with the cross and introduce the historical and religious the leaders of the Pharisees confront is ordered to carry it through the streets context of the film to students who may him with accusations of blasphemy and of Jerusalem all the way up to Golgo- not have that knowledge. his trial results in a condemnation to tha. On Golgotha, Jesus is nailed to the death. cross and undergoes his last trial—the CURRICULUM APPLICABILITY fear that he has been abandoned by Jesus is brought before Pilate, the Ro- his Father. He overcomes his fear, looks The themes and activities developed man Governor of Palestine, who listens at Mary, his mother, and makes the in this study guide will have relevance to the accusations levelled at him by pronouncement, ‘It is accomplished’. for students from years 10-12 study- the Pharisees. Realizing he is dealing He then dies: ‘Into your [God’s] hands I ing Religious Studies, Cultural Studies, with a political conflict, Pilate defers to commit my Spirit.’ Studies of Society and Environment, King Herod in the matter. Herod returns History, English and Media Studies. Jesus to Pilate who gives the crowd a In making this film, Gibson has de- SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 choice between Jesus and the criminal clared that his aim was to stress the A WARNING TO TEACHERS Barabbas. The crowd chooses to have humanity of Jesus, and to bring home Barabbas set free and to condemn the terrible reality of Jesus’ suffering The Passion of the Christ is rated MA, Jesus. and crucifixion. In choosing this em- which means that it should only be continued top of page 4 PHOTOS: SCENES FROM THE PASSION OF CHRIST, A FILM BY MEL GIBSON © 2003 ICON DISTRIBUTION INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. A NEWMARKET FILMS RELEASE. PHOTOS BY PHILIPPE ANTONELLO UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. ABOVE TOP TO BOTTOM: ---; --- 2 QUIZ ... 1. What books make up the before he died A The Emperor of Rome Nazareth King of the Jews Bible? D He was whipped to death B The Roman Governor of A The Old Testament Judea and Samaria 24. Who was crucified with B The New Testament 8. Who was the mother of C The head of the Jewish Jesus? C The Old and New Testament Jesus? Sanhedrin A Barabbas D The Old and New Testament A Mary of Nazareth D The Governor of Galilee B Two thieves and other sacred books of B Mary Magdalene C The disciples the Christians C Veronica 16. Who tried Jesus? D Judas D Salome A High Priests 2. What is the Old Testa- B High Priests and Pilate 25. Which part of the year ment? 9. What nationality was C High Priests, Pilate and commemorates and cel- A The collection of bibli- Jesus? Herod ebrates the death of Jesus? cal books comprising the A Jewish D High Priests, Pilate, Herod A Christmas Hebrew Scriptures B Roman and Caesar B Easter B A collection of sayings of C Greek C Passover the prophets D Macedonian 17. Where was Jesus tried? D Lent C The collection of acts and A Galilee sayings of King David 10. Where did Jesus live? B Nazareth 26. What special thing do the D A collection of Jewish A Egypt C Jerusalem followers of Jesus say hap- songs, poems and sayings B Rome D Caesarea pened to him after his death? C Greece A He appeared to his disciples 3. What is the New Testa- D Palestine 18. What was the Sanhedrin? before rising into Heaven ment? A The main Jewish religious B He returned and preached A The collection of books 11. Which nation was in court for many years comprising the Jewish control of the area where B The main Roman civil court C He destroyed the Temple of Scriptures Jesus lived? C Herod’s court Jerusalem B The collection of books A Israel D The Jewish Temple D He went into the desert for relating to the life of Jesus B Rome forty days to pray and his early followers C Greece 19. With what was Jesus C The gospels of Matthew, D Carthage crowned? 27. What is the main signifi- Mark, Luke and John A A crown of thorns cance of this for Christians? D The biography of Jesus 12. Who was Mary B A crown of reeds A It showed he was holy Magdalene? C A crown of gold B It showed he had not really 4. What are the gospels? A The mother of Jesus D A crown of nails died A The collected sayings of B The sister of Jesus C It showed he was the Son of Jesus C The aunt of Jesus 20. What happened before God B The books of the New D A follower of Jesus Jesus was crucified? D It showed he was stronger Testament A He was ordered to apologize than his enemies C The books of Matthew, 13. Who was Judas? B He was whipped Mark, Luke and John A A follower of Jesus who C He was made to construct 28. What is meant by ‘the D The collection of letters betrayed him the cross Messiah’ written by the apostle Paul B A follower of Jesus who D He was starved A The one who would free the was cured by him of leprosy Jews 5. Who was Jesus? C A follower of Jesus who 21. Who do the gospels B The one who would baptise A A high priest denied knowing him three say helped Jesus carry the all people B A revolutionary who tried to times as prophesied cross? C The one who would destroy free Palestine from foreign D A follower of Jesus who A Simon of Cyrene the Temple rule provided the tomb in which B Joseph of Arimathea D The one who would lead C A man who baptised people Jesus was placed after his C Saul of Tarsus the Jews to wealth and into the Kingdom of God death D Some of the disciples prosperity D A holy man who preached to the people 14. Who was Peter? 22. How was he attached to 29. Why is Jesus also called A A follower of Jesus who the cross? ‘Christ’ by his followers? 6. Jesus lived between these betrayed him A By ropes A Christ means ‘the Anointed approximate dates: B A follower of Jesus who B By nails One’, the Messiah A 1-33 CE (Current Era) was cured by him of leprosy C By thorns B Christ means ‘follower’, and B 33-1 BCE (Before the Cur- C A follower of Jesus who D By chains those who were followers SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 rent Era) denied knowing him three became ‘Christians’ C 4BCE-29CE times as prophesied 23. What sign was put on C Christ was the family D We have no idea D A follower of Jesus who Jesus’ cross? name given to Jesus by his provided the tomb in which A Jesus of Nazareth mother 7. What happened to Jesus? Jesus was placed after his B King of the Jews D Christ means ‘Pope’, and A He was crucified death C Jesus of Nazareth King of Jesus was the first Pope, B He was stoned to death the Jews the leader of the Christian C He was taken to Heaven 15. Who was Pontius Pilate? D He claimed to be Jesus of Church 3 two thousand years ago. shown to senior students. Teachers read the introductory materials to need to be aware that there is graphic understand the full context of the film. At that time the Jewish people of Pal- violence in the film, and should view it estine were under the control of Rome, themselves before deciding how to use 0-17: You are unlikely to understand which had conquered the area in 63 it with their students. what is happening in the film unless BCE (See below for an explanation of you work through all the introductory dates). BEFORE WATCHING THE FILM activities. Many Jews opposed this control, and ACTIVITY 1: QUIZ ACTIVITY 2: UNDERSTANDING groups such as the Zealots wanted to CHRISTIAN BELIEFS ABOUT JESUS overthrow the Romans. They looked to Will you understand the cultural refer- the prophesied coming of a Messiah ences in the film? Try this quiz (see The Passion of the Christ is a film about (‘Saviour) to lead them to freedom.