Comparing Jesus And The Last Temptation Of Christ

While there are some similarities between the plot of the film and the gospels, the persona of Jesus shown can be described as completely original. Instead of focusing on his divinity like in Luke or his miracles in Mark, this film explored the more human side of Jesus of Nazareth, who faced many of the same struggles every human does while on Earth. In modern Christianity, Jesus is often portrayed as someone who stands apart from and above humanity. “The Last Temptation of Christ” instead entrenches Jesus within humanity. In order to effectively communicate this to the audience, the first thing the film brilliantly uses is Jesus’ inner monologue. No gospel or historical piece gives insight into the mind of Jesus per se, but as soon as the
It also makes him more relatable and in many ways more revered. In the film, he was a man who struggled with the concept of sin just like every other human being, but was able withstand it and accomplish God’s plan. This makes the sacrifice even larger and once again allows for a stronger connection with the audience. To go a step further though, the film also makes a somewhat philosophical statement regarding its overall portrayal of Jesus with additional dialogue between Jesus and the newly converted Christian, Paul. During the exchange, Paul blatantly explains that he has made up the stories, but that it doesn’t matter because people believe and it helps them in their day-to-day lives. While this part of the film is understandably controversial, it presents an idea that has been discussed in academia. Scholars, such as John Crossan and Marcus Borg, have explored whether or not the historical Jesus actually matters when it comes to the Jesus Christ of faith. “The Last Temptation of Christ” seems to take the stance in which it does not matter who Jesus was or how divine and/or human he might have been. Instead, it is his ideas and teachings that matter the