Posts Tagged The Resurrection of the Christ
What to expect from Mel Gibson’s “The Resurrection of the Christ” and from religious leaders
Posted by simon peter sutherland in The influence of film, Theology on September 2, 2026
Next year we are seeing the release of Mel Gibson’s new movie, the Resurrection of the Christ.
This is a follow up to the Passion of the Christ and a re-release of the Passion is also coming to our screens.
Despite the facts that the Passion of the Christ was by far a Biblically accurate portrayal of Jesus Christ, it was still a cinematic experience.
For many, including Franklin Graham, the Passion was like witnessing the gospel narratives on screen. But that’s not the actual truth. The reality is the script was just a Mel Gibson version of the gospel. The film added a great deal to the story and was sprinkled with layers of Roman Catholicism, tradition, and creative liberties.
For example, the gospels mention nothing about Satan tempting Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. The gospels mention nothing about Jesus being thrown off a bridge while Judas was sat beneath it. The gospels mention nothing about Peter referring to Mary as “mother” (as he does in the trial scene). Peter never refers to her as “mother” in any relevant part of the New Testament. Neither do they mention the stations of the cross, or Jesus’ face being wiped with Veronica’s cloth.
Neither do the gospels mention the cross being flipped over while Jesus is on it, or Jesus’ shoulder being dislocated, as it happens during the crucifixion scene.
Likewise, the gospels mention nothing about Mary (the mother of Jesus) and Mary Magdalen wiping up Jesus’ blood from off the ground, or Mary laying on the ground while Jesus is beneath her in prison. This clip in particular is a distinct hint of the Roman Catholic obsession with Mary as co-redemptrix.
In the Passion of the Christ Mary Magdalen is portrayed as a prostitute, a Roman Catholic claim that is nowhere found in Scripture.
Likewise, when Caviezel portrayed Jesus, he wasn’t actually playing the historical Christ, but a version of him rooted in his earlier portrayal of Edmond Edmond Dantès in the Count of Monte Cristo.
As for the new resurrection film, they have a new actor. In this new portrayal Christ will go down to hell and the film promises to be a surprising presentation.
Whatever the new film will be like we can be sure to learn that religious leaders from America are using it to promote what they would call “eccumenicalism”. Yet it isn’t even that. Real ecumenical talks exist between Christians who disagree with each other and are part of differing denominations within Christianity. But they are including Roman Catholicism into their so called ecumenical agenda. Yet Roman Catholicism should not be part of this since it is not just a denomination of Christendom, it is a cult of an entirely different religion.
On a video relating to a trailer for the Resurrection of the Christ, a high profile celebrity pastor in America says “This is a moment for the church of Jesus Christ to come together as one.” (Samuel Rodiguez)
By this Samuel Rodiguez actually means this is moment for Roman Catholics and Christians (Protestants) to unite as one. Something that no true Protestant could ever do.
This makes this charismatic leader very deceptive.
Think about it, the truth is that the church of Jesus Christ is already one, Christ has already achieved that by His death and resurrection. But when these people speak they are not talking the same language as the Scripture does, they are speaking their own language. They are in love with Rome. They have gotten into bed with her in their hearts. Yet they either lack insight into the evil cultish mess of that religion. Or they are little more than political activists.
This all makes the reality of this new movie even more cause for concern since it was written by a Roman Catholic (Mel Gibson) and a baptist. So as we draw nearer to the release of this new movie, a film that many religious leaders will no doubt exploit and cultivate for their cause, let’s await and see what the film will be like.
I have no doubt it will incorporate scenes of violence and conflict, even if those scenes are depictions of creatures from another realm and I have no doubt the film will be layered with unbiblical traditions, and Roman Catholic theology and even aspects of the writings of 19th-century German nun Anne Catherine Emmerich, as the first film did.
Papyrus fragment in John Rylands Library proves the Bible
Posted by simon peter sutherland in Bible Manuscripts, Historical Manchester, My books on August 3, 2026

Simon Peter Sutherland writes,
“Popular thinking has it that the Bible is unreliable and the manuscripts differ widely. It is often thought that the manuscripts contain large amounts of copying errors. But a tiny fragment found in Egypt, challenges this view. In The John Rylands Research Institute and Library, Manchester UK, there is the oldest fragment of the New Testament to date. This fragment was acquired in Egypt in 1920. In 1934 the text was translated into English and it was found to be a fragment of the Gospel of John. This manuscript fragment is known as ‘P52’ and contains the words of Jesus and the words of Pontius Pilate. Some claim the fragment dates to 125 – 150 AD, others think an earlier date of writing is possible.
I visit and view P52 often. It is about 9 cm and written in Greek and is at present on public view. There are few greater pleasures for me than to view this fragment. Often after a long day of voluntary Theological research, it brings my focus back to the Biblical text. For me, it is a breath of fresh air, that during an age of modern critical scholarship and its heavy denial of Biblical texts, we have a great testimony in direct contrast to many critical claims of modern textual scholars.
In contrast to the persuasions of many modern critical and sceptical scholars who deny the authenticity and early composition dates of the Gospels, P52 stands as a testimony against the claims that the New Testament accounts were written much later than they actually were. When I see this fragment as I do on a regular basis, its surviving words never cease to amaze me as it could for all who trust in Jesus Christ. These words are a pure testimony to the reality of the absolute identity of Jesus Christ, son of God, who was and is, and is to come, “the Truth”. Not truth, but ‘The Truth’.
The Greek fragment, of John 18: 31-33, on the recto reads as follows:
“the Jews, “For us it is not permitted to kill anyone,” so that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spoke signifying what kind of death he was going to die. Entered therefore again into the Praetorium Pilate and summoned Jesus and he said to him, “Thou art king of the Jews?”
The Greek fragment of John 18: 37-38, on the verso reads as follows,
“a King I am. For this I have been born and (for this) I have come into the world so that I would testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears of me my voice.” Said to him Pilate, “What is truth?” and this having said, again he went out unto the Jews and said to them, “I find not one fault in him.”
Is it not amazing that the oldest fragment in the world of the New Testament, dated possibly earlier than 100 AD and no later than 150 AD, speaks of such a great testimony to the word of God. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Matthew 24: 35.”
Book excerpt: “The Divine Saviour In The Dark Light Of Modern Critical and Sceptical Scholarship” by Simon Peter Sutherland is available now in paperback from Amazon