Rating: 
Summary: for God so loved the world!
Review: This book shows the depth of God's love for all of us in a manner that is rather shocking and humbling for the human race. Whenever I think of how much pain Jesus, completely innocent of all sin, went through so that we might all be saved, I, a sinner, feel unworthy and yet, God believed we were worthy of his love. I thank and give him glory for what he did and only hope that I will be as strong in my faith that I will be worthy of his forgiveness. God knew and Jesus knew who would betray him. There was a purpose that he would be betrayed by a Jew and it is shown in Romans 11. If he had not been betrayed by a Jew then the whole world would not have been able to be saved, only the Jews. This way, because he loves us all, we all can be saved. The only Jews that Jesus warns us of are the 'false Jews' (who say they are Jews but are not) in Revelations who belong to the synagogue of Satan. Read the Bible yourselves so that you can better understand. This book is a start to show us the 'passion' that God feels for us and the suffering that Jesus endured for us. The reason that it loses a star is that Jesus's teachings should have been stressed as much because they are equally important. He was a gentle and caring person who cared about the poor and helpless and taught forgiveness and generosity to those in need. He was not a violent man even though he was treated violently. If he could suffer so much for us, can we do any better? I urge everyone to get their bibles out and read about him-you have gone this far, now take the next step. Enjoy!
Rating: 
Summary: Profoundly moving
Review: As a Catholic priest, I found Mel Gibson's film profoundly moving. It shows just what He sacrificed to save mankind from sin. The book is an excellent companion piece to this historic film. P.S. to the reader from Sacramento who submitted the March 6 review titled "I agree totally with the reviewer from San Francisco (Feb 27, "Well Meaning, I Think, But Misguided")" Who do you think you're fooling? You wrote both reviews. I find it odd how atheists like yourself lambast the so-called "religious right" and all believers, accusing us of forcing our beliefs on you. With the reviews you've posted here (and I know you're also the "reader from Seattle" who posted another almost identical review) you're trying to force your secular humanist view of Jesus on everybody else. Go write a review of an atheist's book instead of attempting to decieve people into rejecting the salvation that Jesus offers. If "religion" offends you so, why are you here?
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful story in a painful depiction
Review: The pictures in this book and the movie itself are disturbing and incredibly moving. I have seen so many people complaining about the blood. But stop and think about this - why was there so much focus on blood? Why did Mel Gibson purposefully depict the blood spraying, dripping, pouring and puddled on the ground? Because that's what it's about for Christians. The Blood of Christ. The Blood of Christ is redemption. It's what was paid for our sins. Why does he focus on the suffering? The pain? The agony of Christ? Because, again, that's what it's about. It's to drive home the point that Jesus suffered all of this for us. It's a slap in the face, a wake up call. And it's very much needed nowadays. The book and the movie will shock you, hurt you, and bring you to your spiritual knees. But it's worth every moment to see just how vast the love of Christ and his Father is.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book about the Best movie in a long time
Review: Very interesting! Gives good insite into Gibson the person. If you love Gibson, get this book
Rating:
Summary: Have you even seen the book?
Review: All this hot air and no comments about the book? The photos are awesome and they help document the
process of the making of this landmark film. Ignore all the anti-Christian and agnostic drivel.
They have not seen the film and they have not seen this book.
Rating:
Summary: wonderful
Review: The movie and the book are both wonderful. I can understand why some people may give them bad reviews if they can't grasp the subject matter. It's a message of love and forgiveness. What I don't understand is how some people think you are going to take their review seriously if they have not even seen the movie. People tend to hate what they fail to understand.
Rating: 
Summary: Bloody tribute to a bloody movie
Review: This has got to be one of the most grotesque books I have ever seen. I'm almost unable to articulate what it was like to look at a book devoted almost entirely to pictures of a human being beat to the point where his skin looks unhuman. I am not being poetic or exaggerating when I say that the final picture of Jesus on the cross almost made me throw up; it is THAT bloody and disgusting! The only benefit of this book was to show me that all the talk is right - this is a terribly violent movie - and to strengthen my resolve to not see it in the theater. Andrew Parodi
Rating:
Summary: What, no happy ending?
Review: Mel Gibson's Passion is a great book and movie because of the intensity of the emotions he works with. This is one of his many points of faithfulness to the Bible canon. Surely, strong emotions helped the Bible message to be so widespread. A Crucifixion is literally a riveting experience! But is the story fact or fiction? Way back in 1875, a book came out called "The World's Sixteen Crucified Saviors." They were virgin-birth man-god legendary figures who were crucified hundreds of years before Jesus. The author tried to disprove the Gospel story by digging up hundreds of parallels between the biblical Life of Jesus and these myths and religions. So if anyone in A.D. 30, or 300, wanted to start a world religion, they really needed to produce a Crucifixion. With or without a Hollywood director - the Romans were past masters at bloody spectacles. Of course, when Hollywood finds a formula that works, they stick with it, and Gibson was smart to stick to the Bible. (Best way to keep a couple hundred million potential customers happy in the "every word of the Gospel is gospel" crowd.) However, since the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in the last century, there is a lot more light on this subject. Did you ever wonder how John the Baptist got his strange taste for wild honey and locusts? Well, the Greek word for locust is akris, and the word for oilcakes is enkris. The Scrolls say oilcakes. So much for infallibility... This indiscretion was revealed in "Prophet of the Dead Sea Scrolls," a book that mainly proves that Jesus and the early Church were Jewish mystics called Essenes or Gnostics. The author also puts the blame for the Crucifixion on the Romans rather than the Jews. Of course, the emperor could not have a state religion where the Romans killed God. But like the Bible, Gibson shows power-hungry villains in both camps, which seems fair enough. The happiest ending to the crucifixion blame game is where Jesus survives the ordeal. According to a BBC documentary, it took three days to kill a man by crucifixion, and Jesus was only on the cross six to nine hours.
Among a lot of other evidence, books like "Saving the Savior" point out that the Essenes were great healers. Any mystic who could walk on water like Jesus could have mastered the rather simpler technique of suspended animation - how to play dead. Best escape plot since Houdini. Here's your chance for a swell sequel, Mel!
Rating:
Summary: Guided by the Holy Spirit.
Review: Mel Gibson was guided by the Holy Spirit to write this book and produce this movie. Today the world in engaged in a war against evil. We need more books & more movies of this quality to combat the disgusting trash that comes out of Hollywood and fills our TVs and radios. God bless Mel Gibson for having the courage to do this. His book shows the immense love God has for all of us, no matter who or what we are.
Rating:
Summary: Good Movie, Good Book....but....
Review: For starters, we all are aware that Jesus Christ is probably one of the most enigmatic figures in history. He was as perplexing in the day and times he lived in as he is to our society to this day. He has been depicted by various artists as being African, Hispanic, Arabic, Anglo-Saxon, and the like. He's been fictionalized in spiritual (and not so spiritual) books and movies, even making an impression on Broadway. So what makes Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" different from such accounts and categories? This book, like it or not, is merely part of a mass marketing tool to boost movie sales and the like. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but also not necessarily a good thing, either. Economically, it all makes sense and there will even be those who took from the movie and books like this some sort of benefit. But there are also those among us whom feel alienated by this process, in a sense a "commercializing of Jesus" has occurred. One can recall Jesus's rage in the temple, and wonder whether the same might not apply to such a movie as this. Not that it was a poorly made film because, as far as scenery and the like are concerned, the cinematography was impeccable. But it's kind of like using God to collect money in the temple. The imagery in the film was poetically silent and at once brutally daunting to watch and witness; that goes for people of all religions or even no religion. If you have seen this film, you understand that death by crucifixion is undoubtedly an atrocious way to die. Tie in theology with that, the dogma that, "Jesus died for man's sins" - and you have a smash hit. Discretion and prudence can become somewhat dulled when the subject matter happens to be Jesus; and I mean this in the most delicate way I am capable of putting it. Certainly Christ died a horrific death, and without doubt he taught a message of love; but is focusing on his suffering really a way to live our lives I wonder? What he taught is far more important than his death, for in being "saved" there is an element of ego and selfishness present there. The desire to "never end." That's something that's a truth whether you care to admit it or not. But Jesus taught selfless love and selfless action. He taught to only help your fellow man & woman out. Not to worry about merit or being saved. In fact, even if he had not died for our sins, this should still be our human disposition: to help other people out. Christ said we must carry our own cross, meaning we must walk our own walk. He only left footprints in the sand, it is us who must put forth the effort and carry the teachings out. The teachings that are inherently within each and every one of us. So this book and the movie give me mixed feelings. For while I agree that Jesus was an important figure and friend to mankind, I can't help but think he'd probably look at this as a shameful spectacle in some respects. Because in truth 100% of the proceeds should go to charity when it's about a man who taught his followers to abandon all worldly possessions and desires. I don't mean to say Gibson doesn't deserve money for his career, but I don't think he's in any need of it to be frank. This book and the movie can give non Christians the wrong impression I am afraid. They might see Christianity as a religion of materialism, and not a pathway towards God as a result. We must be very careful in these fragile times. Any unskilled action can lead to dire consequences. I hope this review was helpful for you.
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