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The DEEP

Passion vs. Compassion

Both.

John 13:1

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

This curious aside by John summarizes the coming events from a heavenly, purpose-oriented point of view. Despite its placement in John’s gospel before the events, it says, “He loved them to the end,” looking back on what is to come.

In other words, Jesus stuck it out all the way to the bitter end, and love was the glue that held it all together.

Okay, so why is this called “The Passion of the Christ”?

It’s partly due to the teaching of this verse and partly due to the Latin roots for the word passion.

“Pati,” means suffering or enduring. Thus “compassion” means to suffer with;  truly compassionate people feel other people’s pain.

Merriam-Webster lists “suffering” as an obsolete definition of passion, except when specifically referring to Christ. The word is now generally defined as emotion, love, devotion, or desire.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passion

Our Lord’s passion is obviously inseparable from compassion and the obsolete definition, but as this verse shows, it’s also inseparable from emotion, love, devotion and desire.

The Passion of the Christ fits all those definitions.


Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion of the Christ” is one of the few depictions that does justice to the enormity of what our Lord endured. Roger Ebert’s review gives it four stars but notes that it’s the most violent movie he’s ever seen. He thought it should even be rated NC-17, even though that rating had previously only been used for pornography. He’s emphatic that young minds cannot handle it.

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-passion-of-the-christ-2004

I recommend reading the review. He explains many things, even some doctrinal issues, well. You’ll then be prepared to decide whether to see the movie. Note: I suspect the movie would be more bearable on a small screen than in a movie theater.

I strongly recommend Dr. Frederick T. Zugibe’s book, The Crucifixion of Jesus: A Forensic Inquiry. It explains, in detail, how crucifixion works. It also corrects a number of popular errors, such as that crucifixion involves death by suffocation.

Every single Christian should read that book. Every one.


These Monday—Friday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. The Saturday DEEPs are written by Matt Richardson. To subscribe to all the DEEPs click here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/community

The weekly study guides, which include the Monday–Friday devotionals plus related questions for discussion or meditation, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.

Mike Slay

As a mathematician, inventor, and ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church in America, Mike Slay brings an analytical, conversational, and even whimsical approach to the daily study of God's Word.

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