If You Were There

I wasn't aware of the movie Risen until someone told me about it this week. I watched it on iTunes yesterday. It was about a Roman military tribune named Clavius, played by Joseph Fiennes, who was ordered by Pontius Pilate to keep a close watch on Jesus' crucifixion.  The Sandherins were concerned that people would spread rumours of the prophesied resurrection and threatened Pilate that it could possible cause an unrest amongst the people. Clavius was tasked to make sure that the crucifixion was completed, ensure the body was buried and the tomb was sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers.

When Jesus body was missing from the tomb, Clavius came under intense pressure to find the body. He searched amongst the many other dead bodies and also hunted down people who may have known Jesus. Eventually, he figured out where Jesus' 11 disciples were hiding. With sword in hand, he burst through the door ready to make the arrest, and finds Jesus sitting amongst the disciples. He sees Jesus wounds on His hands and side, the one that he personally instructed the soldier to inflict with a spear. At that very moment, Clavius loses his bearings. He could not reconcile what he was seeing to all that he understood about life, power, death and being a Roman warrior. 

The movie does not attempt to play up what is written for us in the Bible. In was subtle in its depiction of the risen Christ and the disciples' encounter with Him. Instead the movie attempts to put its audience into Clavius' shoes; what would you do if you witness all this? What would you believe? How would you reconcile your life with what you now know? Could everything or anything remain the same for you? 

The life, death and the resurrection of Jesus was something that happened at a point in history so none of us today gets a chance to witness the Bible account first hand. But if you did, the question is whether you would believe. 

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ~ John 20:29