The Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah at the beginning of Mel Gibson’s film reappeared on Good Friday after questions about its removal intensified online.
(LifeSiteNews) — Netflix restored an Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah to Mel Gibson’s film The Passion of the Christ after heated backlash over its removal.
The original version of the film opens with the display of the words of the prophet Isaiah, written 700 years before Christ: “He was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; by His wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53)
Netflix had posted a film version that erased the Scripture passage, substituting the opening with a conspicuous 13-second display of a blank screen.
The news of the film cut triggered outrage, with various social media and Christian commentators going on to highlight and denounce the omission.
Publicity over the Scripture cut seems to have begun to spread when a Catholic wife known as Cassie announced it April 14 on X. LifeSiteNews reported on the omission on April 15, drawing attention to the fact that the Isaiah 53 is seen as the Old Testament passage that most clearly points to Jesus Christ as the long-awaited Messiah of the Jews.
As shown on LSNTV, Israeli Jews interviewed on the street were surprised when informed that Isaiah 53 is taken from the Old Testament. At least half a dozen of them thought it was from the New Testament, with one young man pointing out that it sounds like it refers to Jesus Christ.
“You hear this passage, you know it’s talking about Jesus. Whether you believe he’s the Messiah or not. That’s precisely why it was so powerful for Mel Gibson to have put it at the start of The Passion of the Christ,” LifeSiteNews Editor-in-Chief John-Henry Westen remarked.
Backlash intensified by Holy Thursday, April 17. That day, conservative commentator Benny Johnson drew attention on X to the cut by Netflix, declaring, “You can’t silence the Truth. Christ is King.”
Several people said in response that they would cancel their Netflix subscriptions because of the omission. Some tagged Netflix’s X account as they vented their outrage.
LifeSiteNews confirmed that the quote was still omitted as of the night of April 17, Holy Thursday. The next day, Good Friday, it was restored.
