This is the third and final episode that we’ve watched in this series. The presenter, Jeremy Bowen, painted a number of scenarios to support a fairly literal interpretation of the record of the week as portrayed in the Gospels.
He noted that Jesus had targeted the sick, the poor, the disabled, and ‘all those regarded as sinners’. Pilate would not have tolerated any sign of trouble making by the Jews. Caiaphas was ‘in Pilate’s pocket’ as a means to keep a lid on any protests.
The upper / guest room where the Last Supper was held, was likely to have been in a house of a wealthy owner and supporter. The garden of Gethsemane is half way up Mt of Olives.
These interpretations were then followed by explanations of sweating blood (under extreme stress), a claim that Judas handed Jesus over to the Temple Priests just as Jesus intended. This was supported by the claim that Jesus could have escaped but didn’t try to. This was followed by literal investigations of the physical details of the crucifixion and the resurrection. These attempts at a literal interpretation of the Bible didn’t impress me; the Roman occupiers were very well practiced at crucifixions – it was a slow, painful, tortured death as a public deterrent not make trouble or the same fate will happen to you! A physical resurrection raises more questions than answers and contributes nothing to the Christian message of new life, fresh starts.
Ian Harris 5/10/11