吉姆．卡維佐（Jim Caviezel）在電影《受難記》中飾演耶穌的角色。在他接演之前，導演梅爾．吉勃遜警告他說，這是一個艱鉅的角色，同時恐怕還會衝擊到他在好萊塢的演藝事業。但卡維佐終究還是決定接下這個角色，他說：「雖然這並不容易，但我覺得我們要拍好這部電影。」

在電影拍攝期間，卡維佐曾被閃電擊中，體重掉了約20公斤，而且在拍攝耶穌被鞭笞的場景時不慎受到鞭傷。但後來他卻表示：「我不是要人們專注在我身上，我只希望他們能看見耶穌，並藉此引人歸主。」這部影片對卡維佐和劇組其他成員帶來深遠的影響，至於觀看這部電影的數百萬人中有多少人的生命得著轉變，或許只有上帝知道了。

基督的受難是指耶穌在世上遭受最大磨難的那段時間，從祂光榮進入耶路撒冷城開始（棕枝主日），接著遭到背叛、嘲弄、鞭打和釘死。這一連串的事件在四福音書中都有記載。

以賽亞書53章預言基督的受難及其結果：「祂為我們的過犯受害，為我們的罪孽壓傷。因祂受的刑罰，我們得平安；因祂受的鞭傷，我們得醫治」（5節）。我們都「如羊走迷」（6節），然而因耶穌的受死與復活，我們能與上帝和好。祂的受難為我們開了一條路，使我們能與祂同在。

Before Jim Caviezel played Jesus in the film The Passion of the Christ, director Mel Gibson warned that the role would be extremely difficult and could negatively impact his career in Hollywood. Caviezel took on the role anyway, saying, “I think we have to make it, even if it is difficult.”

During the filming, Caviezel was struck by lightning, lost forty-five pounds, and was accidentally whipped during the flogging scene. Afterwards, he stated, “I didn’t want people to see me. I just wanted them to see Jesus. Conversions will happen through that.” The film deeply affected Caviezel and others on the set, and only God knows how many of the millions who watched it experienced changed lives.

The passion of Christ refers to the time of Jesus’ greatest suffering, from His triumphal entry on Palm Sunday and including His betrayal, mocking, flogging, and crucifixion. Accounts are found in all four gospels.

In Isaiah 53, His suffering and its outcome are foretold: “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (v. 5). All of us, “like sheep, have gone astray” (v. 6). But because of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, we can have peace with God. His suffering opened the way for us to be with Him.