Jesus Christ Superstar

Jesus Christ Superstar, a rock-opera, emerged from the imagination of Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Time Rice (lyrics),which was later brought to life on the big screen by director Norman Jewison in 1973. Filmed on location in Israel, the movie is centred around the last seven days of Christ’s life, from the time he arrived in Jerusalem up until his crucifixion. The movie is truly from the point of view of Judas Iscariot, one of the most infamous of all the 12 apostles. In the film, Judas portrays Jesus, not as a miracle worker, but as a real human being with faults, doubts, and most importantly, a superstar edge. “The play is a baroque fusion of styles, rock rhythm with ballad narrative, dramatic characterization with rollicking choreography, and operatic star performances that together paradoxically succeed in communicating a humble theme of love and acceptance.”№

The holy theme of divinity is combined with biblical history and a modern perception to produce a musical of heavenly proportions. Although there is some “divine” symbolism in the film, it never once shows Jesus embodying any immortal characteristics. The movie tends to focus on the realistic aspects of Christ’s lasts days on Earth.

The last days of Jesus’s life, in Jesus Christ Superstar, is comparatively close to the what is written in the Bible. Jesus, a rabbi, lived in Israel during the Roman rule. “Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry”(Luke 3:23). He taught for approximately three years about a just, all-loving, and merciful God that offers forgiveness of sins and eternal life. He spoke of the honesty of spirit, fullness of right purpose, and that the poor and suffering shall be blessed. He did this all while claiming to be the Son of Man. “We are told that Jesus taught a new idea-that the prophecies of the Torah [a document that recorded the basis of Judaism] were not to be fulfilled at some indefinite time in the future but were unfolding in the present.”І As Jesus made his way toward Jerusalem, the number of his followers had increased dramatically and his name was known throughout the land, he had literally become a “superstar.” Rumours spread that Jesus had performed miracles beyond belief such as healing the cripple and bringing life to the dead. Jesus eventually upset the priests of Jerusalem, Sadducees, due to the fact that the number of followers Jesus’s had increased so drastically, they feared losing the basis of their religion and the business it generated.. A good example of Jesus’s confrontation with the chief priest’s business is when Jesus clears the temple. Jesus had arrived at the temple for prayer during Passover, only to find that his fathers home was being used to sell oxen, sheep, and patrons conducting business. “When he had made a whip of cords, he drove them all out the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables.”і Jesus then exclaimed to the crowd, “Take these things away! Do not make my father’s house a house of merchandise!”( John 2:16) Acts like these led the Sadducees to begin planning out Jesus’ betrayal and murder..

The final days of Jesus’s life were at hand. He had foreseen the betrayal and denial of two of his apostles, and he made it known to them at his noteworthy last supper. During the last super, Jesus proclaims that one of his “faithful” disciples will deny him three times, and another would lead to betray him. Judas, an apostle, then asked Jesus, “Is It I Rabbi?” Jesus then replies, “Thou hast said it.” Judas then gave Jesus a kiss, in which Jesus’s response was, "Judas, dost thou betray the Son of Man with a kiss?"(Luke 22:48) It is after this encounter that Judas Iscariot took the initiative to go to the chief priests in order to betray Jesus. They offer Judas a reward, thirty pieces of silver, which he took willingly. "And Satan entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariot, one of the twelve. And he went, and discoursed with the chief priests and the magistrates, how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and convenanted to give him money. And he promised. And he sought opportunity to betray him in the absence