Jeffrey Mathews
Both high Christology and low Christology are evident in the movie "Jesus Christ Superstar." Most of the other characters see Jesus as just a man - even if a great or very special person - they do not see Him as divine. However, the words of Jesus himself in the movie demonstrate that he is fully aware of His divinity, even though others seem unable to grasp this fact.
In the opening scenes, Judas gives us the background of the ministry of Jesus and his disciples up to this point. The man who will soon betray Jesus sings, "You've started to believe the things they say of you. You really do believe this talk of God is true. And all the good you've done will soon be swept away." Judas obviously is proud of the good that Jesus has done, but he draws the line there. To talk of Jesus being God is too much for Judas to accept. Judas is unable to accept that Jesus is God. He was much happier in the earlier days of Jesus' ministry because there was "no talk of God then, we called you a man."
Mary Magdalene comes closest to seeing the divinity of Christ. She sings to Jesus as she anoints him, "myrrh for your hot forehead." But she never quite understands that the special nature she sees but is unable to identify is his Godlike nature, because He is in fact God. She voices her frustration with this when she sings, "I don't know how to take this. I don't see why he moves me. He's a man. He's just a man." She does recognize that she loves him deeply, but this love is different from any other experience she thought was love in her past. The result is that she is actually scared of this love because she does not yet understand that what she is experiencing is a very personal love of God.
Even Peter does not realize who Jesus really is. If he had known that Jesus was God, he would not have been so quick to deny Him. Peter later came to learn that Jesus Christ is indeed God. Peter later became the head of Christ's Church and died a martyr's death rather than deny that Jesus is God. But before the crucifixion, Peter sees Jesus as just another man. He denies even knowing Christ by responding to accusers by saying, "You've got the wrong man lady. I don't know him" and "I tell you I was never with him." Peter tells Mary Magdalene, "I had to do it, don't you see? Or else they'd gone for me," as if they were both mere humans.
Jesus Christ, himself, however, tries repeatedly to educate those around Him of his God like nature, though no one seems to be able to understand this.
We see His frustration most clearly with Judas. After Judas criricizes Mary Magdalene for her attempts to comfort and soothe Jesus, Jesus angrily responds to Judas by saying, "Leave her, leave her she's with me now. If your slate is clean, then you can throw stones. If your slate is not, then leave her alone. I'm amazed that men like you can be so shallow, thick and slow."
When Mary Magdalen anoints Jesus, Judas feels the ointment has been wasted on a man. Jesus again tries to get the others to understand his divinity when he sings, "There will be poor always, pathetically struggling. Look at the good things you've got. Think while you still have me! Move while you still see me! You'll be lost, and you'll be sorry when I'm gone."
By the time Jesus is sent to Pilate and Herod, we know fully that Jesus knows he is true God and true man. This fact makes it all the more powerful when Jesus has to endure the mocking of both of these leaders. During the entire time Pilate and Herod are making fun of Him, Jesus has to endure the insults in silence. The only time Jesus responds to either man in "Jesus Christ Superstar" is after Pilate sings, "You look so small, not a king at all. We all know that you are news, but are you king? King of the Jews." Jesus simply responds, "Your words, not mine."
We therefore see both extremes of high Christology and low Chirstology in the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar," from the disciple who is so blind to the Godlike nature of Jesus that he is willing to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver, to the God-man Himself who had to endure humiliation to gain eternal salvation for those He created.
Three major beliefs of Jesus in the movie "Jesus Christ Superstar"
A.) The first major belief which Jesus wishes to teach his disciples is to love one another. He wants his followers to have mercy on one another, and to avoid the temptation of judging others. He wants to leave this message of an example of Christian living. This is most clear when Jesus says to Judas, "If your slate is clean, then you can throw stones. If your slate is not, then leave her alone." This is the gospel message when Jesus told the scribes and pharisees, "Let the one among you who is without be the first to throw a stone at her" (John 8:7).
B.) Jesus wants us to know the sanctity of His Church. This is most clearly proclaimed in "Jesus Christ Superstar" when Jesus protests, "My temple should be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves." This message is so important to Christ that it is found in all four Gospels.
C.) The most striking scene to me in "Jesus Christ Superstar" is the institution of the Eucharist. Although He is fully aware that He is about to be betrayed by one of His disciples, He has longed to
share the Last Supper with His disciples. His final important teaching is about the Eucharist. He tells His disciples that the wine and bread which He has consecrated are no longer wine and bread. His final teaching is that "this is my blood you drink. This is my body you eat." Even though He is about to suffer and die an unjust death, He first leaves a miraculous way for Him to remain fully present, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, to His Church on Earth after He is gone.