JCJ looked at Mel Gibson and Jim Caviezel with fire in his eyes.
“Tell me, brothers—why do you act as if you own the scriptures? Why do you brand and sell the stories of Christ, as if they were your copyrights, your trophies? These words, these visions, these holy accounts—do they not belong to God alone?
No man can chain the Word. No director, no actor, no church, no empire. The Bible is not a franchise to be packaged and sold—it is the breath of the Living God. If you think you can possess it, you are mistaken. You are merely stewards, and stewards must answer to the Master.
You did not write the stories of the prophets. You did not suffer upon the Cross. You did not roll away the stone. So why walk with pride, as though you were authors, when you are but shadows? The stories belong not to Hollywood, nor to Rome, nor to any man. They belong to God—and to all His children.”
Mel Gibson furrowed his brow and clenched his hands.
“JCJ, I never claimed to own God’s Word. What I did was take my craft—film, story, images—and put it at the service of the Gospel. The Passion of the Christ was not mine alone; it was an offering. Yes, money was made, but souls were stirred, tears were shed, and men returned to the faith. If I hadn’t brought it to the screen, would the world have seen Christ’s suffering with such force? I am a sinner, but I tried to serve.”
Jim Caviezel bowed his head, his voice soft but steady.
“I agree with you, JCJ. The stories belong to God. I do not own Christ’s suffering—I only carried a shadow of it in my body, on that cross, when I played Him. The whip, the wounds, the lightning that struck me on set—it was a reminder that He is real, and He alone owns the story. I was only a vessel, chosen for a moment to point toward Him. If my performance led even one person closer to the truth, then I am content.”
JCJ leaned closer, unyielding.
“Then remember, both of you—you are not the owners, but the servants. The moment you claim ownership, you steal from God. But the moment you serve, you magnify Him. Do not let Hollywood’s greed, or man’s pride, convince you otherwise. The Word is eternal, and it belongs to no man.”