The Last Temptation of Christ

The feeling begins.

Very tender, very loving.

Then the pain starts.

Claws slip underneath the skin and tear their way up.

Just before they reach my eyes, they dig in.

Then I remember.

First, I fasted for three months.

I even whipped myself before I went to sleep.

At first it worked.

Then the pain came back.

And the voices.

They call me by name -

Jesus.

Who is it? Who are you? Why are you following me?

Are you ready?

No, no. No more crosses. We're ready.

Do you hear? Where's your mind? Do you hear what I'm saying?

The Messiah won't come that way.

What do you mean by that? Who told you?

You're a disgrace!

The Romans can't find anybody to make crosses except for you!

You do it! You're worse than them!

You're a Jew killing Jews! You're a coward!

How will you ever pay for your sins?

With my life, Judas. I don't have anything else.

Don't turn away. Look at me. Look at me.

With your life? What do you mean?

Please, Judas. I don't know. I don't know.

- Are you still taking the cross? - Yes, I am.

No, you're not.

I won't let you! No! I won't let you!

Please, I beg you, Judas. Don't get in the way.

What way? What's happened to you? Who's doing this to you?

I'm struggling.

- With who? - I don't know. I'm struggling.

No.

I struggle. You collaborate.

Leave him alone. Are you ready?

Stop him! Stop him!

Traitor!

You are the people of Israel. Your children are watching.

You are the people of God. He is judging us.

He's watching you. Please.

- There he is. - Kill him!

Don't touch him! Get away from him!

- Don't defend him. - He's my son!

God is with us. He's judging us.

Fight! Fight!

God help us! God give us strength!

Give us strength now!

You are His children.

You are His children.

Come. Come with me.

This man naked before you now is condemned for sedition...

for lifting his hand against Rome.

He rallied the people to revolution.

He promised that a Messiah would come from among the people...

to rise up and destroy Rome.

- Rome is nothing. - Murder.

- It's small. - Betrayal, looting, and so on.

And so, therefore, he is condemned to die.

Rome condemns him.

And all the gods of Rome condemn him.

The shield is - He is - He is our heart.

He is our heart. He is our heart.

He is our - He is our shield.

- Lazarus. - He is our shield.

He is our shield. He will not abandon you.

He will not abandon you. He will not abandon you.

He will not abandon you. He will not -

Mercy on him. Mercy on him.

Aaah! No!

No.

God loves me. I know He loves me.

I want him to stop. I can't take the pain.

The voices and the pain.

I want Him to hate me.

I fight Him and make crosses so He'll hate me.

I want Him to find somebody else.

I want to crucify every one of his Messiahs.

You're sure it's God? You're sure it's not the devil?

I'm not sure. I'm not sure of anything.

If it's the devil, the devil can be cast out.

But what if it's God? You can't cast out God, can you?

Who's that? Who's following me? Is that you?

Magdalene. Magdalene.

Thank you, Lord, for bringing me where I did not want to go.

He must be one of God's angels...

who came down to show me the way.

Who's out there?

Who is it?

What are you doing here?

I want you to forgive me.

I've done too many bad things.

I'm going to the desert, and I need you to forgive me...

before I go.

Please.

Oh, I see.

You sit out there all day with the others.

And then you come in here with your head down, saying...

"Forgive me"?

"Forgive me."

It's not that easy.

Just because you need forgiveness, don't ask me to do it.

- I'm sorry, Mary. - Now get out! Go away!

Look, Mary. Look at this.

God can change this. God can save your soul.

He already broke my heart. He took you away from me.

And I hate both of you!

Hate me. Blame me. It's all my fault.

But not God's. Don't say that about God.

Who made me feel this way about God?

I know. That's why I'm here.

That's why I want you to forgive me.

I'll pay my debt.

I know...

the worst things I've done have been to you.

Pay or go away.

Mary...

don't you remember?

No, I don't remember. Why should I?

Nothing's changed.

Save the truth.

You want to save my soul?

This is where you'll find it.

You know that.

You're the same as all the others, only you can't admit it.

You're pitiful.

I hate you.

Here's my body.

Save it.

Oh! Is that the way you show you're a man?

Turn away. Don't look at me.

You never had the courage to be a man. Don't look at me.

If you weren't hanging on to your mother, you were hanging on to me.

Now you're hanging on to God.

Going to the desert to hide because you're scared.

Well, go. Whenever I see you, my heart breaks.

I do remember when we were children.

Never have I felt so much tenderness toward anyone...

as I felt toward you then.

All I ever wanted was you.

Nothing else.

What do you think I wanted?

Please... stay.

Is it so bad sharing a prostitute's room?

I won't touch you. I promise. You'll still be a virgin for the desert.

Mary, I'm sorry. I can't stay.

Welcome. This way.

Do you always pray this late at night?

It's a funeral. The master of the monastery died.

Shall I pray with you?

No. Sleep. You must be tired.

I know who you are.

That was the man who brought me here last night.

Last night? He was dead last night.

The master's soul is gone to heaven.

His body's work is completed.

It walked under the sun and the moon...

over sand and stone...

sinned, felt pain...

yearned for heaven.

We commend his remains to our god.

Flesh, the master no longer needs you.

Melt away.

First came the wings, then the angel.

His spirit actually appeared to you.

He treated you like a royal visitor.

He recognized you for something.

No, he couldn't have recognized me for anything.

I only came here to serve God. That's all.

That's all God wants from me. I'm sure of it.

But think of how you're blessed.

God actually makes himself known to you.

I don't know what God wants from me.

All my life I've wanted to hear God's voice.

I've dedicated my life to Him.

Sometimes... I think I feel Him...

but I'm never really sure.

But you always know.

God took you by the hand and brought you here.

You think it's a blessing to know what God wants?

I'll tell you what He wants. He wants to push me over!

Can't He see what's inside of me?

All my sins?

- We all sin. - Not my sins.

I'm a liar, a hypocrite.

I'm afraid of everything. I don't ever tell the truth.

I don't have the courage.

When I see a woman, I blush and look away.

I want her, but I don't take her... for God.

And that makes me proud. And then my pride ruins Magdalene.

I don't steal, I don't fight and I don't kill.

Not because I don't want to, but because I'm afraid.

I want to rebel against you, against everything, again -

against God, but... I'm afraid.

You want to know who my mother and father are?

You want to know who my god is?

Fear.

You look inside me, and that's all you'll find.