If you were a Jew living in Judea around the turn of the first century A.D., it didn’t matter much if you were innocent of a crime or not. What mattered was whether your accuser said you were innocent or not.
The Apostles knew this all too well. After all, it wasn’t because Jesus was guilty that He was sent to the cross. But Judah Ben-Hur, a man born around the same time as Jesus, knew this to be true, too.
Judah is, in fact, innocent of the crime for which he’s been accused. But Messala, the Roman tribune in command of Judea’s military forces, doesn’t care.
Messala is angry with Judah—with whom he’s been friends since childhood—because Judah won’t give him the names of the Jewish leaders responsible for inciting rebellion against their Roman rulers. Judah implores Messala to pull out of Judea, to give the Jews back their freedom, but Messala proves himself a true son of Rome. He believes in the divinity of his emperor. And he believes the only hope for any nation to prosper, including Judea, is for that nation to submit to Roman rule.
So, rather than show mercy, Messala makes an example of Judah, imprisoning Judah’s mother and sister in the deepest, most remote cells of the prison. He also sentences Judah to hard labor in Tyrus, from which no one has ever returned.
But Judah survives his time in Tyrus. Fueled by his hatred for Messala and desperate to save his family (assuming they’re still alive), he endures his torment as a slave rower on Roman ships for three years.
Judah gains his freedom after saving the commander of one such ship from drowning during a battle. The consul, Quintus Arrius, then adopts Judah as his son, making the Jewish man heir to his vast fortune.
Finally, Judah makes his way home to Jerusalem, where Messala is still tribune and Pontius Pilate has just been made governor.
But once Judah arrives, he finds himself influenced by the teachings of a young rabbi. Though Judah never meets this Jesus, his friends tell him that Jesus preaches love, not hate. Jesus even teaches his followers to pray for their enemies.
Judah isn’t sure he’s capable of relinquishing his hatred for Messala. He isn’t even sure he wants to. But as events unfold in Jerusalem, Judah finds himself surprised by the changes Jesus brings about—even within Judah himself.
Although Judah is a very angry man—and perhaps rightfully so—he still keeps that anger in check. He obeys the orders of Roman soldiers while he’s a slave to protect the other slaves from retribution. And while it would be easy for him to attack and kill Messala, he recognizes that act would have harmful repercussions for his people.
He makes similarly sacrificial choices throughout the film: Several times, he takes blame for the actions of others in order to protect his family and his people. A Roman consul is impressed by Judah’s restraint, and he eventually rewards Judah by adopting the Jew as his own son.
Some of Judah’s servants are actually slaves. However, he does not treat them as such. He regards them as family and even gives one woman her freedom as a wedding gift so that her new husband will not have to buy her freedom.
A man we later learn is Jesus gives water to Judah when he is a prisoner, putting himself at the mercy of the Roman soldiers escorting Judah. Later, Judah acts in kind, bringing water to Jesus when the Roman soldiers are leading him to the cross.
A woman keeps a secret for her friends, even though it pains her greatly to do so. She also takes food to those friends, who are outcast lepers, putting herself at risk of catching the disease.
Jesus’ birth and death are both depicted onscreen. Joseph and a pregnant Mary are sent by the Romans to Bethlehem to be counted and taxed. A bright star shines over the stable where Jesus has just been born, guiding the three wise men to His location. And we catch a glimpse of the wise men worshiping the newborn Christ.
About 26 years after Jesus’ birth, someone asks Joseph why Jesus isn’t helping more with Joseph’s carpentry business. But Joseph wisely repeats Jesus’ own words: Jesus is about His Father’s business.
Upon Judah’s return to Judea, Esther (Judah’s love interest and a former slave of his family) tells him about Jesus, the young rabbi who has been healing the sick and preaching to the masses. She tells him that Jesus says forgiveness and love are more powerful than hatred, encouraging Judah to listen and to abandon his own vengeful hatred.
Although Judah initially ignores Esther’s advice, she never gives up hope. She listens as Jesus preaches to a crowd on a hillside. And she resolves to share her newfound hope of everlasting life with Miriam and Tirzah (Judah’s mother and sister) before they die. She convinces Judah to help her bring the women, who are outcast as lepers, to Jesus to hear Him preach.
Unfortunately, they arrive too late. They learn Jesus has been arrested, and Judah witnesses events from Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23 and John 19: Pontius Pilate washes his hands of Jesus’ blood; Simon, the man from Cyrene, is forced to carry Jesus’ cross; Jesus is nailed to that cross, wearing a crown of thorns and a sign naming Him “King of the Jews” hanging above His head; and darkness falls over the land.
Esther laments that she was too late for Miriam and Tirzah to meet Jesus, but they tell her their hope has been restored. They believe He is the Messiah who was prophesied. And when Jesus dies, they are both miraculously healed of their leprosy for their faith.
Judah is similarly moved by Jesus. He follows the crowd, watching Jesus’ crucifixion. Balthasar, one of the three wise men who worshiped Jesus after He was born, tells Judah that Jesus is the Son of God and that He was born into this world to take their sins unto Himself.
When Judah returns home after Jesus’ death, he finally realizes that what he’s been praying for, prayers to kill Messala and overthrow the Romans, never brought him satisfaction because he was praying for the wrong things. He tells Esther, Miriam and Tirzah how Jesus prayed for His enemies upon His death, asking God to forgive those who were killing Him. In that moment, Judah says, “I felt His voice take the sword out of my hand.” And Judah finally lets go of his hatred and anger toward the Romans, embracing the salvation that Jesus brought.
Throughout the film, we hear a great deal about the faith of the Jewish people. Though they had been conquered by the Romans, they clung to their heritage, remembering the promise of the prophets that God would bring them a redeemer who would free them. Many take this as a promise of freedom from Roman rule, and they incite rebellion against the Romans. However, those who are impacted by Jesus Christ’s teachings (eventually including Judah, as well) realize that the promise refers to sin, hatred and evil, not the Romans.
When Messala takes military control of Judea, he’s warned by his predecessor that the Jews are “drunk with religion.” The tribune tells Messala that Jewish rebels have smashed statues of Roman gods—even statues of the Roman emperor, who is considered divine by the Roman people. He scoffs at a man named John who is “drowning” people in the desert (a clear references to John the Baptist). He’s also skeptical of the “carpenter’s son doing magic tricks.” However, he warns Messala that Jesus is different from other “rabble-rousers,” since Jesus preaches that God is near in every man—and that some of what He says is “quite profound.”
But it’s clear Messala has no interest in the teachings of Jesus. More than once, he professes the divinity of the emperor. He (and others) offers prayers to Roman gods. He refers to Joshua and David from the Bible as “myths.” Judah, who is a devout Jew, tells his friend that “Rome is an affront to God,” but he’s unable to persuade Messala.
Other Romans similarly scoff at the beliefs of the Jews. When Judah wins a chariot race, he’s told that the people will worship him like a god.
We see the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Judah’s family prays before a meal. Judah and other Jews reverently touch a mezuzah (a scroll inscribed with verses from the Torah) in his home’s doorway. Judah wears the Star of David during a race.
The film’s opening credits show Michelangelo’s famous painting, “The Creation of Adam,” which depicts male and female nudity.
Although Esther is promised to another man, she’s always secretly loved Judah. They share a kiss but accept that they cannot be together. However, after Judah’s arrest, Esther and her father are forced to go into hiding, and her betrothal is ended as a result. So when Judah returns to Jerusalem, they kiss again.
Roman slaves and prisoners aren’t given much to wear. Rowers, including Judah, are forced to wear loincloths. Jesus is also seen in a loincloth after his arrest. Performers from Africa wear swimsuit-like garments.
We see perhaps two dozen or so Roman soldiers wearing towels as they receive massages and servants rub oil into their skin in a sort of public bathhouse.
Messala says he has dreamed of commanding a garrison since he was a boy. His whole life has been that of a Roman soldier, conquering other nations. He tells Judah that he doesn’t desire violence; however, his whole purpose in Judea is to crush the Jewish rebellion. Judah realizes that if he gives up the leaders of the Jewish rebellion, Messala will mercilessly kill them. So when Judah refuses to help, Messala finds a way to have Judah arrested and tortured, eventually giving Judah what he believes is a death sentence (though Judah survives).
Elsewhere, Judah fights against Roman soldiers. One soldier is knocked off a staircase during this exchange. Others are choked, knocked unconscious and otherwise hit. Judah receives a bloody lip. He makes his way to Messala, threatening him with a spear. But Messala warns Judah that if he kills him, Judah’s mother and sister will be executed on crosses right before his eyes.
Roman prisoners are tied together and marched through the desert with no protection from the sun, burning and blistering their skin. They’re denied water until after the soldiers escorting them have had a drink first. (And Judah is denied any water at all.) Soldiers whip them for disobedience and minor infractions. One man’s wrists bleed where the ropes have cut into his skin. Some prisoners have no shoes and their feet are torn up from walking over sharp rocks. When one prisoner collapses, he’s untied from the others and left to die.
The prisoners become slave rowers on Roman ships in Tyrus. They are sent below deck, never allowed to see the light of day and forced to row for hours on end until they collapse from exhaustion or until their shifts end. Rowers are whipped when they disobey orders or when they row too slowly. Many have torn skin from the chains around their ankles. The Romans make it clear the rowers are only kept alive to serve the ships. So when they go into battle, the rowers are chained directly to the boat to prevent them from fleeing—though this also means that they will drown if the ship sinks.
During one such battle, Judah is left unchained, and he uses his limited freedom to choke a guard and steal his keys, giving the keys to the other rowers. The slaves unchain themselves, but a beam falls on one man, and several others lose limbs before their friends can drag them to safety.
The ships fire cannonballs, spears and arrows at one another. Boarding parties fight with spears and swords. And one ship purposely rams another, causing it to sink. Judah joins this battle, striking a man in the chest with a spear. He shoves a torch into the face of another. And when he sees his commanding officer go overboard, he jumps into the water to save the man.
Believing the battle to be lost, this officer tries to take his own life, but Judah stops him. (There is another reference to suicide, elsewhere.) Later, they learn the battle was won, though they did lose five ships.
A chariot race takes place in an arena where there are “no rules.” We’re told many people have died in that arena for that reason. Judah is encouraged to use it to his advantage against Messala, but he chooses to race honorably.
Messala, on the other hand, uses dirty tactics. He rides in a chariot with spikes on the wheels that allow him to damage the chariots of other racers. He uses his whip against Judah, too, but Judah manages to pull the weapon out of Messala’s hand, using it against Messala.
Nearly all the racers except Judah whip their horses while racing. A Roman guard standing on the sidelines is hit by a passing chariot when it gets too close. When chariots crash (and many do), their riders are often trampled. One man is dragged by his horses after his chariot is destroyed. And when he finally stops moving, his whole body is bleeding from abrasions on his skin. Later, doctors attempt to amputate both his legs, which were shattered, but he dies before they can do so.
Roman soldiers bearing swords, spears and shields are a common presence throughout the film. They arrest a family using much force. And we hear that soldiers tortured a man until he was paralyzed. Another victim of their cruelty has his tongue removed.
A roof tile accidentally falls from a house, striking a man on a horse as he passes. The horse bucks him off, and he’s seriously injured. But he survives.
Two men talk about hunting, throwing spears at a target to show their prowess with the weapon. Someone wears an animal skin as a hat. We hear Messala saved Judah from a hunting accident when they were children.
People with leprosy are banished from Jerusalem. When two lepers return to the city, people throw stones at them. Many lepers live together in a colony outside the city, where they often suffer until they die.
Judah grabs and shakes Esther on a couple of occasions.
We see Jesus and two criminals whipped, forced to carry their crosses and eventually nailed to those crosses.
None.
People drink wine and other alcoholic beverages at meals and celebrations.
The Romans, especially Messala, mistreat their prisoners. Messala has Judah, Miriam and Tirzah arrested and sentenced without trial, even though he knows they’re innocent. Miriam and Tirzah are locked in a remote cell of the prison where nobody, not even the guard, sees them for three years. And they develop leprosy as a result.
People lie and deceive. We see gambling and bribery. The Roman emperor is lazy and gets angry with a servant who places an object just out of reach.
Someone says that hate keeps a man alive and gives him strength. Pontius Pilate tries to excuse Rome’s actions against Judah’s family, telling him, “Where there is greatness, error is also great.”
People belch to show their appreciation for food, a cultural custom. The Romans discriminate against Jews and Arabs.
Ben-Hur, based on the book Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace, plays out like a biblical epic.
There’s no foul language, and the minimal sexual content is kept chaste. But like many stories we might read in the Bible, there’s a lot of violence here.
One man’s entire body is torn up after crashing during a chariot race. Both of his legs are shattered, and he finally dies from his wounds. Elsewhere, slaves on ships are forced to row until they collapse. During a battle, they’re chained to the ship so that they won’t flee. And they would have gone down with the ship if not for the timely actions of Judah. That said, many still suffer severed limbs. And finally, we witness the crucifixion of Christ, which, while depicted in a moving, symbolic way, doesn’t make it any easier to watch.
Given that intensity, I would say that Ben-Hur probably isn’t a great flick to watch with younger kiddos, despite being rated G. However, there are some powerful spiritual messages that older audiences can certainly take to heart here.
Ben-Hur isn’t based on a true story (apart from the events depicted from the Bible). But it does show how Jesus’ love and sacrifice can truly change a man.
Judah Ben-Hur was bent on revenge. He wanted to punish Messala for what the man did to him and to his family. He wanted to vanquish Rome for what it had done to his people. He was consumed by hatred and vengeance.
But then Judah saw Jesus upon the cross—a Man who, like Judah, had done nothing to deserve this punishment. But rather than let Himself be consumed by anger toward his enemies, Jesus prayed for them.
Judah was bewildered. But he finally understood: God didn’t want him to be angry, to be filled with hate or to seek vengeance. God wanted Judah to love his enemies and pray for those who would persecute him. He wanted Judah to have faith.
That’s a wonderful message, perhaps especially in this day and age when social media increasingly polarizes us. I would still caution families of youngsters about this film’s violent components. But the spiritual ones? Well, I don’t know many Oscar-winning films (Ben-Hur won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture) that deliver such a powerful message of atonement.
Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.
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