In Ben-Hur (2016), trials comes in innocent packages when an incident appears to challenge the power of Rome.

As a consequence, Messala (Toby Kebbell) accuses Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) of sedition and he is sent to the gallows.

Messala is Judah’s adopted brother. Of course, betrayal upsets Judah’s brotherly affection for Mesalla and it shatters Judah’s dream of unity between Rome and the people.

Unjustly sent away, Judah sees that Rome is intent on keeping control, probably disillusioned. His sentence to the gallows is handed down by the brother he loved and by the Romans he believed would one day come around to true peace.

Judah had hoped for the Romans and Jews to unite.

Hope for unity was borne out on in Judah’s family. He and his adopted brother Messala, a Roman, had gotten along. Their bond had been kind and affectionate.

One day, Messala heads off with the Roman army to come out of the shadow of his wealthy and religious Jewish family and find his own success. One day, at seeing a challenge to Rome, which is not what it seems, Messala accuses his brother of sedition.

Judah is about love to his core and now faces the test to that love. Judah is hurt which really hurts and brings negative feelings to the surface. His “buttons” are pressed. His feelings must be confronted before he caves in to the pressure.

Will he still love? Will his love extend to his enemy or will he fight back?

Which way will he choose? What or who will give him the courage to choose? Through these choices, his belief in love is tested. That is Judah’s challenge.

These are the tests that nobody wants. They shatter comfort zones.  They challenge mind sets and beliefs. The test may cause Judah to readjust long-held positions and come around to a new point of view, perhaps a better, more conducive one.

Notes:

Warnings—contains violence

The late film director John Huston (who died in 1987) is grandfather of actor Jack Huston who played Judah Ben-Hur. Jack was under five when his grandfather died.

Ben-Hur was released to DVD in North America on December 13, 2016