With a stroke of programming luck on the part of ABC and the workings of divine providence, the U.S. audience will have the opportunity to see a unique version of the passion and death of Jesus soon after Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" has opened in theaters everywhere.

"Judas," premiering on ABC March 8 (9 p.m. PST; check local listings) is a psychological drama that explores Jesus' life and death from the perspective of Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed him.

The appearance of these two films in the 2004 Lenten season offers film and television viewers an exceptional opportunity to explore the Gospels in depth. I have seen both the made-for-television "Judas" and Gibson's feature-length "Passion"; the two productions are complimentary.

"The Passion of the Christ" focuses on the last 12 hours of Jesus' life, drawn largely from the Gospel narratives. "Judas" is much broader in scope, presenting an historical and religious context for the Jesus story from the perspective of the Gospel character that was the catalyst to the Good Friday event. Both productions are radically defined by Good Friday.

Both films depict the suffering and death of Jesus. But I prefer the small-screen version of the Passion because it respects the audience's ability to understand the passion and death of Jesus on an emotional level without the intense and relentless visual brutality that permeates the Gibson film.

"Judas" is a film 12 years in the making. When Paulist Father Ellwood "Bud" Kieser pitched the story to ABC (with the backing of Paramount), the script treatment was called Jesus And Company. It told the Jesus story from the perspectives of each apostle. ABC thought it too complex, and the collaborative team settled on looking at Jesus from Judas' perspective --- the most conflicted apostle and therefore the one who could provide the best material for a drama.

"Judas," scripted by veteran television writer Tom Fontana, is ideally suited to teenagers, though the audience that typically watches television movies is 18- to 35-year-old females, says Paulist Father Frank Desiderio, executive producer and president of Paulist Productions. The dialogue is contemporary and fits the film's psychological examination that asks what motivated the act of betrayal by Judas.

Johnathon Schaech plays Judas with an innate sense of his inner conflict. "'Judas' represents this generation's need to question God a little bit more," Schaech says. "The film helps you see that there is a need to be clear on who God is and the role God plays in our life." Canadian actor Jonathan Scarfe portrays Jesus as a man of joy who demonstrates kindness even to the man he knows will betray him.

Director Charles Robert Carner has thoughtfully chosen symbols for the film that relate to the characters and to the hostile political religious and social reality of the times he depicts. The first symbol that appears in the film is the scorpion which carries a poisonous stinger at the tip of its tail. The scorpion, an instrument of suffering, is also something that incites others to action --- an agitator. Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, has come to be associated with all of these descriptions. The scorpion is a harbinger of the darkness to come.

A second important symbol in the film is the medallion that Judas' father gave to his son as he was dying. Judas wears the medallion around his neck. The medallion symbolizes the father and son's dedication to God. When Judas feels that he has failed both his father and Jesus, he tears it from his neck and throws it away.

The father-son relationship theme frames the story's structure and its theological premise. The relationship between Judas and Jesus does not develop into a strong bond because their worldviews; the decisions they make and their actions are shaped in part by the influence of their respective fathers.

Jesus understands Judas' reality, but Judas cannot see beyond the narrow confines of his experience. Jesus performs miracles to help people, using his special powers to prove God's love. In contrast, Judas wants miracles for the purpose of gaining power. Jesus responds to the call of love; Judas agitates to overthrow the Roman occupation.

Viewers will note that Jesus is blond and Judas dark. The filmmakers say the choice was about talent and not about looks, but at first glance it seems to be a fallback to a stereotypical juxtaposition of good vs. evil. However, I think that as the story moves on to its inevitable finale, Judas will be seen not so much as a man with a dark, evil heart but rather a troubled man who makes extreme choices he immediately regrets. His faith was not mature or strong enough to remember Jesus' words in the film, "It is never too late." Nor does Judas wait for the Resurrection.

"There's spirituality in Judas," attests Schaech. "He believed in God, he was a religious man, but his political ideals did not mesh with his own beliefs. Judas also thought that he and Jesus had the same agenda. Both wanted to be free from the Roman occupation, but Jesus came from a place where love could transform reality, and that's what Judas had to learn."