Countless films have attempted to document the life and teachings of the Christ. But no filmmaker has been brave enough to approach what is perhaps the most important aspect of Jesus's life: the no-holds-barred three-day beating he received. Until now.

"In making The Thrashing of the Christ," says director Mel Gibson, "I wanted to tell the story of Jesus in a way that would be most relevant to a contemporary viewer." First on the cutting room floor: Christ's teachings. "A lot of people teach now," Gibson explains, "so the novelty isn't there like it would have been in Christ's time."

For The Thrashing of the Christ: Extended Edition, Gibson hoped to clarify even further the allure Jesus has to people today. More than his morality or his teachings, he realized, what modern Christians respond to about Jesus is his endurance. The Extended Edition focuses on Christ's stamina, doubling the number of scenes depicting the son of God's almost Christ-like ability to absorb body blows and flesh wounds. "Today's Christians are able to truly appreciate the crippling punishment dealt upon the Christ like no generations before them," says biblical scholar Roland Nausbaum. "It's absolutely horrifying."

According to producer Bruce Davey, "if all the blood used in the Extended Edition was actually real, Jews would have had to kill the messiah over 3000 times."

"If people thought The Thrashing of the Christ was powerful, they're going to be floored by the Extended Edition," adds Gibson. "We added over two hours of footage of bone-breaking, flesh-ripping action. You don't even know what's going to happen to Christ next. It's fucking awesome."

The Passion of Christ: Extended Edition features over 200 minutes of deleted scenes that were considered too extreme for the theatrical release, including new footage of Roman soldiers nailing Christ's hands and feet to the cross, then nailing Christ's thighs, shoulders and hair to further secure him to it.

One controversial scene has the Three Wise Men of the New Testament returning in Christ's final days to get payback. Test audiences found scenes of the Three Wise getting Jesus in one Full Nelson after another to administer an onslaught of body shots "offensive" and "sort of ridiculous." These scenes were deleted from the theatrical release, but resurface now on the Extended Edition for discerning Christians willing to receive the deep theological messages contained within them.

"Twelve Mexican stuntment were killed during the filming of this extended footage," says producer Bruce Davey, "thanks to Mel Gibson coming in under the proposed budget of 18. That's a dedication you don't often see today."