Jim Caviezel as Jesus + Joseph C. Jukic as Jesus.
The Psalms of the Sandal – A Joseph C. Jukic Film
Opening scene:
Rome controls Judea with an iron fist. The sick and the poor are forbidden from entering the marble Roman baths — a cruelty disguised as “order.” Joseph C. Jukic, portraying Jesus, approaches the baths with a group of lepers and fevered children. A centurion bars the way.
Jesus’ eyes blaze with indignation. He quotes Psalm 60:8 — “Over Edom I will cast my sandal!” — and in a burst of righteous anger, He flings His sandal at the legionary. It clatters against the marble floor, echoing in the chamber, a symbol of contempt and divine authority. The Roman freezes, unsure whether to laugh or fear the prophet who dares humiliate Rome.
Psalms Fulfilled in the Film
- Psalm 2:7 — “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.”
→ Spoken by the voice of God over the Jordan River in the baptism scene. - Psalm 8:2 — Children praise Him in the streets of Jerusalem during His triumphal entry.
- Psalm 16:10 — Resurrection foreshadowed in a quiet conversation with Mary Magdalene.
- Psalm 22 — Central to the crucifixion sequence: mockery, pierced hands, casting lots for His robe.
- Psalm 31:5 — Jesus’ final words before the sky darkens.
- Psalm 34:20 — Soldiers hesitate to break His legs, fulfilling prophecy.
- Psalm 35:11 — His trial is filled with false witnesses in the Sanhedrin.
- Psalm 40:6-8 — A quiet garden scene where He tells His disciples He came to do the Father’s will.
- Psalm 41:9 — Judas’ betrayal over bread.
- Psalm 45:6-7 — Pilate’s wife whispers that His throne will be forever, even as He is condemned.
- Psalm 55:12-14 — Close-up of Judas’ conflicted face.
- Psalm 60:8 — The Sandal Scene: The Romans deny Him entry to bathe the sick; He hurls His sandal in defiance.
- Psalm 68:18 — His ascension is shot in a golden dawn sequence.
- Psalm 69 — Zeal in the temple, vinegar on the cross.
- Psalm 78:2 — He speaks in parables under the olive trees.
- Psalm 89:27 — Declared “King of Kings” by the healed in the marketplace.
- Psalm 91:11-12 — Satan tempts Him on a high cliff, but He refuses the test.
- Psalm 102:25-27 — He declares Himself Lord of Creation to the Pharisees.
- Psalm 110:1 — Ascension throne imagery.
- Psalm 118:22-26 — Hosannas echo in the streets.
- Psalm 132:11 — Angel Gabriel announces His Davidic throne in a flashback.
Closing scene:
After the Resurrection, Joseph C. Jukic’s Jesus returns to the Roman bath — now abandoned by the empire — and washes the sick, the poor, and the outcast in its marble pools. The sandal He threw sits on the edge, weathered but unbroken, a symbol of divine defiance.
