Sunn Classic Pictures would rent theaters for a two-week period but the initial promos would claim the film would run for "One Week Only." On the 7th day the promos would claim that it was the "Final Day." The next day the television spots and print ads would claim that the film was "Held Over."
Unlike many other movies, the crucifixion of Jesus depicted here shows the nails being driven through his wrists rather than his palms. This may also be the only Jesus movie in which his whipping is shown in a sequence which follows by some minutes a sequence showing his crucifixion.
This religious documentary was produced by Sunn Classic Pictures in the hopes of duplicating the success they had with "In Search of Noah's Ark" (1976). It would be their final religious documentary and the company would be acquired by Taft Broadcasting the following year.
Like earlier Sunn Classic productions, this was distributed using the "four wall" technique. The company would rent certain theaters within a territory (to collect the entire boxoffice gross) and then spend enormous sums on saturation advertising, especially television spots. Despite negative critical reviews, audiences would flock to these theaters to find increased ticket prices.