Filmed on location in Egypt and in Palestine,[1] it tells the story of Jesus's life, interspersed with verses from The Bible.

[2] Herbert Reynolds has shown[3] how Olcott used James Tissot's illustrations for his The Life of our Saviour Jesus Christ (1896-1897)[4] as the basis for numerous shots in the film.

[3] According to Turner Classic Movies, the film cost $35,000 to produce (roughly between $799,897[5] and $1.11 million[6] adjusted to 2023 dollars); another source[7] says that Olcott spent $100,000 of his own money on the project.

[7] A statement by Israel Zangwill (founder of the Jewish Territorialist Organization) hailing it as "An artistic triumph — the kinema put to its true end" appeared on advertising bills outside the Queen's Hall.

[7] Although the clergy were invited and found little to be affronted by, the controversy resulted in the voluntary creation of the British Board of Film Censors, which began operating on 1 January 1913.