In the classic movie Ben-hur, Judah Ben-hur and his childhood friend Messala come to face to face in a battle about good/evil, right/wrong, judiasm/christianity. This essay details these themes.

"Ben-Hur" is the story of Judah Ben-Hur and his boyhood friend Messala, who betrayed Judah's trust and loyalty, and their dramatic battle to see who is the better man.
The story begins with Messala and Judah reuniting after a long time. After talking, Messala asked Judah to help him obtain power, but since this involved killing his own people Judah declined the offer. This was the turning point that transformed them from childhood friends into enemies. The rest of the story revolves around this single transformation. If Judah had agreed to his request, Messala never would have sentenced…