"It goes on. It goes on, Judah. The race, the race is not over."

This I believe is the central moment in this film.  It is when the plot shifts from being a simple story to a much more complex one.  The simple story is of Judah Ben-Hur, Jewish prince sentenced to be a slave and redeemed by the Romans to return to avenge his unjust sentence.  This moment, the dying words of his mortal enemy once friend, Messala, should be the end of his quest for vengeance.  In most simple films it would be.  However the main purpose of Ben-Hur is to tell the Christian story.  How the coming of Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah can release us from hate and restore us to life.  It is not the revenge of Judah on Messala that restores his family to the positions they were in before the crisis.  Through some twist of fate, Judah's mother, Miriam, and sister, Tirzah, have been infected with leprosy.  Judah continues to hate Rome after he has killed Messala.  He remains broken with his family suffering.  His revenge has changed nothing.  We realize that hate has overtaken all aspects of reason with Judah.  Esther, the woman who loves him, says,

"It was Judah Ben-Hur I loved. What has become of him? You seem to be now the very thing you set out to destroy, giving evil for evil. Hatred is turning you to stone. It's as though you had become Messala! I've lost you Judah."

Esther in the meantime has become a believer in Jesus.  She wants to take Miriam and Tirzah to see Jesus.  To hear the words that he has for those who are sick, dying and underprivileged.  Judah is numb with the experiences but concedes to her wishes and takes his mother and sister back into the city.  By this time it is too late, Jesus is being sentenced to be crucified.  In a moment of change for Judah, Judah realizes that this Jesus was one who had saved his life a long time ago by giving him water when no one else would.  In a powerful moment Judah changes places and gives water to Jesus.  Judah then follows Jesus to his execution. 

Meanwhile, Esther realizes that Miriam and Tirzah have been healed of their disease.  They return to Judah's house.  Judah also returns home after Jesus' death, now realizing the purpose of his life and that he was their Messiah. 

"Almost at the moment he died, I heard him say it, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.'...Even then. And I felt His voice take the sword out of my hand."

This final quote by Judah is the conclusion of the film.  He then realizes that his family has been restored to him not because of what he did, but because of the grace of Jesus. 

This epic 1959 film won 11 academy awards, only equaled by James Cameron's Titanic.  Unlike Cameron's film that was supported primarily by exceptional visual effects, Ben-Hur couples visual spectacle with deep insight into the Christian story and the human soul.  Charlton Heston who portrays Judah won Best Actor.  Ben-Hur was directed by Hollywood master William Wyler and was the most expensive film of its time.