16 year old Keisha Castle-Hughes created a minor scandal during the making of this movie when it was revealed that she was pregnant with her boyfriend's child. This meant that while she was portraying history's most famous teenage mother, she herself was actually becoming a teenage mother.
The cast were taught how to use certain tools used 2000 years ago as well as how to build homes, how to press olives and grapes, how to make bread, how to make cheese, and how to milk goats.
The old shepherd's mustache is yellowed by nicotine, a sign of habitual smoking. While cannabis and hookah pipes were familiar to the Middle East as early as 2000 BC, tobacco wasn't introduced to the old world until the late 16th century.
In the beginning when the King's son is saying the prophecy will end tonight the son is on the right. A year later in the movie when that scene was being played again he was on the King's left.
King Herod steps out on rampart in Jerusalem during one scene and a large expanse of the city can be seen (as matte painting) in background. During another scene, he steps out on same location and city background is missing (sky background instead).
Joseph: "And you shall call his name Jesus, for it is he who will save his people from their sins." I know. Mary, God showed me. An angel came to me in my dream.