Big budget Bible shows have been around. Roma Downey and Mark Burnett did The Bible Series which covered Genesis to The Gospels, then a sequel series called A.D. The Bible Continues covered The Book of Acts. The Chosen retreads The Gospels but in more depth with Seven Seasons planned, three completed, one being filmed now (Season 4). I like most brothers and sisters in Christ binged the first two seasons on streaming services, and awaited the anticipated third season that was exclusively on Dove (is now on Amazon Prime Video free to stream for Prime members) and in select theater showings. With every adaptation of Jesus and The Bible I am cautiously optimistic while being an apologist and fide defensor (defender of the faith) examining the adaptation for flaws and errors. I shall do this with The Chosen.
In the first seasons we are introduced to Jesus as a Carpenter who reveals himself first to children, perhaps a allusion to Christ’s teaching, “And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven..” (Matthew 18:3). However, the scenes with Jesus befriending and teaching children before He calls His apostles is not scriptural and is artistic license in storytelling.
We are additionally introduced to the disciples, particularly Simon Peter and his wife Eden, Peter did have a wife, “Don’t we have the right to bring a believing wife with us as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter does?” (1 Corinthians 9:5), and Matthew (Levi) a tax collector who exhibits ADHD and Autistic tendencies, this is never alluded to in The Gospel According to Matthew or any Scriptures, it is looking at the past with the lens of neurodiversity which has become popular in film and shows. It is unquestionable that the cast is stellar, each bringing out dinstict and lovable personalities, Jesus who is played by Jonathan Roumie, radiates compassion and love while also truth and justice, he is more balanced than say Diego Morganda’s Jesus who was mostly The Lamb, and hard to believe as The Lion of Judah. Sahar Isaac is the best Peter I’ve seen in film, his plight and interactions with the Romans and his zealous and bipolar swings make him relatable. Amber Shana Williams as Tamar, an Ethiopian woman who knows Egyptian, the fact Jesus speaks to her in Egyptian at their first meeting is a neat homage to Jesus spent his youth in Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15, Matthew 2:19-21) and so would have spoken it.
My biggest qualm was with Season 2 in that Matthew helps Jesus write the Sermon on the Mount. Scripture never indicates Christ needed help making sermons, for Jesus said, “I do all I see my Father doing,” (John 5:19) and Jesus is God Incarnate and Son of God, All things were made through Him (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16-18) and “all storehouses of knowledge and wisdom is in Jesus,” (Colossians 2:2-3), He has not need for Matthew’s help to compose a sermon! So this bothered me, I could only see it working for the series if Jesus wants to help Matthew build in confidence in writing which leads to him writing his gospel account, which may be the case in later seasons. But still it implies Jesus needs help teaching, which is absurd! Even Jesus said, “for One is your Teacher, the Christ.” (Matthew 23:10).
Season 3 picks up with The Sermon On The Mount and how it is effecting everyone. From there we get some great moments, one is the Woman with twelve years of blood discharge that no doctor could heal and she touches Jesus robe (Luke 8:43-48). Her plight moved me, being mistreated by Jews and their legalistic interpretations of the Law when her discharge is simply a malady not a sin! In fact this season highlights the xenophobia of the Jews, how Simon Peter who is friends with a Roman and in fixing a cistern they touch in a bro hug and Peter freaks out because Jews can’t touch Gentiles. This xenophobia comes to a head at The Decapolis, when Jesus sends the Disciples two by two (Mark 6:6-12) to a group of Jews and Gentiles preaching Jesus’ words, it causes chaos and Jesus has to go visit and explain, leading to the feeding of 5,000 with miraculously multiplying fish and loaves of bread (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6: 31-44, Luke 9:12-17, John 6:1-14).
We begin to see Jesus is tearing down the walls between Jews and Gentiles which will lead to all people, Jew and Gentile being One in Him, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Christ even talks to his disciples in private about this new Way is a new wine which will not work in old wine skins (Luke 5:37-39) which he clarifies will not work in old frameworks, alluding to He will destroy the law, “For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes,” (Romans 10:4), “In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away,” (Hebrews 8:13), and that He is making all things new, “And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new…” (Revelation 21:5). I loved this! That you see Jesus is a revolutionary, amending the Law by saying “you say,” “but I say.” For Jesus is The Lord and can change the Law just as He did about food, “Food doesn’t go into your heart, but only passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer.” (By saying this, he declared that every kind of food is acceptable in God’s eyes)” (Mark 7:19), hating enemies, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven,” (Matthew 5:43-45) and how really the Jews hold to traditions they made not what God desires, “Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’
For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”
Then he said, “You skillfully sidestep God’s law in order to hold on to your own tradition. For instance, Moses gave you this law from God: ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.’ But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can’t help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.’ In this way, you let them disregard their needy parents. And so you cancel the word of God in order to hand down your own tradition.” (Mark 7:6-13).
Once Jesus solves the Decapolis debacle, he goes away to pray. Peter is resentful and angry at Jesus, he feels Christ heals and helps strangers, but doesn’t save his wife Eden from a miscarriage, although Peter fails to ask Jesus to do a miracle, I mean Peter sees Jesus raise Jairus’ daughter from the dead, but never thinks to ask Jesus to do something for Eden, “you have not because you ask not.” (James 4:2-3). While Peter and the disciples are on the boat, a storm comes and Jesus is walking on the water which at last is the visual of the brilliant theme song in the opening credits “Walk On The Water” (feat. Ruby Amanful). Peter goes out on water fussing at Jesus, which again is not in Scripture, these additions bothered me as a scriptural purist and on a word for word level, though I admit Peter asking Jesus why he helps others but lets Peter and his wife and disciples suffer is a powerful scene, and that Jesus responds by saying “I let you go through trials to strengthen
your faith.” What you realize is Jesus may heal others and make their lives easier, but the ones he intends to lead in the church and do big things have to be tempered since they are teachers, and teachers receiving a harsher judgement, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (James 3:1). The reason is teachers and leaders can mislead people like The Roman Catholic Church leaders who lead people to hell with a false gospel of getting to heaven with works (Galatians 1:8-9).
Season 3 has a lot of content from the gospels, it even introduces Pontius Pilate and his Wife Claudia. Pilate says he loves The Backwater part of the Empire, that he doesn’t want to be well known in history or rise to prominence in Rome, ironic words since He will oversee the Trial of Jesus Christ and condemn Him to death (John Chapter 19) leading to him being the most famous Prefect and Governor in Roman History, and Human History. The side stories of Tamar and Mary Magdalene are intriguing, that Tamar being a Gentile who has seen the world feels free to say what she thinks and act on ideas, while Mary being raised in the Jewish world has false shame and a strong humility where she fears to share her thoughts or act on ideas. The two balance each other, Tamar encouraging Mary to be bolder and Mary encouraging Tamar to be humble. This interaction and relationship is how the church should be, “we are many parts but one body” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). We can rub off our virtues and what may help people in areas they need growth.
Jesus in the Nazareth Synagogue reads the scroll from Isaiah and declare He is The One, The Lord, which was well done, including the scene when they try to throw him off the mountain edge of Nazareth. The series made my cry when Jesus heals friends and strangers, Jonathan Roumie radiates God is Love (1 John 4:16) on Screen. The apostles all a very distinct and shine, as do the women that follow Jesus like Mary Magdalene, Tamar, Joanna, and the Women of Galilee who supported Jesus ministry, “After this, Jesus traveled from one city and village to another. He spread the Good News about God’s kingdom. The twelve apostles were with him. Also, some women were with him. They had been cured from evil spirits and various illnesses. These women were Mary, also called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out; Joanna, whose husband Chusa was Herod’s administrator; Susanna; and many other women. They provided financial support for Jesus and his disciples,” (Luke 8:1-3) and many of who were at the cross, “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene,” (John 19:25), and “It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened.” (Luke 24:10).
The Chosen has become phenomenon for a reason. It is a powerful adaptation that dips deep into Anon Domini, into the Gospel period. In fact, despite the Actor’s Strike in Hollywood, The Chosen had been given a waiver to keep filming Season 4, which will release in 2024 (). So it seems The Chosen is favored of the Lord even in Hollywood. That said, while I do recommend the series, I must say it is a paraphrase and takes creative license a lot; adding to Scripture information that either is not mentioned or it contradicts Scripture. The Chosen is not following The Scriptures closely at times, for instance Jesus is always disappearing and his disciples have no idea where He is, this frustrates me because Jesus tells His Disciples in the Scriptural accounts where to meet Him when He separates from them (Matthew 14:22-23, Mark 14:27-28, Mark 16:7) and otherwise the apostles are with Him not taking breaks and doing their pre call work of fishing and etc like this show erroneously adds. The disciples were with Jesus till His Crucifixion when they scattered (Mark 14:50). I also found changes like Zebedee, a fisherman and father of the apostles John and James switching from fishing to an oil salesman an odd non-scriptural change; Scripture never says he went into the olive business, it only says He was a fisherman (Matthew 4:20-22). That said, Christ is being preached in this Chosen series, and to quote Jesus and Paul, “John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us,” (Mark 9:38-40), and “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.” (Philippians 1:18). So while I have issues with additions to Scripture, I do see the power this series has to reach the unsaved and help believers in their faith be strengthened. So for now I recommend it as a paraphrase and adaptation, but make sure you & your children know The Scriptures, lest you both think the additions and changes like Zebedee the olive oil maker are really in The Bible when they are not. Amen.
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