Watch The Chosen
There’s a TV series I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, and I think you should watch it. It’s called The Chosen, and it’s available to watch on YouTube for free.
Spoiler alert: since The Chosen’s plot is based on part of the world’s best-selling and most widely distributed book, the Bible - specifically, the life of Jesus, I will discuss the show’s plot relatively freely. You have been warned!
For those who’ve never read one of the four biographies of Jesus in the Bible, the first season of The Chosen brings some of the earliest stories to life in a compelling fashion. The show is fun and engaging to watch - it’s a drama, not a documentary, and you get sucked into the main characters’ stories as they develop over the season. The heart of the Christian faith is that Jesus transforms lives, and the show is full of such dramatic, emotional encounters from broken people - lost, empty, helpless and searching. While the show is great in its own right (it has a 99% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes), I do hope that you’ll ponder that the Bible (and the show’s creator) assert these are not stories of fiction and entertainment, but of reality.
“I don’t understand it myself, but here is what I can tell you. I was one way, and now I am completely different, and the thing that happened in between was Him. So yes, I will know him for the rest of my life.” - Mary Magdalene
For those more familiar with the gospel accounts (and Biblical fidelity), it’s worth acknowledging that the show does tastefully take creative liberties in its storytelling (they did push it uncomfortably far for Peter’s backstory, though I was rewarded for my patience at the end of episode 4).
Good storytelling requires little details to captivate imaginations and immerse viewers into its world. Even in churches, this is true for children’s ministry (or at least, my ministry), because even narrative portions of the Bible generally lack detail, and present stories as cold, distant facts - easily forgotten, and hard to relate to. The Chosen uses what Quiz Worx might describe as ‘sanctified imagination’.
Many characters on The Chosen have fleshed out stories based on details in scripture:
- Mary Magdalene, whom Jesus drove out seven demons from travels with the disciples as mentioned in Luke 8:2 - the presence of women in Jesus’ ministry caught me by surprise.
- Peter’s wife, whom I did not realise even existed until his mother-in-law was healed in one of the episodes as recorded in Luke 8:38-39. Eden’s character reveals the cost of following Jesus even for those who aren’t directly in ministry, as she makes sacrifices to support Peter’s calling.
- Nicodemus, as a genuine seeker of answers and follower of Jesus in John 19:38-42 delivers my favourite scene from John 3, which I’ve included below. It ends with a reference to Psalm 2:11-12, which I had to look up online. There’s also a brief cut to John listening in and taking notes for his gospel account. I thought both were great touches.
Importantly, the characters dialogue as humans. It’s incredible to see Jesus being playful with children, making jokes with his disciples, laughing as Peter’s boat nearly capsizes with his catch of fish, being a carpenter, praying Jewish prayers and even sleeping. It draws me to marvel and wonder at his humanity, and divinity. He’s so likeable! You become so engrossed in the story it’s easy to see how it would have come as a shock that Jesus plans to die.
Many other details have been fleshed out based on things I’ve heard in sermons, study Bibles and commentaries:
- The theme of Roman oppression, Israelites seeking deliverance from taxation from a saviour creates a fair amount of pressure for Peter. When even the Pharisees are powerless in the presence of Romans, it reminds me of Egyption oppression from the book of Exodus. There is anticipation for the Messiah to come, even though there’s debate as to whether he will be a spiritual or political saviour.
- The secretive nature of Jesus’ miracles in his early ministry is quite well depicted and explained, given the threat the Romans presented, and his growing popularity.
- Tax collectors are really hated and really well off, setting up the backstory for Matthew.
- Children know their Old Testament, or at least the shema quite well! Really cool to see a shabbat dinner too.
The show also makes great use of flashbacks to give Old Testament context, like the story behind Jacob’s Well, and the bronze snake from Numbers 21:3-7, which serve to further enrich the New Testament story.
It’s a thrill to see stories from the gospels come to life through these details (primarily end of episode 4 onwards). They are the stories Christians are already familiar with, but told from an entirely new perspective. It’s encouraged me to go back to the Bible, and see for myself what is there, and what was added, and to put myself in the various characters’ shoes as they encountered Christ.
I love this show. The name says it all - people invited and chosen by Jesus to follow him and live transformed lives. There’s no theological arguments about predestination. It depicts personal encounters - not abstract or distant - but people recognising their spiritual poverty and being united with Christ.
If you know me personally, and do watch it, I’d love to know what you think! There’s another 6 seasons in the works to capture the rest of Jesus’ life.