By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. An adaptation like The Chosen isn't meant to replace the Bible; it's meant to drive us deeper into the Bible and spiritual reflection. To recap: in, One other thing - the show could have allowed some of the disciples (like John) to go a bit further in being judgmental toward after her return. Dallas Jenkins (Director) is not Catholic, but - in my mind - makes the best Christian films I have seen anywhere. (the Lord), Who is it that says these words in the show? Catholic Christianity offers the world the fullness of the Christian Faith. PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM, Mary Magdalene, Lilith, & the Redeemer (Exploring The Chosen with Youth), Elizabeth Tabish as Lilith/Mary Magdalene in The Chosen, Over the past year, we've been exploring how The Chosen adapts biblical characters like, You may want to warn students beforehand that this episode contains some demonic activity. Did anyone notice what it was that made her recognize him? Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (, As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). The last passage is an optional bonus for youth that like digging deeper. I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. This passage is one of the few appearances of Mary Magdalene in the Gospels. What's disappointing is that it doesn't delve too far into the implications of this. It is an excellent form of Lectio Divina. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. The Chosen does the "misunderstood reject rather than sinner" quite a bit in Season 1, but I think it's a sensible direction for Mary's character. Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. After Jesus heals her evil spirit, she resumes calling herself "Mary," her birth name, and refuses to answer to the name associated with her spiritual oppression. She becomes too perfect and seems to have no ongoing struggles in her faith like Peter or Andrew. Thank you! For more details, check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, Demons, and Evil Spirits. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. Moreover, her biblical significance has been amplified even more by the attention that she's received from the interpretative and artistic traditions of the West. An adaptation like The Chosen isn't meant to replace the Bible; it's meant to drive us deeper into the Bible and spiritual reflection. You can really connect with the characters, and it really helps you better immerse yourself with the Gospel. Just before Luke introduces us to Mary Magdalene, he tells a story about a prostitute that Jesus forgives (, Since I criticized Season 1 of The Chosen for making Mary too perfect, it's only fair that I acknowledge how Season 2 seeks to rectify that issue. These experiences cause Mary to flee back to her old life, drinking and gambling. Your contributions mean so much. For Mary's actual fall, it felt like the show was trying too hard to keep her character PG. The creators of The Chosen have published interactive Bible Studies that are meant to explore some of the Scripture and biblical themes that inspired Season 1 and help viewers apply them to everyday life. As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. After sharing that information, you can ask: What stuck out to you about Mary Magdalene's depiction in The Chosen? Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. I hope you enjoy them! I love this series. It's a great comfort in the midst of the pandemic and other turmoil. She is clearly sleeping with a man out of wedlock when the episode begins and they are sleeping together in "the Red Quarter" - a sleazy part of town. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. And just like one day the risen Jesus will reveal himself to Mary and free her from grief and fear by calling her name, Jesus first reveals himself to "Lilith" and frees her from her grief and fear and demons by calling her by her true name, Mary. The creators make changes in order to adapt the biblical stories to TV. The Chosen seems to be hinting that Mary is a prostitute (e.g. Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. Have you seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone's life in a big way? The important role that Mary Magdalene plays in The Chosen is not nearly as surprising as that of Nicodemus. Just like one day Mary Magdalene will be caught up in despair because she can't find Jesus' body, she's caught up in despair at her own situation. He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. One day (hopefully) we viewers will get our first glimpse of the resurrected Jesus as we follow Mary to the empty tomb. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (, As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. This is not a theologian or an apologist. Although we'll have to wait in order to understand fully what the show wants us to conclude, this could be a subtle and effective way to show how Jesus' ability to heal and save is ultimately grounded in his willingness to die and rise again. I would have introduced her PTSD much earlier in the season, giving her more space to try to struggle with it on her own before eventually falling back into her old life. Your contributions mean so much. The specific demon is not named in Scripture. The ancient name Lilith derives from a Sumerian word for female demons or wind spirits. Although there's nothing in the Gospels that suggests that these two figures should be linked together, Mary mistakenly became identified with the forgiven prostitute in the interpretative tradition of the Western Church. Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Jesus. She was a witness of Jesus' crucifixion and burial (Mark 15:40-47) and also the first person to discover the empty tomb, witness the resurrected Jesus, and share the good news with the disciples (John 20:1-18). Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? (he calls her by name at the end when he heals her). And to be fair, there isnt a whole lot of backstory for any of the disciples in the Bible, so its not a surprise the writers filled in the blanks with some artistic license. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Why do you think they were removed? As a result, adaptations of the Gospels from previous generations place a greater emphasis on how Jesus calls Mary to repent and brings about her moral transformation. I can appreciate what theyre trying to do with the show: Theyre taking their time to build your relationship with the characters and to delve into some of the backstory so that everyone becomes a three-dimensional person, not just a mumbling zombie foil for Jesus. every time a new character showed up. What do you think Mary's life was like before Jesus showed up? To the credit of the production team, you cant discern a denominational slant from the script. I take comments made by The Chosen Twitter account with a grain of salt, especially since they are most likely made by digital marketers and not the actual creators of The Chosen. Many Christians still memorize this passage to remind them of how God is always with us, even in the most difficult trials. The first passage is regarding Mary Magdalene (Lilith): In case you didn't catch it, at the end of The Chosen episode 1 we discover that the character called Lilith for most of the episode is actually named Mary Magdalene. Do you believe Jesus knows you by name? In The Chosen, we see a brief flashback during Season 1, Episode 1 that strongly implies that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. It's odd? Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (Luke 8:1-3) and a story about a prostitute (Luke 7:36-50). In the modern vernacular, a "red light district" is a term that refers to an area of the city known for prostitution, strip clubs, and other immoral establishments. You can find episode one, The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. In the passage, who is it that says, "I have called you by name"? I agree with the Twitter post that the show clearly depicts Mary as a victim of rape/sexual assault, but prostitutes often are victims of rape and sexual assault. (Jesus), What about Jesus' identity does this hint at? [Spoilers] Did anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale? We need to remember the perspective is of east and west are different East is how it performs, what it does its function West they would describe what it is or made of. (Plots & Theme), Episode 2 Guide: Philip, Nathanael, & Matthew, Episode 3 Guide: Life Among the Disciples of Jesus, Episode 4 Guide: Simon the Zealot & the Man at the Bethesda Pool, Episode 5 Guide: Mary's Demons & the Destiny of John the Baptist, Episode 8 Guide: Judas, Matthew, & the Sermon on the Mount, Episode 1 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Lilith, and the Redeemer, Episode 2 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, and Shabbat, Episode 3 Guide: Depicting Jesus in Art, Film, and TV, Episode 4 Guide: When Jesus Met Simon (Peter), Episode 6 Guide: Jesus, Shmuel, & the Pharisees. In The Chosen, Nicodemus meets Mary Magdalene in Season 1, Episode 1. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, and she financially aided him in Galilee. If you try it out, please let me know how it goes and if you have any feedback! Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. Just long enough to make this point: Adaptations often add, change, and leave out details, because what works in a book isn't always the same as what works in television or film. There are also characters and stories from the Gospels that the creators have left out. (he calls her by her name), How does this connect to what happened in episode 1? Thus, when Jesus first encounters Mary, what he offers her isn't forgiveness for her life of prostitution; it's relief from the oppressive demons that drove her to the type of life that she's lived. Still, at the end of the day, the 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the Gospels are all males. Also the guy who plays Jesus is Catholic, which is kind of cool. There are a few Bible passages that I thought were helpful to discuss the first episode of The Chosen. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. In The Chosen, during Season 2, Episodes 5-6, Mary Magdalene briefly leaves Jesus and falls back into sin, before being sought out, forgiven, and restored to ministry. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene fell back into sin, backslid, or left Jesus. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. How does that truth encourage you? What distinguishes Mary from the other women, however, is her association with prostitution. One other thing - the show could have allowed some of the disciples (like John) to go a bit further in being judgmental toward after her return. She is clearly sleeping with a man out of wedlock when the episode begins and they are sleeping together in "the Red Quarter" - a sleazy part of town. You may want to warn students beforehand that this episode contains some demonic activity. The Chosen Season 3: What to Expect & How to Watch, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 & Episode 2: Reaction and Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episodes 1 & 2: Questions to Discuss Before the Premiere, Preparing for The Chosen Season 3: 7 Episodes to Watch, I am the Law of Moses (The Chosen Season 3 Controversy), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture ***Season 3***, Judas in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Matthew in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Simon and Andrew in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Lilith, Demons, & Evil Spirits in The Chosen, Simon the Zealot & Nathanael in The Chosen, Quintus, Gaius, and the Romans in The Chosen. As a general rule, the characters who follow Jesus aren't bad people; they're misunderstood and rejected and in need of love. Although The Chosen is still a few seasons away from the Resurrection of Jesus, it is clearly beginning with the end in mind. Over time, the label stuck and now many adaptations depict her this way. There is however a very clear disclaimer at the beginning of the series saying this isnt word-for-word and its no replacement for reading your Bible, etc. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. I hope I better can temper myself. This story was invented by The Chosen for the purposes of the plot. In Episode 6, Jesus sends Peter and Matthew to find Mary and bring her back. While watching the show, I made occasional comments through the chat but I tried to not do too much teaching - I wanted the youth to enjoy The Chosen and not just see it as an elaborate preaching illustration. Thank you for your input. More importantly, allowing some of the disciples to judge Mary a bit more would have added more tension and could have fueled future arcs. By noting how Mary is in the "Red Quarter", The Chosen is implying that she is a prostitute. And the parallels don't end there. we first meet her as a client flees her place in "the Red Quarter"), but it's relatively disinterested in depicting what her life as a prostitute was actually like. Until Jesus shows up, some youth may find the show a little slow. Everything is very true to the Gospels, and theres no dialogue written to score theological points. There was just a hint of judgment in Episode 7, but it gets brushed aside way too quickly, given the cultural expectations. Catholic priest burned to death, another shot in north Press J to jump to the feed. I have not seen any anti Catholic scenes. Many characters and stories are based on events in the Gospels, but there are also characters and events that the creators made up to tie things together. The assumption at that time was that women became prostitutes because they were inherently immoral and desirous. Normally I wouldn't care but this is a movie about Jesus, and if the people behind it are trying to do good, but it is a great disservice for me to bad-mouth it until the full plot is revealed. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. In a previous era of Hollywood Mary's status as a prostitute made her exotic and intriguing. In the modern vernacular, a "red light district" is a term that refers to an area of the city known for prostitution, strip clubs, and other immoral establishments. When he encounters her again in Season 1 Episode 2, he is surprised to discover that she has been completely healed and is free of the evil spirits. Time, the 12 disciples who get the most difficult trials a era. Anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale Reddit and its partners use cookies and technologies! And she financially aided him in Galilee rest of the few appearances of Mary is! 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