The Chosen

[JohnDB]

If they had depicted Roman life as it truly was, the series would have been XXX rated.

While certain things are creative license, I do think they have done a reasonably good job portraying the spiritual truths of the Gospels. The creative license has brought a real human presence to the story with the group dynamics in focus a little more which, sometimes can be lost when reading the Gospels. The disciples and those who followed Jesus were a real motley group when you think about it, fishermen, a zealot, a tax collector, women, we tend not to think of how they dealt with each other as the focus of the Gospels is on Christ (where it should be) so I find that dynamic interesting and thought provoking.

My main issue is with how they portray Jesus. Always second guessing himself....ummmm NO. Jesus knew exactly what He was doing and when. He knew exactly what He was going to say every single time. Especially how He said things. He did get surprised but not in the way we would think. (He had a bit of a pessimistic attitude for good reasons....and considering the sinful nature of mankind....not exactly surprising.)

The biggest thing that would be impossible for the writers to pull off is the way Jesus gave out his "back pocket sermons" that the Apostles were to learn and repeat.
These sermons, like the "Sermon on the Mount" are poems and constantly repeated. (Matthew records most of these sermons the best and most accurately of the 4 Gospels which is why his name was changed from Levi (of the tribe of Levi) to Matthew.

Luke has several sermons recorded as well but retransmitted and reformulated for a Greeko/Roman audience who would be lost or insulted by Jewish cultural norms.

Mark (Peter's stories as Mark remembered Peter retelling them ad nauseum) had a different focus as does John's Gospel.

Jesus also was not tall and thin. He became thin towards the end of his tour (too many days fasting) but he was extremely muscled by his occupation in construction. His hands would have been extremely calloused to start with but became softer as he stayed on ministry tour.

 

[sawdust]

My main issue is with how they portray Jesus. Always second guessing himself....ummmm NO.

The only time I recall that was in the delivery of the sermon on the mount. I did disagree with that portrayal but the rest of the time I find him to be portrayed with confidence and speaking with authority by the actor.

There are many things that can be picked on but for me the essence is getting the spiritual truths correct not whether he was thin or muscled etc.

 

[JohnDB]

The only time I recall that was in the delivery of the sermon on the mount. I did disagree with that portrayal but the rest of the time I find him to be portrayed with confidence and speaking with authority by the actor.

There are many things that can be picked on but for me the essence is getting the spiritual truths correct not whether he was thin or muscled etc.

Of course I'd extend grace for bad character appearances....
But bad character personalities?
Ummmm.....no.

 

[sawdust]

Of course I'd extend grace for bad character appearances....
But bad character personalities?
Ummmm.....no.

Romans 5:20
Law came in, to increase the trespass; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

 

[Eli1]

There was a YouTube livestream last night and there was a very memorable scene to me.
After Jesus confronted the Pharisees in the movie, He went to pray alone outside of the city walls and the apostles approached Him to ask Him questions and in there there’s a scene where the apostille John kisses Jesus in the head and tells Him “I love you”.
That scene made me cry.

They did a great job in following what the Bible said about this specific point in His life and added a bit of creative license too, which is always in good taste in my opinion.

 

[SirSolaScriptura]

A new season of The Chosen is coming up on June 15.

I am watching.

I like the show but I do dislike deviations from Scripture like Peter hating Jesus over Him not healing his wife in Season Two when he walks on the water, when Peter was not angry with Jesus in Scripture but wanted to walk on the water out of faith (Matthew 14:22-33).

In this Season 5 of The Chosen Jesus has Zebeedee send Mary His Mother out of Jerusalem and far away when Mary was at the cross (John 19:15-17) and Jesus even spoke to Her from the Cross (John 19:26-27). Having Zebedee take His Emma away from Jerusalem during Passion Week to come is a fiction and is re-writing the gospel. (Warning, Galatians 1:8-9)

I also found Jesus making the whip for The Cleansing of the Temple the night before an odd invention by Director Dallas Jenkins. In Scripture Jesus just picks up cords and makes a whip while cleansing the Temple (John 2:15) in the heat of His zeal. Having him make it the night before in the episode of the Chosen seems premeditated and staged.

I also did not like in Episode 2 of Season 5 (The Chosen) that one of the disciples says “he has lost his mind,” that will put that idea in viewers heads and the Jerusalemania psychology condition rather than the truth that Jesus was consumed by zeal for His Father’s House (John 2:17).

 

[Eli1]

I am watching.

I like the show but I do dislike deviations from Scripture like Peter hating Jesus over Him not healing his wife in Season Two when he walks on the water, when Peter was not angry with Jesus in Scripture but wanted to walk on the water out of faith (Matthew 14:22-33).

In this Season 5 of The Chosen Jesus has Zebeedee send Mary His Mother out of Jerusalem and far away when Mary was at the cross (John 19:15-17) and Jesus even spoke to Her from the Cross (John 19:26-27). Having Zebedee take His Emma away from Jerusalem during Passion Week to come is a fiction and is re-writing the gospel. (Warning, Galatians 1:8-9)

I also found Jesus making the whip for The Cleansing of the Temple the night before an odd invention by Director Dallas Jenkins. In Scripture Jesus just picks up cords and makes a whip while cleansing the Temple (John 2:15) in the heat of His zeal. Having him make it the night before in the episode of the Chosen seems premeditated and staged.

I also did not like in Episode 2 of Season 5 (The Chosen) that one of the disciples says “he has lost his mind,” that will put that idea in viewers heads and the Jerusalemania psychology condition rather than the truth that Jesus was consumed by zeal for His Father’s House (John 2:17).

Agreed with your overall points.
A few people who are Christians are not happy with this movie which doesn’t portray their image and understanding of Christ according to their translation of the Bible.
And of course these Christians may be forgetting that this is a movie with a creative license as the director himself has said which is basing its whole purpose on the Jesus of the Bible.

The other side of the coin to this is that more than half a billion people have seen this and it has had a positive impact for a lot of atheists. So God works in mysterious ways.

Of course many are free to make their own movie according to their version and translation of the Bible but so far this is the best Christ-based movie compared to the usual garbage that’s on TV where you can’t find any good shows or movies.

 

[SirSolaScriptura]

Agreed with your overall points.
A few people who are Christians are not happy with this movie which doesn’t portray their image and understanding of Christ according to their translation of the Bible.
And of course these Christians may be forgetting that this is a movie with a creative license as the director himself has said which is basing its whole purpose on the Jesus of the Bible.

The other side of the coin to this is that more than half a billion people have seen this and it has had a positive impact for a lot of atheists. So God works in mysterious ways.

Of course many are free to make their own movie according to their version and translation of the Bible but so far this is the best Christ-based movie compared to the usual garbage that’s on TV where you can’t find any good shows or movies.

Its another thing to take creative license, like Jesus blessing betrothed during Passover. Its another to completely change the Gospel remove Mary from Jerusalem during Christ’s Passion (Orthodox who revere her as Theotokios, Catholics as Queen of Heaven, and Sola Scriptura Protestants all should be upset over this).

At this point The Chosen is more of bad paraphrase of paraphrase. And its a shame cuz there was no reason to take these odd creative licenses..

 

[lrs68]

I was reading this thread and noticed the biggest complaint is the portraying of the human Jesus and the claim it's unlike what the Gospels claim.

Didn't the people of Nazareth say isn't this the carpenter son that we all knew growing up?

I think the chosen by accident could be more accurate about Jesus humanity than any of us realize.

 

[SirSolaScriptura]

I was reading this thread and noticed the biggest complaint is the portraying of the human Jesus and the claim it's unlike what the Gospels claim.

Didn't the people of Nazareth say isn't this the carpenter son that we all knew growing up?

I think the chosen by accident could be more accurate about Jesus humanity than any of us realize.

Actually it potrays his divinity equally well.
The problem is random liberties they took like Peter hating Jesus at the Miracle of Loaves and Fishes & walking in water in Season 2, when that did not happen or this Rhema Jesus would not raise from the dead subplot; they keep making it look like Jesus won’t heal or rescue those close to his disciples which is a fabrication.

Although I believe The Writers of The Chosen and Director Dallas Jenkins may have Rhema raised from death when Jesus dies on the cross and after His Resurrection, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” (Matthew 27:50-53).

 

[JohnDB]

The same guys who did "The Chosen" also did Kingdom of David.

Again a complete departure from scripture....

1Samuel 22:3 is where David hides his father and mother from Saul. IOW David's mother was not dead....he wasn't alienated from his father. He wasn't the rejected son.

Just saying.

 

[lrs68]

Actually it potrays his divinity equally well.
The problem is random liberties they took like Peter hating Jesus at the Miracle of Loaves and Fishes & walking in water in Season 2, when that did not happen or this Rhema Jesus would not raise from the dead subplot; they keep making it look like Jesus won’t heal or rescue those close to his disciples which is a fabrication.

Although I believe The Writers of The Chosen and Director Dallas Jenkins may have Rhema raised from death when Jesus dies on the cross and after His Resurrection, “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” (Matthew 27:50-53).

Those are all very good points and I could see something similar to what you have described happening as well.

 

[SirSolaScriptura]

The same guys who did "The Chosen" also did Kingdom of David.

Again a complete departure from scripture....

1Samuel 22:3 is where David hides his father and mother from Saul. IOW David's mother was not dead....he wasn't alienated from his father. He wasn't the rejected son.

Just saying.

The Roman Catholic Church presents Peter as celibate and his wife having died, when scripture says all the apostles had wives with them, including Peter,
“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).

At least the Writers of The Chosen got Peter right, his wife being in the series, while in Roma Downey’s & Mark Burnett’s A.D. The Bible Continues they had Peter’s wife dead and his daughter a prominate figure.. which is not in Scripture.

 

[JohnDB]

The Roman Catholic Church presents Peter as celibate and his wife having died, when scripture says all the apostles had wives with them, including Peter,
“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).

At least the Writers of The Chosen got Peter right, his wife being in the series, while in Roma Downey’s & Mark Burnett’s A.D. The Bible Continues they had Peter’s wife dead and his daughter a prominate figure.. which is not in Scripture.

When Jesus preaches the Sermon on the Mount and Beatitudes He is using poetry to deliver His sermon. Wonderful Aramaic poetry that doesn't translate into Greek whatsoever. (But the Syriac manuscripts get it right)

This whole notion of Jesus honing His sermon delivery skills is ridiculous.

Where the Chosen does well to create the story arcs of the Apostles as being more than cardboard cutouts of bumbling idiots is good....but that's as much credit as I'm willing to give the writers.

When it came time for the Kingdom of David....you would think they could have sprung for a can of hair dye for David.
They didn't....then they killed off David's mother (who wasn't dead) and made him the almost abused son of his father Jesse. (Not hardly)

The two series have good points and bad points. But it's like drinking water laced with arsenic. Difficult to drink around the poison.