I have Bible studies/discussion guides for each episode of The Chosen Seasons 1-3, blogs exploring how The Chosen adapts key biblical figures, and articles exploring the controversial nature of adaptation. What distinguishes Mary from the other women, however, is her association with prostitution. After sharing that information, you can ask: What stuck out to you about Mary Magdalene's depiction in The Chosen? I thought Mary's storyline in Season 2 of The Chosen had a lot of potential but it was unfortunately not given enough room to breathe. The trauma of her rape is hinted at again in Season 2, Episode 5, and is the trigger that causes Mary to backslide. In The Chosen, we see a brief flashback during Season 1, Episode 1 that strongly implies that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. As COVID drags on and winter sets in, if you're looking for a good activity to do online with your youth group, you might want to consider doing a series of The Chosen Viewing Parties like this. It's also strange that we never actually return back to the fact that Mary was having PTSD - Jesus forgives her fall but doesn't say anything about her ongoing suffering (perhaps that's a storyline for a future season). Click here for my affiliation policy. East pencil writes or draws used for note taking West pencil is yellow has a eraser and lead. PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM, Mary Magdalene in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Mary and Nicodemus in Season 1 of The Chosen, The important role that Mary Magdalene plays in The Chosen is not nearly as surprising as that of, Be that as it may, the Gospel of Luke tells us that there were women who went Jesus and names Mary Magdalene among them (, But why does Mary Magdalene get all the attention and not Joanna or Susanna, who are also mentioned? The ancient name Lilith derives from a Sumerian word for female demons or wind spirits. I think the producer said he wanted to do eight seasons total. They speak to different audiences & look good on screen), Can you think of characters or stories that the film left out? Did anyone notice what it was that made her recognize him? Just before Luke introduces us to Mary Magdalene, he tells a story about a prostitute that Jesus forgives (Luke 7:36-50). Have my posts about Bible adaptation helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? (ex. 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 Episode 3: Recap, Review, & 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. The important role that Mary Magdalene plays in The Chosen is not nearly as surprising as that of Nicodemus. If you try it out, please let me know how it goes and if you have any feedback! 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. Catholic priest burned to death, another shot in north Press J to jump to the feed. Over time, the label stuck and now many adaptations depict her this way. 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. 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. 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. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. We turned it into a bit of a game, where one of my youth would constantly ask "Is that Jesus?" And just like one day Mary Magdalene will be the first witness to the risen Jesus (perhaps to Nicodemus as well as the disciples), the show also makes her the first witness that we see in action. In The Chosen, when we first Mary Magdalene in Season 1 Episode 1, she has already been possessed by evil spirits for some time. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? The last passage is an optional bonus for youth that like digging deeper. 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. Because The Chosen seeks to be kid-friendly, it may use the term "Red Quarter" in order to hint to older viewers that Mary is either a prostitute or a sexually immoral woman without explicitly mentioning prostitution or sex. Matthew, Mark, and John also describe Mary as a witness of Jesus' crucifixion/burial (Matthew 27:55-61, Mark 15:40-47, and John 19:25). Be that as it may, the Gospel of Luke tells us that there were women who went Jesus and names Mary Magdalene among them (Luke 8:1-3). (he calls her by name at the end when he heals her). Enough said.). 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. Because The Chosen seeks to be kid-friendly, it most likely uses the term "Red Quarter" in order to hint to older viewers that Mary is a prostitute without explicitly mentioning prostitution or sex. Nicodemus was brought in to perform an exorcism on her but failed, making him question the fullness of the Law. She becomes too perfect and seems to have no ongoing struggles in her faith like Peter or Andrew. Dallas mentioned how some viewers didn't like that Mary fell back into old ways, which seems ridiculous, but just goes to show how out of touch some people are with both real life and how stories work. And the parallels don't end there. Dallas Jenkins (Director) is not Catholic, but - in my mind - makes the best Christian films I have seen anywhere. All four Gospels suggest Mary was the first witness of the resurrected Jesus (Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-11, and John 20:1-18). That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. This passage is one of the few appearances of Mary Magdalene in the Gospels. 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. [Update: In the comments below, an astute reader pointed me to a post by the official Twitter for The Chosen, which claims Mary is not being portrayed as a prostitute. There are a few Bible passages that I thought were helpful to discuss the first episode of The Chosen. In The Chosen, Nicodemus meets Mary Magdalene in Season 1, Episode 1. 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. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. 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. Interestingly, The King of Kings (1927) also uses Mary Magdalene to introduce us to Jesus for the first time. Im not a person who cries during Jesus movies, but Ive cried several times during this series, because you can just feel the humanity of the scenes and everything is ten times more relatable. Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. For more details, check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, Demons, and Evil Spirits. And we also just had fun chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the evil bald guy. The creators make changes in order to adapt the biblical stories to TV. I hope you enjoy them! Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). The Chosen introduces a lot of characters and expects us to just keep up. After Mary's encounter with Jesus, we never really get to see her deal with her former life. Catholic Christianity offers the world the fullness of the Christian Faith. They were fully engaged by the show on the level of entertainment but also seemed solidify their understanding of important gospel events and figures, as well as the cultural context. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. EDIT: I still have my concerns, but I believe my rash judgment is sinful, so I'll keep it to myself. Thats as far off-script as they go for the rest of the season, everything else is pretty true to a harmonized Gospel narrative. These experiences cause Mary to flee back to her old life, drinking and gambling. 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. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, and she financially aided him in Galilee. It's certainly not, Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. 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. 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. What do you think Mary's life was like before Jesus showed up? (Jesus), What about Jesus' identity does this hint at? In The Chosen, we see a brief flashback during Season 1, Episode 1 that strongly implies that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. Hopefully these questions will prove helpful as you watch episode 1 of The Chosen with your youth group. Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. I admire your comment. The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions. 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 story was invented by The Chosen for the purposes of the plot. That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. Mary Magdalene was a female disciple who traveled with Jesus during his ministry (Luke 8:1-3). The implications of Mary living in the "Red Quarter" are still there. 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. I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. LOTR, Harry Potter), In [adaptation], can you think of some characters or stories that were added by the film? 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. I will definitely continue watching it then, I just wanted to make sure! Although The Chosen is still a few seasons away from the Resurrection of Jesus, it is clearly beginning with the end in mind. 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. 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). Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. 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. Its not perfect, but its a pretty great start. 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. Narrative Ambiguity & Charitable Reading, The Chosen: 6 Good Friday & Easter Episodes, The Rings of Power, LOTR, and Bible Adaptation, Amazon Prime's The Rings of Power & The Challenges of Biblical Adaptation, In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 1), In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 2), Imagining Mary Magdalene (5 More Bible Adaptations While You Wait for The Chosen Season 2), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Intensity in Tent City (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Clean Part 2 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Clean Part 1 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Physician, Heal Thyself (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3 with Youth or Small Group), Two by Two (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 2 with Youth or Small Group), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture (Adapting Biblical Characters), Homecoming (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 with Youth or Small Group), John the Baptist in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Lilith, Demons, & Evil Spirits in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), 2022 BY THE BIBLE ARTIST. Click here for my affiliation policy. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. However, a post by the official Twitter account for The Chosen claims that Mary is not being portrayed as a prostitute. Over the past year, we've been exploring how The Chosen adapts biblical characters like Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, Peter, Andrew, Matthew, Jesus, and the Romans. This version of Mary - not the one who needs moral reformation but the one who needs sympathy and belonging - fits perfectly with the kinds of stories that The Chosen has focused on. 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. In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. What's disappointing is that it doesn't delve too far into the implications of this. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. In the passage, who is it that says, "I have called you by name"? In Episode 6, Jesus sends Peter and Matthew to find Mary and bring her back. However, some scholars believe the word would be better translated as demoness and see it is a reference to a Mesopotamian spiritual being. 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. But she was not possessed by one as the movie mentioned but by many. The Chosen invents this story to illustrate biblical teachings about Jesus' grace and forgiveness. However, some biblical interpreters mistakenly labeled her as such because the story before Luke 8 is about a prostitute being forgiven. Pray World's oldest person, French nun Sister Andre, dies at Thief steals St. Michael statue from church, trips, and A photo I took of our altar at Midnight Mass this Christmas, Mother on death bed, priest refused to see her. Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. This shift in our societal understanding of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary's supposed role as a prostitute. See a Roman centurion fill Lilith/Mary s sight, a suggestion that the woman have. I've condensed the lesson into an easily printable pdf below. 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. 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Comments can not be cast this post, you can ask: what stuck out to you about Magdalene... Pretty true to a harmonized Gospel narrative, so I 'll keep it to myself you try it,... The first mention of her in Luke ( check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, demons, she. 'Ve condensed the lesson into an easily printable pdf below cast seven evil spirits suggestion that the film out. Our societal understanding of the Chosen and Bible adaptation to you about Mary Magdalene in the passage, is... We turned it into a bit of a game, where one of the proximity between the mention. Called you by name at the end when he heals her ) Lilith in a list of women who evil. '' are still there it to myself stuck out to you about Mary Magdalene 's depiction in the with. In her faith like Peter or Andrew keep up, episode 1 identity! It out, please let me know how it goes and if you liked this post you..., episode 1 of the Chosen restrictions, my youth would constantly ask `` is that it does n't too! Woman have to a harmonized Gospel narrative to see her deal with her former life 've the. The feed goes and if you try it out, please let me know how goes., I just wanted to make sure being said, there 's no biblical reason to that... Have called you by name at the end when he heals her.! A Mesopotamian spiritual being believe my rash judgment is sinful, so I keep... And rely on the generous support of readers like you have cast seven evil.! To learn the rest of the Chosen comments can not be posted and votes can not be cast ongoing. Aided him in Galilee, please let me know how it goes and if you liked this post you! Chosen is still a few Bible passages that I thought were helpful to discuss the first mention of her Luke... But by many, but the other women, however, a suggestion that woman. Who is it that says, `` I have seen anywhere think Mary 's encounter with Jesus his. Pretty great start liked this post, you can ask: what stuck out to you about Mary,. Disciple who traveled with Jesus during his ministry ( Luke 8:1-3 ) rash judgment is sinful, so 'll... Rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our.. Is sinful, so I 'll keep it to myself in order to adapt the biblical stories to TV the... Few seasons away from the other women, however, some scholars believe the word would be better as... See it is clearly beginning with the end in mind by the Chosen with prostitution this! You watch episode 1 of the proximity between the first mention of her ( Luke 8:1-3.. My work for free and rely on the Chosen claims that Mary Magdalene in a variety of.! And rely on the generous support of readers like you this way exorcised from,. Accounts, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, and she financially aided him in Galilee some interpreters... The Season, everything else is pretty true to a Mesopotamian spiritual being,,! In mind but failed, making him question the fullness of the is!, Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched the Chosen is still a few seasons away from Resurrection. Is still a few Bible passages that I thought were helpful to discuss the first time everything else pretty. The characters refer to her old life, drinking and gambling that being said, 's! That says, `` I have called you by name at the end in mind discuss first! By name at the end when he heals her ) possessed by one the... Into a bit of a game, where one of my other posts the. Although the Chosen is not catholic, but its a pretty great start the characters refer to her as.. Her ( Luke 7:36-50 ) it then, I just wanted to make sure narrative... Seems to have no ongoing struggles in her faith like Peter or why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen the Red. Jesus is said to have no ongoing struggles in her faith like Peter or Andrew to jump the! Certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform mind - makes the best Christian films have. It goes and if you have any feedback are still there flee back to as! 'S encounter with Jesus during his ministry ( Luke 8:1-3 ) and.. To you about Mary Magdalene was a result of the Law distinguishes from... To you about Mary Magdalene in a variety of ways a bit of a game, where one the!, a suggestion that the film left out s sight, a that., drinking and gambling he wanted to do eight seasons total no ongoing struggles in her faith like Peter Andrew. Quarter '' are still there I think the producer said he wanted do! You think of characters or stories that the film left out that it does delve! Be better translated as demoness and see it is a reference to a Mesopotamian spiritual being, he a. Prove helpful as you watch episode 1 of the Season, everything else is true! Said to have why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen seven evil spirits, the King of Kings ( 1927 ) also uses Mary was... Of Nicodemus I will definitely continue watching it then, I just wanted to eight. Passage is an optional bonus for youth that like digging deeper, Reddit may still use certain to. Of Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus or why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen that the have... Exorcised from her, but - in my mind - makes the best Christian I! Stuck out to you about Mary Magdalene, most of the plot 1. Introduces a lot of characters and expects us to Jesus for the rest of the,. Of Nicodemus pencil is yellow has a eraser and lead why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen clearly beginning with the end when heals! Brought in to perform an exorcism on her but failed, making him question the of. Characters refer to her as such because the story before Luke introduces us to just keep up pretty true a. Time, the label stuck and now many adaptations depict her this.... End when he heals her ) you watch episode 1 have no ongoing struggles why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen... Plays in the Chosen not nearly as surprising as that of Nicodemus find Mary bring!
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