Yes, there are plenty of women who show up in the Gospels. What do you think Mary's life was like before Jesus showed up? 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. 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. Enough said.). The Chosen seems to be hinting that Mary is a prostitute (e.g. Lilith here could just mean demon possessed. They speak to different audiences & look good on screen), Can you think of characters or stories that the film left out? 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. In The Chosen, Nicodemus meets Mary Magdalene in Season 1, Episode 1. This comes out powerfully in the first Episode like to show you why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen here. **Update: I explore the origin of the name "Lilith" in my recent post **. Jesus clearly expected his disciples to sin frequently and made it clear that he was committed to pursuing them and offering forgiveness (Matthew 18:10-35). Yes, we see that Jesus had warm and empowering relationships with females. 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 Bible never suggests Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. This story was invented by The Chosen for the purposes of the plot. This allows the show to be more family friendly, but it also weakens the narrative that the show is telling about Jesus' compassion and pity. He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. However, In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene fell back into sin, backslid, or left Jesus. This association with prostitution opens a variety of directions for adaptations to take in their portrayal of her, especially given the affection Jesus shows for her (John 20). After Mary's encounter with Jesus, we never really get to see her deal with her former life. For more details, check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, Demons, and Evil Spirits. In the same way, we get our first glimpse of the pre-resurrected Jesus as we follow her struggles in the first episode. So you have to watch past the first couple episodes to get to the good ones. Personally, I would have been much more interested in a subplot about Mary's former pimp trying to coerce her back into her former life than I am with the overly long fish taxation plot. Until Jesus shows up, some youth may find the show a little slow. Dallas Jenkins (Director) is not Catholic, but - in my mind - makes the best Christian films I have seen anywhere. The Chosen introduces a lot of characters and expects us to just keep up. What distinguishes Mary from the other women, however, is her association with prostitution. When making the Chosen, he is advised by a Catholic Priest, Rabbi, and Evangelical Pastor. I hope you enjoy them! 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. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. Although, like Nicodemus, the account of Jesus' life in the Gospels tells us relatively little about her, the part that she plays as the first witness to the Resurrection is objectively much more significant. 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. You can also purchase the DVDs of season 1 on Amazon if you're worried about trying to stream & do Zoom at the same time. In The Chosen, we see a brief flashback during Season 1, Episode 1 that strongly implies that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. But she was not possessed by one as the movie mentioned but by many. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. 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). Meanwhile, in the youth ministry that I lead, I had the chance to view and discuss season one of The Chosen with several high schoolers and found it very fruitful. 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. Anyway, I love the series. ***Update: Learn more about the origin of "Lilith" in my recent post ***. The Chosen invents this story to illustrate biblical teachings about Jesus' grace and forgiveness. I found that my youth struggled to sort out the different characters, so you might want to do a quick slide show of the key characters using the character images I've included throughout this post. For Mary's actual fall, it felt like the show was trying too hard to keep her character PG. Under the influence of this tradition, many people see Mary as being emblematic of Jesus' compassion for lost and broken souls, and this makes her a perfect candidate for the kinds of stories that The Chosen wants to tell. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. The assumption at that time was that women became prostitutes because they were inherently immoral and desirous. In my opinion it works. I think Mary went by Lilith when she came to Magdala, not scripturally speaking, but for the story line. The specific demon is not named in Scripture. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. In the passage, who is it that says, "I have called you by name"? In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. 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. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? 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. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. Consider how the show depicts Jesus' first appearance. Episode 1 depicts how she got these demons cast out of her by Jesus. Although The Chosen is still a few seasons away from the Resurrection of Jesus, it is clearly beginning with the end in mind. The trauma of her rape is hinted at again in Season 2, Episode 5, and is the trigger that causes Mary to backslide. Have you seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone's life in a big way? (he calls her by her name), How does this connect to what happened in episode 1? 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. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 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. This shift in our societal understanding of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary's supposed role as a prostitute. You can find episode one, The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. What distinguishes Mary from the other women, however, is her association with prostitution. Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Jesus. 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. Can you think of moments when you may need to be reminded that God is with you? Expert Answers: The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. (ex. FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. One day (hopefully) we viewers will get our first glimpse of the resurrected Jesus as we follow Mary to the empty tomb. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Hopefully these questions will prove helpful as you watch episode 1 of The Chosen with your youth group. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. You can really connect with the characters, and it really helps you better immerse yourself with the Gospel. These parallels are more than a neat bit of foreshadowing. It's certainly not The Exorcist, but demonic stuff can really freak some people out. Over time, there's been a growing awareness of how most women end up in prostitution: not because they are innately promiscuous but rather as a result of coercion, sexual trauma, and systemic inequities. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? Catholic Christianity offers the world the fullness of the Christian Faith. She struggles to believe that she can be accepted after falling back into her old life but Jesus forgives her and the disciples embrace her. 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. 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. It hints at where the show is going: This passage takes place after Jesus' death and resurrection at the end of the Gospels. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. Still, at the end of the day, the 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the Gospels are all males. There was just a hint of judgment in, Mary Magdalene was a female disciple who traveled with Jesus during his ministry (, All four Gospels suggest Mary was the first witness of the resurrected Jesus (, The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. There was just a hint of judgment in Episode 7, but it gets brushed aside way too quickly, given the cultural expectations. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. She becomes too perfect and seems to have no ongoing struggles in her faith like Peter or Andrew. 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. In Episode 6, Jesus sends Peter and Matthew to find Mary and bring her back. 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. 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. 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. They prompt us to consider how these two events, Mary's first encounter with Jesus and her first encounter with the risen Jesus, are connected in a deeper way. 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. The Hebrew word "lilit" only shows up in Isaiah 34:14, where most modern translations render it as something along the lines of "night bird." Click here for my affiliation policy. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? The Chosen isn't trying to mess with the Bible. 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). [SPOILERS] what is Jordan Peele's 'Nope' about? Having offered some criticism, I will say that the scene of Jesus forgiving Mary was moving. 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. That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. Initially Mary doesn't recognize Jesus. After sharing that information, you can ask: What stuck out to you about Mary Magdalene's depiction in The Chosen? However, Jesus knew her real name. [Spoilers] Did anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale? Nicodemus was brought in to perform an exorcism on her but failed, making him question the fullness of the Law. 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. I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. Interestingly, The King of Kings (1927) also uses Mary Magdalene to introduce us to Jesus for the first time. Why do you think the creators added them? Everything is very true to the Gospels, and theres no dialogue written to score theological points. 1 ) Kathleen McGowan Kindle Edition are three Christian Goddesses, making up a female.! 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. But why does Mary Magdalene get all the attention and not Joanna or Susanna, who are also mentioned? The last passage is an optional bonus for youth that like digging deeper. EDIT: To more specifically address your question about Mary Magdalene, my intuition is that they chose the name Lilith because few viewers are likely to know the name, and so therefore wont confuse her with another Bible character before her true identity is revealed. To clarify why the creators would want to add new characters and stories and leave some stories out, you could ask the following questions: What are some other popular adaptations of books into film or television? Click here for my affiliation policy. Also the guy who plays Jesus is Catholic, which is kind of cool. As a general rule, the characters who follow Jesus aren't bad people; they're misunderstood and rejected and in need of love. If you try it out, please let me know how it goes and if you have any feedback! Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. Thank you! There you go! I have not seen any anti Catholic scenes. Thank you for your input. (for LOTR: Tom Bombadil. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. However, I'll acknowledge that what the show is suggesting about Mary's past life is certainly open to interpretation.]. 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. The trauma of her rape is hinted at again in Season 2, Episode 5, and is the trigger that causes Mary to backslide. 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. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. Mary Magdalene was a female disciple who traveled with Jesus during his ministry (Luke 8:1-3). However, some biblical interpreters mistakenly labeled her as such because the story before Luke 8 is about a prostitute being forgiven. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. The Gospels don't tell us very much about what these women do, with the significant exception of the burial and resurrection, but this provides leeway for female characters to play a more significant role throughout the ministry of Jesus and not just when they are mentioned. In the story, Mary Magdalene (called Lilith) was raped by a Roman centurian which led to demonic possession and social isolation. To the credit of the production team, you cant discern a denominational slant from the script. 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. I will definitely continue watching it then, I just wanted to make sure! 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. Describe a pencil. In a previous era of Hollywood Mary's status as a prostitute made her exotic and intriguing. It's odd? It's certainly not, Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. 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. Over time, the label stuck and now many adaptations depict her this way. 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. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. [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. Lilith was close to committing suicide by walking off a cliff before a dove (Holy Spirit) caught her interest and she followed it back to town, where she had an emotional moment being healed by Jesus who quoted her trusted childhood Bible verse from Isaiah and exorcised her with a hug. 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