I really enjoyed The Chosen season one. It really made me think about things I had never thought of before, like what the dynamic of twelve men who were strangers and had many different personalities might actually be. I was a big fan and I recommended it to others. The characters were brought to life in such a way that although they lived centuries ago, they were relatable. Their problems could easily be our problems.
I enjoyed almost the entirety of season two because I watched it in the midst of my most extreme brain fog, when I couldn't even comprehend a single verse of the bible. This helped remind me that Christ was real. When I couldn't read, at least I could see the stories I knew come to life.
The show took a few liberties. I get that. It leaves out a lot when it comes to conversations. And there is so much more that happened than was recorded. John says in the book of John that if all the things Christ did were recorded, all the books in the world would not be able to contain it all.
I started to get a weird feeling during Season two because the plot wasn't really following the timeline of the bible. Jesus is arrested by a Roman soldier prior to Mount Olives, which is clearly unbiblical. And Mary Magdalene said some things that were quoted by John in the bible. I guess I'm ok with liberties when it comes to the supporting cast, but could they please make the historical storyline accurate?
And then they released a Christmas special, and Christ and Christmas always leave a nasty satanic taste in my mouth. I mean seriously. Ancient Israelites were not celebrating *Christmas,* although the pagans that would soon become the Roman Catholic church were celebrating their integrated pagan holy days around December 21-24. December wasn't even the birth of Christ, although it was the birth of Nimrod. It is not that I get triggered by Jesus and Christmas. It is just that I understand how much of a deception this is, and it grieves me that many professing believers are caught up in these demonic traditions. They continue these traditions in absolute ignorance.
I know The Chosen is produced by a Mormon group. That was ok to me, because the gospels are true across the board, except for the verse the Jehovah's Witnesses omitted about Jesus being God. So I had no qualms watching this show. In fact, it really helped me out during a time when I couldn't imagine anything on my own. But then I started noticing more and more inconsistencies that were easily proven false just by cracking open a bible.
One thing they definitely got right was the black Egyptian girl that follows Christ. Despite what our textbooks try to convince us, the Egyptians were also dark skinned people.
I'm not going to tell you not to watch the show if you enjoy it, but be sure to watch it with discerning eyes. And if you don't know the scripture, please do not believe everything you hear on that show as true. Like, I don't think there is anything wrong with portraying tax collector Matthew as having Aspergers. But don't assume that is factual. There is nothing wrong with the love story between Thomas and Ramah, but it's not biblical either. I probably wouldn't watch this show if I didn't have a strong understanding of what is actually in the bible. Because this is a feel good show, and it would be easy to imagine that this was Jesus' real personality or that events happened in the exact way they happened in the show. But that is just not true. There should be a disclaimer: Based on true events.
*There is a moment where Mary Magdalene is asked to pray and read scripture before sabbath dinner. This would have been historically inconsistent and impossible at the time. Are they trying to push some sort of femisnist agenda? Also at one point Tamar and Mary Magdalene are carrying the paralytic man to see Jesus. Luke 5 says "some men" carried him. I would assume Tamar and MM are "some women." I mean, what is even the point in changing that one small thing?
*There is another occasion where Jesus asks Nicodemous, "What does your heart say?" That is nowhere in the bible. "Deanna, what does your heart say?" Well, some days it's good. Some days it says I should drive my car off a bridge. The bible actually says "The heart is deceitful above all things, who can trust it?" Jeremiah 17:9. Jesus would never tell us to "trust our heart," but satan would.
*John the Baptist, or 'creepy John' as Peter calls him, is arrogant, disrespectful and is always challenging Jesus. None of that is biblical. Peter and Andrew also make fun of John often at his own expense.
Creator, Dallas Jenkins, is quoted as saying, "I felt like God was saying that ‘this will be the definitive portrayal of My people and this is what people are going to think of around the world when they think of My people. And I’m not going to let you screw it up.'"
I'm just not even going to respond to that.
Mr. Jenkins also provides study guides and devotionals to coincide with each episode. Churches and small groups everywhere watch these episodes and participate in the studies together.
He is also quoted as stating, "Our intentions are different from the bible's intentions, the people who only want to read the bible won't be watching this series." So basically he is admitting that this is Jesus fanfic.
I read the bible AND I watched this series and still walked away with a weird feeling. I love extrabiblical sources. I study them all the time because they help me understand the people of the time and give me a wider perspective. Had Dallas read some ancient extra biblical sources he would have realized he cast the wrong type of guy to play Christ. Too tall. Too cheerful. Too white. The bible has Christ using quite a bit of sarcasm, but I've never heard him tell a joke, which Chosen Jesus does often. I've also never heard him suggest that he is afraid of making mistakes in his speeches, and this is something that worries him in the show.
I've learned that Christ doesn't need tv shows. He doesn't need 'christian rock.' He doesn't need false prophets or churches with lasers, fog lights and bounce houses for the kids. Christ is enough. If the power of the Lord cannot bring you in, nothing will. Do we really want your kids entertained by church at a young age and then when they actually sit in the sanctuary all they can do is think about how bored they are? Clearly our churches are doing something wrong, because if we truly understood the power that comes from the Lord, that would be enough. That would be more than enough.
Now with Blue Beam seriously beginning to ramp up, I do worry that many are going to fall for this beautiful Jesus. I hope and pray that you are all working out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
I know many christians think we should only be comsuming christian media. I do not agree with this at all because if you listen to the lyrics of many popular christian songs, they speak of not having to change and God loving you no matter what. They don't speak of repentance or baptism. Jesus has become a feel good buzz word. And many christian books have an agenda of their own, or they believe in a doctrine that is not in the bible at all. To be honest, aside from the videos I watch from my three favorite youtube channels from believers, I don't consume any other christian media. It's just me, the bible, and the Lord. And when you have the Holy Spirit it will guide you into the truth, and you don't need to read all those commentaries. It actually makes me sick that Jesus has become a brand, and that religion is a business. Jesus would be knocking over some tables.
This show is a wolf disguised in sheep's clothing. Viewer beware. I am not trying to be legalistic, but I do believe it is imperative that we know the truth, so that we can also know when something is a fabrication.
Quick pop quiz! Which Jesus has "hair like wool" and "skin like burnished bronze"?
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