We just finished season 4 of The Chosen. After the long delay due to legal issues (apparently the series and Angel Studios have parted ways) my Blu-Ray was delivered within days. The story starts with the execution of John the Baptist. Some artistic license is obviously used throughout the series and for the most part it has never really bothered me.
I know it’s a TV show. I also know that the reason I’m currently diving through Luke and studying it verse by verse every day is because of a scene from the trailer quoting Luke 11:40 was completely foreign to me. It’s been my opinion that despite its flaws, if this show gets people to pick up an actual bible and turn to God – I fully support it.
Like Paul said in his letter to the Philippians, (I am paraphrasing here, forgive me) whether in pretense or truth, if Christ is being preached, rejoice! Christ is most definitely being preached in this series. Now while I realize that some folks are going episode to episode as they’re released, I watched the whole thing and am just making a few observations.
If you’ve read the Bible, the only spoilers here are what is done via artistic license.
Characters not in the Bible die. Other characters who have a passing presence in certain chapters are woven into the series (Gaius, who becomes Praetor after Rema is killed by Quintus) in a wonderful way…
8 The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!
Matthew 8:8-10
In the Bible, that centurion played a significant but un-explored role in Matthew 8. In the show, it’s a character that I think has been around since season 1 and was very well written. The interactions with Peter (Simon), Matthew, and most importantly Jesus were exceptionally well done. A very good character ark explored.
But there’s a flip side to what started as scripture and got interwoven with some artistic license. Thomas. This entire storyline is woven together (perhaps in a way to explain WHY he doubts) but is completely awkward and un-necessary. The previous season invented a storyline with Peter (Simon’s) wife having a miscarriage. It worked.
This side-quest with Thomas just fell flat IMHO. Bad writing. Most of what they’ve done works well, and does not alter the message from what I’ve seen. Again, I realize it’s a TV show, there’s no risk of me idolizing the actors (I did see someone get a Johnathan Roumie tattoo and rolled my eyes, hard, before praying for them.
They did a good job on Judas though. Forgive me but he looks like a weasel.
One thing I would like to see here, and this is due to similar being done in a series of comic books I’ve read via Kingstone Comics (Job was excellent, I need to buy the rest) is that every page references the specific scripture that is the basis for it. I think that would be a great addition to the show… During the stoning scene, they could have had “John 20” on screen.
If I had to guess, that Thomas storyline may get dragged out to the point he witnesses the resurrected Jesus, but I really hope they don’t… It was a bucket of ice-water on otherwise wonderful moments.
Oh, and stick around after the last episode for a blooper reel that had me rolling.
