Disclaimer: Possible spoilers for those who haven’t watched the series yet!
I finally gave in to the temptation of watching the TV series The Chosen, and I must say it looks promising. The series is based on the life of Jesus and the events of that time period, inspired by the Gospels. While the story is rooted in Scripture, it also includes made up details and backstories to help bring the characters to life.
The very first episode was a bit confusing. While I’m no Bible scholar, I could tell that not everything was entirely accurate. Of course, the creators never claim it’s a word-for-word retelling and they encourage viewers to read their Bibles and say the show is meant to be “biblically plausible.” Still, for those who aren’t familiar with Scripture, some parts might be misleading or unclear.
That said, it was an enjoyable and engaging story, and I wanted to write down for myself how Episode 1 portrays certain people and compare that with what the Bible actually says about them.
Quintus the Roman
In The Chosen: Quintus is portrayed as a greedy Roman magistrate, eager to keep the peace but mostly concerned with profit. He also makes deals with Jewish leaders and tax collectors like Matthew to maintain control and line his pockets.
In the Bible: There is no “Quintus” mentioned in the Gospels. His role is made up to represent Roman authority and provide entertainment. Rome’s control over Judea is well documented historically, but specific characters like this help humanize that power in the series. Characters like this would definitely have existed in the past.
Nicodemus the Pharisee (and his wife)
In The Chosen: Nicodemus is a well-respected rabbi, shown as sincere and thoughtful. He failed to exorcise demons from Lilith (Mary Magdalene) and this shakes his faith. His wife and supporter reminds him of his religious duties and the dangers of questioning doctrine.
In the Bible: Nicodemus appears in the Gospel of John (John 3, 7, and 19). He comes to Jesus at night, curious about his teachings, and later defends Jesus and helps bury him. There’s no biblical mention of a failed exorcism or his wife. Those are again added to the story to make it more interesting.
Were Pharisees even allowed to marry?
Simon (Peter), Andrew, and Simon’s Wife
In The Chosen: Simon is hot-headed and impulsive, involved in shady activities to cover debts while Andrew is more cautious and devout. Simon is shown to be married and his wife is a significant part of his personal story.
In the Bible:
- Simon (Peter) was indeed married (Mark 1:30, Jesus heals his mother-in-law).
- Andrew is Peter’s brother (John 1:40), and both were fishermen.
- Scripture doesn’t show Andrew as particularly rule-following or Simon as especially reckless. These are added to give the characters more body and make them more relatable I guess.
- There’s no record of Simon working with Romans or being in debt.
Lilith / Mary Magdalene
In The Chosen: She goes by the name “Lilith,” and she is portrayed as a deeply broken woman possessed by demons. The show also implies that she was a victim of sexual violence by a Roman. She’s shunned by society. Jesus calls her by her real name, “Mary,” restoring her identity.
In the Bible:
- Mary Magdalene is mentioned in Luke 8:2 as a woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons.
- Nowhere does the Bible explicitly say she was a prostitute or that she was raped.
- The idea that she changed her name to “Lilith” is not in Scripture. It makes me wonder where they got it from because if you google the name Lilith, they’re so many references (like Adam’s wife for example).
- Jesus did heal her before she began following him but of course the show made a drama of their first meeting.
Jesus
In The Chosen: He appears only at the end of episode one and speaks to Mary, calling her by her real name, which triggers her healing and transformation.
In the Bible: The Bible doesn’t give details about Jesus’ first meeting with Mary Magdalene, only that she had demons cast out by him (Luke 8:2). The show uses this moment to demonstrate Jesus’ power and compassion.
Matthew the Tax Collector
In The Chosen: He is wealthy, socially awkward, hyper-intelligent, meticulous, and I honestly suspect he’s somewhere on the autism spectrum. He works for the Romans and is deeply hated by his people. He’s portrayed as a bit of a germaphobe which makes it quite funny to watch.
In the Bible: Matthew (also called Levi) was a tax collector (Matthew 9:9). Tax collectors were indeed seen as traitors and sinners by Jewish society. The Bible doesn’t describe his personality, wealth, or quirks so these are entirely interpretive. His profession alone would have made him controversial.
One thing that bothered me throughout the first episode was the timeline of events. So far, nothing makes sense chronologically, and you’re basically thrown into the story without much context. Jesus meets and heals Mary, but where are the other disciples?
The Bible doesn’t give a clear, step-by-step order of when Jesus met each person. For example, in Luke 8:1-3, when Jesus meets Mary, the twelve disciples are already with Him. Yet in the show, I’ve only seen two disciples so far and they haven’t even met Jesus yet. I know it’s fiction, but not knowing exactly where I am in the story is a little frustrating.
All in all, it’s a very interesting story, and it inspires you to open the Scriptures and read for yourself whether it is to cross-check, confirm, or study more in depth. It’s also nice to see bible characters portrayed as regular people instead of the abstract idea we sometimes have of them. It’s definitely better than most secular shows that can lead us astray.
Stay Blessed x
