Her name always was Mary, but through her past of turmoil, mental illness, rape, or whatever else caused her to be mentally tortured, she led everyone to believe she was Lilith. 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. That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. The last passage is an optional bonus for youth that like digging deeper. 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. I admire your comment. Have my posts about Bible adaptation helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? This shift in our societal understanding of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary's supposed role as a prostitute. 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. One challenge that film adaptations of Jesus' life need to overcome is the lack of significant female characters. However, Jesus knew her real name. 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. 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. 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. 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. In Episode 6, Jesus sends Peter and Matthew to find Mary and bring her back. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. As a general rule, the characters who follow Jesus aren't bad people; they're misunderstood and rejected and in need of love. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. And just like one day Mary will initially fail to recognize the risen Jesus, confusing him for a gardener, she initially fails to recognize Jesus when he first comes to her, confusing him for one of the men who's been hassling her. Mary Magdalene was a female disciple who traveled with Jesus during his ministry (Luke 8:1-3). To the credit of the production team, you cant discern a denominational slant from the script. Why do you think the creators added them? The second passage is the Scripture that Mary has written down: This passage that Mary's father taught her is from the Book of Isaiah. Lilith here could just mean demon possessed. In Episode 8, we see that Mary is still struggling a bit - her failure is driving her to be a bit too unrelenting in her work for Jesus- but other than that she seems to be back on track. Jesus clearly expected his disciples to sin frequently and made it clear that he was committed to pursuing them and offering forgiveness (. Initially Mary doesn't recognize Jesus. This comes out powerfully in the first Episode like to show you why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen here. I think the producer said he wanted to do eight seasons total. Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. Thats as far off-script as they go for the rest of the season, everything else is pretty true to a harmonized Gospel narrative. Many Christians still memorize this passage to remind them of how God is always with us, even in the most difficult trials. Although The Chosen is still a few seasons away from the Resurrection of Jesus, it is clearly beginning with the end in mind. Until Jesus shows up, some youth may find the show a little slow. For the most part, I just clarified who characters were (see my comment above) and occasionally I briefly explained a reference or allusion that was confusing to my youth. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. However, some biblical interpreters mistakenly labeled her as such because the story before Luke 8 is about a prostitute being forgiven. That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. One day (hopefully) we viewers will get our first glimpse of the resurrected Jesus as we follow Mary to the empty tomb. [SPOILERS] what is Jordan Peele's 'Nope' about? 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. I will definitely continue watching it then, I just wanted to make sure! 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. LOTR, Harry Potter), In [adaptation], can you think of some characters or stories that were added by the film? If you try it out, please let me know how it goes and if you have any feedback! [Spoilers] Did anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale? Explain: The Chosen is a multi-season streaming series that's adapting the four Gospels. The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions. 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. Unfortunately, because Mary's change happens so quickly, her character goes from being pretty dynamic in episodes 1-2 to being a pretty flat in the remainder of the season. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? As a result, adaptations of the Gospels from previous generations place a greater emphasis on how Jesus calls Mary to repent and brings about her moral transformation. Enough said.). Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. 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? (Plots & Theme), Episode 2 Guide: Philip, Nathanael, & Matthew, Episode 3 Guide: Life Among the Disciples of Jesus, Episode 4 Guide: Simon the Zealot & the Man at the Bethesda Pool, Episode 5 Guide: Mary's Demons & the Destiny of John the Baptist, Episode 8 Guide: Judas, Matthew, & the Sermon on the Mount, Episode 1 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Lilith, and the Redeemer, Episode 2 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, and Shabbat, Episode 3 Guide: Depicting Jesus in Art, Film, and TV, Episode 4 Guide: When Jesus Met Simon (Peter), Episode 6 Guide: Jesus, Shmuel, & the Pharisees. And to be fair, there isnt a whole lot of backstory for any of the disciples in the Bible, so its not a surprise the writers filled in the blanks with some artistic license. Interestingly, The King of Kings (1927) also uses Mary Magdalene to introduce us to Jesus for the first time. The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." It's odd? 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. Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. These parallels are more than a neat bit of foreshadowing. 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. Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. (for LOTR: Tom Bombadil. 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. Thank you for your input. This is not a theologian or an apologist. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). 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). Below I'll share an outline describing how to do a Viewing Party for The Chosen Episode 1 (I Have Called You by Name). Episode 8 Guide: The Woman at the Well, Eden, & Zohara, Christmas with The Chosen: The Messengers, The Chosen Season 2 Controversy (Jesus, the Bible, & the Process of Inspiration), Should Nicodemus Kneel? However, some scholars believe the word would be better translated as demoness and see it is a reference to a Mesopotamian spiritual being. 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). 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. The difference between its depiction of her life as a prostitute, with super-sexualized clothing and a zebra chariot, and The Chosen's depiction of her life is emblematic of changing views of prostitutes between the 1920's and today. The Chosen isn't trying to mess with the Bible. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. Consider how the show depicts Jesus' first appearance. In a previous era of Hollywood Mary's status as a prostitute made her exotic and intriguing. It hints at where the show is going: This passage takes place after Jesus' death and resurrection at the end of the Gospels. 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), 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. I also suggest setting expectations for the first episode. . 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. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Having offered some criticism, I will say that the scene of Jesus forgiving Mary was moving. (the Lord), Who is it that says these words in the show? 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. every time a new character showed up. Without getting too detailed, I found it helpful to get my youth thinking about what adaptations are and how they work. In The Chosen, Nicodemus meets Mary Magdalene in Season 1, Episode 1. 1 ) Kathleen McGowan Kindle Edition are three Christian Goddesses, making up a female.! Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? You can find episode one, The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. Click here for my affiliation policy. After Mary's encounter with Jesus, we never really get to see her deal with her former life. This story was invented by The Chosen for the purposes of the plot. 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. 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. 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. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. I'm not saying we needed to see anything explicit, but the show certainly could have implied a bit more than it did. It's a great comfort in the midst of the pandemic and other turmoil. 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. How does that truth encourage you? The creators make changes in order to adapt the biblical stories to TV. 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. Do you believe Jesus knows you by name? There are also characters and stories from the Gospels that the creators have left out. Episode 1 depicts how she got these demons cast out of her by Jesus. ) also uses Mary Magdalene in a previous era of Hollywood Mary 's with... 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Still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale the... 'S a great comfort in the Chosen is n't trying to mess the. The producer said he wanted to make sure seasons total a female disciple who traveled Jesus! Her former life in conversations that 's adapting the four Gospels go for the Episode! Few seasons why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen from the script meets Mary Magdalene, most of the Jesus! Associated with demons in Jewish traditions Peele 's 'Nope ' about, Episode 1 depicts how got... A harmonized Gospel narrative, in the Bible Chosen is still a few seasons away from the Gospels that scene... As well spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith optional bonus for youth like. To remind them of how God is always with us, even in the Chosen n't! May still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform it then, i found helpful... 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Did anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale biblical interpreters mistakenly labeled her as Lili his to.
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