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. 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. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? 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), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3: Recap, Review, & Analysis, 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. Click here for my affiliation policy. More importantly, allowing some of the disciples to judge Mary a bit more would have added more tension and could have fueled future arcs. LOTR, Harry Potter), In [adaptation], can you think of some characters or stories that were added by the film? In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. However, a post by the official Twitter account for The Chosen claims that Mary is not being portrayed as a prostitute. These experiences cause Mary to flee back to her old life, drinking and gambling. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. 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. 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. The ancient name Lilith derives from a Sumerian word for female demons or wind spirits. For Mary's actual fall, it felt like the show was trying too hard to keep her character PG. I can appreciate what theyre trying to do with the show: Theyre taking their time to build your relationship with the characters and to delve into some of the backstory so that everyone becomes a three-dimensional person, not just a mumbling zombie foil for Jesus. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). 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. The Chosen seems to be hinting that Mary is a prostitute (e.g. Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. Interestingly, The King of Kings (1927) also uses Mary Magdalene to introduce us to Jesus for the first time. Consider how the show depicts Jesus' first appearance. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. 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). In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. 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. As a general rule, the characters who follow Jesus aren't bad people; they're misunderstood and rejected and in need of love. 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. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. Over time, the label stuck and now many adaptations depict her this way. Hopefully these questions will prove helpful as you watch episode 1 of The Chosen with your youth group. I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. In the same way, we get our first glimpse of the pre-resurrected Jesus as we follow her struggles in the first episode. To recap: in, 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. In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. See a Roman centurion fill Lilith/Mary s sight, a suggestion that the woman have. Why do you think they were removed? (he calls her by name at the end when he heals her). And the parallels don't end there. These parallels are more than a neat bit of foreshadowing. 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? 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. 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. Why do you think the creators added them? Luke briefly describes how Mary Magdalene was exorcised by Jesus and became one of his traveling followers (Luke 8:1-3). In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. 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). I have not seen any anti Catholic scenes. Catholic Christianity offers the world the fullness of the Christian Faith. Having offered some criticism, I will say that the scene of Jesus forgiving Mary was moving. 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. You can find episode one, The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. 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 agree with the Twitter post that the show clearly depicts Mary as a victim of rape/sexual assault, but prostitutes often are victims of rape and sexual assault. Have my posts about Bible adaptation helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? 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? Just before Luke introduces us to Mary Magdalene, he tells a story about a prostitute that Jesus forgives (Luke 7:36-50). I've condensed the lesson into an easily printable pdf below. 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. What do you think Mary's life was like before Jesus showed up? After Mary's encounter with Jesus, we never really get to see her deal with her former life. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. 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. There are also characters and stories from the Gospels that the creators have left out. But why does Mary Magdalene get all the attention and not Joanna or Susanna, who are also mentioned? The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions. every time a new character showed up. If you try it out, please let me know how it goes and if you have any feedback! Describe a pencil. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. I love this series. As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. Have you seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone's life in a big way? The trauma of her rape is hinted at again in Season 2, Episode 5, and is the trigger that causes Mary to backslide. 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. One challenge that film adaptations of Jesus' life need to overcome is the lack of significant female characters. Yes, there are plenty of women who show up in the Gospels. 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 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. Instead of being a femme fatale that Jesus needs to resist and tame, Mary Magdalene the prostitute is seen as an object of compassion and pity that Jesus needs to provide acceptance and safety. 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. When they are engaged in sin, it's often a result of their difficult circumstances or their status as outsiders, and so what they primarily need is love and acceptance, not forgiveness and repentance. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. Nicodemus was brought in to perform an exorcism on her but failed, making him question the fullness of the Law. Thank you! In a previous era of Hollywood Mary's status as a prostitute made her exotic and intriguing. 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. By noting how Mary is in the "Red Quarter", The Chosen is implying that she is a prostitute. 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. (he calls her by her name), How does this connect to what happened in episode 1? This comes out powerfully in the first Episode like to show you why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen here. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. And we also just had fun chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the evil bald guy. 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. It is an excellent form of Lectio Divina. We need to remember the perspective is of east and west are different East is how it performs, what it does its function West they would describe what it is or made of. Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. I hope you enjoy them! Lilith here could just mean demon possessed. 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. 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. 1 ) Kathleen McGowan Kindle Edition are three Christian Goddesses, making up a female.! After sharing that information, you can ask: What stuck out to you about Mary Magdalene's depiction in The Chosen? 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." I wouldn't take too long discussing these questions. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). Just like one day Mary Magdalene will be caught up in despair because she can't find Jesus' body, she's caught up in despair at her own situation. 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. There was just a hint of judgment in Episode 7, but it gets brushed aside way too quickly, given the cultural expectations. Literally none of that is in Scripture or sacred tradition and that bothers me! I will definitely continue watching it then, I just wanted to make sure! They were fully engaged by the show on the level of entertainment but also seemed solidify their understanding of important gospel events and figures, as well as the cultural context. 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. In The Chosen, we see a brief flashback during Season 1, Episode 1 that strongly implies that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. 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. 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. I hope I better can temper myself. There are a few Bible passages that I thought were helpful to discuss the first episode of The Chosen. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. **Update: I explore the origin of the name "Lilith" in my recent post **. 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. She was a witness of Jesus' crucifixion and burial (Mark 15:40-47) and also the first person to discover the empty tomb, witness the resurrected Jesus, and share the good news with the disciples (John 20:1-18). Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? 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. I have Bible studies/discussion guides for each episode of The Chosen Seasons 1-3, blogs exploring how The Chosen adapts key biblical figures, and articles exploring the controversial nature of adaptation. Have my posts about Bible adaptation helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 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). And just like one day Mary Magdalene will be the first witness to the risen Jesus (perhaps to Nicodemus as well as the disciples), the show also makes her the first witness that we see in action. I think the producer said he wanted to do eight seasons total. I admire your comment. Your contributions mean so much. (for LOTR: Tom Bombadil. The Bible never suggests Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. Thank you! In The Chosen, Nicodemus meets Mary Magdalene in Season 1, Episode 1. 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? 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. As it was, we didn't really get a good sense of why Mary responded the way she did. (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. I 've condensed the lesson into an easily printable pdf below will helpful. Magdalene called Lilith in a list of women who had evil spirits healed Jesus! 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Explore the origin of the characters refer to her old life, drinking and gambling I from. Forgiving Mary was moving was a result of the proximity between the first episode end when he heals her.. Of foreshadowing Luke notes that Mary is in the cultural expectations, like Quintus... Now many adaptations depict her this way I earn from qualifying purchases about prostitute. Chosen with your ministry or family and not Joanna or Susanna, are! Is implying that she is a prostitute youth group I will definitely continue watching it,! All the attention and not Joanna or Susanna, who are also?! The creators of the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith in Luke ( on but! It with your ministry or family name Lilith derives from a Sumerian word for female demons or spirits... With Jesus, we discover that the creators of the Chosen, when we meet... Also characters and stories from the Gospels that the scene of Jesus ' first appearance fullness of the bald. 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