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. Yes, there are plenty of women who show up in the Gospels. He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. If you try it out, please let me know how it goes and if you have any feedback! Thus, when Jesus first encounters Mary, what he offers her isn't forgiveness for her life of prostitution; it's relief from the oppressive demons that drove her to the type of life that she's lived. It is an excellent form of Lectio Divina. The episode with the woman at the well in the season finale could have been an interesting opportunity to bring her character into conflict with the other male disciples, but this opportunity was also missed. I've condensed the lesson into an easily printable pdf below. I thought Mary's storyline in Season 2 of The Chosen had a lot of potential but it was unfortunately not given enough room to breathe. When making the Chosen, he is advised by a Catholic Priest, Rabbi, and Evangelical Pastor. LOTR, Harry Potter), In [adaptation], can you think of some characters or stories that were added by the film? In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. These experiences cause Mary to flee back to her old life, drinking and gambling. 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. . I have not seen any anti Catholic scenes. Can you think of moments when you may need to be reminded that God is with you? East pencil writes or draws used for note taking West pencil is yellow has a eraser and lead. The creators of The Chosen have published interactive Bible Studies that are meant to explore some of the Scripture and biblical themes that inspired Season 1 and help viewers apply them to everyday life. 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). The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. Describe a pencil. 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. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. What do you think Mary's life was like before Jesus showed up? Over time, the label stuck and now many adaptations depict her this way. Thank you! The last passage is an optional bonus for youth that like digging deeper. There was just a hint of judgment in Episode 7, but it gets brushed aside way too quickly, given the cultural expectations. Why do you think the creators added them? 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. 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. 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. The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. (Jesus), What about Jesus' identity does this hint at? Catholic priest burned to death, another shot in north Press J to jump to the feed. The trauma of her rape is hinted at again in Season 2, Episode 5, and is the trigger that causes Mary to backslide. Did anyone notice what it was that made her recognize him? 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? To recap: in Episode 5 of Season 2, Mary begins to experience PTSD tied to the trauma of her rape by a Roman solider (implied very quickly in Episode 1 Season 1). Thank you for your input. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. The Chosen seems to be hinting that Mary is a prostitute (e.g. How does that truth encourage you? If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. The Chosen isn't trying to mess with the Bible. In The Chosen, during Season 2, Episodes 5-6, Mary Magdalene briefly leaves Jesus and falls back into sin, before being sought out, forgiven, and restored to ministry. Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM, Mary Magdalene, Lilith, & the Redeemer (Exploring The Chosen with Youth), Elizabeth Tabish as Lilith/Mary Magdalene in The Chosen, Over the past year, we've been exploring how The Chosen adapts biblical characters like, You may want to warn students beforehand that this episode contains some demonic activity. 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. However, some scholars believe the word would be better translated as demoness and see it is a reference to a Mesopotamian spiritual being. As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. This shift in our societal understanding of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary's supposed role as a prostitute. 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 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. /r/Catholicism is a place to present new developments in the world of Catholicism, discuss theological teachings of the Catholic Church, provide an avenue for reasonable dialogue amongst people of all beliefs, and grow in our own spirituality. I admire your comment. Dallas Jenkins (Director) is not Catholic, but - in my mind - makes the best Christian films I have seen anywhere. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. I wouldn't take too long discussing these questions. That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. This story was invented by The Chosen for the purposes of the plot. Have my posts about Bible adaptation helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? Your contributions mean so much. Under the influence of this tradition, many people see Mary as being emblematic of Jesus' compassion for lost and broken souls, and this makes her a perfect candidate for the kinds of stories that The Chosen wants to tell. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). So I'm glad The Chosen did something - I just hope that, instead of trying to jam so many story arcs into each season, future seasons trim the fat to make room so significant arcs like Mary's have room to be fully realized. Below I'll share an outline describing how to do a Viewing Party for The Chosen Episode 1 (I Have Called You by Name). 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." Thats as far off-script as they go for the rest of the season, everything else is pretty true to a harmonized Gospel narrative. Episode 1 depicts how she got these demons cast out of her by Jesus. But she was not possessed by one as the movie mentioned but by many. Matthew, Mark, and John also describe Mary as a witness of Jesus' crucifixion/burial (Matthew 27:55-61, Mark 15:40-47, and John 19:25). What's disappointing is that it doesn't delve too far into the implications of this. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? More importantly, allowing some of the disciples to judge Mary a bit more would have added more tension and could have fueled future arcs. The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions. 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). The ancient name Lilith derives from a Sumerian word for female demons or wind spirits. There you go! Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. EDIT: I still have my concerns, but I believe my rash judgment is sinful, so I'll keep it to myself. Luke briefly describes how Mary Magdalene was exorcised by Jesus and became one of his traveling followers (Luke 8:1-3). Also the guy who plays Jesus is Catholic, which is kind of cool. 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. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. 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. 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. The Chosen introduces a lot of characters and expects us to just keep up. 1 ) Kathleen McGowan Kindle Edition are three Christian Goddesses, making up a female.! Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. 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. Hopefully these questions will prove helpful as you watch episode 1 of The Chosen with your youth group. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. Catholic Christianity offers the world the fullness of the Christian Faith. 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. 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. 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. (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. I think the producer said he wanted to do eight seasons total. And we also just had fun chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the evil bald guy. Initially Mary doesn't recognize Jesus. However, a post by the official Twitter account for The Chosen claims that Mary is not being portrayed as a prostitute. (the Lord), Who is it that says these words in the show? I hope I better can temper myself. Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. 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? [Spoilers] Did anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale? Im not sure many people caught this, but when Jesus follows Mary outside, he calls to her saying, Mary of Magdala! Mary then turns around, dropping her jar and says to him, How do you know my name? I think one could make sense of the Mary/Lilith name in that scene alone. Starting around episode three I think is when it finds its groove. In the passage, who is it that says, "I have called you by name"? [SPOILERS] Is the Jon Snow spin-off really such a good idea? Interestingly, The King of Kings (1927) also uses Mary Magdalene to introduce us to Jesus for the first time. 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. Lord ), who is it that says these words in the Bible Mary! I believe my rash judgment is sinful, so I 'll keep it to myself briefly... 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