***Update: Learn more about the origin of "Lilith" in my recent post ***. Moreover, her biblical significance has been amplified even more by the attention that she's received from the interpretative and artistic traditions of the West. 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. For Mary's actual fall, it felt like the show was trying too hard to keep her character PG. Starting around episode three I think is when it finds its groove. Hopefully though, season 2 will find more ways to develop her character in a manner that's dynamic and engaging, because there's still much that could be done. Interestingly, The King of Kings (1927) also uses Mary Magdalene to introduce us to Jesus for the first time. Its not perfect, but its a pretty great start. Thank you! Catholic priest burned to death, another shot in north Press J to jump to the feed. East pencil writes or draws used for note taking West pencil is yellow has a eraser and lead. 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. 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. There was just a hint of judgment in Episode 7, but it gets brushed aside way too quickly, given the cultural expectations. 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. Luke briefly describes how Mary Magdalene was exorcised by Jesus and became one of his traveling followers (Luke 8:1-3). 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. Yes, we see that Jesus had warm and empowering relationships with females. 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. It's certainly not The Exorcist, but demonic stuff can really freak some people out. 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. When making the Chosen, he is advised by a Catholic Priest, Rabbi, and Evangelical Pastor. If you try it out, please let me know how it goes and if you have any feedback! I hope I better can temper myself. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. 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. I also suggest setting expectations for the first episode. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. Why do you think The Chosen is trying to connect episode 1 to what will happen when Jesus is resurrected? The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." 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 you seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone's life in a big way? Expert Answers: The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. I think the producer said he wanted to do eight seasons total. Your contributions mean so much. The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Jesus. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). I hope you enjoy them! That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. In The Chosen, Mary Magdalene is played by Elizabeth Tabish. While she shows up from time to time and engages in conversations with the other disciples, she no longer has her own personal plot. How does that truth encourage you? But she was not possessed by one as the movie mentioned but by many. 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. That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. (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. 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. 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. 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, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. 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. One day (hopefully) we viewers will get our first glimpse of the resurrected Jesus as we follow Mary to the empty tomb. The Chosen isn't trying to mess with the Bible. we first meet her as a client flees her place in "the Red Quarter"), but it's relatively disinterested in depicting what her life as a prostitute was actually like. Dallas Jenkins (Director) is not Catholic, but - in my mind - makes the best Christian films I have seen anywhere. (ex. The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. In The Chosen, Nicodemus meets Mary Magdalene in Season 1, Episode 1. 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. But why does Mary Magdalene get all the attention and not Joanna or Susanna, who are also mentioned? 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. For more details, check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, Demons, and Evil Spirits. Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? 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). I admire your comment. (for LOTR: Arwen's bigger role, some action scenes. In The Chosen, when we first Mary Magdalene in Season 1 Episode 1, she has already been possessed by evil spirits for some time. 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. 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. 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. More importantly, allowing some of the disciples to judge Mary a bit more would have added more tension and could have fueled future arcs. Many characters and stories are based on events in the Gospels, but there are also characters and events that the creators made up to tie things together. Catholic Christianity offers the world the fullness of the Christian Faith. It's a great comfort in the midst of the pandemic and other turmoil. In the same way, we get our first glimpse of the pre-resurrected Jesus as we follow her struggles in the first episode. 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. You may want to warn students beforehand that this episode contains some demonic activity. 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. Have my posts about Bible adaptation helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. This story was invented by The Chosen for the purposes of the plot. Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? Im not a person who cries during Jesus movies, but Ive cried several times during this series, because you can just feel the humanity of the scenes and everything is ten times more relatable. The implications of Mary living in the "Red Quarter" are still there. In a previous era of Hollywood Mary's status as a prostitute made her exotic and intriguing. /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. This comes out powerfully in the first Episode like to show you why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen here. In my opinion it works. Anyway, I love the series. In The Chosen, when we first Mary Magdalene in Season 1 Episode 1, she has already been possessed by an evil spirit, Lilith, for some time. Also the guy who plays Jesus is Catholic, which is kind of cool. Yes, there are plenty of women who show up in the Gospels. 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. However, some scholars believe the word would be better translated as demoness and see it is a reference to a Mesopotamian spiritual being. Describe a pencil. After sharing that information, you can ask: What stuck out to you about Mary Magdalene's depiction in The Chosen? I have not seen any anti Catholic scenes. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions. 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. Without getting too detailed, I found it helpful to get my youth thinking about what adaptations are and how they work. Hopefully these questions will prove helpful as you watch episode 1 of The Chosen with your youth group. 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. And just like one day the risen Jesus will reveal himself to Mary and free her from grief and fear by calling her name, Jesus first reveals himself to "Lilith" and frees her from her grief and fear and demons by calling her by her true name, Mary. This is symbolically tied to her encounter with another demon, Belial, who calls Mary Lilith, asserting the continued existence and power of her old identity. Why do you think they were removed? In The Chosen, Nicodemus meets Mary Magdalene in Season 1, Episode 1. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. 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. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. 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. 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. 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." When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. 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. I take comments made by The Chosen Twitter account with a grain of salt, especially since they are most likely made by digital marketers and not the actual creators of The Chosen. So you have to watch past the first couple episodes to get to the good ones. 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. . Did anyone notice what it was that made her recognize him? 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. The specific demon is not named in Scripture. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. (for LOTR: Tom Bombadil. In The Chosen, we see a brief flashback during Season 1, Episode 1 that strongly implies that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. I think Mary went by Lilith when she came to Magdala, not scripturally speaking, but for the story line. EDIT: To more specifically address your question about Mary Magdalene, my intuition is that they chose the name Lilith because few viewers are likely to know the name, and so therefore wont confuse her with another Bible character before her true identity is revealed. Below I'll share an outline describing how to do a Viewing Party for The Chosen Episode 1 (I Have Called You by Name). Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. It hints at where the show is going: This passage takes place after Jesus' death and resurrection at the end of the Gospels. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, and she financially aided him in Galilee. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. The important role that Mary Magdalene plays in The Chosen is not nearly as surprising as that of Nicodemus. The creators of The Chosen have published a series of interactive Bible Studies that help viewers explore some of the Scripture and biblical themes that inspired the show. FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. 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. 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). Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. 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. Enough said.). As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. You can find episode one free on YouTube here, although there are lots of ads. Many Christians still memorize this passage to remind them of how God is always with us, even in the most difficult trials. 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. The ancient name Lilith derives from a Sumerian word for female demons or wind spirits. There are a few Bible passages that I thought were helpful to discuss the first episode of The Chosen. (he is God). Why do you think The Chosen depicted Mary as a prostitute? Click here for my affiliation policy. 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. 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. 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. By noting how Mary is in the "Red Quarter", The Chosen is implying that she is a prostitute. Having offered some criticism, I will say that the scene of Jesus forgiving Mary was moving. Explain: The Chosen is a multi-season streaming series that's adapting the four Gospels. Thank you for your input. The Chosen seems to be hinting that Mary is a prostitute (e.g. 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. 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 second passage is the Scripture that Mary has written down: This passage that Mary's father taught her is from the Book of Isaiah. In Episode 6, Jesus sends Peter and Matthew to find Mary and bring her back. And we also just had fun chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the evil bald guy. 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. What's disappointing is that it doesn't delve too far into the implications of this. 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). Although The Chosen is still a few seasons away from the Resurrection of Jesus, it is clearly beginning with the end in mind. Over the past year, we've been exploring how The Chosen adapts biblical characters like Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, Peter, Andrew, Matthew, Jesus, and the Romans. 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. 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. 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. The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions. 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." In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. 1 ) Kathleen McGowan Kindle Edition are three Christian Goddesses, making up a female.! 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). EDIT: I still have my concerns, but I believe my rash judgment is sinful, so I'll keep it to myself. It's odd? 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. Lilith here could just mean demon possessed. 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. Do you believe Jesus knows you by name? Although we'll have to wait in order to understand fully what the show wants us to conclude, this could be a subtle and effective way to show how Jesus' ability to heal and save is ultimately grounded in his willingness to die and rise again. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. Normally I wouldn't care but this is a movie about Jesus, and if the people behind it are trying to do good, but it is a great disservice for me to bad-mouth it until the full plot is revealed. The Chosen introduces a lot of characters and expects us to just keep up. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. The Chosen invents this story to illustrate biblical teachings about Jesus' grace and forgiveness. 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 Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. The last passage is an optional bonus for youth that like digging deeper. As a general rule, the characters who follow Jesus aren't bad people; they're misunderstood and rejected and in need of love. There you go! 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. In The Chosen, we see a brief flashback during Season 1, Episode 1 that strongly implies that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. Can you think of moments when you may need to be reminded that God is with you? This allows the show to be more family friendly, but it also weakens the narrative that the show is telling about Jesus' compassion and pity. 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. Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. 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. An adaptation like The Chosen isn't meant to replace the Bible; it's meant to drive us deeper into the Bible and spiritual reflection. Literally none of that is in Scripture or sacred tradition and that bothers me! (he calls her by name at the end when he heals her).
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