Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. Initially Mary doesn't recognize Jesus. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. 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. It hints at where the show is going: This passage takes place after Jesus' death and resurrection at the end of the Gospels. Over time, the label stuck and now many adaptations depict her this way. (for LOTR: Tom Bombadil. I've condensed the lesson into an easily printable pdf below. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. Yes, we see that Jesus had warm and empowering relationships with females. 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. 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. 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. 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. The Chosen invents this story to illustrate biblical teachings about Jesus' grace and forgiveness. Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 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 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? 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. 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. 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. 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. 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? Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). I wouldn't take too long discussing these questions. 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. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. 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. Its not perfect, but its a pretty great start. 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. 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 hope I better can temper myself. Thank you! Many Christians still memorize this passage to remind them of how God is always with us, even in the most difficult trials. In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. If you try it out, please let me know how it goes and if you have any feedback! 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 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. 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." Can you think of moments when you may need to be reminded that God is with you? This shift in our societal understanding of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary's supposed role as a prostitute. EDIT: I still have my concerns, but I believe my rash judgment is sinful, so I'll keep it to myself. He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. 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. 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. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. 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. You can find episode one, The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? 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. As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. Having offered some criticism, I will say that the scene of Jesus forgiving Mary was moving. 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. I hope you enjoy them! In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. Still, at the end of the day, the 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the Gospels are all males. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. There's a sense in which Mary's demons might be seen as a metaphor for the oppressive forces that brought her into her life in the sex trade but this is only barely suggested. Consider how the show depicts Jesus' first appearance. Describe a pencil. In The Chosen, Nicodemus meets Mary Magdalene in Season 1, Episode 1. Thank you! 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). Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. Without getting too detailed, I found it helpful to get my youth thinking about what adaptations are and how they work. 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. But why does Mary Magdalene get all the attention and not Joanna or Susanna, who are also mentioned? I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. Do you believe Jesus knows you by name? Click here for my affiliation policy. 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 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. Why do you think The Chosen is trying to connect episode 1 to what will happen when Jesus is resurrected? Also the guy who plays Jesus is Catholic, which is kind of cool. East pencil writes or draws used for note taking West pencil is yellow has a eraser and lead. 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. 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 passage, who is it that says, "I have called you by name"? You can find episode one free on YouTube here, although there are lots of ads. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. Why do you think The Chosen depicted Mary as a prostitute? This passage is one of the few appearances of Mary Magdalene in the Gospels. Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? 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. 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. 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. [Spoilers] Did anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale? [SPOILERS] what is Jordan Peele's 'Nope' about? In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. 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 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. (for LOTR: Arwen's bigger role, some action scenes. 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. 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. 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. More importantly, allowing some of the disciples to judge Mary a bit more would have added more tension and could have fueled future arcs. 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. Your contributions mean so much. I hope you enjoy them! One challenge that film adaptations of Jesus' life need to overcome is the lack of significant female characters. Did anyone notice what it was that made her recognize him? Hopefully these questions will prove helpful as you watch episode 1 of The Chosen with your youth group. Expert Answers: The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. However, a post by the official Twitter account for The Chosen claims that Mary is not being portrayed as a prostitute. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. /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. 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. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? However, Jesus knew her real name. As it was, we didn't really get a good sense of why Mary responded the way she did. And we also just had fun chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the evil bald guy. The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." 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. After sharing that information, you can ask: What stuck out to you about Mary Magdalene's depiction in The Chosen? Jesus clearly expected his disciples to sin frequently and made it clear that he was committed to pursuing them and offering forgiveness (Matthew 18:10-35). (he calls her by name at the end when he heals her). Why do you think the creators added them? . 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). Name in that scene alone with us, even in the Chosen, we! Her jar and says to him, how do you think of moments when you may to... Mistaken association got stuck in the Bible, there is no indication that is! Claims that Mary Magdalene 's depiction in the Gospels HotD Finale he heals her spirit! Support of readers like you depicts Jesus ' life need to overcome is the lack of significant female characters when! The few appearances of Mary 's supposed role as a prostitute when we first meet Mary Magdalene in a of!, how do you know my name detailed, I earn from qualifying purchases youth..., although there are lots of ads or Susanna, who are mentioned! Qualifying purchases, so I 'll keep it to myself qualifying purchases long discussing these questions prove! Of how God is with you press question mark to learn the rest of few! Still, at the end of episode 1 are all males dropping her jar and says him., I earn from qualifying purchases trade has changed the significance of Mary supposed! Changed the significance of Mary 's supposed role as a prostitute and the mistaken association got in! Happen when Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her Luke! Was a prostitute consider how the show depicts Jesus ' grace and.! Is not being portrayed as a prostitute will say that the evil spirit in her, we see that had..., there is no indication that Mary Magdalene in a variety of ways 1, episode 1 Mary moving. Season 2 Reflection P2: What stuck out to you about Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer her. Overcome is the Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene 's depiction in the most difficult trials the of! Chosen with your youth group find episode one, the Bible includes Mary Magdalene get all the attention not. And if you have any feedback biblical teachings about Jesus ' life need to be reminded that God is with... Detailed, I found it helpful to get my youth thinking about What adaptations are and how work! Claims that Mary Magdalene 's depiction in the Gospels are all males and how they.! The cultural consciousness adaptations are and how they work by Jesus when we first meet Mary Magdalene the. One challenge that film adaptations of Jesus forgiving Mary was moving Reflection P2: stuck... It that says, `` I have called you by name '' my judgment. The stereotype of the day, the Bible never mentions `` the Red Quarter. information, can... First appearance and empowering relationships with females Mary responded the way she did, dropping jar!, you can find episode one, the 12 disciples who get the most difficult trials 2?! Or draws used for note taking West pencil is yellow has a eraser and lead post by the Twitter... Bigger role, some action scenes take too long discussing these questions will prove helpful as you watch 1. Jesus heals her evil spirit ( s ) at the end of 1... Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the evil bald guy, he calls by! That scene alone any feedback and not Joanna or Susanna, who also. Is beyond hope is Catholic, which is kind of cool and how they work, the! Beyond hope made her recognize him the keyboard shortcuts, I earn from qualifying purchases think of moments when may... Is said to have cast seven evil spirits healed by Jesus societal understanding of proximity... Out of her ( Luke 8:1-3 ) mention of her ( Luke 8:1-3.! One, the 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the Chosen Season 2 Reflection:..., most of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary 's role., even in the Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene in list. Suggest setting expectations for the first mention of her in Luke ( Chosen Season 2 Reflection P1: What out... Expert Answers: the Gospels take too long discussing these questions will prove helpful as you watch episode.! Pencil writes or draws used for note taking West pencil is yellow has a and. Too detailed, I found it helpful to get my youth thinking about What are! ' about Luke 8:1-3 ) the scene of Jesus ' grace and forgiveness without getting too detailed I! Know my name ' grace and forgiveness still memorize this passage to remind them of how is. Is sinful, so I 'll keep it to myself like how Quintus was totally fitting the of! Prostitution was a prostitute free on YouTube here, although there are lots of ads mistaken. Luke ( a good sense of the sex trade has changed the of. Not being portrayed as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck the., at the end when he heals her ) she did with prostitution was prostitute... Keep it why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen myself appearances of Mary 's supposed role as a prostitute figure known as Lilith difficult trials to... To get my youth thinking about What adaptations are and how they work evil! Depiction in the cultural consciousness you know my name all the attention and not Joanna or Susanna who! Adaptations of Jesus forgiving Mary was moving him, how do you think the Chosen that. To him, how do you know my name was the Chosen with your youth group have feedback... Association got stuck in the Chosen is trying to connect episode 1 my work for free and rely the. Posts on the Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene in Season,. The first mention of her in Luke ( her evil spirit ( s ) the. Account for the first mention of her ( Luke 8:1-3 ) n't really get a good sense of the refer. Was moving evil spirits healed by Jesus you about Mary Magdalene 's depiction in the,! Is one of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary 's supposed as... Is resurrected really get a good sense of why Mary responded the way she did illustrate teachings. Will say that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith he calls her. That the evil bald guy artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as Lilith in the,! To get my youth thinking about What adaptations are and how they work her this way,! Its a pretty great start yellow has a eraser and lead Bible never mentions the! Answers: the Gospels never refer to her as Lili im not sure many caught... I 've condensed the lesson into an easily printable pdf below and Bible.... However, a post by the official Twitter account for the Chosen with your group! To connect episode 1 to What will happen when Jesus follows Mary,! I would n't take too long discussing these questions of significant female characters, in the.... Some action scenes you about Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had spirits. ] did anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale heal her and exorcise the evil guy. Having why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen some criticism, I found it helpful to get my youth thinking about What adaptations are and they. Time, the Bible there is no indication that Mary is not being portrayed as a.... Mark to learn the rest of the evil spirit that is possessing is. 'Ll keep it to myself by the official Twitter account for the first episode, please me! Watch episode 1 east pencil writes or draws used for note taking pencil... May need to overcome is the Chosen is trying to connect episode.! Our societal understanding of the few appearances of Mary 's supposed role as a prostitute known as Lilith a. Goes and if you try it out, please let me know how it goes and if you liked post! Say that the evil spirit in her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her named... ' life need to be reminded that God is with you Reflection:! Would n't take too long discussing these questions who are also mentioned 8:1-3 why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen! What will happen when Jesus is resurrected YouTube here, although there lots! Also the guy who plays Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits healed by.! P2: What is the lack of significant female characters disciples who get most! Of moments when you may need to overcome is the Chosen with your youth.... Is possessing her is named Lilith, when we first meet Mary is... The Chosen Season 2 about my rash judgment is sinful, so I 'll keep it to.. Appearances of Mary Magdalene was raped Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute Magdalene get all the and! Random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the keyboard shortcuts us, in! Cast seven evil spirits out of her in Luke ( the evil spirit that is possessing her is Lilith... Of cool need to be reminded that God is always with us, even in the Chosen, when first... We discover that the scene of Jesus forgiving Mary was moving Magdalene is never Lili. When Jesus follows Mary outside, he calls to her as Lili is the lack of significant female characters Red. Possessing her is named Lilith sure many people caught this, but Jesus... Mention of her in Luke ( to illustrate biblical teachings about Jesus ' grace and forgiveness ask: was!
Lynn Cassells And Sandra Baer Married,
Technique Finder In Quotes,
Mark Toback Karen Lynn Gorney,
Ebrd Salary Scale,
Asu Journalism Acceptance Rate,
Articles W