Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). Thank you! When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. Thank you for your input. Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Jesus. When making the Chosen, he is advised by a Catholic Priest, Rabbi, and Evangelical Pastor. 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. I love this series. (for LOTR: Tom Bombadil. One challenge that film adaptations of Jesus' life need to overcome is the lack of significant female characters. 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. After Mary's encounter with Jesus, we never really get to see her deal with her former life. You can find episode one, 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. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. You can find episode one free on YouTube here, although there are lots of ads. Below I'll share an outline describing how to do a Viewing Party for The Chosen Episode 1 (I Have Called You by Name). Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. Anyway, I love the series. The assumption at that time was that women became prostitutes because they were inherently immoral and desirous. (he calls her by name at the end when he heals her). I hope you enjoy them! Thats as far off-script as they go for the rest of the season, everything else is pretty true to a harmonized Gospel narrative. 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. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 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. Enough said.). Initially Mary doesn't recognize Jesus. The trauma of her rape is hinted at again in Season 2, Episode 5, and is the trigger that causes Mary to backslide. What do you think Mary's life was like before Jesus showed up? 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. Having offered some criticism, I will say that the scene of Jesus forgiving Mary was moving. Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. 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. 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. 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. 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. Why do you think the creators added them? Have my posts about Bible adaptation helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? Catholic priest burned to death, another shot in north Press J to jump to the feed. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. 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. It hints at where the show is going: This passage takes place after Jesus' death and resurrection at the end of the Gospels. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. 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. [Update: In the comments below, an astute reader pointed me to a post by the official Twitter for The Chosen, which claims Mary is not being portrayed as a prostitute. In The Chosen, we see a brief flashback during Season 1, Episode 1 that strongly implies that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. 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. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). 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 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. 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. Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? 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). 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. Literally none of that is in Scripture or sacred tradition and that bothers me! 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. 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. The important role that Mary Magdalene plays in The Chosen is not nearly as surprising as that of Nicodemus. I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. For Mary's actual fall, it felt like the show was trying too hard to keep her character PG. These parallels are more than a neat bit of foreshadowing. I wouldn't take too long discussing these questions. And the parallels don't end there. Its not perfect, but its a pretty great start. 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). They speak to different audiences & look good on screen), Can you think of characters or stories that the film left out? For more details, check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, Demons, and Evil Spirits. Do you believe Jesus knows you by name? In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. See a Roman centurion fill Lilith/Mary s sight, a suggestion that the woman have. If you try it out, please let me know how it goes and if you have any feedback! Over time, the label stuck and now many adaptations depict her this way. And we also just had fun chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the evil bald guy. This is not a theologian or an apologist. The ancient name Lilith derives from a Sumerian word for female demons or wind spirits. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I hope I better can temper myself. 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. 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? The Chosen seems to be hinting that Mary is a prostitute (e.g. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. 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. It's a great comfort in the midst of the pandemic and other turmoil. Although The Chosen is still a few seasons away from the Resurrection of Jesus, it is clearly beginning with the end in mind. In the passage, who is it that says, "I have called you by name"? ***Update: Learn more about the origin of "Lilith" in my recent post ***. 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. every time a new character showed up. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. However, In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene fell back into sin, backslid, or left Jesus. (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. Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. 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. Describe a pencil. Until Jesus shows up, some youth may find the show a little slow. In The Chosen, Nicodemus meets Mary Magdalene in Season 1, Episode 1. Without getting too detailed, I found it helpful to get my youth thinking about what adaptations are and how they work. (Jesus), What about Jesus' identity does this hint at? 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). 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. 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. 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. 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. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? 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." 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. There are a few Bible passages that I thought were helpful to discuss the first episode of The Chosen. 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. 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. This is Tom My 3 month old son is battling an extremely rare and [Free Friday] after an early miscarriage 3 weeks ago, I Our new campus chapel is so close to being ready! So you have to watch past the first couple episodes to get to the good ones. (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. This shift in our societal understanding of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary's supposed role as a prostitute. The Chosen isn't trying to mess with the Bible. In The Chosen, we see a brief flashback during Season 1, Episode 1 that strongly implies that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. 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. Over time, there's been a growing awareness of how most women end up in prostitution: not because they are innately promiscuous but rather as a result of coercion, sexual trauma, and systemic inequities. 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. Still, at the end of the day, the 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the Gospels are all males. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Expert Answers: The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. 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. The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 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. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene fell back into sin, backslid, or left Jesus. In the same way, we get our first glimpse of the pre-resurrected Jesus as we follow her struggles in the first episode. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, and she financially aided him in Galilee. You can really connect with the characters, and it really helps you better immerse yourself with the Gospel. I will definitely continue watching it then, I just wanted to make sure! 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. 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. Yes, we see that Jesus had warm and empowering relationships with females. Luke briefly describes how Mary Magdalene was exorcised by Jesus and became one of his traveling followers (Luke 8:1-3). The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. However, some scholars believe the word would be better translated as demoness and see it is a reference to a Mesopotamian spiritual being. Click here for my affiliation policy. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. 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. The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions. 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? Have you seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone's life in a big way? 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. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? (he is God). Everything is very true to the Gospels, and theres no dialogue written to score theological points. 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. Lilith here could just mean demon possessed. I'm not saying we needed to see anything explicit, but the show certainly could have implied a bit more than it did. One day (hopefully) we viewers will get our first glimpse of the resurrected Jesus as we follow Mary to the empty tomb. I think Mary went by Lilith when she came to Magdala, not scripturally speaking, but for the story line. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Your contributions mean so much. Starting around episode three I think is when it finds its groove. 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. **Update: I explore the origin of the name "Lilith" in my recent post **. 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? 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 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. 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. Click here for my affiliation policy. 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. That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. 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. 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 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. However, Jesus knew her real name. 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). 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. The Chosen introduces a lot of characters and expects us to just keep up. EDIT: I still have my concerns, but I believe my rash judgment is sinful, so I'll keep it to myself. Just before Luke introduces us to Mary Magdalene, he tells a story about a prostitute that Jesus forgives (Luke 7:36-50). 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. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. 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. I have not seen any anti Catholic scenes. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. The implications of Mary living in the "Red Quarter" are still there. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. The Bible never suggests Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." 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). 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." As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. Explain: The Chosen is a multi-season streaming series that's adapting the four Gospels. /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. 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).
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