the chosen jesus movie review

Christian America’s Must-See TV Show

Take it from a Christian and a critic: The Chosen is as well made and entertaining as many network dramas. But its relative invisibility to secular audiences is no surprise.

Jesus preaching to a crowd in 'The Chosen'

Updated at 10:05 a.m. ET on June 28, 2021.

Have you heard about the hit Jesus TV show? The one that launched with a more than $10 million crowdfunding drive? And that streams for free from its own app, where the view counter has surpassed 194 million as of this writing? And that is honestly much better than I expected?

By the standards of independent media, The Chosen is a success. On Easter Sunday, 750,000 people tuned in to live-stream the Season 2 premiere; for comparison, the first episode of HBO’s Mare of Easttown attracted 1 million viewers that same month. Yet The Chosen —which presents the life of Jesus Christ and his disciples as a multi-season drama with imaginative character backstories and interpersonal conflicts—has been a largely underground phenomenon. Until its appearance on NBC’s Peacock earlier this year, The Chosen wasn’t on a major cable network or TV streaming service. Most mainstream publications have not reviewed it, though scattered reports mention its crowdfunding drives (in sum, the largest ever for a media project). You could pay close attention to the television industry and not know The Chosen exists. That’s because the show’s success so far has arrived not in spite of its insularity, but because of it.

Even many Christians are skeptical of faith-based entertainment. The Chosen ’s showrunner, Dallas Jenkins, when I spoke with him recently, compared the people who spread the word about his show to the story of Christ’s disciple Philip telling his friend Nathanael that the messiah is from the backwater town of Nazareth. (“Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael famously replied.) So can a biblical series made by a production company from the founders of VidAngel—a service that allowed viewers to filter out nudity, profanity, and graphic violence from TV and movies, then was sold after a multimillion-dollar copyright-infringement lawsuit —actually be worth watching?

Take it from a critic and a Christian with an aversion to Christian entertainment: The show is good. I’d stop short of calling The Chosen a prestige drama, but it looks and feels downright secular. Despite a wonky accent here and there, the acting is as strong as you’d see on a mainstream network series such as Friday Night Lights or This Is Us . A tracking shot lasting more than 13 minutes opened one recent episode—a typical technique for a filmmaker to flex their skills. The storytelling even inspired me to comply with the show’s promotional hashtag and (ugh) #BingeJesus.

The Chosen has caught on with Christians in part because of scarcity. Faith-based streaming services such as PureFlix overflow with solemn dramatizations of Bible stories, though finding one with much depth or entertainment value is rare. Meanwhile, subversive Hollywood takes such as Noah or The Last Temptation of Christ turn off Christians who prize the authority of scripture. The more straightforward 2004 movie The Passion of the Christ was by far the highest-grossing Christian film of all time, and the last one to make a dent in secular pop culture. Yet it was hyper-focused on the last few hours of Jesus’s life, and its fixation on the gory details of his crucifixion was no one’s idea of fun.

The Chosen ’s Jonathan Roumie plays Jesus as someone you’d actually like to hang out with, projecting divine gravity accented with easygoing warmth. He cracks jokes; he dances at parties. “What The Chosen has done well is give us kind of a robust portrait of a highly relatable Jesus that moves beyond some of the holier-than-thou, untouchable, unapproachable portraits of Jesus in the past,” says Terence Berry, the COO of the Wedgwood Circle, an investment group that finances faith-based media. (A Wedgwood member backed Silence —Martin Scorsese’s sparse and serious 2016 movie starring Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, and Liam Neeson as 17th-century Jesuit missionaries.)

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Rather than merely reciting Jesus’s greatest hits, Jenkins and his writers linger with characters in their daily lives—marital and professional conflicts, financial struggles, campfire gatherings. When the audience sees climactic moments from the Gospels, such as Jesus’s miraculous healing of a leper, the events register as disruptions of the status quo.

Although The Chosen stays faithful to the broad trajectory of the Christian Bible, it also creates some speculative backstories. Scripture mentions Jesus exorcising a demon from Mary Magdalene as almost a passing detail; The Chosen centers it in a tale that explains her subsequent devotion to Christ. Jews who collected taxes for Rome were considered traitors, so the show’s writers depict Matthew the tax collector as on the autism spectrum, reasoning that a social outcast might gravitate toward a profitable but thankless job. The account of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding might be well known, but in the show, the miracle also saves the bride’s working-class parents from embarrassing the groom’s wealthy father.

The goal, Jenkins told me, was to come up with plausible scenarios that still jibe with the holy book. “We’re not trying to contradict the Bible,” he said. “We’re just trying to build a show around the Bible and tell stories that we think are compelling.” As a viewer who grew up attending church and has made studying scripture a central part of my adult life, I’ve found this approach consistently rewarding. Watching The Chosen is no substitute for reading the Bible—a disclaimer at the start of Season 1 even says “viewers are encouraged to read the Gospel.” But by putting another layer of human perspective between its viewers and its source material, The Chosen performs some of the functions of a good Bible teacher, providing cultural context for ancient events and probing viewers to empathize with the characters.

Some viewers are less enthusiastic. “Every day, I’m told that I’m blaspheming or that I’m a heretic or that I’m violating the Bible,” Jenkins said. But the show’s success suggests that there’s a market for faith-based content that takes creative liberties while maintaining a reverence for scripture. Christianity’s foundational claims naturally center on Jesus: Was he just a singularly wise man or the son of God? What did he accomplish by dying on the cross? Did he actually rise from the dead? Christians who take a literal view of the Bible’s events surely appreciate that The Chosen aligns with their beliefs on these questions. The Chosen does not offer natural explanations for Christ’s miracles, present him as a misunderstood martyr , or imply that he was gay or married . Although the show is still seasons away from the crucifixion, Jesus is already hinting that he is on Earth for a greater purpose—an allusion to his future death as a sacrifice for human sin. As long as Jenkins maintains orthodoxy on key points such as these, the show’s fan base seems likely to give him leeway to color around the margins of his Bible.

The Chosen , whose first season aired in 2019, is now raising money for its third season of a planned seven. Its popularity with a preexisting Christian audience is assured. But it hasn’t appeared to connect with many of the nonreligious. A tension between outreach and insularity has long persisted within the faith-based entertainment industry. Typically, biblical stories don’t permeate the secular mainstream without a star such as Charlton Heston or Mel Gibson attached, and modern American culture has never been less Christian than it is now . Yet Christian musical artists of all genres have been selling out arenas for decades, including Amy Grant, Lecrae , and NEEDTOBREATHE. Theaters see a steady flow of Christian films both confrontational ( God’s Not Dead ) and inspirational ( Heaven Is for Real ) . Left Behind , the rapture-themed book series co-created by Jenkins’s father, Jerry, sold more than 80 million copies . The religious-media ecosystem encompasses cartoons, video games, and talk shows. Historically, it is also largely self-contained. “There was a creation of an entire subculture that produced its own versions of things and its own stations, and really was talking to itself,” says Michael Wear, who ran faith outreach for President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign and worked as a consultant for TV projects such as The Bible . “And now I think this next generation of Christian communicators [is] trying to break out of that.”

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Jenkins doesn’t seem that concerned about whether non-Christians see his series. Besides Season 1 of The Chosen getting added to Peacock this spring, the show already streams on YouTube and Facebook, making it more and more accessible for the nonreligious. But the slew of faith-based cable networks that have begun syndicating the show within the past year—BYUtv, the Trinity Broadcasting Network, UPtv—more accurately reflect its promotional efforts. Jenkins acknowledges that most of the feedback he gets is from the Christians whom the show is heavily marketed to, and specialized trailers are designed to appeal to various denominations. His focus remains making episodes for his dedicated patrons, who are in some cases literally invested, thanks to the equity-crowdfunding provision of the JOBS Act , which allows financial backers to own a stake in the projects they support. The Chosen could pursue a production deal with Netflix, where executives are hungry for target-marketed programming and offer creative freedom, Wear says. Or it could follow the established web-series-to-legacy-cable path of shows such as Broad City and High Maintenance , says Craig Detweiler, the president of the Wedgwood Circle . Yet Jenkins’s hesitation to do this so far is easy to understand: The financial and creative autonomy of a self-funded hit, where all your production costs are paid for up front, is tremendous.

Jenkins can live outside the traditional media landscape by exclusively serving his existing fans—just like the writers and live-streamers on platforms such as Substack and Patreon do. Berry, from the Wedgwood Circle, points out that The Wingfeather Saga , a series of youth fantasy novels by the Christian musician Andrew Peterson, is now being adapted into a cartoon TV series after a $5 million equity-crowdfunding drive through The Chosen ’s production company, Angel Studios. As much as he’s eager to see whether The Chosen can cross over to secular viewers, he’s equally if not more curious about whether its crowdfunded success can be repeated by other faith-based programs.

What’s happened with The Chosen represents what Mark Sayers, the senior leader of Red Church in Melbourne and a co-host of the Christian podcast This Cultural Moment , says is a shift toward a more “networked culture.” Today, a show doesn’t have to reach Breaking Bad levels of ubiquity to make an impact; it simply has to reach specific communities through personal connections. The Chosen will expand its footprint not by reaching secular audiences, but by finding Christians in every city with reliable internet. “People in Australia are watching,” Sayers says. “There’s huge Christian markets who speak English in places like Nigeria and beyond.”

This might sound counterintuitive: Evangelicalism is theoretically premised on spreading the “good news” about Jesus to as many nonbelievers as possible. Sayers thinks that The Chosen could be effective for starting spiritual conversations with skeptical friends, and I’m sure that some Christians have used the show that way. Still, for the most part, the series seems to be finding its fans among the converted. A secular audience might not have heard of The Chosen , simply because it was never who the show was trying to speak to. If The Chosen represents the next phase of Christian television, that future might include crisp production and nuanced storytelling. But it also seems familiarly destined to remain lodged within one of popular media’s oldest echo chambers.

‘The Chosen’ is the Jesus TV show your very Catholic aunt keeps telling you to watch. And you should.

“Get used to different.” That’s the tagline for “The Chosen,” a show from Angel Studios that is unorthodox in many ways. The first-ever multi-season TV series about the life of Christ, it is entirely crowdfunded. It is also free to watch in The Chosen App, which doesn’t require viewers to fork over their email addresses or pay any fees. Just come and see.

For months, two of my aunts had been urging me to watch “The Chosen.” And if I’m being honest, even though their texts were effusive in their praise for the series, I could not help but think, o h, a Bible show . I pictured the sort of show we watched in my C.C.D. days and didn’t put it high on my priority list.

The show’s most important feature is that it portrays the characters as human—especially Jesus.

I finally gave the show a chance this past Easter when Season 2 premiered. From the very first episode, I was floored. I watched the entire first season in a matter of days. I wanted more. I wanted to watch and see and be with Jesus. The acting is excellent, the visuals stunning, the artistry superb, and it pays careful attention to historic details and Jewish culture. But perhaps the show’s most important feature is that it portrays the characters as human, especially Jesus. Many previous attempts to depict Christ on the screen have focused on his divinity, but what I appreciate about “The Chosen” is that its creators acknowledge that we can never fully grasp his divinity. But Jesus’s humanity? Yes, that we can understand. And that is what this show captures so well.

The church needs this show. The faithful need this show. It sounds strange to say, but in all the books, podcasts, homilies, catechesis and education I have encountered that have formed my faith, it never occurred to me that the apostles had full lives with families, jobs, commitments and challenges, just like I do—and that Jesus disrupts all of that when he arrives. They were faithful Jews (and I’ve learned so much about the Jewish faith by watching the show!) awaiting a Messiah. And following Jesus required real sacrifice and faith. But like any decision made by a human being, it involved questioning, doubt, faith and trust.

I pictured the sort of show we watched in my C.C.D. days and didn’t put it high on my priority list.

One of my favorite episodes is when Simon Peter follows Jesus after the miracle of the fish (Season 1, Episode 4). His brother Andrew had been telling him about Jesus, whom Andrew had heard about from John the Baptist, but Simon was skeptical. He had a family to support and mountains of debt. But with a simple, gentle invitation to trust him, to “let down his net,” Jesus converts Simon. The mercy, love and tenderness of Jesus is palpable.

How can an actor attempt to capture an accurate representation of Jesus? This is what I asked Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays Jesus on “The Chosen.”

Hailing from New York City and born to an Irish mother and Egyptian father, Mr. Roumie was baptized in the Greek Orthodox Church. When his family moved from the city to the suburbs, they could not find a home in a new Orthodox community, and so they transitioned to attending Roman Catholic churches, where he was confirmed.

I asked Mr. Roumie how his own faith has been changed by the experience of playing Jesus. He said that it has made his relationship with Christ more intimate and has “allowed a proximity that was beyond what was prior.” The producers of “The Chosen” invent certain events to flesh out the fullness of Christ’s humanity, Mr. Roumie explained, and that can be challenging for some, but has also brought a deeper closeness to Christ for many fans.

I watched the entire first season in a matter of days. I wanted more. I wanted to watch and see and be with Jesus.

The show doesn’t shy away from the challenges that Christ presented to first-century Jews (and continues to present to modern viewers). It instead presents their relationships with Jesus as ones of seeking, of trying to understand and failing to do so often. This points to the need for the sacrament of confession, Mr. Roumie suggested. “It’s ‘once saved, always saved,’” he said. “But it’s not ‘once saved, never sinful again.’” As human beings of faith, he explained, the struggle is ongoing, but Christ’s compassion is infinite.

Mr. Roumie emphasized that even though he plays Jesus, he can really only relate to the other characters: Simon being stubborn; Matthew putting his own needs first sometimes; Mary Magdalene’s healing and conversion; Thomas’s doubts. This was what struck me watching the show, too. The apostles are relatable. They were people, too. As we spoke, Mr. Roumie also cited the scene with Simon Peter on his knees by the boat. “I’ve had that conversation with God,” he said, “not feeling worthy.”

“The Chosen” takes its time telling the stories of the Gospels, which necessitates taking some creative license. But the creators of the show hope that by seeing the parables lived out and connecting to them more closely, viewers will be inspired to pick up their Bibles. For me, the show has reinforced how Jesus’s ministry was not something that developed overnight with perfectly faithful followers; rather, it took time to grow and develop. He called people one by one, and not all at once, but when they were ready.

‘The Chosen' presents the apostles’ relationships with Jesus as ones of seeking, of trying to understand and failing to do so often.

One example of this creative license is an episode in the first season that depicts Jesus with young children. The way the creators envision it, the children are Jesus’s first students. In a way, he tests out his ministry with them. This episode also shows him cloaking his divinity, as Mr. Roumie puts it, and suffering the mundanity of humanity in the form of bugs, scrapes, finding food, making a fire and being tired after a long day.

People have been “reluctant to believe it’s more than a melodramatic platitude-driven story about Jesus and His followers,” Mr. Roumie said, “where he’s just a stone statue who talks in King James language that divorces people from their own lives and reality.” But when they do, sometimes by accident, encounter the show, a number of fans have experienced profound reminders of how much they are loved by God.

Mr. Roumie gave an example of when the team was filming the Sermon on the Mount scene (an upcoming episode in Season 2) in Texas. It was the middle of February and 20 degrees. Three thousand Covid-tested extras, all people who invested in the show, had brought their own costumes and found their own travel to participate in the iconic scene. One 12-year-old girl approached the director, Dallas Jenkins, and explained that a year ago she was going to take her own life. But someone sent her the show, and by the end of the first episode, she decided not to go through with it. “That a TV show could impact her enough to change her mind … is unfathomable. God is working very obviously and clearly to use this show as a way to heal people,” Mr. Roumie said.

“Jesus of Nazareth” has not achieved the iconic status of the great biblical epics (photo: Alamy)

Although I initially put off my aunts’ suggestions that I watch “The Chosen,” I have now become the person recommending the show to everyone I know. As I read the daily Gospel, I can picture James and John, sons of Zebedee, asking for seats at the right hand of God and not understanding what their requests mean. I appreciate how tense forming community would be for Jews like Simon and Andrew, who had had their exorbitant taxes collected by Matthew, now someone they are supposed to work with and love. I resonate with Mary Magdalene who bravely leaves her old ways behind but still needs to be reminded of God’s love for her.

More than ever, I see the apostles as people like me. That is such a different understanding than the too-holy-to-touch view I sometimes previously espoused.

But, I guess I need to get used to different—because Jesus changes everything.

Season 2 of ‘The Chosen’ has a few more episodes that are scheduled to be released by the end of the summer. The rest of the seasons are still in funding stages.

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Jesus Christ, Streaming Star

“The Chosen,” a TV series about the life of Jesus, pulls off a crowd-funded miracle: a hit with a Christian fan base that is breaking into the mainstream.

By Ruth Graham

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MIDLOTHIAN, Texas — In the biblical account of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, Jesus uses two fish and five loaves of bread to feed a large crowd. The small amount of food supernaturally multiplies to satisfy 5,000 people who have gathered to hear him speak near the Sea of Galilee.

Re-enacting that scene for television could be viewed as a miracle of its own: 9,000 extras gathered over the course of three days at a Salvation Army camp south of Dallas this summer. They were not paid actors, but devotees of the television show they were making. Many of them had traveled from across the country to stand in the Texas heat, a reward for giving up to $1,000 each to fund the show.

“The Chosen,” a surprise hit television series, is billed as the first multi-season show about the life of Jesus — and one of the biggest crowd-funded media projects ever produced . The show’s third season will begin streaming online in mid-December.

Conceived by a little-known creator, featuring no major stars and funded primarily, at first, through small contributions without the support of a Hollywood studio, the series began on an obscure proprietary app and is now given away for free. Its I.P. is 2,000 years old. But despite the long odds, the faith-based drama series has become a bona fide phenomenon in many parts of Christian culture, attracting a fervent ecumenical fandom while remaining almost invisible to others.

Globally, 108 million people have watched at least part of one episode of “The Chosen,” according to an analysis prepared at its producers’ behest by Sandy Padula, an independent consultant. The show now also streams on platforms including Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, and, as of last week, Netflix. Producers recently announced that the third season of the show would also be available on a new “The Chosen” app.

The first two episodes of the show’s third season premiered together in theaters on Nov. 18, and brought in more than $8 million, coming in third at the weekend box office behind mainstream movies that screened in more theaters. A limited-run theatrical release of a Christmas special last year was extended weeks beyond its planned run and topped $13.5 million in ticket sales — a fraction of the box office for mainstream Hollywood films, but a record for Fathom Events, a large distributor that specializes in special events and short-run screenings.

The show first appeared in 2019, but it wasn’t until the coronavirus pandemic that it found its audience. The first two seasons are eight episodes each.

When Felicia Maize’s large evangelical church in the suburbs of Dallas temporarily closed down in March 2020, friends texted her and her family to urge them to tune in.

“This Jesus blinks his eyes,” Mrs. Maize recalled one friend telling her. He wasn’t some stiff and remote character from an old painting; he was relatable, like a best friend, she said. A few episodes in, they were hooked. The show spread among their friend group by word of mouth, and “sustained everyone,” she said. “We binged Jesus.”

Mrs. Maize had come to the Texas set with her husband and two sons, who stood in the baking afternoon sun waiting to be summoned to the cameras. “We’re not lukewarm!” she said cheerfully, a reference to the Book of Revelation ’s warning against tepid faith, and a description of their burning fandom.

Part of the camp was an Instagram-friendly playground, where extras spent their downtime posing with life-size cutouts of cast members and browsing at a large gift shop. Other areas were transformed into first-century Galilee, including a replica of the seaside city of Capernaum, where the Gospels describe Jesus attending synagogue and healing people.

The series is based on the four Gospels, which follow Jesus from his birth in a stable to his resurrection after being crucified by the Roman Empire. But the show’s creator and director, Dallas Jenkins, an evangelical Christian, has fleshed out elaborate new back stories and personalities for the people around his central character.

The Jesus of “The Chosen” is serene, charismatic and intimate — something like a roving therapist. In the world of “The Chosen,” Mary Magdalene is an alcoholic and a victim of sexual assault. Matthew, the tax-collector disciple, is portrayed as on the autism spectrum, and the disciple Little James has a physical disability expressed as a limp. (The actor who plays Little James, Jordan Walker Ross, has scoliosis and mild cerebral palsy.)

Mr. Jenkins’s tactic of expanding the characters around Jesus means there’s enough material to fill out a planned seven seasons, and enough new story lines to warrant fears of “spoilers” in one of the most well-known narratives in human history. The show includes complex relationships, suspense, political intrigue, and charged emotional moments.

Ryan Swanson and Tyler Thompson, who write with Mr. Jenkins, list influences including “Game of Thrones,” “The Wire,” “Battlestar Galactica” and “Star Trek” — the last one because it’s about “a captain and about 12 other people,” Mr. Swanson said.

The fact that “The Chosen” aspires to secular prestige TV quality is part of its appeal for an audience that has grown resigned to entertainment products that are often lesser imitations of mainstream hits. Many fans say the show’s production values drew them in. “It was far less cheesy than what I’m used to seeing,” said Luke Burgis, a Catholic writer who wrote an essay titled “ Why We Love ‘The Chosen’ So Much ” last year for the evangelical magazine Christianity Today. He generally eschews Christian media, he said, but the show is “like anything I’d find on Netflix.”

Neal Harmon, co-founder of Angel Studios, the distributor of the first two seasons, says the show was its first breakout hit: “What ‘House of Cards’ was for Netflix, ‘The Chosen’ was for Angel Studios,” he said. (As a marketing team, Mr. Harmon and his brother, Jeff, are behind viral advertising campaigns for products like the Squatty Potty and Poo-Pourri.)

Accounts abound of skeptical viewers unexpectedly ending up in tears as they watch scenes like one in the first episode, in which Jesus approaches a devastated Mary Magdalene, whom he has never met. “Fear not, for I have redeemed you,” he tells her, looking deeply into her eyes. “I have called you by name,” he continues. “You are mine.” The soundtrack soars.

The show can also border on the corny, with Bible characters using phrases like “not too shabby” and “I’ll be in touch.” But what stands out are the countless moments in which Jesus pauses what he is doing to witness and name a character’s struggle, even if he does not fix the problem. “I see you,” he tells the wife of one of his disciples. “I know it is not easy to be at home when your husband is out doing all of this.”

The title “The Chosen” can be interpreted as referring to Jesus himself, his disciples or even any of his followers — including those watching a television show about him in 2022.

“I think that’s what the banner over the whole show is: Jesus is a personal God,” Mr. Jenkins said. Mr. Jenkins grew up with an intimate view of what it looked like for a piece of Christian pop culture to blow up into the mainstream: He’s the son of Jerry B. Jenkins, who co-wrote the best-selling “Left Behind” series of Christian apocalyptic thrillers.

Mr. Jenkins relies on a panel of one evangelical Christian, one Catholic scholar and one Messianic rabbi to consult on the scripts. But controversies flare up occasionally. During the second season, Mr. Jenkins addressed accusations of blasphemy over issues including the depiction of Mary Magdalene’s “backsliding” into sin after being saved.

For many viewers, the appeal of the show is that it is pointedly not political.

“You can’t infuse American politics into first-century Judea,” said Erin Moon, an evangelical podcaster in Birmingham, Ala., who has recommended the show to her listeners. “There’s something very pure, or focused, that you’re not seeing with a lot of American churches right now.”

“Just preach the Gospel” is a cliché among some Christians tired of litigating cultural and political battles in spiritual spaces, Ms. Moon said. But in her view, “The Chosen” pulls it off.

“The Chosen” is “my literal favorite TV show,” she said. “It’s the thing I evangelize about.”

Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus on the show, has played the same role in three short films directed by Mr. Jenkins. Like most of the actors on the show, he also looks like he could have actually been born in the Middle East: His father is Egyptian.

For some viewers, it’s hard not to conflate Mr. Roumie with his role as the son of God.

The actor has in some ways taken on the role of spiritual leader himself. He has a partnership with Hallow, a Catholic meditation and prayer app that has also worked with celebrities like Mark Wahlberg and Brett Favre. In the spring, he collaborated on a Hallow production with Jim Caviezel, who played Jesus in “The Passion of the Christ,” directed by Mel Gibson. (The two men have never met in person, Mr. Roumie said, joking that “the universe might implode.”)

In the early months of the pandemic, Mr. Roumie led a daily prayer session on Instagram, praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and the Rosary for thousands of people. Tuning into the prayers “became part of my routine,” said Anusha Jebanasam, the moderator of a Facebook fan page for Mr. Roumie.

Mr. Jenkins, the other face of the show, introduces episodes online, and interacts frequently with fans; he is often recognized in public. The fact that the show is crowd-funded means many viewers feel personally invested in its success and see themselves as part of a community. When Mr. Jenkins posts on social media about a streaming event, he said, “people will respond in the comments, ‘I can’t make it, I’m going to be at Bible study . ’”

In June, Ms. Jebanasam traveled from her home in Sydney, Australia, to serve as an extra on set in Texas.

“All these 5,000 people here are new friends,” said Lori Mejaly, a Catholic from Detroit who was sitting at a folding table during a break with George Pechulis, a Baptist from Wyoming whom she had just met. “We’re all under one God.”

To prepare for the taping, Mr. Pechulis stopped trimming his beard a few months back, and Ms. Mejaly did a Google search for “first-century clothes.” She settled on Birkenstock-style sandals, an orange tunic and a bright head scarf.

Ben and Crystal Woods, who had traveled from Indiana, said “The Chosen” was a touchstone throughout the most difficult period of their lives. Their middle child, Calla, died at age 9 in 2019. Then came the isolation of the pandemic. Grieving at home, and unable to attend church in person, they began watching the drama with their other two children.

Mrs. Woods often prays as she watches the show, imagining herself in place of the characters as they interact with Jesus and receive his help and attention. She has watched episodes with a small group from church, with her neighbor and her family.

To prepare for the family’s appearances as extras, Mrs. Woods tried her hand at sewing for the first time, stitching a tunic for their 7-year-old, Lila.

Watching the show is “good for my soul,” she said.

Hours later, on the other side of the camp, Mr. Roumie, the actor who plays Jesus, was standing in front of the crowd of extras in a short burlap tunic, waiting for the cameras to start rolling again.

It was almost 6 p.m., and temperatures were still in the 90s. Piles of store-bought pita bread and dried croaker fish acquired from local Asian supermarkets were mounded in large baskets. Crew members circulated to distribute water bottles and umbrellas. The air smelled like hot seafood. But when Mr. Roumie lifted his phone during a break and smiled into the camera for a selfie, the crowd erupted in cheers.

Audio produced by Kate Winslett .

Ruth Graham is a Dallas-based national correspondent covering religion, faith and values. She previously reported on religion for Slate. More about Ruth Graham

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The Chosen is a historical drama based on the life of Jesus and those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the series shares an authentic look ... Read all The Chosen is a historical drama based on the life of Jesus and those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the series shares an authentic look at Jesus' revolutionary life and teachings. The Chosen is a historical drama based on the life of Jesus and those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the series shares an authentic look at Jesus' revolutionary life and teachings.

Dallas Jenkins
Elizabeth Tabish
Jonathan Roumie
Shahar Isaac
3.7K User reviews
15 Critic reviews
1 win & 1 nomination

Episodes 35

Mary Magdalene …

Simon Peter

Little James

Nathaniel …

Mother Mary

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Trivia "The Chosen" is the largest crowdfunded media project of all time.

[from season 3 trailer]

Pharisee : Jesus, if you do not renounce your words, we will have no choice but to follow the law of Moses.

Jesus : I am the law of Moses.

Connections Featured in 2023 Illuminate - Angel Studios (2023)

User reviews 3.7K

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Apr 16, 2019
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April 21, 2019 (United States)
United States
The Shepherd
LDS Motion Picture Studio, Goshen, Utah, USA (Studio)
Loaves & Fishes Production
Out of Order Studios
The Chosen Texas
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Season 1 – The Chosen

Where to watch, the chosen — season 1.

Watch The Chosen — Season 1 with a subscription on Peacock, Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

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Paras Patel

Review: The Chosen: Season One (dir. Dallas Jenkins, 2019)

Since the late 19th century , there have been many movies and TV shows about Jesus, the longest of which — in English, at least — is probably Fraindnco Zeffirelli’s 1977 miniseries Jesus of Nazareth , which runs about six and a half hours without commercials. But there has never been an ongoing multi-season series about the life of Christ — until now.

The Chosen is an ambitious series — co-written and directed by Dallas Jenkins , son of Left Behind co-author Jerry B. Jenkins and an experienced filmmaker in his own right — that aims to cover the adult ministry of Jesus over the course of seven seasons. The first eight-episode season was released in 2019, and the second is now being filmed in Utah.

Strikingly, despite the intended length of the show, it does not aim to cover every story in the gospels, nor does it take a conventional biographical approach to Jesus. The series skips right past the baptism and temptation of Jesus, for example, and goes straight to the calling of the first disciples — but first it spends some time developing their back-stories, to give added weight to the stories about them that we do know from the gospels.

The result is an interesting blend of the typical Jesus movie and, for lack of a better term, the typical evangelical movie.

Just as old-school Billy Graham movies focused on sinners whose lives were changed in the final reel by a conversion to Christ, so too the first episodes of The Chosen dwell on the spiritual and economic plights of figures like Mary Magdalene (Elizabeth Tabish) and Simon Peter (Shahar Isaac) before Jesus (Jonathan Roumie) shows up in the final moments.

The series also follows characters like Nicodemus (Erick Avari), a member of the rabbinic establishment who is increasingly dissatisfied with the religion of his peers, and Matthew the tax collector (Paras Patel), whose facility with numbers and indifference to the hostility of others are linked to what we would now call undiagnosed Asperger syndrome .

The Chosen is also one of the very, very few productions to devote any screen time to the fact that at least some of the disciples were married. One major plot thread concerns Peter’s wife Eden (Lara Silva), who, like the spouse in many a Billy Graham film, worries that her husband has lost his way – until an encounter with Jesus restores her husband’s faith.

But if the series never quite plays like a conventional Jesus biopic, it does make a point of trying to get closer to the character of Jesus as a human being in his own right.

One episode is dedicated entirely to Jesus’ friendship with some children who find him living in a tent on the outskirts of Capernaum. When he is with them, he sings the psalms with them and tells them stories about the Israelite prophets; and when he is alone, he says his prayers and tends to the small injuries he incurs while working at his carpentry.

Another episode — for my money, easily the most moving of the bunch — juxtaposes Joseph and Mary’s search for Jesus when he was 12 years old (as per Luke 2:41-52) with the miracle he performed at the wedding in Cana (as per John 2:1-12).

The episode links the two stories with close-ups shot from Jesus’ point of view, as Mary speaks to the camera. By seeing things from Jesus’ perspective and remembering that he had a mother (who was close enough to him that he performed his first public miracle at her request), we viewers are encouraged to identify with Jesus and to consider how he shares in our humanity.

The Jesus of this series is also remarkably deferential to the people he meets, especially the women. He apologizes to the Samaritan woman when she objects to the way he introduced himself, and there are humorously awkward moments like the one in which Peter’s mother-in-law asks Jesus and his disciples to help her in the kitchen after he has healed her.

To its credit, the series also underlines the Jewishness of its characters, devoting an entire episode to Mary Magdalene’s preparations for the Sabbath. However, the series tends to minimize the role of the community in religious life. The gospels often say that Jesus went to the synagogues to teach, but neither he nor the disciples ever do that here.

Along the way, the series tackles the question of how to create a single cohesive narrative out of the four gospels, which have very different takes on the life of Jesus.

For example, the Synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) all show Jesus calling Peter and the other fishermen to follow him by the Sea of Galilee, and Luke’s gospel adds that the call was accompanied by a miraculous catch of fish. But John’s gospel says the first “sign” performed by Jesus was the changing of water to wine at the wedding in Cana, an event that occurred after Peter and his brother Andrew had already started following Jesus.

The series resolves this by suggesting that the catch of fish was a private miracle, done for the benefit of Peter and the other fishermen when Jesus was recruiting them, while the water being turned to wine was the first public miracle that Jesus performed.

Similarly, the Jesus of Mark’s gospel tends to keep his messianic identity a secret, while the Jesus of John’s gospel proclaims it quite openly. So in the series, Jesus is open about who he is with his followers, but it is only when he meets the Samaritan woman by the well that he openly identifies himself as the Messiah and encourages her to spread the news.

Stylistically, The Chosen has a distinctly modern sensibility. Each episode begins with a blues-rock song over the opening credits, and the final episode concludes with another blues-rock song as Jesus and his disciples stride purposefully toward the Samaritan village. This is quite different from the symphonic scores and ethnic flourishes of other Jesus movies.

The show’s modernity is reflected in the dialogue, too, which can be strikingly colloquial. The disciples use terms like “teacher’s pet”, a fisherman tells the person steering his boat to go “hard to port”, a Roman soldier complains that he and Matthew are “sitting ducks”, and Jesus says the disciples’ constant “question-and-answer sessions” can be “very annoying”.

Similarly, the conversations that Jesus has with Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman are leavened with new dialogue that gives added social and theological context to their exchanges and is also intended to make them sound more like regular chats. But the series isn’t as consistent as it could be in its modernization. When Jesus teaches the Lord’s Prayer to some children, he gives them the familiar King James version, in 17th-century English.

There are other anachronisms one could point to. The series imposes relatively modern Jewish rituals on the ancient setting at times, and the characters are sometimes surprised by Jesus’ humanity — by the fact that he dances at parties and builds latrines — in a way that reflects later Christian tendencies to emphasize Jesus’ divinity above all else. Presumably the people who lived with Jesus were more fully conscious of his humanity at the time.

The acting is a bit of a mixed bag, but thankfully, at the centre of it all there is Roumie, who plays Jesus with a robust mix of strength, compassion, and the occasional playful wink. Isaac and Silva, as Peter and Eden, also have an engaging chemistry. And Avari’s Nicodemus is a sincere, thoughtful seeker long before he gets to have his big meeting with Jesus.

It will be interesting to see where future seasons take the story. While the series does depict a few healings and other miracles, it has so far avoided anything more explicitly supernatural, like the signs that appeared at Jesus’ baptism; and the show’s casual, relatable vibe does lead you to wonder how it would handle the Transfiguration, the Resurrection, or any other story that involved voices from Heaven or the appearance of angels.

But the show is off to a decent start, and, if it does omit some parts of the gospels that the viewer might wish it had included, it highlights other parts that have been virtually ignored until now. It also gives fresh emotional heft to stories that we thought we knew so well. On those levels, at least, The Chosen is an exciting addition to the Jesus-movie canon.

— A version of this review was first published in The Anglican Planet .

The Chosen can be streamed in full via VidAngel or the show’s app ( Android | Apple ).

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Let’s Talk About . . . ‘The Chosen’ (Seasons 1–2)

by Christian Standard | 11 November, 2022 | 9 comments

We typically review movies in this format, but today we will review a streaming series. As always, we provide talking points and questions to help explore spiritual topics and to share your faith experience with family and friends.

The Chosen (Seasons 1-2)

Unrated • 2017 • Historical Drama • 16 one-hour episodes 

Starring: Jonathan Roumie, Elizabeth Tabish, Paras Patel, Shahar Isaac

——–

By Andrew Wood

Every generation needs to rediscover Jesus and tell his story in a way that touches not only the head but the heart. The multi-season streaming series The Chosen takes enormous artistic liberties with the historical facts of the Gospels. However, it convincingly portrays Jesus as enigmatically both human and divine.

HARNESSING 21ST-CENTURY MEDIA

The Chosen was produced and marketed in a unique way that takes advantage of 21st-century media to take the message of Jesus to new audiences. It was designed as a multi-season series of one-hour episodes, intended to be binge-watched much like similar programs on online streaming services.

Distributer Angel Studios is a video streaming company that is paying for the series’ production through crowdfunding—online donations from people who believe in the project. Contributors can be included as extras in future episodes. To date, the project has raised over $40 million, making it the most successful crowdfunded television project in history.

ACCURATE JESUS, ACCURATE SETTING

In some ways, the Jesus of The Chosen seems like the best cinematic depiction of the Messiah to date. American actor Jonathan Roumie portrays him with a tension between approachability and regality, simplicity and mystery, gentleness and strength. Watching him, it’s easy to imagine wanting to be in the presence of this charismatic man, yet at the same time feeling some trepidation at what unexpected thing he might do or say. It feels very much like the reaction we might have at meeting the real Jesus.

The cast of this production is diverse, including talented actors of Indian-American, Israeli-American, and other ethnicities speaking accented English. This is not just a nod to modern sensibilities; it’s actually a more historically authentic way to think of the cosmopolitan environment of first-century Israel under Roman occupation. Similarly, while the series is filmed in Texas and Utah, it succeeds in replicating a convincing Middle Eastern setting that feels deep, rich, and historically accurate.

This is no accident. The Chosen has three script consultants: a Roman Catholic priest, a Messianic Jewish rabbi, and an evangelical New Testament scholar (Dr. Doug Huffman of Biola University). Two members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints founded the production company that produced the series, but rumors that The Chosen promotes or benefits that church are unfounded.

AN IMAGINATIVE STORYLINE

The plot of The Chosen is another matter. While adhering to the general outlines of Jesus’ life and ministry, the script takes huge artistic liberties to create fictional backstories and drama for other characters.

Some of these seem generally consistent with the biblical account. We’re introduced to Mary Magdalene (Elizabeth Tabish) from the beginning of the series, and learn a little about her as a child, as an adult of questionable morals battling demon possession, and then her transformation into a devout woman after encountering Jesus. Other biographical story arcs stretch credulity, such as an intrigue that sees Peter (Shahar Isaac) informing on fellow Jews to Roman authorities to try to erase his debts.

It’s easy for those familiar with the Gospels to pick out the fiction; not so much for those who are biblically illiterate. The Chosen is perhaps best seen as Jesus in an “alternative universe”—how would he interact if the characters of the Bible actually did these things? From that perspective, the viewer can enjoy the story as a work of fiction while being inspired to consider the character and example of the real Jesus, and how he might interact with us individually today.

This does create a dilemma when showing the series to children or adults with poor knowledge of the Gospels. It can be a useful tool to inspire interest in Jesus but that should be followed up with intentional Bible study to help viewers distinguish fact from fiction.

HOW TO VIEW THE CHOSEN

Seasons 1 and 2 of The Chosen are available free for anyone with a computer, smartphone, or smart TV. Access episodes through the studio’s website ( www.angel.com ) or via multiple streaming services, including Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, and others. You can also download the app—The Chosen: Stream the Series.

The first two episodes of season 3 will be released in theaters nationally Nov. 18. Look for a review of those new episodes here at christianstandard.com in the coming weeks.

If you’d like to take your discussion of this series with others to a deeper level, try some of these questions:

How relevant do you think Jesus’ story is to our lives today?
What qualities do you find appealing about Jesus as portrayed in The Chosen ?
How does this picture of Jesus compare to your previous ideas, including those you were raised with?
Did you notice any inaccuracies in the movie when compared with the Bible?
Did the series make you more interested in learning the real story of Jesus? Would you like to read it together?

Andrew Wood, a former missionary to Ukraine and professor at Nebraska Christian College, is a freelance writer.

Christian Standard

As a woman who believes in Christ… guys.. I loved what you did. I have scored music for major feature movies. That said, where are the women in your production & writing team? There would be so much more you could have brought to the story through the women’s experiences. Since scripture states (written by the spirit through male hands) that women were brave enough to be at the cross when the apostles hightailed it into hiding (which is appreciated when we humans are not living up to who we all should be in our faith). Then again, scripture recording that women were the 1st to experience, be spoken to, spend time w/ the resurrected Christ.. THE event that created a direct connection to our creator. If scripture records such bravery & significant experience by the women… does it not merit putting women in as writers & producers to include their experiences?

I watched The Chosen tonight. Disappointed, it is not historically accurate. They told a vegetable joke about corn. It was almost 1,500 years after Christ before corn left the Americas.

In response to Blue Huxley: What does the fact that the Bible records women being the first to arrive at Jesus’ tomb have anything at all to do with including women as writers and producers in a Christian streaming series in the 21st century? I am a female Christian as well, but to make EVERYTHING about women these days is getting more than a little monotonous. Did you ever consider that the creator of the series just found the right “people” for the various roles he hired them for, regardless of their biological gender? . . . Not every decision in life boils down to feminism.

I love the show so far. It makes learning about Jesus much more approachable . . .

LOL ! The corn comment!

It’s good. I never realized he had such a large group of immediate followers. Let alone so many women in the group. But everything has to be ‘Inclusive’ these days. Because of that a lot of time is spent fleshing out things that are made up. Alsi I don’t think anyone used the word “weaponized’ of Jesus saying “You Got this”. Thw list could go on. Where’s Bartholomew?

I loved The Chosen; I feel much more closer spiritually as a Catholic. I am left with better understanding! I love every cast member that played an excellent part in the story. Truly got me is the best story movie show, I’ve seen about Jesus that got to the point and I understood it. Thank you! I’m telling everyone to watch it and they are and have! That’s what the Lord wants. Spread and share his love the truth to all his children. God Bless you all!

I hope it goes further than I ever imagine because I think that we really need that as a society. We need this right now. We need more of God and the culture. We need people to know that they are Loved as different as we all are. We are all children of God how can we teach our to those who are hiring and are in pain and if a TV show is able to kind of help, encourage people and and make them feel closer to Jesus and and more loved by God. And you know that’s that’s my ministry right there. – Jonathan Roumie (Jesus) The Chosen! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I am just now finishing up series 3. Of all the comments I have read, no one gets that this series has a “Jesus is a prophet and all-around great guy” motif. It is an amalgamation of New Testament statements about Jesus and his ministry. The one glaring omission that no one seems to understand is that Jesus has been lowered to be shown as a prophet and not the Son of Man. There is no statement about him being in conflict with the devil and that his ministry, in bringing the Kingdom of God to the earth, is to overthrow the hold that the forces of evil have on human history. He casts out demons but this is shown as just one of the things he does along with healing. The statements about the contrast between a person who wants to be dedicated to God and those who don’t are softened. Just read the Gospel according to Mark. The Jesus in that Gospel is not the Jesus on the screen. Very good human drama, but a wimpy representation of the Jesus of the Gospels.

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By Alan Ng | April 11, 2020

Over the decades, faith-based films have gotten a lousy rap…deservedly so. I get it. I have well-meaning believers tell me I should watch such-and-such, “It’ll changed your life!” I’m then stunned about how a horribly-produced film ever changed anyone (see Thief in the Night ). You have a vast dogmatic audience that is easily offended by anything that’s a little off (especially when it comes to Jesus Christ himself), so religious dramas and comedies are forced to toe the Christian line, which means it offers watered-down boredom and any excitement is dulled or surgically removed.

Christian bookstores and church libraries are littered with dozens of versions of the life of Christ. They all look the same and portray Christ as a superhero dispensing fortune-cookie advice. So, in comes The Chosen from director Dallas Jenkins. Just from the packaging, I thought, “Ugh, I’ve seen this before.” I couldn’t have been more wrong.

“Jesus is pretty much wrapping up his career as a carpenter , and we delve into the personal lives of his future disciples.”

The Chosen is an eight-episode series (of which I’ve seen the first four) taking place before Jesus Christ’s “ministry” begins (look up John The Baptist). This alone is the freshest take I’ve ever seen on the story of Christ and scores huge points with me. Jesus is pretty much wrapping up his career as a carpenter, and we delve into the personal lives of his future disciples.

Here are a few of the storylines we follow in The Chosen . Fishermen Simon Peter (Shahar Isaac) and Andrew (Noah James) find themselves in a bind. The fishing in Capernaum is terrible, they have fallen behind on their taxes, and they make a deal with Roman Magistrate Quintus (Brandon Potter) to turn narc on his deadbeat competition in exchange for clearing their debt. Not paying debts usually involves losing everything and being sold into slavery.

Matthew (Paras Patel) is the newly instated regional tax collection, despised by all, including his family, because he has the legal authority to extract money from commoners. In soap opera fashion, Matthew suspects that Simon Peter is not actually spying on the competition as promised and may be simply delaying his debt payment.

Nicodemus (Erick Avari) is the head Pharisee (religious leader) and is reticent about his role as the public spiritual leader. His authority is put to the test when the Romans insist that he takes care of a demon-possessed woman, Mary M. (Elizabeth Tasbish).

The Chosen (2020)

Directed: Dallas Jenkins

Written: Dallas Jenkins, Ryan Swanson, Tyler Thompson

Starring: Erick Avari, Shahar Isaac, Noah James, Paras Patel, Jonathan Roumie, Elizabeth Tabish, etc.

Movie score: 8.5/10

"…acting is good to exceptional, which is not easy to find in faith-based films."

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I love this series. I have never felt so close to Jesus. I’ve encouraged friends and family to watch it. I’ve watch the whole series (thru Series 3) more than once. I usually watch an episode every night. I include it in my evening devotional and evening prayer time. When I saw the first episode I started calling friends and family with, “You have got to see this! You’ve never seen anything like it anywhere. If you want to feel close to Jesus, you MUST watch it.” I don’t even know what my church’s opinion on the content. You, Dallas, attend an evangelistic church. Jonathan you are catholic. I am a 7th Day Adventist. It doesn’t matter. Whatever is your denomination is, this is for you.

Great review of The Chosen! Have you reviewed season 2 yet? It is by far my favorite show and I am so excited that season 3 episodes 1 & 2 will be coming to theaters soon! I look forward to reading more of your articles.

The only issue with the Chosen Film is the parts that are not in the Gospel is treated as if it is. Caution is needed to not create things in the Bible that are not there because that confuses people who do not read the Bible. But yes Chosen is a good way to peak interest in Christ Jesus,

How can adding elements to the bible which isn’t in the bible, i.e. giving the Disciples, Mary, and other biblical characters more than a one dimensional portrayal confuse those that HAVEN’T READ the bible?

Opinions about religion are as varied as the number of different churches as you can see from the comments below. The religious leaders at the time of Christ were not accepting of the teachings of Jesus and so some will find fault with this video in like manner. My experience began with my first viewing and my reaction was… okay, this is interesting. After viewing series 1 three times I am totally into it. Pondering each scene has given me much greater insights and appreciation of the ordinary people who became the followers of Christ. I love watching “The Chosen” and find it hard to stop to go to bed at night. It has filled me and edified me. Will it do the same for you… it depends! It depends on your perspective. If you are a Pharisee, you probably will be offended and call it blasphemy. If you are a believer in Christ seeking for greater insights and understanding, you may have a simular experience to mine. Either way, God Bless You!

One can’t compare this film with differences in Christian denominations ( Christian Churches). True Christian churches all believe in the Core theology as stated in the Apostles Creed. and they also believe in the Christian Bible as the inspired word of God. This Chosen Film is good but it has large parts of it that is from the mind of genius producer Jenkins not found anywhere in the Bible. Try not to confuse this Film with the Bible IT varies from scene to scene.

This series takes so many liberties with the true, Holy word of God that it is blasphemous and even demonic. True Christians should steer far and clear of allowing these gross corruption into the mind. Check out Walter Veith, “Total Onslaught”

Pray tell what liberties have been taken and where is your evidence to back up your claim? On a more serious matter, if you were a “true Christian” you wouldn’t feel the need to write such a malicious comment.

Not sure if I would call the liberties Dallas Jenkins takes with the truth in this film as demonic as long as let the viewers know many parts of this film on life of Christ includes parts that are not in the Bible My concern is they are promoting it like it is 100% Bible when it is not. Not Good because large parts of this film is not in the Bible.

I have not yet seen this film, but I hope to in the future. So far as your concern about Scripture is concerned, are you not aware that the Bible contains many inconsistencies? Also, it is important to recognize all the allegory in the Bible. Jesus used a great deal of allegory when he taught/preached. If one is to take the Bible literally, then one runs into a host of problems one cannot explain away. For example, in the Old Testament, you can learn how to abort a fetus.

It has ceased to be just a movie to me. At 82, I am transported back in time, one with the characters , full to the brim with the spirit of the era, and wouldn’t be surprised if I experience a healing miracle. Jonathan as Christ is so real to me!

The filming for season two just started this week. Photos from the set show actors and actresses in period costume and face masks when not on camera. Those jarring images show what unusual times we live in. God bless all involved with The Chosen and keep them safe!

Searching for goodness, truth, and human dignity in today’s world of media can be a difficult task. That is why it is refreshing to see The Chosen not only be released, but become wildly popular. The Chosen takes viewers back in time to witness and walk with the disciples of Christ, and Jesus Himself, before and after their ministry began. One of many reasons why I found this series so special is that it is skillfully developed, the acting, the music, the humor, the aesthetically pleasing orientation, these all hook the audience in. What makes the audience stay, however, is the story. Human beings love stories, during His time on earth, Jesus told stories, and now, through this series, Jesus is telling His stories all over again, directly to you. This first season shows so much about human nature through the disciples, which is what many people love about it; it is relevant to experience. This show approaches today’s society in a way that welcomes everyone, not just Christians. This, I feel, enhances the balance that many people look for in media. It can help expand the worldview of others who may not know about who Jesus really was. I believe people are watching this show and learning things they never knew about Jesus and His disciples. This series is truth-filled, respects the dignity of the human person, inspiring, and overall, what we need and should want in today’s media.

Completely agree. The Chosen is refreshing but unfortunately some portions of this film never happened according to comparison with the Christian Bible and people don’t seem to understand that. That seems to be the issue some devout Bible literates take issue with

Where did you get the name The Chosen for the movies? Did it come from the story of the potter making his bowls? Where the potter makes some pottery good and some bad . Like some believe God has made some mankind good (the chosen ones) and the rest bad?

“The Chosen” refers to the people Jesus chose to follow him in his ministry. This includes the 12 disciples and Mary Magdalene, as well as others as his ministry continues.

Oops! I meant Dallas.

Some of the more “imaginative” moments and ideas remind me of the movie “Son of God.” I wonder what educational background is responsible for the creative expertise of Darrel Jenkins.

I discovered The Chosen in December and have binged since then. Countless times. I am so glad you like this too. Never seen such a wonderful representation of all the characters without stuffiness and stiffness. Real people. And a Jesus who is relatable!

I’ve watched all eight episodes twice.. going in for the third time.. I taught theatre and am a real movie/story/bible nerd AND I love everything about this series!

I enjoyed watching the eight episodes. I limited myself to two per day and this was no easy matter. I have recommended to friends also. Looking forward to second season.

Out of the box storytelling that draws Christians and NonChristians alike. It doesn’t go way outside of scripture or become dry and brittle like so many other faith based productions. The back stories, drama, and humor reminds the viewer Jesus and the disciples were people like us trying to navigate life.

Loved all 8 films. Very inspiring and moving. It brings the Bible to life!

This is an awesome movie Jesus is man and God with Joy,.laughter and humor.

It was so easy to relate to each and every character. So refreshing & it gave reverence to each story taken from the Bible. Beautifully done. God’s hand is on this project.

Excellent!!! Thank you

Is there a 2020 movie called chosen? My radio station said it could be watched for free this week. Otherwise I’ll upload the app for this instead

It’s on YouTube. All 8 episodes. If you have a smart tv or fire stick.

I’ve always appreciated Christian movies about the live of Jesus (except the perverted Last Temptation) and this is by far my favorite. The actors, storylines and production are superb! This ministry is so innovative that they provide the first season free and give you the blessing of supporting them and their ongoing series.

How can we see this show? Where is it shown?

you can get the app from your app store / google play store. it’s called “The Chosen”. In the app you can watch all 8 episodes of season 1 for free! you can also go to their website for more information http://www.thechosen.tv

Another thing, the sheep used in the Temple were raised in the outskirts of Bethlehem by Levite shepherds. There was a place called Migdal Eder out there. The shepherds involved would have been Levites, not just any old shepherds. That does not mean they would have sported trimmed beards or white linen tunics (these were used only during Temple service). The men should sport curly scraggy beards, never trimmed. Young men too never shaved. Mariam (Mary) would not deliver a baby on her back but squatting, more likely with a dula there. Would be nice if they used some Jewish/Middle east background music too as well as names (like ‘salvation’ Yeshua). Before doing these videos more research and studying of Scripture needs to take place.

Why are so many men in the movie the Chosen sporting little or no beards? Why are they putting their lips to the drinking boots? Back then Jews would not have trimmed their beards as per Torah! As to the drinking gourds, you are supposed to do it inclining your head and the gourd above your mouth so your lips dont touch it.

Best Faith Based production i have ever watched! Love, love LOVE the whole project! Thank u so much for allowing us to be better Christians because of this Masterpiece!

Keep up the good work: please.

I so enjoyed watching The Chosen Season 1 (too short a season though…….) and wished it would have gone on and on……in fact I purchased ‘watching time’ (for others) so that I could watch all eight episodes myself!

The Chosen wonderfully depicts the ‘humanity’ of Jesus without taking away from His Diety! Brilliantly done!

I’ve always loved Jesus, but the sensitive way in which it has been done, just caused me to love Him more….and encourage others to look at Him too!

Jonathan Roumi! Wow! What a rendition!!! All the characters are so well done……real people with real-life experiences. Superb!

Longingly waiting for season 2! A must watch for every human being! The first season was eight episodes long, hopefully the next is longer – though of course, I do understand that it’s not like other ‘soaps’ – it’s a true story – pure and clean.

Thankyou, Dallas Jenkins! God bless you abundantly. Continue making such heart-touching films! The world needs Jesus’ love!

I love how The Chosen depicts the realness and transparency of the characters!! That is what helps viewers to relate to them and how they can then have a real relationship with Jesus.

God, the creator of the universe came to earth in Human form. Sure, He did, you say, sarcastically. I can’t picture that, like, AT ALL, you say. “I’m not sure I believe that” you shrug. Until you SEE HIM that way! The story called The Chosen takes place in Galilee back in first century Judea. It’s historically accurate showing what the Israelites were suffering during the Roman occupation. And is using culturally appropriate actors that LOOK (and sound) the part! And, is scripturally accurate! What would happen if you were to see, meet and talk to Jesus as a man? The people knew He was coming…they were waiting for the Messiah. But when He appears, He’s seemingly just as normal as they are. In fact, no one suspects anything…except His Mom, for years. Until He’s about 30 to be exact. What if your livelihood and everything you owned was going to be taken away because you couldn’t pay your taxes? Or if you were caught in a hot mess of a life that you couldn’t see to get out of? What if you’d made some pretty lousy choices and it was too late to backtrack? In The Chosen, we see Jesus, as a Man who loves every single one of His children without question. Whose compassion for the hurting brings tears to our eyes. We meet Him as the disciples might have, while fishing. While working. While wallowing in their self pity…and He simply says: “Follow Me.” Get to know the heart of the real Jesus of Nazareth! Come alongside of the disciples as they learn to “Catch Men”. Follow along with them as they meet and transform all walks of life from a Pharisee to the poorest of the poor. You can watch it right now! Go to thechosen.tv/app and download it for free. I think this is one story you won’t want to miss.

The Chosen has such an amazing way of drawing you into the story of Jesus. I could watch it over and over, unlike other shows. Everyone we’ve shown it to, wants to see more. We can’t wait to see Season Two.

I couldn’t wait to get to watch the next episode after finishing the last one!! It made me feel much closer to Jesus to realize that he, although being Gods son, is a person just like me! I feel like that I can relate to him after watching this and I cannot wait to see season 2!! I loved it!

I have watched the first season twice. Cannot wait for season two. Dallas and the rest of the crew have done a wonderful job. May the Lord use this to glorify himself.

The character development is impressive. I’ve never seen anything like it in a faith based production. They did their homework with the historical accuracy. Get used to different with this series.

I agree wholeheartedly with your review. The Chosen captures the personality of Jesus Christ….this is what makes the show so stunning.

I love hearing people’s stories and how they got to where they are! The Chosen does a fantastic job of telling the back story of others in such a thought provoking way!!! Well Done!!!

This is so well done. I love The sense of humor Jesus’ character demonstrates. We tend to forget that God actually has a sense of humor. He created laughter.

What an amazing series! We loved it! It makes JESUS and the disciples more relatable. All of the actors are superb! Matthew is my favorite. His response to JESUS is fantastic. The scene with JESUS and Nicodemus is so touching! We can’t wait for Season 2!!!

This show would get a 10/10 to me! Purely amazing!!! I am so excited for the second season to come out!

Thank you for an excellent review of this amazing series. This is the Jesus I also have waited to see portrayed all my 80 years. Wait until you watch 5 to 8!

Amen! Thank you for your words. Thankful for The Chosen team. Can hardly wait for season 2.

To me, Jesus sounds like he has an Italian accent…..Most of the cast sound more American English than Middle Eastern….. Otherwise, I absolutely loved Season 1 and can’t wait for Season 2……just sayin

From his birth in the pilot episode , his redemption of Mary, then Simon begs him to depart from him for being a sinful man several episodes in. Jesus as a man has been as humble a portrayal as I’ve ever seen ! The anticipation of the disciples calling has had me at the edge of my seat. And the calling of Nicodemus was a unexpected yet welcome scene. I highly recomend this series of 8 episodes for their first season and am compelled to anxiously wait for season two.

The Truth revealed, the Way directed and the Life shown, to the world, through this movie. Each character shows the love of God and his willingness to those who are called sinners….. who never had, those who were looked down on, the poor, the sick, the un welcomed, the immigrant, the educated, the simple and those who would be his enemies, the gentiles of which I am one,. Jesus came for all these. This movie screamed out to the world, that Jesus came specifically to seek and safe the lost souls. Wow!!!

Mary of mandala redeemed, the word spread, the heart of children exposed as the example to follow…the word spread. The water to wine, the word spread. The leper healed, the word spread even more, then the cripple healed as a result…the word spread even more…. The fish catch, revealed the heart of Jesus. Matthew payed attention, the baptizer and Nico’s conversation, left me in tears… The woman at the well, who should be an enemy of his but, Jesus, the messiah, the Christ took the time to show her, her value awe struck! Most of the women showed as faithful, I love the way, this movie shows women as valuable even back then….wow. Revelation of God’s plan for, Israel and Judah becoming one. In awe, am I!

I thank you, Mr. Jenkins and all involved I thank you for being obedient to the spirit. Can’t wait for season 2 and 3 and four and 5, 6, 7 and 8…. God is causing “Trouble”, in the realm of the world as we know it. Hallelujah!

I recently watched The Chosen. Seeing the plausible back story’s of people who encountered Jesus and how He may have impacted them made Him so much more relatable on a personal level I have not experienced in other shows.

Great series with a fresh take on the life of Christ. Very relatable. It’s amazing that this series is a crowd funded project! Way to think outside the box!

Thank you for this film !7

This is the best movie about Christ that I have ever seen and believe me I’ve seen many. It has changed the lives of my entire family. Thank you!

The BEST Christian video series ever! This review is on point…the series is addictive. We watch all right episodes at least once a week, starting back when the first four were released. We got hooked watching the pilot video, The Shepherd, and have waited in anxious anticipation for all else to come. If you already know Jesus, you will come to know Him better. If you don’t know Him, you will meet Him in every episode, unforgettably. All thumbs up for The Chosen!!!

Your wrong about Christian book stores. They don’t carry different versions of Christ. They Carry the Bible. It would be against the Christian faith.

Incredible filming, powerful acting! I both wept and cracked up Laughing. Have rewatched each episode and picked up new points, new humor, new insights into the lives and culture of that first century Roman-occupied Judea. So impressed with the historical, cultural and theological accuracy. I have shared my dvds and the phone app with many others and all who have watched are sharing with others. Thanks for this, Dallas Jenkins, cast snd crew!!

Amazing and uniquely made. Thank You Dallas!!!!

I appreciate your commentary for, “The Chosen”. I loved how it brought the stories to life. Iv disagree with your assessment of Mary and PTSD though. I work with many survivors. Yes, they do behave in many of the ways that was demonstrated. I also think there was certainly PTSD involved, but that is not to say there were no demonic forces at work.

I really liked The Chosen.. have watched it several times. Really like its free for anyone to watch. Gives you a view of a Jesus people can finally see as human and close.

Thank you for getting the word out! “People must know”.

Yes!!! This series has drawn me closer to my faith…i confess i binge watch especially on bad days. The lighting set and the prospective view of the director are amazing. And when you watch the behind the scene shots you see a sincere Christian director in Dallas Jenkins working hard on his vehicle of spreading the word (bringing the fish and loaves).. the actors are sincerely dedicated to this mission also …so excited to see season 2

I really enjoyed this show. You can relate and understand the people being portrayed.

Very good series. I have watched each episode a few times. It brings history and culture to a new level. Also the writing brings these people to an emotional level that you just fall in love with them. They face the same trials and wonderment we all encounter. This series was life changing for me. And I can’t wait for more series.

Isn’t Season 2 out, or not yet?? If public funding continues, they’re hoping to produce up to 7 or 8 Seasons. If you enjoy it so far and/or want others to have opportunity to see watch more of this life-changing Truth, consider supporting The Chosen team by donating to their crowdfunding. Once these are produced, they could potentially be viewed for generations to come.

I loved this series. Once anyone starts watching it, they will want to see the next episode. Truly enjoyed all 8 episodes.

I have seen very “cheesy” Jesus films…..this one is definitely NOT cheesy……how refreshing!

I too abhor the mediocre acting and predictable storyline that usually comes with faith based films, but this is a completely new thing! A backstory has been created for all the known characters of the Bible that make them so easily relatable to our lives today. A very well written script and the acting is exceptional! A must watch for Christians and non Christians alike. It’s a really good show!

I have watched this series over and over and over. It never gets old. I have chills every time in certain places. Thank you for a good review. Jonathan Roumie ‘s portrayal of Jesus certainly is different than all the other portrayals out there.

Best show I’ve seen in years! When you see it to the end you know how amazing God is to take this rag tag team of people and used them to spread His love around the world! High quality in film, acting, and set design!

The Chosen is an amazing series truly blessed by our Lord and Savior in the making. Thank you for this review, which is spot on. A must see for the Christian and the non-Christian

I have watched all 8 episodes of the Chosen and loved it. I have never seen such a moving portrayal of the very human and flawed early followers of Jesus Christ. To see Jesus with a sense of humor and compassion is beyond anything I’ve ever seen before. I highly recommend the Chosen to everyone.

Binge watched these 8 episodes as soon as we were able. Can’t get enough and are anxious for the next season. Woohoo 🙌🏼 Best I’ve experienced about Jesus and those He interacts with! Well written and well worth watching!

Dude, wait till you see episodes 5-8. ‘Cause if you think the first 4 were good… hold on.

This show is so inspiring and brought so much clarity to scripture that I had not seen before. I am learning more and more about God;s Word every time I watch this show!! I cry on every episode and the labor of love and such phenomenal actors is overwhelming!

I agree, super refreshing and well done: episodes 4-8 are even better. Can’t wait to see more of The Chosen.

Ive watch it! Wonderful series…

This is truly unlike any other movie or TV series about Jesus. First of all, the first completed season of this show (8 episodes) is not so much about Jesus, as it is about the people he’d meet and interact with. When he shows up at the end of the first episode, it is at The Hammer, a watering hole local fishermen and others come to to unwind. Only one person has a run-off the mill encounter with him at the pub, and then a shocking experience on the outside while retreating from him.

The people in the show have real lives with real-life situations and problems. When the rumors about some guy who’s so different start reaching the ears of people like Simon, there’s no rush to believe and follow. But strange things are happening to and witnessed by people who are as rational and down-to-earth as you and I. Tensions start surfacing in individual relations and in the public places.

The people in the towns and villages speak like real inhabitants of such places, not as awe-struck rubes listening to and speaking in refined sentences and polished tones. They are truly the great unwashed, living under the oppressive Roman rule, being over-taxed, disrespected, scorned and insulted. While many are expected the promised Messiah, Savior of Israel, when he shows up, he’s nothing like what they imagined or wanted. He’s all flesh and blood man, works with his hands, is funny, and doesn’t lord it over anybody just because He knows who He is, where He’s coming from and where He’s going. The acting is very good, the characters are believable, cinematography outstanding, music score fresh. Watching the show you feel as if transported into the places where the stories are happening. You can easily understand and relate to the different people. With each new scene you’re getting pulled into their world. Before you know it, you’re “binging” the show.

Now wonder it’s becoming a phenomenon worldwide. Anybody with a pocket computer, commonly referred to as a smart phone, can quickly download and install The Chosen app and start watching the show for free (because the fans are prepaying episodes to be streamed). People are watching the show on their phones or other mobile devices or casting it to their TVs without any subscription or rigamarole, simply clicking “Watch on TV” and choosing their gizzmo (Roku, firetv, AppleTV, androidtv, or even computer cable or DVD/Blu-ray).

It is the biggest crowd-funded media project in history, doubling the previous record of some $5 million. The fans have already supplied one-a-and-a-quarter million dollars needed to fund the first episode of season two. You don’t have to believe anything to watch this amazing show. Don’t let past experience with faith-based movies and shows or your fear of being preached-to prevent you from spending some good time watching a very engaging show on your TV.

In complete agreement with your post!

The first film I watched was the Shepherd, and I was hooked! The characters seem like someone we all know. I have seen the first 8 waiting impatiently for the next season!

I’ve seen the whole first season and I found the script writing was stellar. The acting is superb and it keeps you wanting to see more.

Good article/review. One exception, Mary WAS demon possesed. The Bible tells us she was. People of that day may have misdiagnosed mental health issues but God did not. She.was.demon.possesssed.

Ive watched all 8 episodes multiple times. All are very good & encouraging. Love them all!! Everyone should watch!

I loved it , it’s a wonderful series. I’m going to watch it again !

My heart leapt watching this. I laughed and wept. Film is well done! Loved the narrative so much that I binge watched all 8 episodes, paid it forward and bought the DVD. And sharing with others. Even some of my unsaved family is “wanting” to watch it!

Wonderful series, so fresh, so real. It comes at a time when our worlds feel like they are colliding. Our hope is in Jesus Christ. I’m amazed and grateful for the many lives that this movie is touching. Looking forward to Season two. God bless and thank you Chosen Team.

Remarkab is e show. I see me in alot of the characters

Okay, so I watched it and the agony of the tormented woman in the first episode hooked me! The change in her was so cool and gave me hope for friends who have demons of their own. Then I saw the episode with the kids. Really cool. Your review is spot on.

Thank you, I will Definitely check this out. I liked his movie about Gavin Stone.

The Chosen has opened up a whole different view of the life of Christ It definitely made the biblical words ‘fully God and ” fully man” resonate in my heart and mind. The followers of Christ ,as they were asked to follow him and getting to know them as real people with problems that we have in our time makes this depiction of this ageless story more relatable! Add to this, it could’ve been their situations. Great series!

This is such a good series! Kept me on the edge of my seat! Can hardly wait for season 2!!!!! Thank you Dallas Jenkins and crew! Amazing portrayal of the people and history!!!!!

So amazingly written, and so real, it makes scripture that I’ve read for many years come to life. The setting, the scripts, the actors/actresses, the music….it all intertwines in the most inspirational mini series I have ever seen. And it will keep you anxiously awaiting the next season.

The Chosen us the absolute BEST Christan film tv production I have ever seen. We were sold with the pilot video The Shepherd, and we’ve been hooked ever since. We love Season One and anxiously await what is to come! Lovin’ it.

This is such a great tv show. Unlike anything else in the genre.

I found it so refreshingly well done. Not that ‘B’ movie feel like so many faith films. It’s really great watching.

The Chosen is a beautiful portrayal of Jesus Christ and those whose lives intertwined with HIS. We get to see the humanity of Almighty God in the flesh, stunningly portrayed by Jonathan Roumie. The Chosen is a must for everyone, Believers, non-Believers, seekers of the Truth, skeptics, etc. You will not be disappointed.

I agree with your positive review of this series – the characters are believable and the storyline created would follow along with how they are spoken of individually in the Bible. Very thoughtfully written and beautifully filmed, well done! Glad you agree!

Fantastic! I live and appreciate this review. What a beautiful series Dallas Johnson and team have created.

I watched The Chosen and loved the fact that a biblically inspired show could envoke so much thought and emotion. These characters / situations are so real that they keep you wanting more.

One of if not THE best faith movie/series I’ve seen! Very easy to relate to all the characters and I look forward to them developing the characters further! Thank you for not bashing it and for being honest! Or am I just happy you agree with me? But I would’ve given it at least a 9. I am thankful Dallas et al has produced this but I believe it’s inspired.

The Chosen is a godsend. It is positively affecting people all over the world. Thank you, Dallas and everyone else involved.

I appreciate your objective assessment and positive comments. God is blessing this abundantly. I love it so much.

Love this show!!!

What a great review you have done of The Chosen! This show has had such an impact on my life and brought me closer to Jesus. All eight episodes of Season 1 are available for free on The Chosen app in all the app stores and it easily can be transferred to your TV in multiple ways. It’s also on PureFlix and the DVD is available to purchase on the app. Thanks again! Loved your awesome review and, oh, the show has some great humor also! PS…..the song grows on you!

The most transforming , healing, touching and informative version of the Life Of Christ.

Beautifully Written and fabulous casting. Kudos to Jonathan Roumie for this honor to be “Chosen” for this life changing spirit movie series…. Looking forward to further episodes!

I can’t wait to see this review once you finish the rest of the season. I suspect you’ll be even more impressed. Also, watching the round table discussions, live YOUTUBE streams and following social media threads adds to The Chosen experience. You’ll feel like family as you participate in discussion with cast and others from the series.

I very much enjoyed reading your take on the first four episodes of “The Chosen”. Jonathan Roumie has shared it on his Facebook page. I, in turn, will be sharing this article on my Facebook page. I agree with you on how wonderfully portrayed Jesus and the other Gospel characters are in this series. Hopefully, you’ve had the chance to watch episodes 5-8 and have seen just how well done they are as well. I wish you every success.

This is a must watch! It will give you all the feels. The Chosen makes you want more of it! The characters are perfect for their part and they’re not to shabby to look at! Lol

As someone who has watched all episodes and has been a part of this project from the beginning, I appreciate your thoughts and write up. I am also an avid movie watcher and cringe at most faith based films mainly because of the acting and daytime drama feel. I would like to make just one small comment regarding your interpretation of Mary. The Bible was very clear she was demon possessed and not by just one but many as in “legion”. Your interpretation states “Mary shows what it’s like to be a woman perceived as demon-oppressed, but in actuality, suffers from severe PTSD. This dangerous spirit-based diagnosis still goes on in the church today.” Thank you again for your review.

This movie “The Chosen” will Chang your life! You will want to watch it over and over again, because what this movie makes you feel in your soul, leaves you searching, thinking about your relationships. I do believe this movie has been blessed by our Lord Jesus 🙌🏻 ❤️ #BINGEJESUS #GETUSEDTODIFFRENT

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4 Things to Know about The Chosen: Season 3 Movie

Michael Foust Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
Updated Nov 18, 2022

4 Things to Know about <em>The Chosen: Season 3</em> Movie

If you’ve never watched The Chosen – the multi-season television series about Jesus and His followers – there’s a good chance someone around you has.

An estimated 100 million people worldwide have seen it, with total views now topping 440 million. The Chosen is, perhaps, the most popular faith-based media project since 2004’s The Passion of the Christ .

And now it’s on the big screen.

The Chosen: Season 3 (Episodes 1 and 2) gives moviegoers the opportunity to experience the story on an epic scale. It also gives fans a chance to watch the first two episodes of the new season before it lands on The Chosen app.

Season 3 picks up with Jesus preparing to send the disciples out in pairs of two. ( Mark 6:7 .)

Here are four things you should know about The Chosen movie:

1. It’s What Our Divided Culture Needs

The Chosen is the gospel-infused tonic our polarized, hate-filled, name-calling culture needs. Love, grace and mercy fill every inch of the plot.

Jesus’ followers argue ... yet quickly reconcile. They are threatened by the Roman authorities … but respond with kindness. They place the needs of others first … and their own needs last.

In one scene, a disciple is ostracized by his own parents, only to be welcomed back into the fold when they, too, are transformed by the words of Jesus.

In another scene, a different disciple approaches Mary Magdalene after becoming convicted by Jesus’ teachings on love, asking her to forgive him for the hurtful words he had spoken.

2. It Includes Judas, John the Baptist and Much More

The character of Judas gets his first major on-screen action. So does John the Baptist (more on that below).

Of course, we know Judas as the traitor. (Every reference to him in Scripture calls him as such.) Jesus’ followers, though, apparently were not suspicious ( John 13:27-30 ). The Chosen presents Judas as an energetic follower of Christ who is willing to walk away from his comfortable life in order to follow Jesus. (“I believe You are going to change the world,” he tells Jesus.)

The film includes several major New Testament stories and events: Jesus’ Beatitudes sermon, Jesus’ citing the Lord’s Prayer , and Jesus’ sending out the disciples among them.

The films take artistic liberties while remaining true to Scripture. It also – smartly – often places the words of the Old Testament in the mouths of Jesus and the disciples. (We hear Jesus cite Numbers 6:24-26 “the Lord bless you and keep you,” and the disciples cite Psalm 3 , “You, oh Lord, are a shield about me, my glory and the lifter of my head” – citations that technically are not in the New Testament but are plausible.)

3. It Was Filmed at a New Set in Texas

The movie was filmed at the series’ new 900-acre home in Midlothian, Texas, which includes a village that looks like it was teleported straight out of first-century Judea. The vintage-like village has a food market. It has a blacksmith shop. It has stables. It also has the homes of Peter, Matthew, Andrew and many others.

The new set has helped improve the on-screen product, the cast says. Paras Patel, who portrays Matthew, said the set allows actors and actresses to easily picture the first-century world for their roles.

“You just thrice as an artist. … You’re living the moment, you’re [smelling] the smells,” Patel told Crosswalk. “… The set is magnificent.”

Said Jordan Walker Ross, who portrays Little James, “It feels so real. … It really helps.”

The set was built in partnership with the Salvation Army and its Camp Hoblitzelle, an adjacent property.

4. It Packs an Emotional Punch

The Chosen series is known for scenes that tug at your heart, convict your soul and even make you cry. The movie has that, with three or four of the most powerful scenes in the project’s history.

“Little James,” who was born with a limp, asks Jesus why he is being asked to heal others when he himself has not been healed by Christ. (Little James is told that he was chosen to be a disciple – in part – because of his disability.)

The 12 disciples sit alone in a room with their leader, Jesus, as He calmly yet confidently sends them out two-by-two and tells them they may die for their convictions. (“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul,” Jesus says.)

The film’s final two minutes had guests at the Atlanta premiere crying. (If you’re curious, it’s not necessary to watch the first two seasons in order to follow and enjoy the movie, which spans about two hours.)

Millions worldwide have watched the series. When you watch the movie, you’ll understand why it’s so popular. The script is brilliant – and the accompanying musical score matches every scene perfectly.

It’s one of the best films of the year.

The Chosen is not rated but likely would garner a PG rating. It contains no violence or coarse language. We see a married couple kiss and embrace (Peter and Eden). Seconds later, their kissing is interrupted when another disciple knocks on the door and says he needs to sleep at their place. He also implies he knows what is happening between Peter and Eden (he’ll put a pillow over his ears, he says).

Entertainment rating : 5 out of 5 stars.

Family-friendly rating : 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

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LIFE & DOCTRINE THROUGH A GOSPEL LENS

Jun 4, 2021

The Chosen: Should Christians watch it?

A production about Jesus actually done well?

I was a little skeptical when I kept hearing rave reviews about The Chosen . Christians have a notoriously bad reputation for making religious films and shows. Low-quality production, bad storytelling, poor acting, overwhelming cheese factor, etc. Not to mention some terrible depictions of Jesus that are profoundly unbiblical. But what feels so unique about The Chosen is that it stands above the rest as a genuinely well-done Christian series about Jesus and his disciples. Brett McCracken gives a thorough analysis on why the show works so well and why many are drawn to it. But that is not reason alone to watch a show about Jesus.

Any show about Jesus (including this one) is on the receiving end of a lot of criticism. When you attempt to produce a show that goes into the backstory of biblical stories, individual encounters, and complex problems, you will use a lot of creative license. Because of this, many believers had not “felt right” about the depiction of Jesus in the show. Things like Matthew’s disease, Jesus’ sense of humor, and other aspects go above and beyond what the scriptures tell us. Additionally, a lot of the dialogues found in scripture are expanded and modernized in a way that feels “off” for those who read more elegant translations.

So, what do we do? I think there is plenty of room for Christian liberty on this issue but I want to provide three concerns that may cause people to not watch the show, in wisdom. Contrasting that, I want to provide three reasons why it is worth watching, in wisdom.

3 concerns about the show

1) the chosen says more than scripture does.

Some movies and shows have sought to so-closely follow every detail of Scripture (and not say more!) that they feel lifeless, wooden, and inconsistent. The Chosen fights this by taking creative liberties to more fully expand on conversations, relationships, and individuals in the Gospels. This may, and rightfully so, cause Christians some concern. It’s a weighty thing to say, “This is what Matthew was like... This is what Jesus probably said...” when we don’t really know. There is always a tendency to transplant our own modern biases and personal opinions into these things and it is very important to realize that these extra elements are not divinely inspired. Scripture is the only guide and ultimate authority on who Jesus truly is, not a show.

2) The Chosen may change how people read the gospels

Related to the previous concern, we live in a very visual day and age. This means that a show like The Chosen will reach many people that would not necessarily pick up a Bible. But the danger with this is that their understanding of who Jesus and the disciples were may be tainted by the show. It may encourage “reading things into” the gospels that aren’t there or overly-personalizing different elements of the Bible when that is not the scriptural intent. As a pastor friend of mine once said, “Do we get excited about going to the Word as much as we are excited for the next episode to come out? Or have we gotten lazy and apathetic?” Those who brush this concern aside shouldn’t. Art is a powerful thing and we should be careful to allow Scripture to critique the shows we love, not the other way around.

3) The show’s creator has questionable partnerships

Dallas Jenkins seems like a great guy but the more I have read and listened to interviews with him, the more I question his wisdom in certain regards. First of all, Dallas has wanted “different perspectives” when it comes to the episodes. The fact that he consults with a Catholic priest, a Messianic Jewish rabbi, and an evangelical Christian after writing each episode will feel off to many evangelicals that believe the Catholic church does not teach the same gospel. Also, season 2 was filmed in Utah which resulted in a lease agreement with the church of LDS. In an interview, Dallas stated that “we love the same Jesus… I don’t deny we have a lot of theological differences but we love the same Jesus.” This statement further brought concerns to my mind as to the wisdom of Dallas. The Mormon church does not teach or affirm the same gospel. Additionally, LDS teach things radically unbiblical about Jesus (i.e. Brotherhood with Lucifer, his marriage, the denial of the Trinity). The lack of recognition of the inherent differences between the LDS church and orthodox Christianity is troubling, considering he is the creator of a show about Jesus and the gospel.

3 reasons to watch the show

1) the chosen is truly well-done.

As an artist and designer, one of the main reasons I can’t stand most Christian productions is that they are very poorly done. If Christians are to do all things for the glory of God, to the best of their ability, and with joyful passion (Prov. 13:4; Ecc. 9:10; 1 Cor. 10:31; Col. 3:17) then Christians should be the best filmmakers, the best actors, the best producers, and the best writers. So, in a broad sense, things that are “good” are things that we should watch and enjoy. In a world of subpar Christian productions, The Chosen is a breath of fresh air. The dialogue is engaging, the pacing thoughtful, the acting exceptional, and the style beautiful. Additionally, in a world with many TV shows, movies, and productions that are not seeking to draw people to Jesus and glorify God, it is a good thing to have a distinctly Christian show that grabs your attention and makes you want more.

2) The Chosen strives for Biblical faithfulness

There have been a few episodes where I didn’t like some of the conversations, decisions, and elements. If I was producing the show, I would have made some different choices. With that said, there is very little I have found to be “unbiblical” in the show. What I mean by that is although the show says more than what Scripture says, I don’t believe it depicts things that go against the Biblical narrative. There has been very little I have thought, “That couldn’t be true.” Although we don’t know, I think the fact that Jesus has a sense of humor is very plausible (and probably accurate). The show aims to hit the mark of Biblical faithfulness in what they are doing and although they make creative decisions that believers will disagree about how “accurate” they are, I believe there is a place for some grace and charity. They are clear to indicate that the show is not inspired and that people should read the Gospels for themselves. Having realistic expectations for shows like this can go a long way. We should point out things that may not be accurate but, in the same way that we sing songs that express thoughts that go beyond explicit biblical statements, we should be asking for Biblical faithfulness, not Biblical exactness.

3) The Chosen seems to be drawing people to Jesus and His Word

Many things claim to be drawing people to Jesus that are not Biblically faithful so this reason alone is not enough. However, testimonials for the show are filled with patterns of people saying that the show made them want to read their Bibles, love Jesus more, tell others about him, study the gospels with others, and even consider following Jesus with their lives. In our Church, one of our small groups has been watching episodes of The Chosen with four Muslim teen boys and talking about Jesus afterward. For those who interact with Muslims, you will learn quickly that they are a very “storied” people. Stories are how they communicate and understand spiritual truths. Having a show like this one has allowed that small group to engage these Muslim guys in a way that has been bearing fruit. Questions are being asked, Bibles are being opened, and Jesus is being talked about.

So, should Christians watch The Chosen ?

In short, I believe this is a matter of Christian conscience. I do not believe Christians are being unwise (necessarily) by either watching the show or by passing on it. With that said, I have found it helpful and encouraging amidst the concerns and do believe it is worth watching. But all in all, the gospel will go forward and Christ will be glorified with or without shows like The Chosen . Inasmuch as the show is drawing people to Jesus, I rejoice and believe every Christian should rejoice. But in our conversations about the show (whether as a critic or a fan), may we point to Scripture as the only ultimate authority and may we point to the Jesus it reveals as the only savior for sin and the only hope for life and salvation.

41 Comments

Why are the churches so against the chosen? Congregations are asked by the church not to watch the chosen as it's not accurate, Why

In December my health took a turn for the worse I became very weak fast and could not even eat When I say fast I mean going from eating a full plate of food to three days later not being able to drink a a sip of water I went to VA hospital emergency room for dehydration and figure they schedule me for a feeling tube placement They admitted me and two weeks later I woke up to my standing over me in the hospital room this occurred during my second or third drug holiday from Radicava Again no way to know if what I experienced was a side effect When I was discharged I was completely paralyzed So i…

If you don't like Catholics, then you better throw out the Bible - it was not until the Synod of Rome under Pope Damasus in A.D. 382, followed by the Councils of Hippo and Carthage, that the Catholic Church defined which books made it into the New Testament and which didn’t. So don't just toss out the Chosen - throw out the Bible. If protestants aren't burning accused witches, then they're burning books anyway.

I agree. I have always been advised that Catholics added books to the Bible. Christians have not. I have always wondered how would one learn about how which books were picked to be in the Bible. Any help is appreciated. Thank you

GOD BLESS US ALL. 🙏🙄

Yes... the property of the LDS can be used to create a series that spreads the Gospel... I have seen nothing in any of the episodes that even hints of LDS beliefs... All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Interesting that evangelical Christians think that they are so different from Latter-Day Saints. I am LDS and found that The Chosen is full of my beliefs. Nothing in the show goes against what I believe about my Savior. We're more similar than different from each other.

Hello, I agree, Christ will be glorified with or without shows like this one. I also think people should read the scriptures if they want to know Jesus.. With that said, I like the show. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints and I love Jesus Christ. You probably never attended our services but if you ever do, you will know we talk of Christ and we rejoice in Christ but we don't teach anything about the marriage of Jesus. We do believe in God, his son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. Thank you, I enjoyed reading you blog.

Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are one-in-the-same...It's called "The Trinity"; and, my Bible tells me that these three are one-in-the-same

'The Chosen' Season 4 Review: Tensions Rise in Surprisingly Good Series

'The Chosen' returns, and it's just as dramatic as ever.

The Big Picture

Season 4 of The Chosen raises the tension and political drama, focusing on the conflict between disciples and Roman forces.
The strength of the show lies in the relationship between the disciples, with Season 4 addressing their conflicts and imperfections.
The Chosen struggles when straying too far from the larger narrative and focusing too much on personal subplots.

Before The Chosen , there had never been a long-form, multi-season television series about the life of Jesus Christ. There have been plenty of movies , sure. Even a mini-series or two have faithfully chronicled the New Testament story. Failed attempts at a multi-season continuation ( A.D. The Bible Continues , anyone?) have resulted in wondering whether it's even possible to make a successful TV show about Jesus. That said, it almost feels miraculous that this series ( produced entirely independent of Hollywood ) could become as popular on a global scale as it has. But perhaps The Chosen 's latest entry — the long-anticipated Season 4 — helps us better understand why this sort of thing has never properly worked before.

The Chosen is a historical drama based on the life of Jesus and those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Palestine, the series shares an authentic look at Jesus' revolutionary life and teachings.

'The Chosen' Raises the Stakes in Season 4

The Chosen ’s fourth season is filled with all the things fans have loved about previous years. The interpersonal connections between Jesus’ (played by Jonathan Roumie ) twelve disciples, the growing tensions between the local religious leaders and the occupying Roman forces, and the visualization of miracles performed on-screen are, in many cases, why so many viewers stuck around. The series isn't a global phenomenon for nothing, and it continues to point impressively back to its source. Jesus’ earthly ministry reportedly only lasted around three years, and given series creator Dallas Jenkins ’ clear intent to get seven seasons total out of this production, the slow-burn pace leading toward the inevitable crucifixion is finally starting to pick up some real steam now .

What makes Season 4 unique is that the tension between the Roman forces like Quintus ( Brandon Potter ) and Gaius ( Kirk B.R. Woller ) and the Jewish Pharisees finally feels like it may implode at any moment. In some respects, The Chosen ’s latest season begins more like a political historical drama (a la Rome ) than a faith-based program, and that’s certainly the point. Things feel personal, political, and spiritual all at the same time . The way Season 4 frames the conflict almost hints that the series may outlive Jesus’ eventual crucifixion and resurrection story, well into the early life of the church chronicled in the Book of Acts.

By far the biggest strength in this show is the relationship between the disciples , specifically the twelve whom Jesus had, well, chosen . Previous years have teased an inevitable break between Simon Peter ( Shahar Isaac ) and Matthew ( Paras Patel ), who have been at odds for quite some time. Every conflict reaches a natural boiling point, and it can either bubble over and become uncontrollable or be calmed by something from the outside. As usual, Jesus is that something, and while their frustrations with each other have been largely valid (Matthew was going to get Simon sent to prison, after all), they remain nonetheless antithetical to the teachings of their new wandering rabbi. Season 4 finally addresses this issue in a powerful and finite way that reminds us of what this series has always been about .

'The Chosen' Season 4 Continues to Highlight the Disciples’ Personal Journeys

Of course, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other significant issues among the disciples. One of the best parts of The Chosen is watching how these characters stumble around each other while considering the hard and sometimes confusing sayings of their teacher . Brothers James ( Abe Bueno-Jallad ) and John ( George H. Xanthis ), aka the "Sons of Thunder," are often the instigators of said conflicts, and, almost as if they’ve learned nothing from Jesus, they’re at it again here. What could easily feel like a boring or repetitive beat feels more in step with the biblical narrative, albeit in a refreshing and unquestionably characteristic way. After all, the Bible itself never portrays the disciples as perfect men, and if anything, their imperfections shine brighter here.

In previous years, The Chosen sought to engage its audience through the complicated personal lives of its core characters. When the show started , a demon-possessed Mary Magdalene ( Elizabeth Tabish ) was living under a different name while self-medicating on the streets, Matthew was cut off from his family, and, of course, Simon Peter had found himself in a massive debt he could not repay. This was the backdrop for Jesus’ arrival, meant to echo the real-life challenges of a modern audience. For the most part, the show has always done that well, and the same can largely be said for Season 4, which takes things a step further by making some of those personal challenges a bit more complicated .

The cinematography, costumes, production, and set design elevate this series far beyond the dismissive “faith-based” label it’s often filed under. No expense has been spared to make The Chosen feel like a big-budget streaming series set in the first century A.D., and that production value has only increased over time. Additionally, Shahar Isaac, who perhaps had more to do last season than in the three episodes provided for review, has proven himself both a strong and complex leading man who can still surprise us even now . Simon Peter is likely The Chosen ’s most complex character, full of internal contradictions and a hot-headed brashness — but following that impressive Season 3 finale (“Sustenance”), Isaac unveils a different side of the future apostle, reminding us that there’s still a lot in store for Peter going forward.

'The Chosen' Is Shaking Things Up in Season 4

Fans may have trouble getting used to the new Phillip this season, now played by Reza Diako after Yoshi Barrigas ’ sudden departure. Diako doesn’t carry the same hopefully optimistic charisma that Barrigas’ two-season take on the character had , and it’s kind of abrasive, to say the least. For a while, it was hard to discern if he was Phillip at all, though the series, likely anticipating that response, makes sure to give a name to the new face almost immediately. While the plot of Season 4 may play a part in the disciple’s significant shift in demeanor, it’s certainly not the only factor, as Diako’s Phillip doesn’t even show up in the first episode, giving audiences some extra time to ease into the swap.

It’s unclear what Jesus’ arc might look like this season, but considering that the promotional materials have all implied that Demetrios Troy ’s Lazarus will be featured as a major part of Season 4 (the season’s tagline, “Rise,” is by no means accidental), we can only assume that his resurrection story will play a major role. Additionally, the trailers highlight Jesus' title as the "Man of Sorrows," and from the get-go, the show doesn't even think to pull its punches. Nonetheless, Roumie’s Jesus continues to delight whenever he’s on-screen, even when he’s aggressively calling out the religious leaders in the streets. But no matter what Jesus does, the impending climax of this series still looms , even if we still have a season or two left to go until we get there .

'The Chosen' Is Better When It Doesn't Embellish for Dramatic Purposes

There are obvious challenges when it comes to bringing the Bible to life. While The Chosen has never claimed to be a one-for-one adaptation ( the very first episode expressly states otherwise ), it does take some creative liberties with the lives of Jesus and his followers that many might deem questionable. These adjustments continue into Season 4 and are by far the show’s weakest link, despite being framed narratively as the strongest. While it’s true that The Chosen is at its best when it centers on the relationships between Jesus’ ragtag group of followers, focusing too much on their personal lives also proves a detriment and distracts from the larger narrative.

We see this most obviously in this batch of episodes through the life of Thomas ( J oey Vahedi ), one of the show's more embellished disciples, particularly regarding his love story with Ramah ( Yasmine Al-Bustami ). While these moments are often done dramatically well and can prove either enduring or comedic at times, they take the emphasis off vital and dramatic plot points in the larger narrative in an attempt to elevate this subplot to a higher level of importance. In this case, the significant fallout from the season opener is strangely brushed over, instead opting to put Jesus in a tricky position as the show's creators wrestle with the age-old question: what would Jesus do? Their answers are questionable. Given that we don't know which disciples were married historically (other than Simon Peter), The Chosen might be better off waiving romantic subplots entirely, focusing instead on its strengths as a political and religious drama meshed with complicated personal subplots – which this season's second episode highlights well.

In some respects, The Chosen is well-produced Bible fanfiction that can suffer when it strays too far . That’s not exactly news given the large list of IP-driven productions (both on a large and small scale) that have previously suffered similar fates. But given that the Bible is more than your standard IP, it’s understandable that many in the Christian audience would feel betrayed. While not every creative liberty is bad — expanding on Mary Magdalene's origins, the aforementioned conflict between Simon and Matthew, and even last season's miscarriage arc were all done tastefully in context — not all artistic license pans out. In the case of Season 4, the jury is still out given the total episode count, but there's no doubt that The Chosen is at its best when it doesn't rely on soapy additions to increase drama or fill in gaps.

'The Chosen' Has a Lot More Story Left to Tell

Maybe this is why there has never been a long-running series about Jesus Christ as there has been about other historical figures. Maybe the pressure of bringing such a powerful and important story to the screen is too much for most to handle. Maybe adding too much to the story of Christ muddies the water too much so that it can’t be properly turned into wine. In any case, these creative liberties don't fully weigh The Chosen Season 4 down . There's still plenty that works with this show, which is another testament to the progressing nature of faith-based entertainment .

The first few episodes stand strong on their own, even divorced from the greater narrative, and build on one another. The cast is great as always and the wonder of which biblical tales will show up next is thrilling. Season 4 is off to a pretty good start , and the show's impressive longevity and devoted creatives seem to have some good stuff up their sleeves. If you’re in the mood for a bingeable historical drama about one of the most important periods in history, Season 4 of The Chosen is must-see TV.

The Chosen Season 4 takes us further into the life of Jesus Christ in promising fashion, but can get a little lost in the personal subplots.

The biggest strength of the show comes in the exploration of the relationship between Jesus Christ and his disciples.
With each episode, the show is raising the stakes toward the inevitable crucifixion.
The show focuses too much on the personal lives of the disciples, distracting from the larger narrative at play.

The Chosen Season 4 premieres in select theaters in the U.S. on February 1.

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Blake shelton says he 'absolutely loves' 'the chosen'; jesus actor jonathan roumie responds.

Country star Blake Shelton says he “absolutely loves” “The Chosen,” adding that there is “no question” why the first-ever multi-season series about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ is a worldwide phenomenon.

“Random two thumbs up from a country singer… Just finished season 3 of The Chosen and I absolutely love it. No question in my mind why it’s a world wide phenomenon,” Shelton, an eight-time Grammy nominee , wrote in a May 20 post on X.

Random two thumbs up from a country singer… Just finished season 3 of The Chosen and I absolutely love it. No question in my mind why it’s a world wide phenomenon. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe — Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) May 21, 2024

Artist Gwen Stefani, who is married to Shelton, quote tweeted the country star and said, "@blakeshelton Obsessed !! Can't wait for season 4 @thechosentv u better not watch w out me!! Gx."

Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in "The Chosen," replied: "Ah man. Thanks brother! Wait till you see what season 4 of @thechosentv has in store. Bless you."

"Really appreciate that. Glad you love it," "The Chosen" official account responded.

Created, directed and co-written by Dallas Jenkins, the son of Left Behind author Jerry B. Jenkins, "The Chosen" premiered in December 2017 and chronicles the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.

The show focuses on the individuals who encountered and interacted with Him. In addition to Roumie, the cast also includes Shahar Isaac, Elizabeth Tabish, Paras Patel, Noah James and George H. Xanthis, among others.

Each season of "The Chosen" explores different aspects of Jesus' ministry and the lives of His disciples, with season 4 centering on Christ as a "man of sorrows" on the path to His crucifixion.

"The Chosen" just wrapped filming season five in Goshen, Utah, and is expected to last seven seasons, according to Jenkins.

This Christian historical series began as a crowd-funded streaming project and achieved remarkable success across platforms like Prime Video, Peacock, Netflix and The CW. It's estimated that at least 110 million people worldwide have watched at least part of one episode across 175 countries.

The show has garnered a diverse fan base. Jenkins previously told The Christian Post he's heard countless stories of how "The Chosen" has reached marginalized communities, from the elderly to those with special needs.

"One woman told me about her mom, who is in her 80s and has Alzheimer's," he recalled. "Her brain is, for all intents and purposes, gone. And yet every time 'The Chosen' comes on, she engages, she responds, she laughs. Her daughter told me that the show is their opportunity to reconnect with their mom because of Jesus. That was pretty extraordinary."

Numerous parents of special needs children, he revealed, have shared how the show has ministered to their families.

"We hear about these young children with extreme special needs who, when they watch the show, light up. It doesn't make sense because the show is complex. It's not a simple, easy-to-follow Sunday school story. I believe that with this show, God is removing all these barriers and removing the scales from our eyes to allow us to see Jesus very clearly, from the very young to the very old."

At the premiere of the fourth season, Jenkins told CP that despite the show's astronomical success and accolades, he doesn't plan to rest on his laurels anytime soon.

"In season 1, I was coming off of a big career failure," the 48-year-old director said. "I didn't know what the future was. I didn't care; it was just about, 'How do I make a good first season that honors God and that is entertaining to watch?' I have to maintain that today."

"When I'm sitting in front of a blank screen and the cursor is blinking, it doesn't give a rip how successful or not successful my previous work was," he said at the red carpet premiere of season 4. "At the end of the day, I've still got to get season five going. I've still got to focus on the work."

Jenkins, who is also directing the forthcoming film "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," based on the bestselling novel by Barbara Robinson, hopes he's getting better as a director with each season of "The Chosen."

"But I hope season one is still good, even though it was done five years ago," he said.

"You're always getting better because you're always curious," he added. "I'm always wanting to learn, even from my own mistakes. So hopefully, each season shows a little bit of that."

Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]

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As the biggest crowdfunded project in TV history, The Chosen is the first-ever multi-season show about the life of Jesus. This series allows viewers to see the life of Jesus through the eyes of those that knew Him. Follow the transformations of His followers through the ministry of Jesus as He journeys to change the world.

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THE CHOSEN: Episode 3.3: “Physician, Heal Yourself”

"blessings, salt and light".

What You Need To Know:

Miscellaneous Immorality: No miscellaneous immorality.

More Detail:

“Physician, Heal Yourself,” Episode Three of THE CHOSEN, Season Three, is loosely based on Luke 4:16-30. It follows Jesus Christ’s return home to Nazareth for Rosh Hashanah and the people’s response to his sermon in the town’s synagogue. Streaming on VidAngel, “Physician, Heal Yourself” is a heartwarming, reflective mid-season episode of THE CHOSEN, that, in the wake of the jam-packed, two-part season premier, allows viewers a breather by following Jesus’ return to Nazareth and His time with family and friends, before Jesus gives a controversial sermon in the town synagogue.

The episode opens with a short flashback of Jesus as a toddler playing with his mother. After the credits, adult Jesus is seen entering Nazareth and returning to His home on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. Exhausted from his journey, Jesus shares a meal with Mary, and the two discuss His ministry and His followers. Before going to bed, Jesus asks His mother for a box that Mary, who understands that this as a sign that Jesus’ time is coming, reluctantly reveals its location. After retiring for the evening Jesus is seen opening the box, which contains a donkey’s bridle.

The next day, Jesus and Mary are seen celebrating Rosh Hashanah with the people of Nazareth. Jesus bumps into the couple at whose wedding he turned water into wine before being greeted by Lazarus and his sisters, Mary and Martha. The news of His teachings, miracles and claims have spread, and many people are curious about whether they’re true, although only Mary, who is silenced, dares to broach the controversial subjected. During the festival, Lazarus convinces the local leader, Rabbi Benjamin, to allow Jesus to give the reading and interpretation at the Rosh Hashanah service, to which Jesus agrees.

Later that evening, after Rabbi Benjamin’s opening blessing, Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 before announcing that the year of jubilee has arrived. He goes on to explain that he has come to release everyone, both Jews and Gentiles, from spiritual debt. After the people become increasingly angered by Jesus’ teachings, Rabbi Benjamin asks Jesus if He’s claiming to be a prophet or claiming to be the Messiah. Jesus responds “yes” and later states that he “is the Law of Moses.”

In response, the men of the town seize Jesus, taking Him out of the city and to a cliff to execute him for false prophesy. However, before they can throw Him over the cliff, Jesus looks at the crowd and states that it is not His time to die, before walking away through the parted crowd. Jesus is later seen at the grave of his father where childhood flashbacks reveal the significance of the donkey bridle. When Mary and Lazarus arrive with his meager belongings, Jesus explains that “after today there is no turning back.” This will be His last visit to Nazareth.

“Physician, Heal Yourself” is a heartwarming, reflective episode that allows viewers a chance to relax after the exciting two-part season opener. It focuses a great deal on Jesus and His childhood relationship with His father, as well as His adult relationships with his mother, Lazarus and the people of His community. The episode depicts Jesus as a compassionate, confident teacher even in the face of rejection by those closest to Him, the people He grew up among as a boy and younger man. The episode’s ending foreshadows that Jesus’ death is very soon, and that those who love Him will only have a short while longer to commune with Him on earth. The performances throughout are excellent, with Darren Valinotti, who plays the young Jesus, giving a particularly outstanding performance.

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Exploring Ways to View ‘The Chosen’ Season 4 Without a Streaming Platform

F ans eagerly waiting for news on the release of The Chosen Season 4 on a streaming platform or network by Easter Sunday may have to temper their expectations with a hint of disappointment.

In a recent YouTube update, the series creator Dallas Jenkins shared a delay in the non-theatrical release of Season 4, citing “legal matters that are hopefully being resolved” but failing to specify a timeline for resolution.

Currently, audiences can catch all eight episodes of the fourth season of this biblical drama at select movie theaters through March 30. Beyond this, there has been no confirmation from The CW—which aired the first three seasons—on whether it will screen Season 4. Similarly, there’s been no indication from Netflix or The Chosen’s dedicated app about streaming availability.

Kyle Young from The Chosen’s team expressed to Variety that there’s no established schedule for the series’ return to broadcast or streaming services and mentioned ongoing discussions about possibly making future seasons exclusively available through a single distribution channel.

With seven seasons projected for the show, Season 4 ends amidst the buildup to Jesus’ crucifixion. Looking ahead, Season 5, set to begin production in April, aims to depict what Jenkins characterizes as the most momentous week in human history. Additionally, an intriguing Season 6 will focus on a single, significant day in the life—and perhaps beyond—of Jesus, as alluded to by Jenkins.

Are you planning to watch Season 4 of The Chosen at the cinema, and which particular “one day” do you predict will be the focal point of Season 6?

FAQ Section

Is ‘The Chosen’ Season 4 available for streaming?

No, ‘The Chosen’ Season 4 is currently not available on any streaming services or broadcast networks. However, you can watch it in select theaters until at least March 30.

Will The CW stream ‘The Chosen’ Season 4?

As of now, The CW has not announced any plans to stream Season 4 of ‘The Chosen’.

When will Season 5 of ‘The Chosen’ start filming?

Season 5 of ‘The Chosen’ is scheduled to begin filming in April.

Can you watch ‘The Chosen’ on the official app?

Currently, there is no release date for Season 4 on The Chosen app , but previous seasons may be available there.

How many seasons will there be of ‘The Chosen’?

The creators of ‘The Chosen’ have planned for a total of seven seasons.

Fans of the celebrated biblical series ‘The Chosen’ find themselves in a state of anticipation as legal delays prevent Season 4 from securing a home on streaming or broadcast platforms. Although the show’s continuation through theatrical releases provides a current viewing option, many questions remain about the digital accessibility of the latest season and the series’ future release strategy. With such an unconventional approach to storytelling, centering on the life of Jesus Christ, the audience’s curiosity is more piqued than ever, especially concerning the unique portrayal of the narrative that Season 6 promises to deliver. All eyes are on the unfolding of ‘The Chosen’ as it traverses its journey through the most pivotal events in Christian history.

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Why Haven't More People Seen 'The Chosen'?
By the standards of independent media, The Chosen is a success. On Easter Sunday, 750,000 people tuned in to live-stream the Season 2 premiere; for comparison, the first episode of HBO's Mare of ...
Film series 'The Chosen' explores its Catholic side in the Eternal City
Claire Giangravé. VATICAN CITY (RNS) — This week Pope Francis met none other than Jesus in St. Peter's Square. While greeting faithful on Wednesday (Aug. 11), the pope spoke with Jonathan ...
Why We Love 'The Chosen' So Much
The Chosen, a multiseason look at the life of Christ through the eyes of his disciples, has garnered more than 50 million fans in 180 countries with its engaging and affecting storytelling ...
'The Chosen' is the Jesus TV show your very Catholic aunt keeps telling
This is what I asked Jonathan Roumie, the actor who plays Jesus on "The Chosen." Hailing from New York City and born to an Irish mother and Egyptian father, Mr. Roumie was baptized in the ...
'The Chosen' Sets Its Face Toward Jerusalem
Jesus, played by Jonathan Roumie, and the disciples in The Chosen season 4. There's a moment in season 4 of The Chosen —coming to a theater near you on Thursday, February 1—in which Jesus ...
"The Chosen" Is a Streaming Hit
The Jesus of "The Chosen" is serene, charismatic and intimate — something like a roving therapist. In the world of "The Chosen," Mary Magdalene is an alcoholic and a victim of sexual ...
The Chosen
The Chosen. Watch The Chosen with a subscription on Peacock, Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video. This drama about the life of Jesus Christ introduces Jesus and ...
The Chosen (TV Series 2017- )
The Chosen: Created by Dallas Jenkins. With Elizabeth Tabish, Jonathan Roumie, Shahar Isaac, Nick Shakoour. The Chosen is a historical drama based on the life of Jesus and those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Israel, the series shares an authentic look at Jesus' revolutionary life and teachings.
The Chosen: Season 1
Watch The Chosen — Season 1 with a subscription on Peacock, Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video. This drama about the life of Jesus Christ introduces Jesus and ...
Review: The Chosen: Season One (dir. Dallas Jenkins, 2019)
On those levels, at least, The Chosen is an exciting addition to the Jesus-movie canon. — A version of this review was first published in The Anglican Planet. — The Chosen can be streamed in ...
Let's Talk About . . . 'The Chosen' (Seasons 1-2)
The Chosen (Seasons 1-2) Unrated • 2017 • Historical Drama • 16 one-hour episodes. Starring: Jonathan Roumie, Elizabeth Tabish, Paras Patel, Shahar Isaac. ——-. By Andrew Wood. Every generation needs to rediscover Jesus and tell his story in a way that touches not only the head but the heart. The multi-season streaming series The ...
The Chosen
The seven-season show shares an authentic and intimate look at Jesus through the eyes of those who knew him. With over 500 million episode views around the world and over 110 million unique ...
Watch The Chosen
With his teachings and miracles, Jesus of Nazareth attracts students and followers from all walks of life. But the Roman authorities grow uneasy. Watch trailers & learn more.
The Chosen
The Chosen: The #1 Crowd-Funded Media Project Of All Time. Watch Episode One For Free - http://www.TheChosen.tvWhy More Jesus Stuff? I've been a believer my...
The Chosen Featured, Reviews Film Threat
I couldn't have been more wrong. "Jesus is pretty much wrapping up his career as a carpenter, and we delve into the personal lives of his future disciples.". The Chosen is an eight-episode series (of which I've seen the first four) taking place before Jesus Christ's "ministry" begins (look up John The Baptist).
4 Things to Know about The Chosen: Season 3 Movie
4. It Packs an Emotional Punch. The Chosen series is known for scenes that tug at your heart, convict your soul and even make you cry. The movie has that, with three or four of the most powerful ...
Is "The Chosen" a Good Viewing Choice?
The Chosen is an internet streaming series dramatizing the daily lives of those who encountered Yeshua Hanotzri, Jesus of Nazareth. Ten episodes have already been released. To me and my wife, the very first opening episode felt somehow overdone by overemphasizing the lost humanity and sin of Jewish Capernaum… and turned us "off.". Only at ...
The Chosen (TV series)
The Chosen is an American Christian historical drama television series. Created, directed, and co-written by Dallas Jenkins, it is the first multi-season series about the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.Primarily set in Judaea and Galilee in the 1st century, the series centers on Jesus and the people who met and followed him. The series stars Jonathan Roumie as Jesus as well as Shahar ...
The Chosen: Should Christians watch it?
A production about Jesus actually done well?I was a little skeptical when I kept hearing rave reviews about The Chosen. Christians have a notoriously bad reputation for making religious films and shows. Low-quality production, bad storytelling, poor acting, overwhelming cheese factor, etc. Not to mention some terrible depictions of Jesus that are profoundly unbiblical.
'The Chosen' Season 4 Review
The Chosen is a historical drama based on the life of Jesus and those who knew him. Set against the backdrop of Roman oppression in first-century Palestine, the series shares an authentic look at ...
'The Chosen' Breaks Record for Most-Translated TV Show
The Chosen was dubbed into Malagasy in 2023. It is believed to be the first show ever dubbed in the language. The impact was powerful. "The effect goes on to this day," Jantz said. "It's ...
Blake Shelton says he 'absolutely loves' 'The Chosen'; Jesus actor
By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Assistant Editor Thursday, May 23, 2024. Lionsgate. Country star Blake Shelton says he "absolutely loves" "The Chosen," adding that there is "no question" why the first-ever multi-season series about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ is a worldwide phenomenon. "Random two thumbs up from a country singer….
The Chosen
The Chosen. A charismatic fisherman drowning in debt, a troubled woman wrestling with real demons. A gifted publican ostracized by his family and his people. A religious leader struggling with his beliefs. See Jesus through the eyes of those that met him.
THE CHOSEN: Episode 3.3: "Physician, Heal Yourself" Review
More Detail: "Physician, Heal Yourself," Episode Three of THE CHOSEN, Season Three, is loosely based on Luke 4:16-30. It follows Jesus Christ's return home to Nazareth for Rosh Hashanah and the people's response to his sermon in the town's synagogue. Streaming on VidAngel, "Physician, Heal Yourself" is a heartwarming, reflective ...
Exploring Ways to View 'The Chosen' Season 4 Without a ...
Fans eagerly waiting for news on the release of The Chosen Season 4 on a streaming platform or network by Easter Sunday may have to temper their expectations with a hint of disappointment. In a ...