Jesus, God and Man: A Review of The Chosen

The Chosen is a crowd-funded, multi-season series on the life of Christ. While it has added other plotlines and characters and added some color to the figures we see in Scripture, to their credit, they encourage the audience to read the Bible for themselves.

First, let me say how much I appreciate something like this for a new time and new generation. This is to say not that the Bible has changed, or that we somehow need to add to it, or that it is not enough on its own, but that such a production in many ways can make the Bible more palatable. It draws attention to the fact that those we see in the Gospels and Scripture as a whole are real people with real stories and real struggles, not aloof, sinless saints. When Cornelius met and fell at Peter’s feet in reverence, Peter made him get up, saying, “Stand up. I am only a man myself” (Ac. 10:24-25). I think of James 5:17 in the context of prayer: “Elijah was a man just like us.” The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. It is not that Elijah had some magical powers; he had faith and prayed.

There is much I appreciate about this series. At times, it has moved me to tears. Be prepared. There are rich truths embedded within as those who encounter Jesus are faced with the decision to follow Him. Jesus is gentle and lowly; He is also firm, wise, and full of strength. He is not distracted but intentional. He is steady, trustworthy, and patient.

Putting words into the mouth of Jesus—in a novel, a devotional, a film, or a television series—is a responsibility that cannot be taken lightly. Jesus is unlike anyone we have ever known or heard. He defies categorization. Personally, I try to let Jesus speak for Himself. In a series like this, however, I realize that’s not always possible, and adding is sometimes necessary. Nonetheless, for the most part, I have been impressed with how the writers and producers have chosen to portray Him.

Even so, there are some lines or details I’m not too sure about. Every person and parent will need to decide where they draw the line, and as of now nothing on this list would keep me from supporting or recommending The Chosen. This is not intended to be an exhaustive review or a critique, but here are some things you may want to consider.

1. “Put out into deep water…”

This may be because the story of Luke 5 has special meaning for me (the reason behind the title of this blog, which you can read more about here), but Jesus told Peter to “put out into deep water.” Away from shore. Away from the crowds. Of course Jesus didn’t need deep water. Catching as many fish by the shore (as depicted in the film) would have been just as much a miracle, especially after a night of not catching anything, but Jesus calls Peter to deep water. This is not a miracle for the masses but one that comes from obedience.

I can accept the flexibility needed in a series like this. Not everything will be exactly how it is in the Bible. I understand that. At the same time, there’s the risk of seeing The Chosen version as what really happened. This may be especially important to consider if we’re showing it to children. One idea may be to read the biblical story alongside the episode to avoid confusion. The point here is not seeing an artist’s rendition of truth as truth.

2. “Some men brought to him a paralytic…”

In The Chosen, both men and a woman bring the paralyzed man to Jesus. According to the Bible, it appears to be just men. Men brought their friend to Jesus, who, “when he saw their faith,” forgave and healed him. This is not a slight against women. The biblical authors are describing what happened. This is not to say Jesus doesn’t value women. Rather, as mentioned above, it’s a reminder to be more familiar with the biblical text.

3. “What does your heart tell you?”

In The Chosen, the context is Nicodemus finally meeting Jesus and struggling with his faith, unable to believe that before him stood the One he had read about and longed for but never dreamed he would see face-to-face. In a touching moment, Jesus questions, “What does your heart tell you?” Yet for some reason, I can’t see Jesus saying this. He of all people would have known that the heart is deceitful above all things (Jer. 17:9). We can’t rely on it to tell us the truth. We need Jesus to give us new hearts. For Nicodemus, he rightly stands in fear and trembling—solemn, honored, overcome. I can understand what Jesus means: What do you want to believe but can’t? Nicodemus wants to believe but at the same time is afraid.

To be fair, perhaps I have become sensitive to lines like this because of how they pervade our culture and mean something completely unbiblical. My culture and background may be the reason that in this scene with Nicodemus, a question like “What does your heart tell you?” feels misplaced and a bit twenty-first century-ish. In a way, we have forgotten what the heart really is. Biblically, it is not all bad. We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart. It is the seat of our will and emotions, the central, guiding force of our whole person. At the same time, it can be interpreted as that selfish, sinful calling to build our own kingdom.

4. “You don’t have to do that.”

Also in the Nicodemus segment, as the old Pharisee begins to realize who this Jesus is, he kneels, reciting a section of Psalm 2: “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you perish in the way.” Jesus responds compassionately with the rest: “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” This clearly Messianic psalm depicts the coming King of heaven as the Ruler of all, mighty, and ready to govern the earth, and it’s used beautifully in this scene. Jesus’ every word is full of wisdom. The one thing I would change is his response to Nicodemus kneeling: “You don’t have to do that.”

I can understand the desire to humanize Jesus to a certain extent, but this is one detail that separates Him from the founders of many other major religions: Jesus never refused the glory and honor that belonged to God. Peter rejects this worship, as seen with Cornelius in Acts 10. Paul rejects this worship, as seen in Acts 14, when he proclaims to those who sought to crown them in Lystra, “Men, why are you doing this? We too are only men, human like you” (Act. 14:15). Even the angelic messenger of Revelation 19, when John falls at his feet to worship him, rejects this, saying, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you…Worship God!” When Jesus is worshiped—when costly perfume is used to wash His feet, when the disciples worship Him as the Son of God, when the blind man of John 9 believes and worships Him—Jesus does not rebuke or refuse them. He is not simply the One who comes from God. He is God. He welcomes our expression of worship and recognition of who He is and welcomes us for our good to Himself.

We cannot forget that only the words of Scripture are divinely inspired. We put ourselves in danger when we perhaps unwittingly take our theology primarily from even the best extrabiblical sources and view the Bible as a mere supplement. Discernment is not insignificant.

At the same time, I don’t want to downplay what the creators of The Chosen have accomplished. It is amazing, high-quality, and much-needed and redeems the medium and art of filmmaking to tell the greatest story ever told.