The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." Normally I wouldn't care but this is a movie about Jesus, and if the people behind it are trying to do good, but it is a great disservice for me to bad-mouth it until the full plot is revealed. As a result, adaptations of the Gospels from previous generations place a greater emphasis on how Jesus calls Mary to repent and brings about her moral transformation. Although there's nothing in the Gospels that suggests that these two figures should be linked together, Mary mistakenly became identified with the forgiven prostitute in the interpretative tradition of the Western Church. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). In The Chosen, during Season 2, Episodes 5-6, Mary Magdalene briefly leaves Jesus and falls back into sin, before being sought out, forgiven, and restored to ministry. The important role that Mary Magdalene plays in The Chosen is not nearly as surprising as that of Nicodemus. I take comments made by The Chosen Twitter account with a grain of salt, especially since they are most likely made by digital marketers and not the actual creators of The Chosen. Just long enough to make this point: Adaptations often add, change, and leave out details, because what works in a book isn't always the same as what works in television or film. But she was not possessed by one as the movie mentioned but by many. There's a sense in which Mary's demons might be seen as a metaphor for the oppressive forces that brought her into her life in the sex trade but this is only barely suggested. This story was invented by The Chosen for the purposes of the plot. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (, As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. Thank you! The episode with the woman at the well in the season finale could have been an interesting opportunity to bring her character into conflict with the other male disciples, but this opportunity was also missed. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, and she financially aided him in Galilee. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (, As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. They speak to different audiences & look good on screen), Can you think of characters or stories that the film left out? She was a witness of Jesus' crucifixion and burial (Mark 15:40-47) and also the first person to discover the empty tomb, witness the resurrected Jesus, and share the good news with the disciples (John 20:1-18). However, a post by the official Twitter account for The Chosen claims that Mary is not being portrayed as a prostitute. The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." By noting how Mary is in the "Red Quarter", The Chosen is implying that she is a prostitute. /r/Catholicism is a place to present new developments in the world of Catholicism, discuss theological teachings of the Catholic Church, provide an avenue for reasonable dialogue amongst people of all beliefs, and grow in our own spirituality. The assumption at that time was that women became prostitutes because they were inherently immoral and desirous. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. EDIT: To more specifically address your question about Mary Magdalene, my intuition is that they chose the name Lilith because few viewers are likely to know the name, and so therefore wont confuse her with another Bible character before her true identity is revealed. Im not a person who cries during Jesus movies, but Ive cried several times during this series, because you can just feel the humanity of the scenes and everything is ten times more relatable. There is however a very clear disclaimer at the beginning of the series saying this isnt word-for-word and its no replacement for reading your Bible, etc. In The Chosen, Nicodemus meets Mary Magdalene in Season 1, Episode 1. (Plots & Theme), Episode 2 Guide: Philip, Nathanael, & Matthew, Episode 3 Guide: Life Among the Disciples of Jesus, Episode 4 Guide: Simon the Zealot & the Man at the Bethesda Pool, Episode 5 Guide: Mary's Demons & the Destiny of John the Baptist, Episode 8 Guide: Judas, Matthew, & the Sermon on the Mount, Episode 1 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Lilith, and the Redeemer, Episode 2 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, and Shabbat, Episode 3 Guide: Depicting Jesus in Art, Film, and TV, Episode 4 Guide: When Jesus Met Simon (Peter), Episode 6 Guide: Jesus, Shmuel, & the Pharisees. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. every time a new character showed up. What distinguishes Mary from the other women, however, is her association with prostitution. As COVID drags on and winter sets in, if you're looking for a good activity to do online with your youth group, you might want to consider doing a series of The Chosen Viewing Parties like this. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. This association with prostitution opens a variety of directions for adaptations to take in their portrayal of her, especially given the affection Jesus shows for her (John 20). Still, at the end of the day, the 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the Gospels are all males. To the credit of the production team, you cant discern a denominational slant from the script. I agree with the Twitter post that the show clearly depicts Mary as a victim of rape/sexual assault, but prostitutes often are victims of rape and sexual assault. Over the past year, we've been exploring how The Chosen adapts biblical characters like Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, Peter, Andrew, Matthew, Jesus, and the Romans. Just before Luke introduces us to Mary Magdalene, he tells a story about a prostitute that Jesus forgives (Luke 7:36-50). The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. Although The Chosen is still a few seasons away from the Resurrection of Jesus, it is clearly beginning with the end in mind. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? Although we'll have to wait in order to understand fully what the show wants us to conclude, this could be a subtle and effective way to show how Jesus' ability to heal and save is ultimately grounded in his willingness to die and rise again. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. See a Roman centurion fill Lilith/Mary s sight, a suggestion that the woman have. This comes out powerfully in the first Episode like to show you why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen here. Dallas mentioned how some viewers didn't like that Mary fell back into old ways, which seems ridiculous, but just goes to show how out of touch some people are with both real life and how stories work. Over time, there's been a growing awareness of how most women end up in prostitution: not because they are innately promiscuous but rather as a result of coercion, sexual trauma, and systemic inequities. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. It's certainly not, Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. You can find episode one free on YouTube here, although there are lots of ads. In the passage, who is it that says, "I have called you by name"? This passage is one of the few appearances of Mary Magdalene in the Gospels. Unfortunately, because Mary's change happens so quickly, her character goes from being pretty dynamic in episodes 1-2 to being a pretty flat in the remainder of the season. These experiences cause Mary to flee back to her old life, drinking and gambling. He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. Lilith was close to committing suicide by walking off a cliff before a dove (Holy Spirit) caught her interest and she followed it back to town, where she had an emotional moment being healed by Jesus who quoted her trusted childhood Bible verse from Isaiah and exorcised her with a hug. Having offered some criticism, I will say that the scene of Jesus forgiving Mary was moving. I also suggest setting expectations for the first episode. The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions. PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM, Mary Magdalene, Lilith, & the Redeemer (Exploring The Chosen with Youth), Elizabeth Tabish as Lilith/Mary Magdalene in The Chosen, Over the past year, we've been exploring how The Chosen adapts biblical characters like, You may want to warn students beforehand that this episode contains some demonic activity. Starting around episode three I think is when it finds its groove. The second passage is the Scripture that Mary has written down: This passage that Mary's father taught her is from the Book of Isaiah. There are also characters and stories from the Gospels that the creators have left out. Moreover, her biblical significance has been amplified even more by the attention that she's received from the interpretative and artistic traditions of the West. Many Christians still memorize this passage to remind them of how God is always with us, even in the most difficult trials. Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. Because The Chosen seeks to be kid-friendly, it most likely uses the term "Red Quarter" in order to hint to older viewers that Mary is a prostitute without explicitly mentioning prostitution or sex. This allows the show to be more family friendly, but it also weakens the narrative that the show is telling about Jesus' compassion and pity. They prompt us to consider how these two events, Mary's first encounter with Jesus and her first encounter with the risen Jesus, are connected in a deeper way. There are a few Bible passages that I thought were helpful to discuss the first episode of The Chosen. However, some biblical interpreters mistakenly labeled her as such because the story before Luke 8 is about a prostitute being forgiven. (he is God). The Chosen isn't trying to mess with the Bible. (the Lord), Who is it that says these words in the show? In the modern vernacular, a "red light district" is a term that refers to an area of the city known for prostitution, strip clubs, and other immoral establishments. Why do you think The Chosen is trying to connect episode 1 to what will happen when Jesus is resurrected? (he calls her by her name), How does this connect to what happened in episode 1? She struggles to believe that she can be accepted after falling back into her old life but Jesus forgives her and the disciples embrace her. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. I think the producer said he wanted to do eight seasons total. The Chosen Season 3: What to Expect & How to Watch, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 & Episode 2: Reaction and Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episodes 1 & 2: Questions to Discuss Before the Premiere, Preparing for The Chosen Season 3: 7 Episodes to Watch, I am the Law of Moses (The Chosen Season 3 Controversy), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture ***Season 3***, Judas in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Matthew in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Simon and Andrew in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Lilith, Demons, & Evil Spirits in The Chosen, Simon the Zealot & Nathanael in The Chosen, Quintus, Gaius, and the Romans in The Chosen. However, Jesus knew her real name. That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. Interestingly, The King of Kings (1927) also uses Mary Magdalene to introduce us to Jesus for the first time. In the same way, we get our first glimpse of the pre-resurrected Jesus as we follow her struggles in the first episode. And just like one day Mary Magdalene will be the first witness to the risen Jesus (perhaps to Nicodemus as well as the disciples), the show also makes her the first witness that we see in action. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. Luke briefly describes how Mary Magdalene was exorcised by Jesus and became one of his traveling followers (Luke 8:1-3). More importantly, allowing some of the disciples to judge Mary a bit more would have added more tension and could have fueled future arcs. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? For more details, check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, Demons, and Evil Spirits. While she shows up from time to time and engages in conversations with the other disciples, she no longer has her own personal plot. She is clearly sleeping with a man out of wedlock when the episode begins and they are sleeping together in "the Red Quarter" - a sleazy part of town. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (Luke 8:1-3) and a story about a prostitute (Luke 7:36-50). (for LOTR: Arwen's bigger role, some action scenes. The Gospels don't tell us very much about what these women do, with the significant exception of the burial and resurrection, but this provides leeway for female characters to play a more significant role throughout the ministry of Jesus and not just when they are mentioned. When making the Chosen, he is advised by a Catholic Priest, Rabbi, and Evangelical Pastor. Just before Luke introduces us to Mary Magdalene, he tells a story about a prostitute that Jesus forgives (, Since I criticized Season 1 of The Chosen for making Mary too perfect, it's only fair that I acknowledge how Season 2 seeks to rectify that issue. There was just a hint of judgment in, Mary Magdalene was a female disciple who traveled with Jesus during his ministry (, All four Gospels suggest Mary was the first witness of the resurrected Jesus (, The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Jesus. Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Initially Mary doesn't recognize Jesus. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? Since I criticized Season 1 of The Chosen for making Mary too perfect, it's only fair that I acknowledge how Season 2 seeks to rectify that issue. The creators make changes in order to adapt the biblical stories to TV. For the most part, I just clarified who characters were (see my comment above) and occasionally I briefly explained a reference or allusion that was confusing to my youth. To clarify why the creators would want to add new characters and stories and leave some stories out, you could ask the following questions: What are some other popular adaptations of books into film or television? The Chosen invents this story to illustrate biblical teachings about Jesus' grace and forgiveness. Nicodemus was brought in to perform an exorcism on her but failed, making him question the fullness of the Law. And just like one day Mary will initially fail to recognize the risen Jesus, confusing him for a gardener, she initially fails to recognize Jesus when he first comes to her, confusing him for one of the men who's been hassling her. After Mary's encounter with Jesus, we never really get to see her deal with her former life. However, some scholars believe the word would be better translated as demoness and see it is a reference to a Mesopotamian spiritual being. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. Because The Chosen seeks to be kid-friendly, it may use the term "Red Quarter" in order to hint to older viewers that Mary is either a prostitute or a sexually immoral woman without explicitly mentioning prostitution or sex. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. The Hebrew word "lilit" only shows up in Isaiah 34:14, where most modern translations render it as something along the lines of "night bird." Why do you think The Chosen depicted Mary as a prostitute? FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. How does that truth encourage you? However, I'll acknowledge that what the show is suggesting about Mary's past life is certainly open to interpretation.]. This is not a theologian or an apologist. Instead of being a femme fatale that Jesus needs to resist and tame, Mary Magdalene the prostitute is seen as an object of compassion and pity that Jesus needs to provide acceptance and safety. Do you believe Jesus knows you by name? In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? You may want to warn students beforehand that this episode contains some demonic activity. I've condensed the lesson into an easily printable pdf below. In Episode 8, we see that Mary is still struggling a bit - her failure is driving her to be a bit too unrelenting in her work for Jesus- but other than that she seems to be back on track. I have Bible studies/discussion guides for each episode of The Chosen Seasons 1-3, blogs exploring how The Chosen adapts key biblical figures, and articles exploring the controversial nature of adaptation. The trauma of her rape is hinted at again in Season 2, Episode 5, and is the trigger that causes Mary to backslide. And the parallels don't end there. After Jesus heals her evil spirit, she resumes calling herself "Mary," her birth name, and refuses to answer to the name associated with her spiritual oppression. Dallas Jenkins (Director) is not Catholic, but - in my mind - makes the best Christian films I have seen anywhere. You can really connect with the characters, and it really helps you better immerse yourself with the Gospel. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. It's a great comfort in the midst of the pandemic and other turmoil. An adaptation like The Chosen isn't meant to replace the Bible; it's meant to drive us deeper into the Bible and spiritual reflection. Catholic Christianity offers the world the fullness of the Christian Faith. What distinguishes Mary from the other women, however, is her association with prostitution. In a previous era of Hollywood Mary's status as a prostitute made her exotic and intriguing. Lilith was close to committing suicide by walking off a cliff before a dove (Holy Spirit) caught her interest and she followed it back to town, where she had an emotional moment being healed by Jesus who quoted her trusted childhood Bible verse from Isaiah and exorcised her with a hug. That the scene of Jesus, it is a prostitute and the mistaken got... To check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, demons, and evil spirits healed by Jesus became. 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