S2, E6
There is a lot made up in this episode, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some helpful things here too.
Biblical: What We Find in Scripture
Though many details have been added, David did eat bread from the temple while fleeing from Saul. This is recorded in 1 Sam. 21.
While there is no record of the disciples having a conversation about breaking John the Baptist out of prison, John was imprisoned (Mt. 14:1-12; Mk. 6:14-29; Lk. 3:19-20).
Though the details seem to be very different in the chosen, the healing of the man with the withered hand is probably a very dramatized version of the healing found in Mt. 12:9-21; Mk. 3:1-12; and Lk. 6:6-11. All three gospel writers who record this, record the picking of wheat on the Sabbath as happening before the healing of the man with the withered hand in Mt. 12:1-8; Mk. 2:23-28, Lk. 6:1-5. In this episode,
Unbiblical: What Contradicts Scripture
None
Extra-biblical: What Is Made Up but Doesn’t Contradict Scripture
Matthew and Peter’s opening scene of waking up, making breakfast, and searching for Mary Magdalene isn’t from the Bible. Neither is there any clue in the Bible that Matthew may have been attracted to her. Not just the opening scene, but the continuing scenes of Matthew and Peter’s search for Mary are also written for the Chosen but not part of the biblical record.
Ramah is a fictional character never found in the pages of the Bible. Therefore, the conversation with Mary the mother of Jesus and Ramah is fictional.
Since both of the previous scenes involved searching and conversing about Mary Magdalene, it should be noted that there is no biblical record of Mary Magdalene disappearing and being searched for.
The scene with Mary gambling and drinking in a bar is entirely fictional.
The disciples counting the lentils, and James’ and John’s conversation about Simon and the Zealots is fiction.
The scene of the Shmuel and another rabbi in the temple trying to seek conviction against Jesus isn’t in the Bible. In fact, other than Nicodemus, there is no record of any religious leader being neither patient nor dismissive of Jesus. Very early on in Jesus’ ministry, the religious leaders seek to trap Jesus in his own words. The highest of religious leaders seem to have a problem with Jesus from very early on in his ministry.
Mary Magdalene’s return, probably obviously by this point, is made up for the video series.
Helpful: What We Might Be Helpful To the Watcher
While the disciples counting lentils is fictional, the reality that Jesus and the disciples were poor is clear from the pages of the Bible. So though fictional, it is helpful to remember that Jesus and the disciples were dependent upon others for their provision.
We see at several points in the gospels that the disciples struggled to understand what Jesus was teaching, and most likely doing as well. James’ and John’s conversation about their struggle to understand, while made up, is helpful in seeing this.
While there is no indication in the Bible that Mary Magdalene ever wavered in her obedience to Jesus, the point of these scenes involving her leaving, gambling and drinking, and being found by Matthew and Peter all make an important point. Jesus describes himself as gentle and lowly. He is patient with the repentant. Jesus is certainly tough with the prideful, especially the religious prideful, but with the repentant, he is tender.
Jesus’ reaction to Mary Magdalene’s return is helpful. Jesus doesn’t require much, but what he does require can be very hard to give. He wants our hearts, all of it. He wants us to treasure him above all else. He wants repentance, and that is exactly what Mary shows. Jesus restores Peter after his denial of Jesus. But in this scene, Mary shows repentance, and Jesus offers forgiveness.
Dangerous: Things That Have Been Added That Might Be Dangerous to Accept as Fact
I believe that there is a danger inherent in every episode, and for that reason, I’m including this suggestion in every episode guide. The danger is assuming that the things in the episodes of The Chosen that are not in the Bible are true, part of the biblical record. In order to avoid this danger, I would encourage everyone who watches The Chosen to compare it to the biblical record. IN part, this is because most of what is in each episode of The Chosen is not found in the Bible. There is more speculation here than actual events recorded in the Bible. If you want a harmony of all of the gospels in chronological order to aid this, then I would recommend purchasing a copy of One Perfect Life by John MacArthur. It is a compilation of all of the gospel records in order of the events as best as we can understand.
Anachronisms and Errors: Things that are out of place regarding the time, etc.
The synagogue that Jesus and the disciples go to is not represented in a way that is accurate. Ten heads of households were required to have a synagogue. But only in highly populated cities would there be a large synagogue. A synagogue in the middle of farm fields would not have been likely. There would have been a small synagogue in small Jewish towns and larger ones in larger towns.
As noted above, all three gospel writers who record the picking of wheat on the Sabbath and the healing of the man with a withered hand record that the wheat was picked first. Luke even records that these events were not even on the same Sabbath.