Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. 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. All four Gospels suggest Mary was the first witness of the resurrected Jesus (Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-11, and John 20:1-18). It is an excellent form of Lectio Divina. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. This is symbolically tied to her encounter with another demon, Belial, who calls Mary Lilith, asserting the continued existence and power of her old identity. Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. Describe a pencil. 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). According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, and she financially aided him in Galilee. In The Chosen, we see a brief flashback during Season 1, Episode 1 that strongly implies that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. For more details, check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, Demons, and Evil Spirits. (for LOTR: Arwen's bigger role, some action scenes. 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. 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. And just like one day the risen Jesus will reveal himself to Mary and free her from grief and fear by calling her name, Jesus first reveals himself to "Lilith" and frees her from her grief and fear and demons by calling her by her true name, Mary. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. Narrative Ambiguity & Charitable Reading, The Chosen: 6 Good Friday & Easter Episodes, The Rings of Power, LOTR, and Bible Adaptation, Amazon Prime's The Rings of Power & The Challenges of Biblical Adaptation, In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 1), In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 2), Imagining Mary Magdalene (5 More Bible Adaptations While You Wait for The Chosen Season 2), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Intensity in Tent City (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Clean Part 2 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Clean Part 1 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Physician, Heal Thyself (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3 with Youth or Small Group), Two by Two (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 2 with Youth or Small Group), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture (Adapting Biblical Characters), Homecoming (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 with Youth or Small Group), John the Baptist in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Lilith, Demons, & Evil Spirits in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), 2022 BY THE BIBLE ARTIST. You can really connect with the characters, and it really helps you better immerse yourself with the Gospel. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. 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. In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. It's odd? Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Jesus. Episode 1 depicts how she got these demons cast out of her by Jesus. 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. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. 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. 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. However, some scholars believe the word would be better translated as demoness and see it is a reference to a Mesopotamian spiritual being. Jesus clearly expected his disciples to sin frequently and made it clear that he was committed to pursuing them and offering forgiveness (Matthew 18:10-35). Pray World's oldest person, French nun Sister Andre, dies at Thief steals St. Michael statue from church, trips, and A photo I took of our altar at Midnight Mass this Christmas, Mother on death bed, priest refused to see her. When he encounters her again in Season 1 Episode 2, he is surprised to discover that she has been completely healed and is free of the evil spirits. PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM, Mary Magdalene in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Mary and Nicodemus in Season 1 of The Chosen, The important role that Mary Magdalene plays in The Chosen is not nearly as surprising as that of, Be that as it may, the Gospel of Luke tells us that there were women who went Jesus and names Mary Magdalene among them (, But why does Mary Magdalene get all the attention and not Joanna or Susanna, who are also mentioned? 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. Have my posts about Bible adaptation helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? In The Chosen, when we first Mary Magdalene in Season 1 Episode 1, she has already been possessed by an evil spirit, Lilith, for some time. Until Jesus shows up, some youth may find the show a little slow. . 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. The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. However, I'll acknowledge that what the show is suggesting about Mary's past life is certainly open to interpretation.]. For more details, check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, Demons, and Evil Spirits. 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." Its not perfect, but its a pretty great start. Have you seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone's life in a big way? Thank you! I found that my youth struggled to sort out the different characters, so you might want to do a quick slide show of the key characters using the character images I've included throughout this post. To the credit of the production team, you cant discern a denominational slant from the script. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. 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. To recap: in Episode 5 of Season 2, Mary begins to experience PTSD tied to the trauma of her rape by a Roman solider (implied very quickly in Episode 1 Season 1). 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. And we also just had fun chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the evil bald guy. 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. I think the producer said he wanted to do eight seasons total. 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. I have not seen any anti Catholic scenes. 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. Below I'll share an outline describing how to do a Viewing Party for The Chosen Episode 1 (I Have Called You by Name). See a Roman centurion fill Lilith/Mary s sight, a suggestion that the woman have. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. It hints at where the show is going: This passage takes place after Jesus' death and resurrection at the end of the Gospels. By. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. Meanwhile, in the youth ministry that I lead, I had the chance to view and discuss season one of The Chosen with several high schoolers and found it very fruitful. Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. Everything is very true to the Gospels, and theres no dialogue written to score theological points. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. 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. The Bible never suggests Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene fell back into sin, backslid, or left Jesus. 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. 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). By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The last passage is an optional bonus for youth that like digging deeper. 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. They speak to different audiences & look good on screen), Can you think of characters or stories that the film left out? However, In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene fell back into sin, backslid, or left Jesus. This is Tom My 3 month old son is battling an extremely rare and [Free Friday] after an early miscarriage 3 weeks ago, I Our new campus chapel is so close to being ready! When he encounters her again in Season 1 Episode 2, he is surprised to discover that she has been completely healed and is free of the evil spirits. Why do you think The Chosen depicted Mary as a prostitute? Matthew, Mark, and John also describe Mary as a witness of Jesus' crucifixion/burial (Matthew 27:55-61, Mark 15:40-47, and John 19:25). Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. This passage is one of the few appearances of Mary Magdalene in the Gospels. Be that as it may, the Gospel of Luke tells us that there were women who went Jesus and names Mary Magdalene among them (Luke 8:1-3). Why do you think they were removed? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Just like one day Mary Magdalene will be caught up in despair because she can't find Jesus' body, she's caught up in despair at her own situation. Thus, when Jesus first encounters Mary, what he offers her isn't forgiveness for her life of prostitution; it's relief from the oppressive demons that drove her to the type of life that she's lived. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. It's certainly not, Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. 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. 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. 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. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. Although, like Nicodemus, the account of Jesus' life in the Gospels tells us relatively little about her, the part that she plays as the first witness to the Resurrection is objectively much more significant. What do you think Mary's life was like before Jesus showed up? After Jesus heals her evil spirit, she resumes calling herself "Mary," her birth name, and refuses to answer to the name associated with her spiritual oppression. East pencil writes or draws used for note taking West pencil is yellow has a eraser and lead. 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. (he calls her by her name), How does this connect to what happened in episode 1? Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. In a previous era of Hollywood Mary's status as a prostitute made her exotic and intriguing. As a general rule, the characters who follow Jesus aren't bad people; they're misunderstood and rejected and in need of love. The difference between its depiction of her life as a prostitute, with super-sexualized clothing and a zebra chariot, and The Chosen's depiction of her life is emblematic of changing views of prostitutes between the 1920's and today. Many Christians still memorize this passage to remind them of how God is always with us, even in the most difficult trials. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. Many characters and stories are based on events in the Gospels, but there are also characters and events that the creators made up to tie things together. Consider how the show depicts Jesus' first appearance. Can you think of moments when you may need to be reminded that God is with you? This shift in our societal understanding of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary's supposed role as a prostitute. When making the Chosen, he is advised by a Catholic Priest, Rabbi, and Evangelical Pastor. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? 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. Have my posts about Bible adaptation helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? Still, at the end of the day, the 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the Gospels are all males. 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. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. [SPOILERS] what is Jordan Peele's 'Nope' about? I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. Click here for my affiliation policy. I hope you enjoy them! Yes, we see that Jesus had warm and empowering relationships with females. Mary Magdalene was a female disciple who traveled with Jesus during his ministry (Luke 8:1-3). I admire your comment. In The Chosen, when we first Mary Magdalene in Season 1 Episode 1, she has already been possessed by evil spirits for some time. In The Chosen, Nicodemus meets Mary Magdalene in Season 1, Episode 1. One other thing - the show could have allowed some of the disciples (like John) to go a bit further in being judgmental toward after her return.
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