This first episode of the series begins by telling us, "The Chosen is based on the true stories of the gospels of Jesus Christ. Some locations and timelines have been combined or condensed. Backstories and some characters or dialogue have been added. However, all biblical and historical context and any artistic imagination are designed to support the truth and intention of the Scriptures. Viewers are encouraged to read the gospels. The original names, locations and phrases have been transliterated into English for anything spoken."
We see a man humming outside a tent at night by a crackling fire in Magdala around 2 B.C. He begins coughing deeply. A little girl of about 5 or 6 years comes out of the tent, inquiring, "Abba?" Her father addresses her kindly, saying, "You should be sleeping, Little One." She protests that she cannot sleep so he invites her to sit down. He asks if she is thinking about what he calls "the big, new star," known later as the star of Bethlehem, and points it out to her.
It turns out that the little girl is simply scared, and of what she does not know. Her father says, "Hey, what do we do when we are scared?" She answers, "We say the words." He continues, "Adonai’s words from the prophet Isaiah: 'Thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not."'" He gently encourages her to say the words herself so he can hear her pretty voice. She replies, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name. You are Mine." The father repeats, "You are mine. That's right." He kisses her and she smiles, hugging a wooden doll close to her chest.
A young woman wakes up suddenly from a dream. We know it is the little girl grown up because we see the same wooden doll nearby looking a few decades older. A caption tells us she is in the city of Capernaum 28 years later. Something has gone badly wrong for that woman since she has blood on her hands and a young man is fleeing downstairs from where she is staying. Blood is running down his neck. He tries to get help and blurts out to a Roman soldier, "She tried to kill me. Demons live inside her!"
In an elegant covered wagon, an elderly Pharisee is praying. His well-dressed wife is with him in the wagon. The wagon comes suddenly to a halt when the servants pulling it see 5 Roman soldiers riding swiftly toward them. When they approach, their leader dismounts and walks to address the couple in the wagon. The Pharisee asks, "Why have you stopped us?" The Roman answers lightly, "It's not enough to say hello?" The Pharisee states, "I'm on official business." The Roman asserts, "Ony Roman business is official business. My name is Quintus, the praetor of Capernaum." Before the Pharisee can state his name, Quintus interrupts him, stating, "You are the great Nicodemus. Word travels fast."
Nicodemus wants to know what Quintus wants from him, but Quintus takes his time in making that known since he enjoys asserting his dominance, especially over the subjugated people of Israel. Quintus tells Nicodemus, "I'm a magistrate, not a military man. I serve the will of the people and Pilate [the Roman governor]." Nicodemus tells him, "And I serve only God." Quintus replies testily, "Yes, yes. So do your enemies: the Sadducees, the Essenes, the Zealots, and rogue preachers in the wilderness raving about a coming Messiah. They are all vying for the people's attention." Eventually Quintus tells Nicodemus he will help the Pharisees to thrive if Nicodemus will help him collect unpaid taxes that have something to do with fish.
Earlier that morning, a rich young man is going through a fastidious routine as he gets ready to go out for the day from his stately home. In his courtyard he takes a leather satchel from a slave waiting for him, slings it across his body, and locks his large golden front door. He looks ill at ease in the street, covering his nostrils and turning his back toward people walking by and rats scurrying in corners. Not watching his feet with care, he steps into a pile of animal refuse and wretches.
A man with a covered wagon calls out to him surreptitiously. He uses a rude term to refer to the wealthy young man, who is a publicanus: a Jewish man paid high wages by the Romans to collect taxes from Jewish subjects. The tax collector, whose name is Matthew, limps over toward the wagon. Before he gets in, he discards his soiled sandals on the street and puts on a new pair he had stored in his sachel just in case. Outraged, the man with the wagon points at the old sandals, exclaiming, "That's a month's salary for all my sons combined! You just toss them out?" Matthew tells him, "These are my property. I do with them as I wish. I pay you to drive. You sift through trash on your own time." The driver scoffs, "Driving you is a bit of both. If any citizen asks about my cargo, I must tell the truth: It's the biggest pile of dung in all Capernaum!" As he laughs, Matthew covers himself with a heavy cloth in the wagon.
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| Matthew, the tax collector, hidden in a cart. |
Nicodemus sits outside with a rapt audience of young Pharisees from the synagogue of Capernaum. He tells them, "I always look forward to my annual visit to Capernaum and your magnificent Sea of Galilee. It is truly the envy of the kingdom." Delighted, they all applaud. Nicodemus tells them a joke about the Dead Sea to the south and then says, "Your sea boasts the most exquisite fish."
Turning serious, he continues, "How unfortunate that those who do the actual fishing are unholy, foul-mouthed, given to gambling in secret dens, and even fishing on Shabbat. Can we eat the catch and not be stained by the sins of the catcher?" Nicodemus asserts (contrary to what Jesus will soon assert later), "Make no mistake, it is a sin to eat fish caught on Shabbat. What goes into the body of a man defiles him. Why are our Jewish brethren taking their boats to sea on Shabbat? I assure you, the Messiah will not come until this wickedness is purged from our midst. Your actions are being watched and studied. God has entrusted you to be exemplary in every way. Now, if your status is too great a burden, you do not deserve to bear the name of Israel."
A young Pharisee named Shmuel, directing fellow Capernaum Pharisees to host Nicodemus, says in a nervous, fussy voice, "He's a member of the Great Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. I won't have him seated at a dull table!" Shmuel orders another young Pharisee named Yussif to straighten out his tallit (prayer shawl). Shmuel catches his breath as Nicodemus walks into their synagogue, blurting out, "Teacher, you have moved us all!" Nicodemus acknowledges him by name and makes a joke about fish to make his young audience feel more at ease.
Later, Nicodemus tells Shumel before them all, "A fine Torah room is the heartbeat of a worthy synagogue." Shmuel instantly responds, "Thank you, teacher of Israel. You do us a great honor." "The honor is mine," says Nicodemus, "not only for your bright students, but also for the soul of this city. You heard my address." "Your words will resonate for generations," gushes Shumel. "You were luminous!" adds Yussif. Nicodemus returns to the subject of Jews taking boats to sea on Shabbat, pressing Shmuel on what he personally plans to do. Shmuel pledges to control it better. He explains, "The Romans believe we do not work on Shabbat so they do not patrol the seas then. Greed has overcome the fishermen." Yussif, seeking to be fair, says, "Or they are just trying to feed their families." Rabbi Shumel gives Yussif an angry look. Rabbi Yussif looks down.
The entrance of a Roman soldier puts a halt to this conversation. He whistles, admiring the finery of the synagogue, and says, "Impressive. Looks like we're not the only ones taxing the people." Nicodemus asks, "What do you want, Commander?" The soldier states, "I'm no commander but at least you know your place." Shmuel hotly replies, "This is Nicodemus, teacher of teachers: Show some respect!" The officer is happy to hear that: "Just the man I want to see! I'm here about a Hebrew woman in the Red Quarter."
Since that is the most disreputable part of town, the Pharisees protest to having anything to do with the woman causing disruption there, but the soldier insists that because this involves demons, a holy man is required. If Nicodemus will not help, the officer threatens to set the Red Quarter on fire. Nicodemus will reluctantly agree to help, bringing Shmuel and Yussif to assist him.
The man secretly transporting Matthew the tax collector stops his wagon and tells Matthew to get out. Matthew is upset because the man is dropping him off at the edge of town instead of taking him straight through to his tax booth. Matthew offers to pay him double, but the man hisses, "Money won't buy the stink off me and my family if I am seen with you. Out!" Matthew protests as he gets out, "This is very unprofessional." "Fire me," dares the man, shaking his head in disgust.
As Matthew tries to slink through town unnoticed, we see why he was willing to pay double. He covers his nose repeatedly, finding it hard to bear normal city smells. A boy spots him and cries out harshly, "Tax collector, go!" That draws the attention of the adults around Matthew, a woman giving him a disdainful look and a man spitting at him. A blind beggar grabs at him, saying, "Please, are you the Messiah?" Matthew shouts, "No, I am not!" The beggar says, "Please tell me when he comes!" When Matthew shakes him off, he finds himself staring at a long line of customers waiting for him at his booth.
Matthew stands by the locked door of the booth. When a Roman soldier approaches, Matthew says, "You're late, Gaius." Gaius replies with cheerful contempt, "I know. Could you feel it? The market's on fire today. Everybody's on edge. All it would take is one person to snap and you are ..." "Just do your job," says Matthew, trying to refuse what is obviously one of many attempts to upset him.
Another soldier in another part of town is leading Rabbis Nicodemus, Shmuel, and Yussif through the Red Quarter toward the demon-possessed woman. He is enjoying observing how uncomfortable those Pharisees are in being there. When they reach the house, they hear unnatural shrieks coming from the woman inside. Truly horrified, Nicodemus taps on Shmuel's shoulder and tells him in a shaky voice that he needs sulfur, nettles, hyssop, and wormwood. Shmuel is frozen in place at first, staring, but soon gets going.
The Roman soldier, asserting dominance, says to Nicodemus, "Well, do your job." Nicodemus, trying to assert his own dominance and dignity, tells him, "Listen, I agreed to Quintus's request--not a demand because he should not deman anything of me--to stop Shabbat fishing, which is already our law and not a violation of my practice. And I will try to help this woman, even though it falls outside of my purview, but do not think of me as a tool to fix Roman problems! I will not continue to use my position of religious influence to benefit those who look down on my people, whether it's you or someone like Quintus. So, I will perform this task but I want it noted for your superiors this is an exception!" The Roman, who has been listening quietly with a bemused expression on his face, merely replies, "So can we go now?" Nicodemus answers yes with disgust.
We see a group of working-class men taking bets as they watch two young men fight in a pit. One of the men in the pit is Simon. The other is his brother-in-law Jehoshaphat, who has been going after Simon like this for weeks. Simon is down, but looking slyly at his brother Andrew's hand signals to determine when to get up and knock out "Jeho" when the betting is most advantageous for them. Their secret plan seems to work until Jeho's brother sneaks up and gives a knock-out blow to Simon. Andrew regretfully hands over their betting money.
By the Sea of Galilee, Simon is dabbing his nose with cold water and protesting the unfairness of that two-on-one fight. Andrew knows fairness is not a consideration in this group and regrets his foolishness for getting involved. Simon apologizes for talking him into it. They share their concern about tax day coming up. Andrew, a worrier by nature, fears the worst: that they could lose their fishing boat, their means of income. Simon gets up and strides toward that boat, intent on going to work, even though the Shabbat rest begins in an hour. When Andrew protests, Simon replies, "The Pharisees make allowances for that if lives are at stake." "No one's life is at stake" says Andrew. "No, not this moment, but it's coming," replies Simon. Alluding to John the Baptizer, whom Andrew has been helping, Simon adds, "Are you going to tell your bug-eating friend about this?" Andrew starts walking toward the boat, but Simon decides not to drag his brother into this sin and tells him to go home. Andrew inquires about Simon's beloved wife, Eden. Simon tells him Eden already planned to spemd Shabbat at her eema's (mother's) house, so he is hopeful only Andrew will know he was fishing on Shabbat.
Two Roman soldiers are holding a battering ram near the door of house where the demon-possessed woman is staying. The horrible shrieking from her continues. Nicodemus tries to talks with the woman's hostile landlady, Rivka, who is concerned that all he and the Romans are going to do is mess up her place and not lift a finger to help afterward. Nicodemus tells her sternly, "The demons that torment her soul will turn your place to dust. Even if you care nothing for her soul, at least--" Rivka, who really does care for her, interrupts: "Lilith never hurt anyone who didn't hurt her first, mostly. She has these spells. We let her be and then she's as sweet as an angel again." Hearing the shrieking growing worse and things getting smashed inside, Rivka softens and asks Nicodemus if he really can put an end to her friend's suffering.
The battering ram easily opens the locked door. Nicodemus walks in slowly, shaking bells attached to a smoking incense censor he is waving about. Addressing the demons, Nicodemus says with increasing fervor, "I adjure you by the holy angels Michael, Gabriel, Rafael, Uriel, and Raziel. I adjure you, cursed dragon and diabolical legions, come out! I adjure you, spawn of Beelzebub, Abbadon, and Sheol! By the utterance of all the watchers and the holy ones, in the name of Adonai, God of the heavens, cease to deceive this human creature! I command you, in covenant with Abraham, in the names of Jacob, Isaac, Moses, the all-powerful El Shaddai, fly from this innocent soul!"
Rabbis Shmuel and Yussif watch and listen with Nicodemus as the demon-possessed woman moans throughout this recitation and then suddenly becomes silent when Nicodemus finishes. Lilith slowly rises and glares at Nicodemus. Multiple demon voices speak through her feminine voice somehow as one, telling him, “We are not afraid of you. You have no power here, teacher.” Nicodemus, now terrified, backs away slowly and tells his fellow rabbis, "We're finished here." He exits swiftly with Shmuel following. Yussif takes a last look at the woman before leaving.
The demon-possessed woman now called Lilith was actually known as Mary of Magdala when she was little. Sadly, Mary's father died when she was still young, leaving her an orphan. We see a brief scene from her difficult life growing up when a Roman soldier drags her into a room when she was a flirtatious teenager. Luke 8:1-4 tells us that Mary eventually became possessed by seven demons.
Nicodemus, trying to explain his failure to fellow Pharisees, reasons: “Only God Himself could have driven them out…. Souls such as hers are beyond all human aid.” He begins serious soul searching as he becomes increasingly aware of shallow religious faith inside him and around him.
Jesus, calling Mary of Magdala by name before healing her, tells her these meaningful words: “Thus says the Lord, who created you … and He who formed you … ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.’”
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