THE CHOSEN: Jesus

This week, we're going to talk about my favorite part of The Chosen:

Him.

I mean, Jesus is everything, right?

So, I'm going to dive right in by saying that I love this portrayal of Jesus, because it's so obvious He is the Son of God, but is also very much man. And that's what He is, right? 100% man and 100% God. 

The incredible attention to detail that this show went in to show Jesus as human—with sore muscles and splintered hands, who likes to tell a good joke one minute while showing that He is very much aware of what is going on in the hearts and minds of those around Him at the same time—is amazing. This Jesus rejoices not only in healing and redemption, but in the journey the characters make to get to that place as well. Conversation after conversation, he isn't impatient, being like, "Why can't you get this? Huh?" Instead, he enjoys the moments things begin clicking in their minds as the characters realize things are so very different than they'd thought. It's like, how a parent, who has vastly more knowledge than a child, enjoys watching the child learn and converse on their level, while encouraging growth. He's not "talking down" to the characters; He's delighting in them as they are, quirks, pain, humanity, and all. 

And don't even get me started on how He treats women. 😭😍That's another blog post for another day.

There are so many scenes that I re-wound and started again (successfully freezing the dvd player accessing youtube a few times), but none of those more than this scene, Jesus and Nicodemus, which I played over... and over... and over again (and over).

I LOVE this scene. The emotion in it is real and it is powerful. Most of all, I love the imagery of it, how One who is God and man is sitting at a table with man as 'equals'. Literally, God and man sitting together to have a conversation. The filming of this scene is beautiful. The story behind the music at the "BAM!!!" moment is incredible. The invitation is there, and it is SO CLEAR that I wanted to say "YES!" again and again and again! There's humor, tears, vulnerability, and genuine relationship in this scene, and I might just need to go watch it a 1,000 more times.

Years ago, I was in a prayer room where the names of God were written on pieces of paper, just lying on a table for people to read. I stopped in front of them, and as I started reading, I was struck by how this was so much more than ink on paper. I couldn't wrap my mind around how that simple wooden table could stand up under the weight of those words.

Last night, while watching this scene about 74 times, I had the same feeling watching a portrayal of what that conversation between God and man could have been like. How could that table hold up under that weight, as if it was just another rooftop conversation and not a holy moment?

I've never seen Jesus depicted like this so well. Back when I was in high school, a made-for-tv movie came out about the life of Christ and had glimpses of this concept. I remember the Jesus in there starting a water fight at a well with his disciples, dancing at the wedding, and petting a dog. And it struck me, especially the water fight, that He would take the time from being holy to being ordinary. Human.

But... we, as humans, are made in the image of God. A water fight, a good-natured tease at a disciple's two left feet, or an exaggerated eye roll doesn't debase Him or detract from His Holiness.... in fact, I think it just shows us more His person, and as Dallas Jenkins (the show's creator, co-writer, and director) says, enhances our understanding of His divinity.

And isn't that what the invitation to intimacy with Him is? To know His heart as well as His teachings? To know this person of Jesus so fervently that we will sake all to follow Him?

The Chosen has given me so much to think about. What about you? What did you think of the depiction of Jesus in this show?