From St. Timothy's

Season 2, Episode 4 starts with almost 10 minutes of watching the history of two brothers with only music as background. One, Jesse, is handicapped from childhood and, as an adult, sits by the Pool of Siloam trying to get into the stirring waters in hope of a miracle healing. The other brother is Simon, or "Z" as he becomes known so as not to confuse him with Simon, who will later be known as Peter. Z trains as a Zealot assassin and is dedicated to overthrowing Roman rule. At the start, we see him training for his first mission to assassinate a high-ranking official during the Feast of the Tabernacle. During his time in Jerusalem, Z finds his brother and, well, it isn't exactly a sweet family reunion. We also meet an Roman "spy" who is watching the Zealots and is waiting for this assassination to unfold in Jerusalem so he can arrest, an arrest that will undoubtedly lead to crucifixion, those involved.   Meanwhile, back at the Apostles ... they are preparing for ...

This episode is slower and quieter, and yet very DEEP! The episode is simply named Matthew 4:24: So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and he healed them. We don’t see much of Jesus in this episode. Instead, we mostly experience the day from His followers perspective as they wait and watch, struggling to understand The Messiah who heals rather than wields a sword. As He heals crowds of people from sunrise to sunset, His followers talk, argue, and process everything that is happening. Sitting around the fire, His followers begin to vent their frustrations. Simon, still adjusting to Matthew’s presence, lashes out at him. This episode reveals how those following Jesus did not suddenly become a unified group doing His will and walking in His ways the moment they started following Him. Despite giving themselves to Him, there isn't an immediate and...

This episode introduces two new characters who become Apostles, Philip and Nathaniel.  Philip is my favorite Apostle in this series (until they changed the actor later and, at least to date, focused on him a lot less). Most people I ask cite Matthew as their favorite and it's hard not to, but I'm a Philip fan when he's around. There is little about Philip in the Bible, depending on whether you believe the Philip in Acts is the Apostle or another Philip. In The Chosen , Philip seems to take Matthew under his wing and advise him as he tries to grapple with his difference to the rest of the group. I love their dynamic. Philip's backstory is less created and more rooted in scripture. He's formerly a disciple of John the Baptist, or "Creepy John" as Simon calls him. He tells Matthew that everyone "was" something but "am" is all that matters after you've met The Messiah. Amen and amen. Maybe they don't give him much of a backstory oth...

Season 2 of The Chosen opens with a flash-forward.  John is interviewing the other Apostles and Mary Magdalene about their first encounter with Jesus (to write his book). The scene includes various levels of emotion, including Matthew nailing the precise date and time he first saw Jesus and John telling him he doesn't have to be precise with Matthew asking him why.  He also talks to Mary, Jesus' mother, and we learn this is taking place shortly after James (John's brother's) martyrdom. Mary asks him where he will start, and he tells her, "In the beginning ... I'm just not sure which beginning." She suggests Jesus' birth, and he replies, "Earlier." A storm starts, complete with cracks of thunder and Mary, without exactly saying it, remembers how Jesus referred to James and John as the Sons of Thunder. It segues nicely into the return to the series' present day where the two brothers are plowing a field in Samaria and are wondering why Jes...

I remember how excited I was at the beginning of the final episode of Season 1 and how sad I was at the end that Season 1 was over.  The episode is centered around Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well and his admitting:  I am He. It starts with an Old Testament background of the well built by Jacob, that in Jesus' time was in Samaritan territory. Then, we meet Photina, the Samaritan woman, we see her isolation due to her shame and the judgment of others. She is forced to draw water alone in the heat of the day and she just seems so sad and miserable. We also see Jesus making the radical move to dine at Matthew’s house. The Pharisees are appalled, questioning why Jesus would eat with sinners. Jesus’ response?  “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”  Again, it questions the idea of who belongs in God’s kingdom. It’s easy to think faith is for the already “good,” but Jesus flips this upside down. He seeks out th...

Episode 7 of The Chosen is aptly named Invitations.  It revolves around key moments of calling, decision, and personal response to Jesus. From Nicodemus' secret "Nick at Night" meeting to the growing community of Jesus' followers, this episode is jam packed with spiritual significance. So, Nick at Night ... Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus under the cover of night and leading to Jesus' assertion:  “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Despite Nicodemus' knowledge of scripture, he can't figure this one out. The idea that faith is not about status or intellect but about a complete transformation is a difficult for him to grasp. In something that isn't strictly scriptural, but I have no problem imagining it, Jesus calls Nicodemus to follow Him. The first time I watched it, my initial thought was, I hope you're going to give Nick new feet and legs ... and I realized I was making an age excuse for Nicodemus and wondered how ...

Episode 6 of The Chosen shows   Jesus stepping further into His ministry, healing the broken and challenging expectations. This episode balances Jesus, fully human and fully divine.  This episode really brings home what outcast lepers were and how, where there should be compassion, there was mostly fear. The desperation of the leper is so heart-wrenching. He is shunned, feared, and left to suffer alone. But then, Jesus does the unthinkable ... He touches him. In a world where the unclean were avoided at all costs, Jesus chooses connection over fear. How could the Messiah do something to make Himself so unclean? It reminds us that Jesus doesn’t hesitate to enter our brokenness and restore us. We get more of Matthew and Nicodemus, each trying to figure out the legitimacy of what they are witnessing and what it means ... could this possibly be the Messiah? My favorite part of this episode is the gathering at Zebedee's house of those who've come to listen to Jesus. We see Abi...

Episode 5 of The Chosen  weaves together past and present as it sets the stage for some of the most pivotal moments in Jesus’ early ministry. It opens with a flashback to Mary searching for young Jesus. When Joseph finds Him speaking with the elders in the temple, Mary’s concern is evident. Her remark, “It’s too early for this,” and Jesus’ response, “If not now, when?” become a thread that runs throughout this episode. This moment from Jesus’ childhood foreshadows that His calling is not something He can delay. When it goes back to the present (for the show) timeline, the episode shifts between Nicodemus visiting John the Baptist in prison and the unfolding events at the wedding in Cana. Nicodemus is wrestling with reports of miracles and what it could mean. He questions John, trying to understand if these signs, including the miracle surrounding Mary Magdalene’s transformation, are the work of John himself. John’s response is both shocking and convicting: “The miracle worker is ...

The Rock on Which It Is Built unveils   more about some that we come to know of as "The Apostles." This episode portrays desperation, faith, and the slow unveiling of Jesus’ true nature to those around Him.  Simon, as he is still known at this point, is a man in a serious world of hurt. Debts are crushing him, and he is willing to compromise his integrity to survive. We see a man trying to fix things on his own with what he thinks is one last desperate hope. The scene of him tirelessly fishing all night, throwing his net in over and over again to no avail, is a sad depiction of human desperation. Simon’s struggle is not just financial; it’s spiritual. His skepticism about the Messiah is laced with frustration and weariness. He believes in God, but he’s given up on expecting Him to show up and have any impact in his life. This also shows James, John, and their father, Zebedee, trying to help him because they know he's in serious trouble with the Romans, and even though he ...

Full disclosure, this is my favorite episode of Season 1, if not the whole series of The Chosen.  After watching this episode, I was totally on-board with Jonathan Roumie’s portrayal of Jesus. Out of all the incredible episodes in The Chosen, Jesus Loves the Little Children is my absolute favorite. In it, we get our first extended glimpse of Jesus, not just as a teacher or miracle worker, but as a warm, patient, and deeply compassionate presence. While the entire series is full of Jesus being all those things, this episode stands out to me because of the way it introduces Jesus through the eyes of children. This is the first depiction of Jesus that satisfies my thoughts on fully human, fully God.  So many biblical films and series depict Jesus as a teacher who is always “above” his students.  Sure, He is . . . granted.  The Chosen does something pretty awesome . . . it lets us meet Him in a quiet, intimate setting before His public ministry takes off. Instead of crow...

Growing up in the [Baptist] church, I was raised to believe that “keeping the Sabbath” simply meant going to church on Sunday—that was it. I heard and even read verses about “rest,” but they didn’t really register because, to me, it was all about fulfilling the obligation of church attendance. For a night owl like me, getting up early for Sunday School and the main service felt like anything but rest. However, when I finally read the Bible cover to cover, I realized there was so much more to the Sabbath—or Shabbat, as I came to understand it. I also saw how the law surrounding it was often misused and manipulated. Episode 2 gives us a deeper look into the daily rhythms of life in 1st-century Capernaum, with much of the focus on Shabbat—its traditions, laws, and how different people observed it. For the Jewish people, Shabbat begins at sundown on Friday and ends Saturday night. This episode beautifully illustrates its significance by showing the preparations and celebrations from multip...

 I know there are those who have watched more than just the first couple of episodes and still didn't appreciate The Chosen . I’ve read reviews from those who analyze its biblical accuracy down to the gnat’s behind. That said, I fall into the other camp—the ones who have watched, loved, and been deeply moved by it. That being said, I’ll be honest: I didn’t love the first episode the first time I watched it. I knew it was setting up backstory, and I found it slow. Have you ever read a book where the beginning feels like a hard slog, but by the time you reach the end, you realize how crucial that groundwork was? Then, on a second read, it’s enjoyable because, now, the slow parts have context? That was my experience with The Chosen’s opening episode. Episode 1 introduces us to the lives of several key figures before they encounter Jesus, weaving together backstories for: Mary Magdalene (known as Lilith in her broken state) – tormented by demons and struggling with trauma. Simon Peter...

Dear St. Timothy's Family We're excited to have you engage with our church blog as we start it for Lent in order to watch The Chosen together and share our thoughts on the episodes! This blog will be a great way for us to connect and reflect on this powerful series. Here's a simple guide on how to log in to Blogger and reply to posts: Visit the Blogger website (www.blogger.com). Click the "Sign In" button in the top right corner. Use your Google account credentials to log in. If you don't have a Google account, you'll need to create one. Once logged in, navigate to this site and then find the blog post that you want to comment on. Scroll down to the bottom of the post where you'll see the comment section. Type your comment in the text box provided. Click the "Publish" button to post your comment. Important Tips: If you don't have a Google account and don't want one, we apologize.  Please let us know and we may try to allow anonymous p...