Season 1, Episode 4 - The Rock On Which It Was Built

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 considered turning fellow Jews in to the Romans, he is their friend and neighbor and they want to help.

Unlike his brother, Andrew has been more open to the possibility that something extraordinary is happening. He was among those listening to John the Baptist when Jesus came to be baptized and believes the Messiah is here. Despite that, Andrew is still tethered to Simon’s choices. While he might feel the pull toward Jesus, his devotion to his family keeps him struggling between faith and obligation, wanting to believe but not yet stepping out in full commitment. To this day, I'm grateful for Christian parents because I do believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light, but I also know how much I love my family and how hard it would have been to pull against them or separate from them. 

You see the religious leaders, the Pharisees, offended that John the Baptist referred to them as snakes.  We later learn that one of them gave the Romans John's location in hopes he would be arrested.  It's that strange undercurrent we see in the Bible of those who speak intellectually about the coming of the Messiah, but really won't believe unless it glorifies what they think should be glorified and doesn't require faith because they won't believe it unless it is undeniably in their face in a way that they consider unquestionable. This tension is something we still see today and even see in ourselves when we aren't careful . . . those professing faith yet hesitant to embrace it when it challenges their preconceptions.

Matthew’s portrayal in The Chosen is one of the most fascinating character studies in the series. As a tax collector, he is methodical, pragmatic, and isolated from his own people. He operates on logic and numbers, which makes him skeptical of things that cannot be measured. Yet, something about Jesus fascinates him. This episode shows us the beginning of his curiosity and his growing awareness that something is shifting in the world around him. Christians (or Biblical historians who aren't always Christians) know this is setting up his eventual call to follow Jesus. It's not an emotional conversion as much as a breaking down of his worldview by something he can't quantify or ignore.

SPOILER ALERT:  The climax of the episode is Jesus telling Simon to cast his net just as he has given up and is hoping to get to see his wife one more time before the Romans arrest him for not paying his taxes. Jesus tells Simon to cast his net again and while he starts to argue, he instead, obeys. What follows is not just a miraculous catch of fish; it is a direct, undeniable demonstration of who Jesus is. This moment is deeply personal. It speaks to Simon in a language he understands and he is both grateful and afraid of being in the presence of the Messiah when he is, as he puts it, "a sinful man.:

Jesus meets Simon exactly where he is, in the middle of his fears and doubt. The overflowing nets are more than a miracle; they're an invitation . . . and not only to Simon, but to Andrew, James, and John as well. In this act, Jesus calls them all, but he especially calls Simon to leave behind his need to control, his fears, his old life, and to follow the One who truly provides.

I'd love to know what you thought of this episode?