A friend recently messaged me to ask my opinion regarding, The Chosen, a TV series that depicts the life of Christ. With a reported 108 million people viewing at least part of the series in 2022, it has become the most popular faith-based television series ever produced. The Chosen was created, produced, and directed by Dallas Jenkins, whose father, Jerry Jenkins, authored the best-selling Left Behind series. It is professionally acted and has received rave reviews.
I messaged my friend and explained that I really like The Chosen. I haven’t seen anything that is blatantly anti-scriptural. It is important that viewers understand much of the storyline is speculation about what could have happened that is not covered in the Bible. Someone who does not know the Bible might watch and say, “I didn’t know Simon Peter had a gambling problem!” Of course, that idea is not suggested in the Bible – it is simply the producers’ speculation.
However, preachers and teachers often do the same thing. For instance, I might say in a sermon, “When Simon Peter boasted, ‘Others might deny you, Lord, but I’ll never deny you!’ can’t you imagine the other disciples rolling their eyes in disgust and thinking, ‘He’s such a braggart!’” Of course, the Bible does not describe the disciples’ reaction. Yet to help the story feel authentic and fresh, Bible teachers often attempt to provide plausible dramatization to fill in the gaps in the story. I view The Chosen in the same way.
After responding to my friend, I realized I should have also admitted to being a little biased toward the series because Dallas Jenkins and his wife Amanda were involved at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville for several years when I was the pastor. They were friends with my son Phil and his wife, Lisa, and Amanda worked with my wife, Judy, in the church bookstore. Dallas is extremely talented and committed to the Lord, and we know he wants to make his life count for the Gospel.
So far, I have watched every episode of The Chosen – some of them two or three times! I find the shows captivating and challenging. Some scenes are so heartwarming I am moved to tears. It is one of the few portrayals of Jesus that present Him as the type of dynamic leader who would inspire people to leave their occupations and follow Him, despite not knowing exactly where they were going. In The Chosen, Jesus is presented as both human and divine. He is, indeed, “full of grace and truth.”
Some have criticized The Chosen, suggesting it is produced by Mormons – a rumor that was widely circulated on social media and magnified when Dallas Jenkins controversially said, “Mormons believe in the same Jesus.” However, Douglas Huffman, Ph.D., Professor of New Testament and Associate Dean of Biblical and Theological Studies at Biola University’s Talbot School of Theology, responded to that concern. Dr. Huffman is one of the script consultants for The Chosen, and Dallas Jenkins was formerly a student of his. Dr. Huffman explained, “…the Chosen has three script consultants: a Roman Catholic priest, a Messianic Jewish rabbi, and an evangelical New Testament scholar (me). All of the consultants are from historic Christianity; there is no LDS script consultant.” (Click here for the full text of Dr. Huffman’s response).
Others express concern that some Bible characters are portrayed differently than they imagined and, at times, in a denigrating way. I understand that concern. For instance, I am skeptical that the Apostle Matthew was as eccentric and anti-social as he is presented in the series. Yet, truthfully, we don’t know. I think mature believers should be able to view the depictions as the producers’ conjecture and move on.
1. Watch with discernment. The Scripture instructs us to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Compare what you see to the Bible. If it contradicts the Bible, then reject it. If it is extra-Biblical, then regard it as a man’s interpretation. If it reinforces the Bible, then rejoice and be edified by it.
2. Give grace. When we read Eugene Peterson’s The Message or Kenneth Taylor’s The Living Bible, we know these are paraphrased interpretations, not literal translations. So we understand the author’s bias may influence his theological paraphrase. Yet that does not preclude The Message or The Living Bible from providing a fresh perspective and edifying us.
Similarly, we should offer the same charitable spirit when watching The Chosen. Hopefully, by doing so, hearts that have been hardened by familiarity will be softened and grow in appreciation of Jesus.
3. Use it to evangelize.
Encourage friends, family, and neighbors to watch The Chosen. Better still, invite them to your house for dessert and watch an episode with them. It is a great way to begin a spiritual discussion or plant a gospel seed in hearts that may grow and lead to salvation.
4. Support The Chosen with your prayers and contributions. As you can imagine, The Chosen is expensive to produce and financed mainly by appreciative viewers who donate to keep the show going. Additionally, pray for Dallas Jenkins, the cast, and the show’s unbelieving viewers. May their hearts be receptive to the message of the Gospel.
5. Read the book. The Bible is even better than the movie.
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12)
