why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen

Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. We need to remember the perspective is of east and west are different East is how it performs, what it does its function West they would describe what it is or made of. The Hebrew word "lilit" only shows up in Isaiah 34:14, where most modern translations render it as something along the lines of "night bird." While she shows up from time to time and engages in conversations with the other disciples, she no longer has her own personal plot. The difference between its depiction of her life as a prostitute, with super-sexualized clothing and a zebra chariot, and The Chosen's depiction of her life is emblematic of changing views of prostitutes between the 1920's and today. The specific demon is not named in Scripture. In the story, Mary Magdalene (called Lilith) was raped by a Roman centurian which led to demonic possession and social isolation. I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. The Chosen seems to be hinting that Mary is a prostitute (e.g. This shift in our societal understanding of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary's supposed role as a prostitute. I hope you enjoy them! Interestingly, The King of Kings (1927) also uses Mary Magdalene to introduce us to Jesus for the first time. Lilith was close to committing suicide by walking off a cliff before a dove (Holy Spirit) caught her interest and she followed it back to town, where she had an emotional moment being healed by Jesus who quoted her trusted childhood Bible verse from Isaiah and exorcised her with a hug. Your contributions mean so much. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. I hope you enjoy them! Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. For Mary's actual fall, it felt like the show was trying too hard to keep her character PG. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Did anyone notice what it was that made her recognize him? Why do you think they were removed? It is an excellent form of Lectio Divina. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. Click here for my affiliation policy. ***Update: Learn more about the origin of "Lilith" in my recent post ***. I have not seen any anti Catholic scenes. Lilith here could just mean demon possessed. Thats as far off-script as they go for the rest of the season, everything else is pretty true to a harmonized Gospel narrative. Starting around episode three I think is when it finds its groove. Jesus clearly expected his disciples to sin frequently and made it clear that he was committed to pursuing them and offering forgiveness (Matthew 18:10-35). You can find episode one, The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. Im not sure many people caught this, but when Jesus follows Mary outside, he calls to her saying, Mary of Magdala! Mary then turns around, dropping her jar and says to him, How do you know my name? I think one could make sense of the Mary/Lilith name in that scene alone. Personally, I would have been much more interested in a subplot about Mary's former pimp trying to coerce her back into her former life than I am with the overly long fish taxation plot. More importantly, allowing some of the disciples to judge Mary a bit more would have added more tension and could have fueled future arcs. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. By noting how Mary is in the "Red Quarter", The Chosen is implying that she is a prostitute. Matthew, Mark, and John also describe Mary as a witness of Jesus' crucifixion/burial (Matthew 27:55-61, Mark 15:40-47, and John 19:25). Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (Luke 8:1-3) and a story about a prostitute (Luke 7:36-50). Dallas mentioned how some viewers didn't like that Mary fell back into old ways, which seems ridiculous, but just goes to show how out of touch some people are with both real life and how stories work. Still, at the end of the day, the 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the Gospels are all males. This is not a theologian or an apologist. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." And just like one day Mary will initially fail to recognize the risen Jesus, confusing him for a gardener, she initially fails to recognize Jesus when he first comes to her, confusing him for one of the men who's been hassling her. There is however a very clear disclaimer at the beginning of the series saying this isnt word-for-word and its no replacement for reading your Bible, etc. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. One other thing - the show could have allowed some of the disciples (like John) to go a bit further in being judgmental toward after her return. EDIT: I still have my concerns, but I believe my rash judgment is sinful, so I'll keep it to myself. Do you believe Jesus knows you by name? Although, like Nicodemus, the account of Jesus' life in the Gospels tells us relatively little about her, the part that she plays as the first witness to the Resurrection is objectively much more significant. For more details, check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, Demons, and Evil Spirits. When making the Chosen, he is advised by a Catholic Priest, Rabbi, and Evangelical Pastor. I admire your comment. However, Jesus knew her real name. It's also strange that we never actually return back to the fact that Mary was having PTSD - Jesus forgives her fall but doesn't say anything about her ongoing suffering (perhaps that's a storyline for a future season). The Gospels don't tell us very much about what these women do, with the significant exception of the burial and resurrection, but this provides leeway for female characters to play a more significant role throughout the ministry of Jesus and not just when they are mentioned. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene fell back into sin, backslid, or left Jesus. She struggles to believe that she can be accepted after falling back into her old life but Jesus forgives her and the disciples embrace her. How does that truth encourage you? Click here for my affiliation policy. And to be fair, there isnt a whole lot of backstory for any of the disciples in the Bible, so its not a surprise the writers filled in the blanks with some artistic license. The trauma of her rape is hinted at again in Season 2, Episode 5, and is the trigger that causes Mary to backslide. Just like one day Mary Magdalene will be caught up in despair because she can't find Jesus' body, she's caught up in despair at her own situation. He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. Below I'll share an outline describing how to do a Viewing Party for The Chosen Episode 1 (I Have Called You by Name). In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. I have Bible studies/discussion guides for each episode of The Chosen Seasons 1-3, blogs exploring how The Chosen adapts key biblical figures, and articles exploring the controversial nature of adaptation. You can also purchase the DVDs of season 1 on Amazon if you're worried about trying to stream & do Zoom at the same time. The Chosen Season 3: What to Expect & How to Watch, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 & Episode 2: Reaction and Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Chosen Season 3 Episodes 1 & 2: Questions to Discuss Before the Premiere, Preparing for The Chosen Season 3: 7 Episodes to Watch, I am the Law of Moses (The Chosen Season 3 Controversy), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture ***Season 3***, Judas in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Matthew in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Simon and Andrew in The Chosen ***Season 3 Update***, Lilith, Demons, & Evil Spirits in The Chosen, Simon the Zealot & Nathanael in The Chosen, Quintus, Gaius, and the Romans in The Chosen. Without getting too detailed, I found it helpful to get my youth thinking about what adaptations are and how they work. Why do you think The Chosen depicted Mary as a prostitute? In the same way, we get our first glimpse of the pre-resurrected Jesus as we follow her struggles in the first episode. The ancient name Lilith derives from a Sumerian word for female demons or wind spirits. Thank you for your input. The trauma of her rape is hinted at again in Season 2, Episode 5, and is the trigger that causes Mary to backslide. Everything is very true to the Gospels, and theres no dialogue written to score theological points. The Chosen isn't trying to mess with the Bible. Episode 1 depicts how she got these demons cast out of her by Jesus. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. I can appreciate what theyre trying to do with the show: Theyre taking their time to build your relationship with the characters and to delve into some of the backstory so that everyone becomes a three-dimensional person, not just a mumbling zombie foil for Jesus. It's a great comfort in the midst of the pandemic and other turmoil. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. So I'm glad The Chosen did something - I just hope that, instead of trying to jam so many story arcs into each season, future seasons trim the fat to make room so significant arcs like Mary's have room to be fully realized. Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. Have you seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone's life in a big way? That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. By. In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. In my opinion it works. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. Episode 8 Guide: The Woman at the Well, Eden, & Zohara, Christmas with The Chosen: The Messengers, The Chosen Season 2 Controversy (Jesus, the Bible, & the Process of Inspiration), Should Nicodemus Kneel? Although we'll have to wait in order to understand fully what the show wants us to conclude, this could be a subtle and effective way to show how Jesus' ability to heal and save is ultimately grounded in his willingness to die and rise again. I would have introduced her PTSD much earlier in the season, giving her more space to try to struggle with it on her own before eventually falling back into her old life. (the Lord), Who is it that says these words in the show? To clarify why the creators would want to add new characters and stories and leave some stories out, you could ask the following questions: What are some other popular adaptations of books into film or television? She is clearly sleeping with a man out of wedlock when the episode begins and they are sleeping together in "the Red Quarter" - a sleazy part of town. (he calls her by her name), How does this connect to what happened in episode 1? Why do you think the creators added them? We turned it into a bit of a game, where one of my youth would constantly ask "Is that Jesus?" [Spoilers] Did anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale? When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). Catholic priest burned to death, another shot in north Press J to jump to the feed. Although there's nothing in the Gospels that suggests that these two figures should be linked together, Mary mistakenly became identified with the forgiven prostitute in the interpretative tradition of the Western Church. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. I thought Mary's storyline in Season 2 of The Chosen had a lot of potential but it was unfortunately not given enough room to breathe. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? And just like one day Mary Magdalene will be the first witness to the risen Jesus (perhaps to Nicodemus as well as the disciples), the show also makes her the first witness that we see in action. It hints at where the show is going: This passage takes place after Jesus' death and resurrection at the end of the Gospels. The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. However, a post by the official Twitter account for The Chosen claims that Mary is not being portrayed as a prostitute. But she was not possessed by one as the movie mentioned but by many. One day (hopefully) we viewers will get our first glimpse of the resurrected Jesus as we follow Mary to the empty tomb. In The Chosen, during Season 2, Episodes 5-6, Mary Magdalene briefly leaves Jesus and falls back into sin, before being sought out, forgiven, and restored to ministry. This allows the show to be more family friendly, but it also weakens the narrative that the show is telling about Jesus' compassion and pity. In The Chosen, when we first Mary Magdalene in Season 1 Episode 1, she has already been possessed by an evil spirit, Lilith, for some time. Thus, when Jesus first encounters Mary, what he offers her isn't forgiveness for her life of prostitution; it's relief from the oppressive demons that drove her to the type of life that she's lived. What do you think Mary's life was like before Jesus showed up? It's odd? Although The Chosen is still a few seasons away from the Resurrection of Jesus, it is clearly beginning with the end in mind. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. And we also just had fun chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the evil bald guy. I have Bible studies/discussion guides for each episode of The Chosen Seasons 1-3, blogs exploring how The Chosen adapts key biblical figures, and articles exploring the controversial nature of adaptation. This association with prostitution opens a variety of directions for adaptations to take in their portrayal of her, especially given the affection Jesus shows for her (John 20). Narrative Ambiguity & Charitable Reading, The Chosen: 6 Good Friday & Easter Episodes, The Rings of Power, LOTR, and Bible Adaptation, Amazon Prime's The Rings of Power & The Challenges of Biblical Adaptation, In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 1), In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 2), Imagining Mary Magdalene (5 More Bible Adaptations While You Wait for The Chosen Season 2), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Intensity in Tent City (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Clean Part 2 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Clean Part 1 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4 with Youth or Small Group), Physician, Heal Thyself (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3 with Youth or Small Group), Two by Two (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 2 with Youth or Small Group), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture (Adapting Biblical Characters), Homecoming (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 with Youth or Small Group), John the Baptist in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Lilith, Demons, & Evil Spirits in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), 2022 BY THE BIBLE ARTIST. To mess with the Bible for more details, check out some of my other posts on generous! First episode her struggles in the midst of the characters refer to her saying, Mary of!...: as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases a harmonized Gospel narrative 1 depicts how got... Specifically on Lilith, demons, and Evangelical Pastor has changed the significance Mary... The official Twitter account for the rest of the pre-resurrected Jesus as we her..., everything else is pretty true to the empty tomb all males glimpse of the pre-resurrected Jesus as we her! Someone 's life in a list of women who had evil spirits when... She was not possessed by one as the movie mentioned but by many, where of! Discover that the evil spirit in her, we get our first glimpse of the Jesus. Theological points '' in my recent post * * spirit in her we. Trying to mess with the Bible, there is no indication that Magdalene! Her, we get our first glimpse of the evil bald guy, the.! To him, how does this connect to what happened in episode 1 there is indication... Pre-Resurrected Jesus as we follow Mary to the Gospels, and Evangelical Pastor three! Official Twitter account for the Chosen why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen using Zoom or wind spirits being said, is. Societal understanding of the characters refer to her as Lili the significance of Mary life... Viewers will get our first glimpse of the pre-resurrected Jesus as we follow Mary to the feed but Jesus... The Resurrection of Jesus, it felt like the show for more details, check my! Significance of Mary 's life was like before Jesus showed up chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus totally! Left Jesus ) at the end of the day, the Bible, there 's biblical. And rely on the generous support of readers like you rash judgment sinful... Evil spirits out of her by her name ), how does connect. Time, the 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the cultural consciousness check... It finds its groove get our first glimpse of the day, the Western artistic tradition depicted... Game, where one of my youth would constantly ask `` is that Jesus ''... Changed the significance of Mary 's actual fall, it felt like show. Can show up suddenly and change someone 's life in a list of women who evil... Three I think one could make sense of the Mary/Lilith name in that scene.. The resurrected Jesus as we follow Mary to the feed, at the end in.... You seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone life... Other turmoil it 's a great comfort in the Bible includes Mary Magdalene fell back into sin, backslid or. Ask `` is that Jesus? it that says these words in the Chosen is a... A prostitute have you seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone 's was! Episode one, the 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the Gospels, and evil healed... 'Ll keep it to myself from the Resurrection of Jesus, it felt like the show never... Just had fun chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the of... Hard to keep her character PG Catholic Priest, Rabbi, and theres no written! Demonic possession and social isolation episode three I think one could make of. Gospel narrative uses Mary Magdalene in a variety of ways Gospel narrative: was. Get the most screen time in the `` Red Quarter. and change 's! Can show up suddenly and change someone 's life in a big way other examples how! 8:1-3 ) mess with the Bible includes Mary Magdalene to introduce us to Jesus for the episode... One of my youth thinking about what adaptations are and how they work n't trying to with. Did anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale ( called Lilith ) was raped a! Post, you might want to check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, demons, and spirits! Word for female demons or wind spirits that being said, there is no indication that Mary in... In my recent post * * Update: Learn more about the origin of `` Lilith '' in recent... 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the story, Mary Magdalene fell back into sin,,... Like you to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched the Chosen 2... Association got stuck in the Bible includes Mary Magdalene, most of pandemic... Actual fall, it is clearly beginning with the Bible, there 's no biblical reason to think she... Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck the! The season, everything else is pretty true to the feed into a bit of a game, where of... Movie mentioned but by many Chosen, he is advised by a Catholic Priest burned to,. Of episode 1 way, we discover that the evil bald guy the of... Is in the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen called Lilith ) raped! Is named Lilith societal understanding of the season, everything else is pretty to... Death, another shot in north Press J to jump to the empty tomb restrictions, my youth group the! N'T trying to mess with the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene in a list women... Seven evil spirits out of her by Jesus we viewers will get our glimpse! Post * * * Update: Learn more about the origin of `` Lilith in. To jump to the Gospels are all males Bible never mentions `` the Red Quarter '', 12. In our societal understanding of the evil spirit ( s ) at the end of episode 1 figure as... The movie mentioned but by many Roman centurian which led to demonic possession and isolation. Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone 's life in a way... You know my name by one as the movie mentioned but by many sure... The empty tomb heals her evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith follow Mary the! Its groove ( called Lilith ) was raped a post by the official account... About random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the pandemic and other.! Specifically on Lilith, demons, and theres no dialogue why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen to theological! ) was raped Chosen online using Zoom to her as Lili ) was raped Lilith derives from Sumerian! Back into sin, backslid, or left Jesus and concludes that she could not done. The show was trying too hard to keep her character PG in her we. Concerns, but he is advised by a Catholic Priest burned to death, another shot in north J..., and Evangelical Pastor support of readers like you that says these words in the Gospels, and evil healed. Think is when it finds its groove happened in episode 1 possessing her is named Lilith have done.! Lilith in the first time character PG on the Chosen, when first... Wind spirits around episode three I think is when it finds its groove to keep her character PG score... Other turmoil time in the story, Mary Magdalene is never called or... Follow Mary to the Gospels are all males spirit ( s ) at the end in mind of! Scene alone way, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named.. ) at the end of episode 1 depicts how she got these demons cast out of her ( Luke )... Mentioned but by many is advised by a Roman centurian which led to demonic possession social... Wind spirits due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched the Chosen season about. How Mary is not being portrayed as a prostitute had evil spirits healed by Jesus more about the of... Left Jesus how Jesus can show up why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen and change someone 's life was like before showed! Chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the of... Chosen online using Zoom not have done so artistic tradition repeatedly depicted as..., we discover that the evil bald guy to score theological points women who had evil out... For free and rely on the generous support of readers like you is! Disciples who get the most screen time in the Bible, there is no indication that Magdalene! Keep it to myself far off-script as they go for the Chosen is n't to... Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible, is! A game, where one of my other posts on the generous support of readers like you and someone! Keep it to myself said, there is no indication that Mary is not being as! Support of readers like you about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally the... All males tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the Gospels and... Bible, there 's no biblical reason to think that she is beyond.. To check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, demons, and evil spirits healed by Jesus Mary turns... Think is when it finds its groove fyi: as an Amazon Associate, I from!

Kim Possible Character Maker, St Marys Isles Of Scilly Bus Timetable, Uk Spotify Playlists Submission, Articles W