Tag: christianity

New faces are stepping into the story, and watching them drop everything to follow Jesus is one of the best parts of this episode. The excitement is contagious.

Did you ever imagine a fig tree becoming the turning point of someone’s entire life? Nathanael certainly didn’t. Yet there he was—crushed, discouraged, sitting under that fig tree at rock bottom. And then Jesus tells him, not “I heard you,” but “I saw you.” That one detail changes everything. Jesus wasn’t just aware of Nathanael’s pain; He was present in it. Suddenly the fig tree becomes the place where despair collided with divine attention. I doubt Nathanael ever walked past one again without remembering the moment he was fully seen.

Then comes Philip, the second new disciple we meet. He’s been following John the Baptist, soaking up every word about the coming Messiah. So when Jesus calls him, there’s no hesitation, no dramatic pause—just an immediate, joyful “I will!” The other disciples aren’t sure what to make of him at first, but Andrew recognizes him instantly, and their old friendship snaps right back into place. You can almost feel Philip’s eagerness. After all that waiting, he finally meets the One John kept talking about.

As the group grows, their personalities start to shine through. And let’s be honest—Simon and Matthew are like flint and steel. Every scene hints that sparks are coming. But right in the middle of that tension, Philip quietly steps in as the unexpected peacemaker, the guy who sees value in everyone, even the ones who rub others the wrong way.

Meanwhile, the women following Jesus—Mary and Ramah—are hungry to learn. They’re leaning in, asking questions, studying Scripture with a passion that’s contagious. And who joins them? Matthew. The same Matthew who’s usually buried in numbers and scrolls suddenly wants to understand the Word of God more deeply. As Jesus and the disciples quote Scripture and prophecy, you can feel the pieces clicking into place. Some of those ancient promises are unfolding right in front of them.

Has watching The Chosen stirred something similar in you? A curiosity about the Bible? A desire to understand the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Savior who ties it all together? If so, the study attached to this post is the perfect next step. Dive in, explore, and discover more about the miraculous, wonderful Jesus who still sees us—just like He saw Nathanael under that fig tree.

The spotlight swings dramatically onto James and John in this season’s opening episode, and let’s be honest—they absolutely steal the show. The Sons of Thunder don’t just enter the story; they charge in. They’re out there sowing a field like champs, earning a big thumbs-up from Jesus Himself. But the real fireworks don’t go off until later, when we finally discover why Jesus gave them that electrifying nickname. These brothers have a temper when someone disrespects their Rabbi. They’re ready to call down fire from heaven. Literal fire. From heaven. On people. You definitely don’t want to cross them on a bad day.

What they didn’t realize was that the field they so proudly sowed was destined for a Samaritan robber. And then Jesus—turning down dinner invitations from the religious elite—chooses instead to bring a meal to this crippled Samaritan’s home. During dinner, the man confesses how he became crippled, and suddenly the story sounds familiar. Very familiar. The robber from the Good Samaritan parable? The one who beat the Jew and left him for dead? That’s him. The Chosen flips the parable on its head and asks a question we rarely consider: what about the robber’s guilt? I can’t say I’ve ever paused long enough to wonder what became of him, but here he is—broken, remorseful, and face-to-face with the Messiah.

As if that twist weren’t enough, the episode also weaves in Jesus’ teaching on the Lost Sheep. The shepherd leaves ninety-nine perfectly fine sheep to chase down the one that wandered off. And when he finds it, he doesn’t scold it or drag it home—he rejoices. What a picture of redemption. If you’ve drifted, if you’ve been distracted by the world, if Jesus feels far away, this is your reminder: come back. God celebrates when we turn from sin and return to Him. Heaven throws a party over one repentant heart.

The episode bookends itself with an older John, quill in hand, wrestling with how to begin his gospel. He wants it to stand apart from Matthew’s account, and he’s searching for the perfect opening. The parallels between Genesis and John’s prologue are unmistakable. He interviews eyewitnesses, gathers details, and then closes with a line that should stop us in our tracks. John 21:25 reminds us that Jesus did so many things that the world itself couldn’t contain the books if they were all written down. We know the stories preserved in Scripture, but Jesus’ ministry lasted three years—three years of healing, preaching, restoring, and transforming thousands of lives. Imagine what we don’t know. Imagine the moments that never made it onto the page.

And yet, we have what God wanted us to have. So let’s dive into this season’s Bible study together. Feel free to download the first session of the bible study below. Let’s compare what we’re watching with what’s written. Let’s learn more about Jesus Christ, the One whose works could fill libraries, but whose recorded words and actions are more than enough to change our lives.

Who doesn’t love a party? And not just any party—a Matthew party. Season 1 wraps up by dropping us right into the most unexpected social event in Capernaum: the quirky, literal, socially-awkward tax collector hosting a house full of sinners. Matthew throwing a party is already wild enough, but the Pharisees catching wind of it? That’s when things get spicy. They march right up to Jesus, demanding to know why He’s eating with those people.

Jesus doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t apologize. He doesn’t even blink. He simply says, “I came not to call the righteous, but the sinners.” (Mark 2:15–17) Translation: These are exactly the people I came for. Jesus came for us sinners! He wants to party with us! Jesus loves you and wants to be with you. It doesn’t matter that you are sinner, it doesn’t matter what you have done in your past. He came for you, to save you!

The disciples and Jesus prepare to head off on their journey. But before they can do that, Jesus needs to do a little healing again so Simon can leave his family behind with peace of mind. As we saw in the previous episodes, Simon’s mother-in-law is sick and has been staying with him and Eden. Her health is not getting better. Luckily Simon knows someone even better than a doctor, he knows the healer and miracle-worker Jesus! Jesus heals his mother-in-law and she instantly pops right out of bed and wants to serve them. (Luke 4:38-39) Once a mother, always a mother – thinking of how to serve her children.

Now, hopefully you caught the Old Testament flashback at the beginning of the episode—Jacob’s sons digging a well. It seems random at first, but The Chosen loves a good setup. That well becomes the stage for one of the most iconic moments in Jesus’ ministry: His encounter with the Samaritan woman. (John 4:5–30)

At that well, Jesus reveals who He is. He offers her living water. He tells her the truth about her life—not to shame her, but to free her. And she believes Him. She doesn’t tiptoe away quietly. She doesn’t keep it to herself. She drops everything and sprints into town to tell everyone she knows. She becomes the first person in the series who isn’t told to “tell no one.” Her testimony becomes the spark that ignites an entire community.

What about you? What’s your testimony? Are you running to tell others about Jesus the way she did?

And then there’s that ending. Simon’s reaction when he realizes Jesus didn’t tell her to keep quiet—his whole face lights up. Then he shouts, “It is time!” with the kind of excitement that makes you want to jump off the couch and yell it with him. It’s the perfect setup for Season 2, and honestly, it’s hard not to feel the momentum building.

If you want to dig deeper into the scriptures behind this episode, check out the study attached. I hope you’ve loved walking through Season 1 with me. Let’s keep going—Season 2 is calling.

If you have been following along and only need the study guide for Episode 8, it is attached below. I have also included the entire study guide if you are just now getting started.

The Chosen – Season 1 – Episode 8 Study Guide

The entire The Chosen – Season 1 Study Guide is attached which includes all 8 episodes.

Matthew finally steps out of the shadows in this episode, and it’s about time. After watching everyone else get their moment with Jesus, the spotlight swings his way—and the tension is building. This is his invitation. His turn. His moment to choose.

And what makes it so compelling is that Matthew hasn’t been a passive bystander. He’s been quietly collecting data like the world’s most anxious accountant. He saw Simon’s empty nets explode with fish. He watched a paralyzed man stand up and walk home. Every miracle has chipped away at his skepticism, leaving him with a pile of questions he can’t file neatly into any category. So where does he go? Home. To the one person who has always tried to understand him—his mother.

The scene is heartbreaking and hopeful all at once. He knocks on the door of a house where he’s no longer welcome, hoping for clarity. His father isn’t there, which is a mercy, and Matthew spills out his confusion. He can’t make sense of what he’s seen. Logic fails him. Numbers fail him. And yet something in him is waking up. Scripture doesn’t record this conversation, or even that Matthew witnessed these miracles firsthand, but it’s not hard to imagine that something had been stirring long before Jesus said, “Follow me.”

But Matthew isn’t the only one receiving an invitation.

Nicodemus gets his own private audience with Jesus—arranged by Mary, no less. The teacher of teachers meets the Teacher, and the conversation is legendary. Jesus introduces the idea of being born again, of becoming something entirely new. Nicodemus wrestles with it, turning it over in his mind like a puzzle piece that doesn’t seem to fit. And out of that late‑night conversation comes the verse that has echoed throughout centuries: John 3:16. A single verse that captures the heartbeat of the Christian faith.

Then Jesus extends the same invitation He will later give Matthew: “Follow me.”
It is not recorded like this in scriptures, but either way the unfortunate truth is that Nicodemus doesn’t become a disciple and doesn’t follow Jesus like Matthew. Have you accepted Jesus’ invitation like Matthew or are you still skeptical like Nicodemus? Following Jesus is a choice and a gift from God. I urge you to make your decision to follow him!

Which brings us back to Matthew.

At the end of the episode Matthew locks eyes with Jesus and he asks that question we have been waiting for – He asks Matthew to follow him. Matthew does not hesitate like Nicodemus, he drops everything, gets out of that tax booth and follows him. Matthew doesn’t hesitate. No bargaining. No calculating. No weighing the pros and cons. He simply gets up, leaves the tax booth, and follows. Just like that. (Matthew 9:9) The man who built his life on numbers and certainty steps into a future he can’t predict, because he finally knows the One worth trusting. It was such a touching moment and one where you know Matthew made the life-changing, no regrets, awesome choice that will forever change his life.

If this episode stirred something in you, don’t stop here. Dive deeper. Explore the scriptures behind the scenes. Sit with the questions, the invitations, the moments of hesitation and courage. The attached Bible study will help you do just that.

Jesus is worth following. His invitation still stands. Step toward Him, open the Word, and see what He reveals.

Jesus is a healing machine! The episode Indescribable Compassion wears its title proudly, because once Jesus steps onto the scene, healing starts breaking out like wildfire. The moment the leper approaches, the disciples react exactly how you’d expect—panic, scrambling, “Jesus, get back!” energy. But Jesus? He moves toward the man everyone else avoids. He reaches out, touches him, and in an instant the man’s skin clears, his dignity returns, and his entire life is rewritten. It’s one of those moments where you can almost hear heaven cheering.

Meanwhile, Tamar is watching all of this with her mind racing. She already felt a connection to Jesus because of their shared Egyptian background, but witnessing this miracle? That flips a switch. Suddenly she’s thinking of her paralytic friend and wondering if Jesus might do for him what He just did for the leper. Later in the episode, she brings her friend to Jesus—and what an entrance he gets. It’s dramatic, memorable, and very Chosen-style storytelling. Scripture doesn’t record Tamar witnessing the leper’s healing or bringing a paralytic to Jesus, but the creators weave these characters together to build a cohesive narrative.

After healing the leper, Jesus heads back to Capernaum. What starts as a casual hangout with the disciples quickly turns into a full-on teaching session as people gather around Him. The crowd grows so large, a paralytic man and his four friends can’t get him close enough for Jesus to heal him. So, they take the only route they could think of – the roof! The paralytic man’s four friends start to tear off the roof and lower him at the foot of Jesus as he is teaching.

Jesus sees their faith and responds by saying the words that send every Pharisee into silent outrage: “Your sins are forgiven.” They don’t say a word out loud, but Jesus reads their thoughts like an open scroll. He challenges them, pointing out that forgiving sins is actually the harder claim to prove. Then, just to make His point unmistakable, He heals the man on the spot. The paralytic stands up, picks up his mat, and walks out in front of everyone. Matthew 2:2–12 captures this moment beautifully.

And this is just the beginning. Jesus’ ministry is packed with miracles, each one revealing more of who He is and why He came. Don’t stop here—open your Bible and explore the rest of His incredible works. If you want to dig deeper into this episode and compare what’s in the show with what’s in Scripture, grab your free study guide below and keep the journey going.

If I’m being completely honest, this is not my favorite episode. It actually is my least favorite episode in the entire Chosen series. Although that is a strong statement, every episode of The Chosen is so good! This one is just a little too slow for me. I’m not sure if you noticed, but it also is the shortest episode in The Chosen series clocking in at just over 20 minutes.

But here’s the thing: even though it doesn’t push the main storyline forward, it does something quietly beautiful. It gives us a peek into the everyday life of Jesus. The episode is titled “Jesus Loves All the Little Children,” and that’s exactly what you get—a simple, tender look at Jesus living a humble, ordinary life and making time for the children.

Watching it made me pause and think about just how humbling Jesus’ earthly life really was. The Son of God could have arrived with royal fanfare, dripping in gold, adored by crowds from day one. Instead, He chose a manger. He chose poverty. He chose to walk among the outcasts, the forgotten, the ones no one else wanted. This episode captures that heart so well. You see Him doing chores, working with His hands, cracking jokes, listening to kids, and being wonderfully, beautifully relatable. He stepped into our world and lived our struggles—and still loved people deeply and intentionally.

So yes, this episode may not be packed with plot twists or high‑stakes drama, but it shines in a different way. It highlights the gentleness, humility, and warmth of Jesus. And honestly, that’s worth slowing down for.

Let’s dig deeper into what Scripture says about Jesus’ life, His work, and His interactions with children. Grab the free study attached and let’s explore it together.

This episode is all about Shabbat and observing the sabbath. It is an interesting episode because we get to see a couple of Shabbat dinners in action! And The Chosen doesn’t just tell us about it; it lets us peek into several Shabbat dinners happening all at once.

Mary is healed and ready to host her very own Shabbat dinner for the first time ever and little does she know, but she will have the most important dinner guest there is. She has undergone a drastic change and is no longer is tormented by demons. She is happy, enjoying life and ready to observe her Jewish traditions and host Shabbat.

Meanwhile, Nicodemus hears rumors that Mary is healed and immediately goes into detective mode. He has to see it with his own eyes. When he finds her, he’s stunned—not just by her transformation, but by the fact that she credits her healing to a mysterious man who didn’t even give his name. Nicodemus can’t wrap his mind around someone performing a miracle and not wanting the spotlight. Little does he know… this is going to be a recurring theme with Jesus.

Two of our other main characters, Matthew and Simon both don’t get to celebrate Shabbat. They have very different reasons, but both situations provide insight into their lives. Matthew as a tax collector is rejected by the Jewish people and has no where to celebrate Shabbat. He goes to someone’s home, but doesn’t have the courage to knock on the door and attend the dinner. He is used to rejection and assumes the same will happen this Shabbat.

Simon has gotten himself into a pickle where he needs to deliver the merchant fishermen who are fishing on the Sabbath or he will be in big trouble with the Roman officers. He attempts to butter up the fishermen at the bar to understand who is fishing on the Sabbath and then ends up having to leave the Shabbat dinner to catch the fisherman in the act. Andrew and Eden are both upset with Simon and it ruins their Shabbat dinner as well.

As Christians, we don’t celebrate Shabbat with a traditional Friday‑night dinner, but we are called to honor the Sabbath and rest (Exodus 20:8–11). Watching this episode raises a pretty convicting question: how are we actually spending our Sundays? Are we resting the way God designed us to? Are we slowing down, reconnecting with family, and making space for Him?

It’s worth pausing to take inventory. Not out of guilt, but out of invitation. God built rest into creation long before He ever commanded it. Maybe it’s time to reclaim it.

If you want to dig deeper into the scriptures behind this episode, download the Bible study I’ve attached. Test everything against the Word. Let the show inspire you—but let Scripture shape you.

The Chosen has become more than a national phenomenon—it’s a global wave of excitement that’s pulling people straight into the world of the gospels. There’s something powerful about watching Scripture unfold on screen. Suddenly, the stories you’ve read for years take on color, movement, and emotion. Once you’ve seen these moments play out, you’ll never read your Bible the same way again. I’m thrilled you’re stepping into The Chosen journey. It’s one ride you won’t regret.

One of the best parts of this series is how intentionally the creators stay close to Scripture. Sure, they fill in some narrative gaps, but the backbone of the show is firmly rooted in the biblical text. Episode one drops us right into the life of Mary Magdalene. At first glance, she seems like any other woman in Capernaum—until we discover she’s tormented by seven demons. No one can help her. Not the townspeople. Not the religious leaders. Not even Nicodemus, the respected Pharisee and teacher of teachers. But then Jesus steps onto the scene, and everything changes. With a word, He frees her. It’s a stunning moment and a bold choice for the show’s opening miracle. Jesus for the win!

Some theologians point out that Jesus’ first public miracle was turning water into wine. But Scripture doesn’t give us a timeline for Mary’s healing. Luke simply tells us that seven demons had come out of her. (Luke 8:2) Whether this moment happened early or later, The Chosen uses it to introduce one of the most compelling characters of the entire series.

While Mary takes center stage in this episode, we also meet Simon and Andrew. Scripture tells us they were fishermen, but The Chosen adds some extra layers—showing them as scrappy, street-smart, and occasionally in over their heads. Is every detail biblical? Not exactly. But considering Simon’s fiery personality, he did cut off the high priest’s servant’s ear who tried to mess with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. (John 18:10), it’s not hard to imagine he had a bit of an edge.

We’re also introduced to Nicodemus and Matthew. Nicodemus is portrayed as a respected Pharisee wrestling with questions he can’t quite shake. Matthew is the meticulous, socially awkward tax collector who will eventually become one of Jesus’ closest followers. The Bible doesn’t say Nicodemus ever attempted to cast out Mary’s demons, but the show uses that moment to spark his curiosity about Jesus. It’s a creative choice that sets up some of the most meaningful scenes in later episodes.

The first episode is really an introduction to the characters. As the show continues more of the story will take place and many more characters will be introduced. The fun is just beginning!

To help you follow along, I’ve created a Bible study you can complete after each episode. It’s short—about 10–15 minutes—and totally free to download. Each lesson includes a “While You Watch” section to help you track characters and key moments, plus reflection questions to help you dig deeper. With so many characters entering the story this season, subtitles can be your best friend. They’ll help you catch every name, every line, and every detail.

My prayer is that watching The Chosen stirs something in you—a hunger to open your Bible and read the gospels for yourself. Now that you’ve seen the creators’ interpretation, go back to the source. Nothing replaces Scripture. No show, no matter how well done, can match the depth and beauty of the written Word. Read the stories they included, the ones they didn’t, and the ones they rearranged. Compare, reflect, and let God speak to you through His Word.

And if you want even more, The Chosen offers its own Bible study as well. It’s excellent—just a bit longer and different in style from the one I’ve created. Both can be great tools as you walk through the series.

The journey has just begun. Let’s dive in.