why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen

Everything is very true to the Gospels, and theres no dialogue written to score theological points. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (Luke 8:1-3). Having offered some criticism, I will say that the scene of Jesus forgiving Mary was moving. The creators of The Chosen have published interactive Bible Studies that are meant to explore some of the Scripture and biblical themes that inspired Season 1 and help viewers apply them to everyday life. Over time, there's been a growing awareness of how most women end up in prostitution: not because they are innately promiscuous but rather as a result of coercion, sexual trauma, and systemic inequities. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. Because The Chosen seeks to be kid-friendly, it may use the term "Red Quarter" in order to hint to older viewers that Mary is either a prostitute or a sexually immoral woman without explicitly mentioning prostitution or sex. Also the guy who plays Jesus is Catholic, which is kind of cool. There's a sense in which Mary's demons might be seen as a metaphor for the oppressive forces that brought her into her life in the sex trade but this is only barely suggested. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene fell back into sin, backslid, or left Jesus. (for LOTR: Tom Bombadil. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. Your contributions mean so much. However, some scholars believe the word would be better translated as demoness and see it is a reference to a Mesopotamian spiritual being. I will definitely continue watching it then, I just wanted to make sure! Do you believe Jesus knows you by name? This comes out powerfully in the first Episode like to show you why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen here. Moreover, her biblical significance has been amplified even more by the attention that she's received from the interpretative and artistic traditions of the West. Yes, we see that Jesus had warm and empowering relationships with females. Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (. (Plots & Theme), Episode 2 Guide: Philip, Nathanael, & Matthew, Episode 3 Guide: Life Among the Disciples of Jesus, Episode 4 Guide: Simon the Zealot & the Man at the Bethesda Pool, Episode 5 Guide: Mary's Demons & the Destiny of John the Baptist, Episode 8 Guide: Judas, Matthew, & the Sermon on the Mount, Episode 1 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Lilith, and the Redeemer, Episode 2 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, and Shabbat, Episode 3 Guide: Depicting Jesus in Art, Film, and TV, Episode 4 Guide: When Jesus Met Simon (Peter), Episode 6 Guide: Jesus, Shmuel, & the Pharisees. 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). This shift in our societal understanding of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary's supposed role as a prostitute. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM, Mary Magdalene, Lilith, & the Redeemer (Exploring The Chosen with Youth), Elizabeth Tabish as Lilith/Mary Magdalene in The Chosen, Over the past year, we've been exploring how The Chosen adapts biblical characters like, You may want to warn students beforehand that this episode contains some demonic activity. (the Lord), Who is it that says these words in the show? 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 also purchase the DVDs of season 1 on Amazon if you're worried about trying to stream & do Zoom at the same time. 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. The Chosen introduces a lot of characters and expects us to just keep up. I hope I better can temper myself. Episode 1 depicts how she got these demons cast out of her by Jesus. I have not seen any anti Catholic scenes. Starting around episode three I think is when it finds its groove. Although The Chosen is still a few seasons away from the Resurrection of Jesus, it is clearly beginning with the end in mind. For more details, check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, Demons, and Evil Spirits. 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. I hope you enjoy them! Still, at the end of the day, the 12 disciples who get the most screen time in the Gospels are all males. By noting how Mary is in the "Red Quarter", The Chosen is implying that she is a prostitute. While watching the show, I made occasional comments through the chat but I tried to not do too much teaching - I wanted the youth to enjoy The Chosen and not just see it as an elaborate preaching illustration. I think the producer said he wanted to do eight seasons total. 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. There are a few Bible passages that I thought were helpful to discuss the first episode of The Chosen. I offer my work for free and rely on the generous support of readers like you. All four Gospels suggest Mary was the first witness of the resurrected Jesus (Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-11, and John 20:1-18). You can find episode one, The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. 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? And just like one day the risen Jesus will reveal himself to Mary and free her from grief and fear by calling her name, Jesus first reveals himself to "Lilith" and frees her from her grief and fear and demons by calling her by her true name, Mary. She was a witness of Jesus' crucifixion and burial (Mark 15:40-47) and also the first person to discover the empty tomb, witness the resurrected Jesus, and share the good news with the disciples (John 20:1-18). The trauma of her rape is hinted at again in Season 2, Episode 5, and is the trigger that causes Mary to backslide. Mary Magdalene was a female disciple who traveled with Jesus during his ministry (Luke 8:1-3). (Plots & Theme), Episode 2 Guide: Philip, Nathanael, & Matthew, Episode 3 Guide: Life Among the Disciples of Jesus, Episode 4 Guide: Simon the Zealot & the Man at the Bethesda Pool, Episode 5 Guide: Mary's Demons & the Destiny of John the Baptist, Episode 8 Guide: Judas, Matthew, & the Sermon on the Mount, Episode 1 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Lilith, and the Redeemer, Episode 2 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, and Shabbat, Episode 3 Guide: Depicting Jesus in Art, Film, and TV, Episode 4 Guide: When Jesus Met Simon (Peter), Episode 6 Guide: Jesus, Shmuel, & the Pharisees. Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? The important role that Mary Magdalene plays in The Chosen is not nearly as surprising as that of Nicodemus. 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. The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. 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. we first meet her as a client flees her place in "the Red Quarter"), but it's relatively disinterested in depicting what her life as a prostitute was actually like. Consider how the show depicts Jesus' first appearance. Catholic priest burned to death, another shot in north Press J to jump to the feed. It's certainly not The Exorcist, but demonic stuff can really freak some people out. Luke notes that Mary had seven spirits exorcised from her, but the other women experienced miraculous healing as well. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. Thats as far off-script as they go for the rest of the season, everything else is pretty true to a harmonized Gospel narrative. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. (for LOTR: Arwen's bigger role, some action scenes. But why does Mary Magdalene get all the attention and not Joanna or Susanna, who are also mentioned? (he calls her by her name), How does this connect to what happened in episode 1? He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. Just before Luke introduces us to Mary Magdalene, he tells a story about a prostitute that Jesus forgives (Luke 7:36-50). You can find episode one free on YouTube here, although there are lots of ads. Why do you think they were removed? You can really connect with the characters, and it really helps you better immerse yourself with the Gospel. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, and she financially aided him in Galilee. When he encounters her again in Season 1 Episode 2, he is surprised to discover that she has been completely healed and is free of the evil spirits. 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." /r/Catholicism is a place to present new developments in the world of Catholicism, discuss theological teachings of the Catholic Church, provide an avenue for reasonable dialogue amongst people of all beliefs, and grow in our own spirituality. I think Mary went by Lilith when she came to Magdala, not scripturally speaking, but for the story line. Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. I hope you enjoy them! After Jesus heals her evil spirit, she resumes calling herself "Mary," her birth name, and refuses to answer to the name associated with her spiritual oppression. An adaptation like The Chosen isn't meant to replace the Bible; it's meant to drive us deeper into the Bible and spiritual reflection. 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. As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. The ancient name Lilith derives from a Sumerian word for female demons or wind spirits. They were fully engaged by the show on the level of entertainment but also seemed solidify their understanding of important gospel events and figures, as well as the cultural context. In Episode 8, we see that Mary is still struggling a bit - her failure is driving her to be a bit too unrelenting in her work for Jesus- but other than that she seems to be back on track. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Did anyone notice what it was that made her recognize him? 1 ) Kathleen McGowan Kindle Edition are three Christian Goddesses, making up a female.! In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. Over time, the label stuck and now many adaptations depict her this way. Unfortunately, because Mary's change happens so quickly, her character goes from being pretty dynamic in episodes 1-2 to being a pretty flat in the remainder of the season. 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. ***Update: Learn more about the origin of "Lilith" in my recent post ***. Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. Dallas Jenkins (Director) is not Catholic, but - in my mind - makes the best Christian films I have seen anywhere. These experiences cause Mary to flee back to her old life, drinking and gambling. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (, As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. In The Chosen, we see a brief flashback during Season 1, Episode 1 that strongly implies that Mary was raped by a Roman soldier. Because The Chosen seeks to be kid-friendly, it most likely uses the term "Red Quarter" in order to hint to older viewers that Mary is a prostitute without explicitly mentioning prostitution or sex. Her name always was Mary, but through her past of turmoil, mental illness, rape, or whatever else caused her to be mentally tortured, she led everyone to believe she was Lilith. This is symbolically tied to her encounter with another demon, Belial, who calls Mary Lilith, asserting the continued existence and power of her old identity. However, some biblical interpreters mistakenly labeled her as such because the story before Luke 8 is about a prostitute being forgiven. There was just a hint of judgment in Episode 7, but it gets brushed aside way too quickly, given the cultural expectations. The Chosen does the "misunderstood reject rather than sinner" quite a bit in Season 1, but I think it's a sensible direction for Mary's character. Luke briefly describes how Mary Magdalene was exorcised by Jesus and became one of his traveling followers (Luke 8:1-3). I wouldn't take too long discussing these questions. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. This is not a theologian or an apologist. For the most part, I just clarified who characters were (see my comment above) and occasionally I briefly explained a reference or allusion that was confusing to my youth. [Spoilers] Did anyone else misinterpret the HotD Finale? **Update: I explore the origin of the name "Lilith" in my recent post **. I admire your comment. Have you seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone's life in a big way? The last passage is an optional bonus for youth that like digging deeper. Later Jewish tradition described a demonic figure known as Lilith in a variety of ways. FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. East pencil writes or draws used for note taking West pencil is yellow has a eraser and lead. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. Why do you think The Chosen is trying to connect episode 1 to what will happen when Jesus is resurrected? In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. As COVID drags on and winter sets in, if you're looking for a good activity to do online with your youth group, you might want to consider doing a series of The Chosen Viewing Parties like this. To recap: in, 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. Just long enough to make this point: Adaptations often add, change, and leave out details, because what works in a book isn't always the same as what works in television or film. For Mary's actual fall, it felt like the show was trying too hard to keep her character PG. The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions. In a previous era of Hollywood Mary's status as a prostitute made her exotic and intriguing. I take comments made by The Chosen Twitter account with a grain of salt, especially since they are most likely made by digital marketers and not the actual creators of The Chosen. Thank you for your input. As a general rule, the characters who follow Jesus aren't bad people; they're misunderstood and rejected and in need of love. Without getting too detailed, I found it helpful to get my youth thinking about what adaptations are and how they work. To recap: in Episode 5 of Season 2, Mary begins to experience PTSD tied to the trauma of her rape by a Roman solider (implied very quickly in Episode 1 Season 1). Since I criticized Season 1 of The Chosen for making Mary too perfect, it's only fair that I acknowledge how Season 2 seeks to rectify that issue. 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. The episode with the woman at the well in the season finale could have been an interesting opportunity to bring her character into conflict with the other male disciples, but this opportunity was also missed. 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 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. 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 becomes too perfect and seems to have no ongoing struggles in her faith like Peter or Andrew. 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. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Anyway, I love the series. 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). Why do you think the creators added them? 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. 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. You may want to warn students beforehand that this episode contains some demonic activity. As it was, we didn't really get a good sense of why Mary responded the way she did. Explain: The Chosen is a multi-season streaming series that's adapting the four Gospels. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? For more details, check out my post focused specifically on Lilith, Demons, and Evil Spirits. Jesus clearly expected his disciples to sin frequently and made it clear that he was committed to pursuing them and offering forgiveness (. One challenge that film adaptations of Jesus' life need to overcome is the lack of significant female characters. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. Click here for my affiliation policy. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. Why do you think The Chosen depicted Mary as a prostitute? 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. 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. However, some scholars believe the word would be better translated as demoness and see it is a reference to a Mesopotamian spiritual being. Mary Magdalene was a disciple of Jesus. I love this series. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. So you have to watch past the first couple episodes to get to the good ones. I found that my youth struggled to sort out the different characters, so you might want to do a quick slide show of the key characters using the character images I've included throughout this post. These parallels are more than a neat bit of foreshadowing. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. The second passage is the Scripture that Mary has written down: This passage that Mary's father taught her is from the Book of Isaiah. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. The creators of The Chosen have published a series of interactive Bible Studies that help viewers explore some of the Scripture and biblical themes that inspired the show. Over time, the Western artistic tradition repeatedly depicted Mary as a prostitute and the mistaken association got stuck in the cultural consciousness. 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. Thank you! The assumption at that time was that women became prostitutes because they were inherently immoral and desirous. How does that truth encourage you? 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. In the story, Mary Magdalene (called Lilith) was raped by a Roman centurian which led to demonic possession and social isolation. Instead of being a femme fatale that Jesus needs to resist and tame, Mary Magdalene the prostitute is seen as an object of compassion and pity that Jesus needs to provide acceptance and safety. (he is God). The Bible includes Mary Magdalene in a list of women who had evil spirits healed by Jesus. Interestingly, The King of Kings (1927) also uses Mary Magdalene to introduce us to Jesus for the first time. The creators make changes in order to adapt the biblical stories to TV. They prompt us to consider how these two events, Mary's first encounter with Jesus and her first encounter with the risen Jesus, are connected in a deeper way. Just before Luke introduces us to Mary Magdalene, he tells a story about a prostitute that Jesus forgives (, Since I criticized Season 1 of The Chosen for making Mary too perfect, it's only fair that I acknowledge how Season 2 seeks to rectify that issue. As a result, adaptations of the Gospels from previous generations place a greater emphasis on how Jesus calls Mary to repent and brings about her moral transformation. 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. He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. In The Chosen, when we first meet Mary Magdalene, most of the characters refer to her as Lili. 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. Its not perfect, but its a pretty great start. 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. 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. It's certainly not, Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. Catholic Christianity offers the world the fullness of the Christian Faith. (he calls her by name at the end when he heals her). Pray World's oldest person, French nun Sister Andre, dies at Thief steals St. Michael statue from church, trips, and A photo I took of our altar at Midnight Mass this Christmas, Mother on death bed, priest refused to see her. The specific demon is not named in Scripture. The Chosen invents this story to illustrate biblical teachings about Jesus' grace and forgiveness. 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). Your contributions mean so much. Have my posts about Bible adaptation helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? And we also just had fun chatting about random stuff, like how Quintus was totally fitting the stereotype of the evil bald guy. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? 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? The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions.

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