I'm not the biggest feminist. Sure, I'm all for girl power and girls can do anything, but I'm not the type to go out and raise a banner for woman suffrage. Sure, there have been instances when I've been rejected from prospective ministry positions because I'm a woman. But, for whatever reason, I've never been all that enraged about it (aside from one instance with a church in Atlanta). Maybe that needs to change - maybe I need to change. Because, I'm guessing Jesus would've had something to say about a church rejecting a a person based solely on their gender.
The second episode of The Chosen is a study of contrasts in character. In the second episode, we meet a redeemed Mary. She's integrated back into society, learning how and preparing to host Shabbat (Sabbath) dinner in her home. She meets Nicodemus (a Pharisee searching for meaning within his faith) who previously tried and failed to heal Mary of her demons. ("Only God can heal this woman," he said in episode one). He is dumbfounded at Mary's restoration, completely amazed at the woman he encounters.
"All I know is I was one way. And now I'm not. And the thing that happened in between was Him," Mary says. That's usually how it goes, right? You can't meet Jesus without being changed in some way!
The second episode of The Chosen is a study of contrasts in character. In the second episode, we meet a redeemed Mary. She's integrated back into society, learning how and preparing to host Shabbat (Sabbath) dinner in her home. She meets Nicodemus (a Pharisee searching for meaning within his faith) who previously tried and failed to heal Mary of her demons. ("Only God can heal this woman," he said in episode one). He is dumbfounded at Mary's restoration, completely amazed at the woman he encounters.
"All I know is I was one way. And now I'm not. And the thing that happened in between was Him," Mary says. That's usually how it goes, right? You can't meet Jesus without being changed in some way!
In this episode, we continue to follow the story of Simon and his brother Andrew. They're full-time fishermen, struggling to provide for their families. They've been unable to catch fish for some time and owe several months of back taxes. Unable to pay their debt, Simon strikes a deal with the Roman Praetor Quintus to report fishing merchants working on Shabbat. He's scheming and plotting to turn in other Jews - to do "what he has to do" to care of his wife Eden.
Anyone who knows the story of the gospels, knows Simon is one of the first disciples to be called by Jesus (he's later named Peter).
It's a story of contrasts -
We see Mary who has encountered Jesus in a major way - living a brand new life.
We see Simon, who has yet to encounter Jesus - living life the only way he knows how.
We see Matthew, a Jewish tax collector, unwanted by his family, hated by Rome and by his fellow Jews.
As the episode comes to a close - we see several families gather for Shabbat. They gather around the table to share a meal and pray - remembering the day God rested at the end of creating the universe.
We have our first instance of feeling sympathy for Matthew as he eats his meal alone in an alley outside his family home - his only companion a stray dog.
We see Simon leave his meal early, his wife clearly unhappy, as he sneaks out to his boat in the dark.
And we see Mary - nervously welcoming guests into her home.
She is surprised and overjoyed when Jesus and two of his students (Thaddeus and James) join them.
If you know anything about 1st century Jewish culture, you know women held one of the lowest positions in society. Most (if not all) marriages were arranged - women had little to no say in who they got to marry. It was rarely, if ever for love. Women, if not married, were rarely able to make a living on their own - forced to beg for food or...find other means of getting by.
As Mary encounters Jesus once more - she defers the evening prayer to him saying she has no place to say the prayer when He is present. But Jesus smiles kindly at her, and encourages and empowers her to continue.
Jesus just had a way with people - women in particular. He saw them as capable, as worthy, as equals in so many ways.
I've had plans shattered and broken
Things I have hoped in, fall through my hands
You have plans to redeem and restore me
You're behind and before me
Oh, help me believe
God, You don't need me, but somehow You want me
Oh, how You love me, somehow that frees me
To take my hands off of my life and the way it should go
Oh, God, You don't need me, but somehow You want me
Oh, how You love me, somehow that frees me
To open my hands up and give You control
I give You control
You want me
Somehow You want me
The King of Heaven wants me
So this world has lost its grip on me
~~Control by Tenth Avenue North
There is mystery surrounding the person of Jesus. We've yet to see him in more than just a couple scenes - each scene coming at the very end of their respective episodes. Mary, when talking with Nicodemus, says "His time for men to know has not yet come." But, as Jesus sits down for the Shabbat meal, we sense things are about to change. There's a sense of expectation - like the winds are changing...a storm is coming. Jesus has plans - and things are about to get really exciting!
Anyone who knows the story of the gospels, knows Simon is one of the first disciples to be called by Jesus (he's later named Peter).
It's a story of contrasts -
We see Mary who has encountered Jesus in a major way - living a brand new life.
We see Simon, who has yet to encounter Jesus - living life the only way he knows how.
We see Matthew, a Jewish tax collector, unwanted by his family, hated by Rome and by his fellow Jews.
As the episode comes to a close - we see several families gather for Shabbat. They gather around the table to share a meal and pray - remembering the day God rested at the end of creating the universe.
We have our first instance of feeling sympathy for Matthew as he eats his meal alone in an alley outside his family home - his only companion a stray dog.
We see Simon leave his meal early, his wife clearly unhappy, as he sneaks out to his boat in the dark.
And we see Mary - nervously welcoming guests into her home.
She is surprised and overjoyed when Jesus and two of his students (Thaddeus and James) join them.
If you know anything about 1st century Jewish culture, you know women held one of the lowest positions in society. Most (if not all) marriages were arranged - women had little to no say in who they got to marry. It was rarely, if ever for love. Women, if not married, were rarely able to make a living on their own - forced to beg for food or...find other means of getting by.
As Mary encounters Jesus once more - she defers the evening prayer to him saying she has no place to say the prayer when He is present. But Jesus smiles kindly at her, and encourages and empowers her to continue.
Jesus just had a way with people - women in particular. He saw them as capable, as worthy, as equals in so many ways.
I've had plans shattered and broken
Things I have hoped in, fall through my hands
You have plans to redeem and restore me
You're behind and before me
Oh, help me believe
God, You don't need me, but somehow You want me
Oh, how You love me, somehow that frees me
To take my hands off of my life and the way it should go
Oh, God, You don't need me, but somehow You want me
Oh, how You love me, somehow that frees me
To open my hands up and give You control
I give You control
You want me
Somehow You want me
The King of Heaven wants me
So this world has lost its grip on me
~~Control by Tenth Avenue North
There is mystery surrounding the person of Jesus. We've yet to see him in more than just a couple scenes - each scene coming at the very end of their respective episodes. Mary, when talking with Nicodemus, says "His time for men to know has not yet come." But, as Jesus sits down for the Shabbat meal, we sense things are about to change. There's a sense of expectation - like the winds are changing...a storm is coming. Jesus has plans - and things are about to get really exciting!