The Chosen also features an excellent cast who all work off each other to make these familiar stories come to life.
Although the series' biblical accuracy is up for debate, it's still making an impact. Amazon Prime Video decided to buy the exclusive streaming rights to the show, so that has to speak to its popularity. The Chosen seasons 6 and 7, along with other spin-offs, are already in development. But popularity can only bring so much to a show. The messages and complex characters featured in The Chosen make the show resonate with so many viewers, Christian or not.
The Chosen's Disclaimer Says Biblical Events Are Condensed
The Disclaimer Plays Before Each Episode
The disclaimer at the beginning of The Chosen emphasizes that "Biblical events are condensed," signaling that while the series is rooted in the Bible, the events are sometimes adjusted for the sake of storytelling, which is typical when adapting a text to the screen. With any text-to-screen adaptation, certain aspects of the story are going to be changed/condensed for the sake of the plot. By condensing some parts of the Bible, The Chosen’s writers can craft a more character-driven story while maintaining the core themes.
The Chosen's Biblical Shared Universe: All Shows & Spinoffs
Following the success of the Christian historical drama television series The Chosen from Angel Studios, several spinoffs are in the works.
For example, The Chosen took a different approach than the Bible with the character Nicodemus. The Bible presents Nicodemus as an ancient Pharisee who visits Jesus to ask about spiritual matters. In The Chosen, their encounter is expanded, showing Nicodemus’ internal conflict and struggles with the religious system, likely to add tension to the character so that the story can have greater stakes. Also, The Chosen explores Nicodemus and his motivations more thoroughly, which makes him a more complete character and elevates the impact of his eventual interaction with Jesus.
Expert Consultants Were Used For The Chosen’s Development
They Are Bible And Theological Experts
Dallas Jenkins, creator of The Chosen, has a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies. While these credentials alone don't necessarily guarantee an accurate depiction of biblical stories, they certainly help bring authenticity to the show. At the very least, Jenkins has a clear ionate about the subject, even if he’s not an expert. However during The Chosen’s development, Jenkins and other creatives sought the input of theological experts.
Dr. Doug Huffman is the dean of the undergraduate Division of Biblical Studies and Theology at Biola University Talbot School of Theology, and he serves as a script consultant on The Chosen. He claims to be an expert in first-century biblical studies, which is when The Chosen takes place. Huffman discussed The Chosen’s biblical accuracy and how scripts are written on the Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture podcast. On the podcast, Huffman said he works with the crew to create an accurate depiction, though Dr. Huffman clarified The Chosen is meant to be a story first and isn’t intended to put scripture directly on screen (via Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith & Culture):
"So the words of scripture are a written genre and they're trying to do a dramatization in a visual sort of way. So there have been movies made about Jesus that try to take just the words of scripture and put that in the text, but that's not the goal of The Chosen. The Chosen was designed to be an imaginative exercise to examine the lives of the first century people that Jesus chose to follow him. So there's got to be this little flexible space of creativity to have this imagination, but the problems come when the imagination runs over the line, if you will. And that's precisely why they've asked a handful of us to be consultants, to ensure they don't overstep their creativity."
Dr. Huffman actually had The Chosen’s creator, Dallas Jenkins, as a student.
The Chosen’s Mary Magdalene and Sermon On The Mount Controversies, Explained
The Depictions Aren't Biblically Accurate
The Chosen’s adherence to scripture has sparked controversy, especially regarding the portrayal of Mary Magdalene and the depiction of the Sermon on the Mount. In the Bible, Mary Magdalene is introduced as a woman who Jesus helps by casting out seven demons from her soul. However, The Chosen expands Mary's backstory, depicting her as a deeply troubled woman with a complex past, which includes scenes where she’s struggling with addiction.
Arguably, adding elements about Mary’s backstory and personal life adds authenticity to her character and gives viewers a deeper understanding of her transformation. Mary’s portrayal can also be seen as biblically inaccurate, as it adds fictional elements not found in the Bible, which may distort the character's true biblical role or could lead to misconceptions about biblical history.
It's worth noting that some biblical writers, like Kevin Keating of The Bible Artist, believe that Mary’s depiction in The Chosen makes her a more compelling character that viewers can relate to. Keating expanded upon his point, writing that The Chosen could have gone into more detail about Mary’s struggles with addiction so that her encounter with Jesus is more meaningful. He thinks that, if anything, Mary’s transition to a sober and devout follower of Jesus is too abrupt, as she goes from struggling with alcohol in the wake of her sexual assault to completely casting off the shackles of addiction, which Keating argues is unrealistic in of story (Via The Bible Artist).
The Chosen’s depiction of the Sermon on the Mount has also become the subject of controversy. In The Chosen, the scene is dramatized as the dialogue between Jesus and His followers is expanded to be more conversational than scripture. This approach serves as a way to explore the themes of the sermon in more detail. But The Chosen’s depiction of the Sermon arguably diminishes the power and brevity of Jesus' words.
Yes, The Chosen does not follow scripture to the letter, but it has found a balance between artistic interpretation and spiritual depth.
However, the dialogue is adjusted to emphasize the emotions and relationships between the characters, which makes it work in of story, but doesn't emphasize the literal scripture found in the Bible. Yes, The Chosen does not follow scripture to the letter, but it has found a balance between artistic interpretation and spiritual depth, making it a compelling story, which is what any series made for the screen is supposed to be.
Despite Some Biblical Inaccuracies, The Chosen Remains A Hit
Season 5 Is Coming Later In 2025
One of the biggest reasons The Chosen has gained popularity is its ability to humanize biblical figures. Despite its biblical inaccuracies, The Chosen’s deep exploration of characters like Mary Magdalene makes the series feel more real and accessible. Aside from The Chosen’s humanization of scripture, its production value also contributed to its success. High-quality cinematography, music, and performances all elevate the storytelling, making The Chosen stand out from other series, especially faith-based programming.
Plus, The Chosen season 4 was released theatrically to great box office success, raking in almost $60 million (via The Numbers). Also, The Chosen is so popular that it spawned multiple television and film deals for Dallas Jenkins and the production studio behind it. Amazon Prime has inked a deal with Dallas Jenkins and his 5&2 Studios to create more biblically-centered stories.
Even without strictly adhering to scripture, The Chosen offers meaningful messages about faith and emotion, and people are watching.
Amazon seems to be doubling down on religious content, as the streamer recently struck a deal with faith-based studio, The Wonder Project, with their first collaboration, The House of David, which begins streaming on February 27. Ultimately, even without strictly adhering to scripture, The Chosen offers meaningful messages about faith and emotion, and people are watching. Its success proves that even when biblical accuracy is adjusted, powerful storytelling and relatable themes can captivate audiences.
The Chosen
- Release Date
- April 21, 2019
- Network
- Prime Video, VidAngel, Angel Studios, TheChosen.tv
- Showrunner
- Dallas Jenkins
Cast
Elizabeth TabishMary Magdalene / Lillith
Jonathan RoumieJesus of Nazareth
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Dallas Jenkins
- Writers
- Dallas Jenkins, Ryan Swanson, Tyler Thompson
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