A Pastor’s Review of The Chosen TV
IMPORTANT UPDATE 2021 – The director of The Chosen, Dallas Jenkins, has made very concerning comments about the Mormon Church since this review was published. He stated his belief that the LDS Church that associated with the financers of The Chosen worships the same Jesus, that Mormons are brothers in Christ, and he is so strong in his belief that he is willing to fight over it.
This is flat out wrong. It hopefully stems from ignorance of the doctrine of the Mormon Church. It is still insulting to Jesus.
According to Mormon theology, for example, Jesus was created by union between Father God and the Holy Mother God and was not originally God. He is not the Eternal “I AM”, in other words, and is also one among many gods. It is a faith that is polytheistic in nature as a result as they deny the Trinity. These beliefs obviously contradict core doctrines of Christianity.
These are just a few of the many inventions of Joseph Smith that preclude Christianity and Mormonism ever being the same. The practices of that group also keep its followers in a works focused prison of one man’s creation. It is not a minor issue. Please read here for more understanding:
41 Authentic Bible Verses to Contradict Mormonism
The Mormon Historical Problems that Destroyed a True Believer
I still appreciate the show itself. But I would advise applying a strong dose of discernment applied to it going forward.
I certainly would not look to Dallas Jenkins for sound spiritual advice or leadership.
God bless you,
Tom
“Sorry to The Passion of the Christ but The Chosen is the greatest Christian entertainment I have ever seen” – Faith, 17 yrs old
I was holding my breath watching The Chosen last night. This was a very good thing. I was so engrossed in the show that I forgot to breath. I was too excited to see what happened next. I know the Biblical account they were portraying so I knew exactly what Jesus would do. I have read the passages involved many times. It was just so thrilling to watch it play out perfectly on the screen. I couldn’t wait to see how they would depict what I already knew would happen. I was not disappointed once.
The Chosen is just that good. I listed it as my favorite Christian movie of all time even though it is not technically a movie. It is so worth watching.
33 Great Christian Movies to Grow Your Faith
I want it to be your first choice too!
My whole family is in agreement. It is the best depiction of the Gospels we have ever seen. It is our favorite picture of Jesus and His disciples outside of the Bible. If you read the movie reviews here, you will understand that means a great deal. We have seen most of the Christian movies and TV shows out there. We are also Jesus people. We love the Lord and His Word. We love Christian movies.
The Chosen surpasses them all. It is that good!
Real Life with Authentic Jesus
The Chosen vividly brings the Gospels to life. The sets, clothing, and atmosphere look and sounds like ancient Israel. It doesn’t stop there, though. It seems like you are transported back in time. You feel like you are there with the disciples watching the works of Jesus play out before your eyes. It a very personal and often emotional experience.
I cried as I watched the healing of Mary Magdalene.
I laughed as Jesus playfully interacts with children. I saw myself in the disciples as they begin to learn their calling.
I wanted to shout “Hallelujah” as Jesus heals His first of many lepers.
I felt like I was there for each of these events and more from the Gospels in a way that I have not experienced before. Jesus is so much more than just a preacher or just a solemn man of God. The Chosen does a great job of showing the more. He is shown as fully God and fully man with all of the amazing complexity, humility, and humanity that involves. He is love. All this comes through each episode.
The Chosen is a masterpiece of Christian entertainment.
If you haven’t watched it, go out and do so. You will not be sorry. It is also a great introduction to Jesus for those new to the faith and those searching. The Chosen just gets Jesus right. That is hard to do and makes it worth showing to anyone who will watch. I recommend it for those who don’t know Jesus! If you are curious, Jesus was a real historical person. You can get to know Him.
Was Jesus a Real Person? Part I: The Christian Evidence
The Chosen is a dream project for director Dallas Jenkins. Those in the Christian world will recognize him as the son of Jerry B. Jenkins of Left Behind fame. Dallas Jenkins is an accomplished filmmaker on his own. He has a long career in the movie industry. His movie The Resurrection of Gavin Stone is excellent in the Christian genre. Yet, The Chosen is the project he always wanted to make. It is a very ambitious one. The Chosen is meant to be a multi-season series about the life of Jesus. As far as I know, there has never been a similar series. I sure hope he is able to get it done with the results so far.
Jenkins has done a beautiful job in bringing the world of Jesus and His first disciples to life. He does so without sacrificing any of the wonders of the Bible in the process. The episodes include both the backstories and first encounters with Jesus of Mary Magdalene, Peter, Andrew, Matthew, and Thomas. They also include great Biblical characters such as Nicodemus, Salome, and Zebedee, father of James and John. The season concludes with the Woman at the Well, Jesus, and His disciples marching into Samaria to preach the Gospel. Some fictional aspects are added but not at the expense of doctrinal accuracy.
This is not the old flannelgraphs of your Sunday School or a church drama production – as much as I love those. The Chosen presents a fuller picture of the people and culture involved in a rich and compelling way. It is overflowing with the love and grace of Jesus. It is also intentionally relatable but not watered down. The makers add in modern elements to help you see yourself in the characters.
My family was excited as we watched a scene with Jesus leading His disciples into a city to preach for the first time as a group. Jesus walked at the head of the men and women down a path towards ministry. Yet, rather than presenting a scene of serenity or fear, a modern country rock Christian song plays in the background. This type of music was not invented in 1st Century Jerusalem. It’s not the usual background music. Yet, it is perfect for the scene. It captures and relates the mood of these early disciples as they start their battle for Christ. They are eager and on mission. They joyfully charge into enemy territory, the lost world, following the King of Kings and they know it. I wanted to charge Gates of Hell with them after the scene.
I know you likely have warning bells going off right now with the mention of “fictional elements” added. I did too, initially. It is something you must be on guard for in any depiction of the Bible. The fact that the studio involved is Mormon adds to the concern.
A little bit of leaven is very dangerous and I don’t shy away from identifying it. Here are examples of bad movies about the Christian faith and Jesus.
The Shack Movie – A Christian Movie Review
Silence – A Christian Movie Review
The Chosen is not at all like The Shack. Jenkins goes to great lengths to stay faithful to the Bible in its stories. He deftly balances a clear and authentic telling of the stories of the Gospels with some fictional “coloring in” of the actual men and women involved. The episodes uses what you know about them to tell a story consistent with the Biblical account.
It takes Nicodemus, for example, and adds backstory leading up to his interaction with Jesus in John 3. The Chosen’s depiction stays true to the heart of the Bible and the historical record. 
For more on Nicodemus’ Question about being “Born Again” read
Nicodemus and what it Means to be Born Again
The Chosen depicts the encounter between him and Jesus magnificently…and tenderly. I ended up filled with more love for both Jesus and Nicodemus and praising God’s goodness. It is one wonderful scene among many. Intimate love and grace are so central to the Christian faith and they can get lost in times in movie and TV Bible stories.
21 Wonderful Bible Verses on God’s Love! A Warm Hug from God
Jesus Loves the Little Children
Another great example is the episode centered around Jesus encountering a group of small children. It is not in the Bible. It is therefore fiction. Yet, it is my family’s favorite episode. It is also consistent with the Biblical depiction of Jesus.
The story shows Jesus tenderly welcoming a number of children when they find him outside of their town camping out. He befriends them and over the course of a few days gently teaches them the message of the Gospel. Jesus is patient and kind with the kids. His love for them is obvious. The relationships are meant to be pictures of His relationship with His disciples and the world. It works beautifully.
Jesus’ interactions with the children reveal his tender heart as expressed in the Bible. It highlights why the little children loved coming to Jesus. The conversations are peppered with Bible verses. Jesus’ teachings from the Bible are expressed through the dialogue naturally and correctly. This is consistent throughout the first season.
Jesus Wept and Laughed
The actor who plays Jesus also captures the love, tenderness, and accessibility of Jesus in a way that I have never seen. He is serious and intensely focused on doing the work of the Father. He is also warm and gently teasing. His eyes are filled with amusement and love for His creations.
The Woman at the Well from John 4 is also depicted. She asks Jesus why He is trying to convince her that He is the Messiah. He responds to her question with a loving, amused chuckle:
“You are the first one I told, I hope you believe me.”
This is not in the Bible, I know. Yet, it captures the accessibility and heart of Jesus so well. He is Lord of Heaven and earth with all power and truth in Him. He called the woman out for her sins with all truth. He is also lowly, gentle and full of love. We don’t need to see Jesus as solemn and detached from emotion in order to obey Him as Lord. Jesus also laughed, and it was a pleasure to see this side along with the holiness and obedience.
Peter, Mary Magdalene, Andrew, and the other disciples are depicted equally as well. Wait until you see the storylines of Matthew and Thomas. They are brilliant in their characterizations of these great Christians – though again it is “coloring in” the backstories.
A Story of Redemption and Love
The Gospels are so well known and loved by millions. Creating media that depicts these stories authentically, while also in a way people can relate to, is a huge challenge for anyone. I am overjoyed to report Dallas Jenkins and The Chosen exceeded all of my hopes and expectations for the series. They have created a series that is a testimony to our wonderful Lord and Savior. This is the Jesus who I preach:
Peter’s Compromise Leads Him Away from Jesus Sermon
It is a great story of the redemption of the unredeemable and love for the unlovable – just as it should be.
I highly recommend watching it. I love Christian films and TV shows. I have watched most of them out there. The Chosen is by far my favorite. It is just that good.
When I polled my family for their favorite Christian movies for my this list, 33 Great Christian Movies to Grow Your Faith, everyone immediately agreed The Chosen should be #1. There are other great Christians films to check out there as well.
FYI – I am not in any way affiliated with The Chosen or receiving anything for this review. I just loved it and want you to see it.
The Chosen is available free on The Chosen app, which connects directly to streaming devices. VidAngel also has the whole season for those who subscribe to this filtering service. (Which is great btw)
Here is the first episode. They get even better in the later episodes once you get to know the show.
