This episode caused some Catholic controversy - and I’m here to talk about it! What some people found offensive or even blasphemous, I found touching and human. So here’s my take.

This episode of The Chosen is a powerful one. We get two new Apostles, one of which comes via a prayer that is heart-wrenching and relatable. This episode also contains my least favorite line of the entire series. I love this show, but it doesn’t mean it’s perfect. There are plenty of quibbles I have with it, and we talk about some in this episode.

We are back to look at Season 2 - The Chosen is now officially the first multi-season show on the life of Christ. This is a packed episode - and possibly my favorite episode of the second season.

John 4 is one of my favorite chapters of the New Testament. I’ve given several talks about the scene between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, and she gets her own chapter in my bible study Encountering Christ. In this discussion, we’ll look more closely at some things such as the history of the Samaritan people and the significance of Photina’s five husbands so that we can better understand this very intentional encounter and the importance of Jesus’ revelation.

While the scene with Nicodemus was probably what most everyone was waiting for (how can we follow Nicodemus through the previous six episodes and not imagine what John 3 is going to be like?), it’s the final scene of this episode that gives me goosebumps every time.

A key to this episode is to not view it simply as an observer. There is a lot to meditate on regarding our own relationship with Jesus in this episode. Scenes and even particular lines can be used for a personal examen. We’ll talk about some of those in this discussion.

This is probably my favorite episode. The Blessed Mother, wine, and plenty of good foreshadowing. What more do you need?

How can you not enjoy an episode with so many great quotes? From creepy John to his wife’s favorite ear, Simon is full of good lines in this one. But it’s not just full of laughs - we also witness one of the most real, authentic prayers from the lips of a desperate man. We’ve all had those moments, haven’t we?

Even though this is the shortest episode of Season One, I think it sets the stage for two vital themes that The Chosen presents really well. Tune in to find out what those are.

Our discussion of Season 1, Episode 2 of The Chosen. We’ll talk about the importance of the Sabbath, look a little closer at who the Pharisees were, and try to rid ourselves of some preconceived notions so that we can better understand what Jesus was doing and saying.