Year: 2022

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Here’s another excellent episode of The Chosen, Angel Studios’s high quality and entertaining series covering the life of Jesus. In this episode, we see just how extraordinarily different Jesus interacted with people, compared to those around him. Read on for the details I found the most interesting from a Hebraic standpoint.

And make sure to watch the episode first – this post contains spoilers!

Here are my other posts on The Chosen.

The Marked Leper

When the leper trying to sell his expensive tools to the pawn broker in the opening scene reveals his “mark”, as the pawn broker comments, it’s a sure sign that he has leprosy. This is not a mark that has been put on him by himself or someone else, but the sore itself. The Hebrew word (ne-gah – נֶגַע), commonly translated as “mark” (Lev. 13:3) can also be translated “sore” or “wound”.

Later, when Jesus heals this leper, Jesus instructs him to go and show himself to the priests and bring the offering as instructed by Moses. Why? If Jesus healed him, he’s good, right? Doesn’t Jesus have the authority to declare this man clean?

Jesus was instructing the man to keep the Law as given in Leviticus 13 and 14, where the instructions were given on how to handle contagious skin diseases. When it’s apparent that a person with leprosy is recovering, they’re to show the recovering area to the priests and bring with them certain offerings. In this part of the story (Mark 1:40-45, Matt. 8:1-4), Jesus not only heals a man, he upholds the Law. In Matthew 5:17-19, he states that he didn’t come to abolish the Law and we see here just one way he lives that out in his time here on earth.

Who is the Av Bet Din

For some background here, let’s look at the Hebrew. Av (אָב) means “father”, beit (בַּיִת) means “house”, and din (דִּין) means “judgement”. The Beit Din was the “house of the court” and the “Av Bet Din” was the chief rabbi that presided over that Jewish rabbinical court. The Av Bet Din presided over the Bet Din in Jesus’s time and, believe it or not, still does today!

The Bet Din makes decisions based on Jewish law – from both the written (the Torah, the first 5 books of the Bible) and oral laws. In this scene, they’re trying to deduce whether John the Baptist is in violation of any of these laws. We find out that Shmuel is the one that improperly gave the order for John to be detained and Nicodemus is unsure whether this was the correct decision, based on his previous conversation with John himself.

Life on the Road

When making camp, Simon and James (the lesser – remember there are 2 Jameses) joke about not being prepared for “life on the road”. Simon says, “The Torah doesn’t mention the blisters”. He’s referring to the Exodus of the Hebrew people from Egypt and their time of wandering in the wilderness.

Simon asks James what he did before he was called to follow Jesus. James says he had been on the way to join the 288 when he met Jesus. The 288 is the Temple Choir referred to in chapter 25 of 1st Chronicles. Although it doesn’t say in the Bible that James had this history, it’s suggested in this episode that he would have been on his way to becoming one of these musical performers in the Temple services.

Tzomo Lecho Nafshi

The song James sings just after the conversation between he and Simon is a traditional Jewish song called Tzomo Lecho Nafshi. Usually sung in Hebrew, it’s from Psalm 63, verses 2 and 3. It was written by King David when he was in the wilderness so it’s appropriate that James would bring it up at a time when they’re traveling and the topic of the Israelites’ wandering was discussed.

Here’s a video of it in Hebrew:

Jesus Speaking Egyptian to Tamar

When Jesus encounters Tamar, the Egyptian woman, he inquires about her necklace, then speaks to her in her native language, Egyptian. She says she grew up there and that her father was from Ethiopia.

In The Antiquities of the Jews, the historian Josephus indicates that there are connections between Ethiopia (Cush) and the Hebrew people starting back in the time of Moses. Jesus speaks Egyptian to Tamar and comments on the familiarity of her jewelry, saying he had grown up in Egypt. He was referring to when he and his mother, Mary, and his step-father, Joseph, fled the wrath of Herod. Herod committed mass infanticide, having all boys under the age of 2 murdered (Matt. 2:16). It’s not clear how long they stayed in Egypt, just that they lived there until Herod died.

It’s assumed that Jesus spoke a variety of languages. Aramaic was probably his first language but he likely knew extensive Hebrew and Greek as well. He may have picked up some Egyptian when he lived there also. The areas of Jesus’s life and ministry were home to different people groups and many others passed through so they would’ve spoken many different languages.

Shmuel Reads from the Scroll

Nicodemus tells Shmuel to read from the scroll of Isaiah. Why didn’t Nicodemus tell him what verse to read? When he starts to read in the wrong place, Nicodemus tells him to read “further down – a few lines”. Again, why didn’t he just tell him to go to chapter 40, verse 3?

If you’ll look closely at the scroll he’s reading from, you’ll see that there are no numbers on it. It appears to be just columns of words with very few spaces! The verses are not numbered, the books aren’t labeled, and chapter breaks are non-existent. Those who study these scrolls in depth (such as Nicodemus) know how to find the verses they need. Studying Scripture in those days was quite a challenge compared to how we study today!

Here’s a picture of the scroll we read at our synagogue:

That’s What the Maccabees Said

When the Roman soldiers came to crash the party when Jesus drew a crowd while speaking at the house, Andrew tried to calm them. He said, “This is a peaceful gathering”. And Gaius replied, “That is what the Maccabees said”.

This is in reference to the story of the Maccabean revolt. You won’t find it in the Protestant Bible, but in the books of the Maccabees. Reference to this story can also be found in the writings of Josephus. This is the story behind the celebration of Hanukkah.

Here’s the story. In the time between the Old and New Testaments, around 165 BC, the Jewish people were under Syrian Hellenistic rule.  Antiochus IV was the leader of the Seleucid Empire at the time.  Under his control, Jewish traditions were outlawed, including Sabbath keeping, adherence to a Kosher diet, and circumcision.  Idols were set up in the Temple.  Pigs were rumored to have been sacrificed on the Temple altar.  Among the punishment for observance of Jewish traditions were death and torture.

Rather than face brutal punishment, many Jews assimilated with Hellenistic culture.  Some evaded their Syrian leaders by hiding in the hills and caves of Judea.  A small number of Jews led by Judah Maccabee decided to revolt.  Despite the overwhelming opposition, they courageously stood up for their God, His Word, and His Temple.  They were miraculously victorious despite being greatly outnumbered!

I love when The Chosen’s writers add things like this to the dialogue in this series because it adds an authenticity to the characters and their conversations, even though these conversations aren’t in the Gospels.

I love the light this episode casts on our Messiah! I can’t wait to cover the next episode! Stay tuned for Episode 7: Invitations.

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The Chosen by Angel Studios was the number one crowdfunded project, only to be surpassed by another of their projects, The Wingfeather Saga. If you’ve seen The Chosen, you don’t have to guess the reason for their success. This series is entertaining, and the characters are so well-developed you feel like you get to know them!

If you haven’t yet read my other posts on The Chosen, here they are.

Jesus Lost in Jerusalem

In the opening scene of this episode, in 8 AD, Jesus gets lost in Jerusalem when his family left there after Passover. We find Jesus’s family in Jerusalem during Passover because it’s one of three “pilgrimage festivals”, where all men were to go to Jerusalem (to the Temple) for the feast. The two other pilgrimage festivals (Shalosh HaRegalim – שלוש רגלים – in Hebrew) are Shavuot and Sukkot.

Jesus was 12 when his family took this trip to Jerusalem and this leads some to believe he may have also been there for his Bar Mitzvah, which Jewish boys typically do at age 13. This isn’t likely, however, because the Bar Mitzvah tradition is more recent than that. It’s thought to have begun around the Middle Ages. If the Jewish people did have a Bar Mitzvah-type ceremony in Jesus’s time, it would have probably been different than it is today.

When they find him, Jesus asks Joseph, “May I read?”. Every Shabbat (Sabbath), a Torah scroll is read in synagogues around the world. These scrolls are in Hebrew and contain at least the first 5 books of the Bible and some contain other books as well.

When a Torah scroll reader comes up to read for the first time, it’s an event acknowledged by the whole congregation. It’s referred to as making Aliyah, which means “going up” or “ascent” in Hebrew. Many young men and women make Aliyah during their Bar or Bat Mitzvah and some people make Aliyah at other times as well.

Miracles

Similar to what he does in Episode 4, Nicodemus asks John if Jesus performed miracles. This is because he’s looking for signs of the Messiah. He knows that Isaiah 29:8 as well as 35:5-6 prophesy that the Messiah will perform miracles. And we know (and Nicodemus will soon find out) that it was Jesus that fulfilled these prophesies – and more!

The Chuppah

In preparation for the wedding feast in this episode, there’s a lot of attention paid to the Chuppah. It’s pronounced hoo-pah, with the “hoo” said deep in your throat, like the “ch” in “Bach”. You can hear it when Simon says it at the end of the scene where he and Eden are crushing grapes, as well as when Helah mentions to Dinah that it’s crooked. The chuppah is the canopy under which a Jewish couple gets married. Dinah and Mary set it up and decorate it and make a fuss over whether it’s done well enough for the bride and groom.

The Hebrew word “chuppah” means “covering” or “protection”. In the Bible, it’s commonly translated as “canopy” or even “chamber”. A chuppah at a wedding symbolizes just that – the wedding chamber. It also represents the marriage of God to His people and the covenant He made with us. It’s usually decorated with flowers or other items, as you see Dinah and Mary doing in this episode.

Asher and Sarah

The name Asher has grown in popularity recently. A name of Hebrew origin, you can find this one in your Bible many times. It means “straight” or “upright” and can also mean “happy”.

Asher’s bride, Sarah, is named after Sarah the matriarch, the wife of Abraham, as many Jewish girls are. The name Sarah means “princess”, as it’s the feminine form of the word for prince, “sar”.

Shalom

When greeting one another, Dinah says “Shalom” to Helah. Similar to “Aloha”, Shalom is a greeting used as a “Hello” and a “Goodbye”. Often translated as “peace”, the word “shalom” in Hebrew actually has a much deeper meaning. It means “peace”, but also a full completeness or harmony. You can read more about the word “shalom” in 9 Hebrew Words to Bring You Closer to God.

Nazareth Joke

This is another thing I just love about this series. Every now and then, they throw out a joke only those familiar with the Bible will understand. A few of these can be found in Season 1, Episode 2.

When walking with Jesus, Simon runs ahead to find out if the reason they’re going to this wedding is that important Hebrew people will be there. Jesus surprises them with his response, “The most important and powerful person I know will be there – my mother!” Andrew responds with a somewhat inappropriate comment when he interjects, “Isn’t your mother from Nazareth?”

This is funny because of Nathaniel’s comment in John 1:46 – “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”. When he follows Phillip and meets Jesus, he finds out that something good can indeed come from Nazareth – our Messiah!

Later, at the wedding feast, Abner mentions that Dinah is from Nazareth, listing that as one reason he wasn’t initially happy about his son marrying their daughter. This again demonstrates that Nazareth was a humble place to be from.

Blessing Over the Wine

When the vinters, Ramah and Thomas, present the wine to Dinah, she says a blessing over the wine before tasting it. She says “Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth the fruit of the vine.”

This is the same blessing from Episode 2, Shabbat and you’ll see it later in this episode again just after the dance. It’s called the Borei Pri HaGafen and you can find more on this blessing in my post on Episode 2.

Od Yishama – The Wedding Song

At the beginning of the wedding feast, the guests dance around the tables in circles, singing. Traditionally sung in Hebrew, the song they sing is called Od Yishama. It’s from Jeremiah 33 and this song, like the chuppah, is just another way the Jewish people connect a wedding – a covenant between two people – with the covenant between us and God. Beautiful!

Hear the modern traditional version here:

Students Choose the Rabbi

Simon says to Mary during the feast that it’s usually the students who choose the rabbi. It’s thought that, at that time, students chose which rabbi to follow, and the rabbis later either educated them further or sent them home to do their father’s trade.

Private Miracles

When Mary, Simon, and James are talking at the wedding feast, Simon asks why Jesus didn’t heal people when he had the ability. James said that it was because Jesus was only doing private miracles right now. The time had not yet come for him to do public miracles. Many sources agree that Jesus was probably performing other private miracles as well but that they just weren’t recorded. We may never know but those we’ve heard about are such amazing incidents that it’s clear our Messiah has divine power.

Israeli Dance

At the end of the wedding feast, people dance in circles and individually to Hebraic music. This form of dance has changed throughout time but is all based on the joyful dance of Miriam the prophetess after the Hebrew people crossed the Red Sea and escaped the Egyptians (Ex. 15:20-21).

This is something done in many congregations as well as at celebrations such as weddings and Bar Mitzvahs. Messianic congregations often have Hebraic dance as part of their worship. For more on that, see What to Expect When Visiting a Messianic Synagogue.

Samaria

After the wedding, Thomas and Ramah discuss the miracle they’ve seen. Thomas mentions that Jesus asked him to follow and that he said for them to meet him in Samaria in 12 days. Ramah appears surprised by this, probably because Jews and Samaritans didn’t usually interact. Samaritans were Jewish people that were taken as captives by the Assyrians and intermarried with the Assyrian people. They worshipped the God of Israel but also intermixed idol worship from Assyrian culture. Interestingly – they’re still there even today! You can find their story in 2 Kings 17.

If you’re familiar with your Bible, you know a couple stories featuring Samaritans. We’ll have to stay tuned to see who Jesus meets in Samaria!

Ready for the next episode: Episode 6, Indescribable Compassion?