Is it time to drop the "Jesus" of the Chosen?

 Back in 2020 (Yes, THAT 2020), with all of the negative that came out of that year (and we lived in Colorado and experienced much of it), one seemingly bright light that came into our lives was this crowdsource-funded streaming digital series about the life of Jesus that was starting to gain attention on social media. 

It was (and still is) called "The Chosen."  

I'm not sure if it was out of curiosity, boredom, or out of the hope that something good would come out of the year we were living in, but we started to watch the first season that streamed on YouTube. 

This program, which is the brainchild of Dallas Jenkins (whose dad Jerry Jenkins was the author of the Left Behind series books), was a creative project aimed at expressing the stories of Jesus in the Bible (and we find that much was made up... more on that later) in a modern format mimicking a "bingeable" Netflix series.  The production value was excellent.  The Chosen, especially given the limited budget of the first season, was very well produced and is legitimately great art.  Dallas Jenkins is a tremendous storyteller and captivated us, and many others, as he built a compelling storyline around the accounts of Jesus' life and ministry in the Gospels and used his creativity and storytelling skill to "fill in the gaps" around the Biblical accounts and create some amazing TV for audiences.  

We fell in love with the program.  This was a "Christian program" that was actually well-done and artistically excellent. You know what I'm talking about... there's a lot of cringeworthy Christian art out there that falls WAY short in terms of quality (but we buy it because it's "Christian" or "delivers a good message" but it's not good art... at all).  

We bought merch, and we asked for and received Seasons 1 and 2 as gifts which we have held onto... until about a week ago.  More to come on that. 

Then... a few things happened. 

First, I noticed some cringeworthy (for another reason) content in The Chosen.  In Dallas Jenkins' quest to create great storytelling around the Gospel accounts, he obviously wrote in extra-Biblical content into the show (no kidding).  In defending these creative choices, Dallas Jenkins has told us (his audience via his webcasts) that he makes these decisions based on what's "plausible" based on how he is reading the accounts.  However, if you apply the same understanding of who Jesus is that the Apostles had (who wrote the New Testament), then I'm not sure if these stories are even plausible when you understand that Jesus is fully God (and fully man) and was fully aware of this reality.  

• In Season 1:  In the story of Jesus visiting the temple at age 12 (Luke 2:41-52), there is an added exchange between Jesus and Mary where Jesus appears impatient and somewhat argumentative with Mary where he says "If not now, when?"  This exchange was used to develop a story arc in the episode where Jesus is starting his ministry and turns water into wine (John 2:1-12).  In this exchange, Mary turns this line around (again, it's not in the Bible) to the man Jesus to convince him to do her a favor at the wedding,  This seemed to be very benign, but again the exchange seemingly makes Jesus, who obeyed the Law perfectly (including the command to honor your father and your mother), seemed to me to "come close to the line of disrespect" with the exchange presented in the show.

• In Season 2:  You see Jesus consulting with Matthew in the development of the Sermon of the Mount, and asking Matthew for editorial thoughts on the content of the sermon.  Plausibly, Matthew could have had an advanced view of the most famous sermon ever given as it is extensively covered in Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 5-7).  However, the thought that Jesus would change the content of the Sermon based on Matthew's input (yes, this was part of the storyline) does not align with what the real Matthew, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote at the end of the Sermon: 

And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes. - Matthew 7:28-29 (ESV)

• In Season 3:  In the story about Jesus returning to Nazareth and being pushed out of the synagogue upon reading from the scroll of Isaiah (Luke 3:16-30), The Chosen adds an exchange between the head of the synagogue and Jesus where Jesus responds by saying "I am the Law of Moses!"  Much has been made of this creative decision, as it mimics a phrase found in the Book of Mormon (more on this later).

Second.  Dallas Jenkins' "LDS friends."  Much has been made of the fact that Angel Studios, which helps produce The Chosen, is run by people who are part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons), and that The Chosen used sets in Utah that are also stewarded by LDS adherents in Season 2.  Dallas has gone public about his association with his LDS friends to produce The Chosen, and has gone so far as to say that he's willing to die on the hill that "We (Christians) and his LDS friends worship 'the same Jesus.'"  Anyone who understands LDS doctrine knows that this statement is patently false, which makes this statement very concerning if you love the real Jesus.  

I personally believe (I don't have a basis for this, just a hunch, and also because I want to be charitable) that Dallas is making this statement out of pragmatism (and also because he values relationships... that is evident when you see him present) and support for the folks that are helping him produce the show.  However, the Biblical Jesus and the LDS Jesus are not the same. 

This makes the "I am the Law of Moses" quote concerning, because it does mimic a phrase in 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon.  While Dallas Jenkins quotes that as a coincidence, you can't discount the influence that his close relationships with the Angel Studios folks have in creative direction.  

Third.  What the Bible says about things like this.  Before I "go here" - I first want to state that there is a great need in the church to rediscover and restore the art of apologetics.  Apologetics gets a bad rap in the modern, non-discerning (and perhaps discerning too) church because of the perception of exposing error and presenting Biblical truth in a compelling way has been gaslit as "mean" and "unloving."  Nothing could be further from the truth, even if the way many of us (myself included) has not been Christlike (after all, in 1 Peter 3:15, we are commanded to engage in apologetic discourse with respect).  The first part of apologetics is being firmly planted in our beliefs, and being confident in the things of God so that when counterfeits are presented, that we can recognize the deception and counter the deception with truth.

In light of my mentioning apologetics, here's the question that should be asked when discussing The Chosen.  It is:  "What is shaping your understanding of who Jesus is"  If it's not The Bible, then we can quickly run into error, and many do.  This is an immensely important question, and I believe the reason that the second commandment explicitly forbids creating a representation of God that can be worshipped.  The second commandment states this:

“‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." - Deuteronomy 5:8-10

There was a great discussion on a podcast episode by G3 Ministries that goes into depth into why this is a big deal, and pulls back the layers of the onion behind the "box checking" of the commandment itself, which orthodoxy would state is part of God's moral law and applicable for all people for all time, unlike the ceremonial and civil law that applied only to the nation of Israel.  

To go a little deeper here, most of us recall the story in the life of the nation of Israel where the Israelites gave up their gold (a gift from God) to Aaron and asked Aaron to "make a god for them" - and Aaron assented to them by melting the gold jewelry that the people gave sacrificially to this offering and creating a golden calf that the people worshipped (in very R-rated ways... read the text).  However, what should be noted is what Aaron told the people when he revealed the golden calf:

"When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” - Exodus 32:5 

The calf wasn't presented as "another god" but instead a depiction of The God.  Let us have that reality sink in.  

Another scripture, in my devotional reading also drove this home for me.  

"But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles. Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not so in knowledge; indeed, in every way we have made this plain to you in all things." - 2 Corinthians 11:3-6

As in many of his letters, Paul is addressing false teaching that is being introduced into the churches by slick "Super-Apostles" who impress the church with their appearance and their teaching but introduce a different Gospel or a different Jesus to the churches. 

This statement "you put up with it readily enough" can be said of us today (and Paul did not intend it as a compliment).  We don't want to make waves, we want our walks to be balanced, and after all, people are finding that their relationship with Jesus is even more alive because of The Chosen.  

In the G3 Podcast, they talk about the power of art and artistic expression in shaping our world views.  To be honest, many of our views about Jesus are likely more influenced by the art and music we consume than by scripture.  This part of the podcast is well worth a listen and I can't really do it justice... it really dives into why this 2nd Commandment and sufficiency of scripture issue is so important.  

I'll ask again.  Where is your perception of Jesus coming from?  Is it from the Bible and the eyewitnesses that have "seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life" (1 John 1:1), or is it in something else?  

We can't get the identity and mission of Jesus wrong.  Eternity rests on this issue.  

It became real for me when I started to hear Jonathan Roumie's voice in my head when I was reading through the Gospel of John in the beginning of the year.  It was solidified when I hear in Bible studies I participate in that it's assumed that phrases like "I am the Law of Moses" is in the Bible when it is not (nor is this idea in line with orthodoxy).  

So, what now? 

Do you continue to watch The Chosen or not?  I have not fully answered this question for myself, although my wife is done.  We cannot endorse it as a tool for growing closer to the Lord yourself, and definitely not as an evangelical tool (which I have previously thought about).  We have taken the DVDs for Seasons 1 and 2 from our video library, as we don't feel comfortable with having this content as a regular viewing option in our home.  

Reasons I would cease to watch it.  

I mean, read above.  The art especially has a huge influence in shaping my world view because this medium of TV has a way of bypassing my conscience thought and influencing my views in a way that few mediums can.  If I can't seperate the art from the God I love and worship, then I should cut bait now. 

Reasons I would continue to watch it.

First, it's good TV.  Its great art.  There's not a whole lot of programming and art that is uplifting like this out there, and as flawed as I believe it is, it is "better than most of the stuff out there."  That said, you can NOT approach this as a Christian program, but as an artistic endeavor that is likely to have heretical doctrines embedded in it accidentally or intentionally based on the closeness to the LDS folks.  It's hard to be yoked with people in an anti-Biblical movement and not have anti-Biblical things show up in the art.  You HAVE to be discerning it you're going to watch this.  

Which is the other reason.  A lot of Evangelical Christians watch and love this show, and don't understand these dangers (which is why people are speaking out about something that on the surface seems not only harmless, but God-honoring).  Understanding what is in the content of the show and being able to discern it can help when these conversations come up in polite Christian company, and they will.  As a Christian devoted to truth and to a sincere devotion to Jesus, I believe this decision has to be prayed about, because I don't believe this can just be an excuse to watch the show because you secretly like it... this has to be a legit calling.

However, just knowing what scripture says about Jesus and being able to identify a counterfeit because you know the real thing is just as good, and doesn't expose you to error.  Refuting error doesn't mean you have to expose yourself to it, but it does sometimes help when you're able to talk to it (see my comments above).  Discerning culture (which The Chosen is part of) is critical if we are to take the Gospel to our friends and family.  It's between you and God as to how much of the culture you expose yourself to and at what point are you being influenced by it versus you influencing it.  I don't know if I can answer this question for anyone, because that's between they and their conscience and God.  

Consciences, however, do have to be informed.   I hope that this blog was helpful in doing that for me and you... what course we take we should pursue in relationship with Jesus and the leading of the Holy Spirit.  I hope that whatever you decide, that this will be your first action.