why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen

To recap: in, One other thing - the show could have allowed some of the disciples (like John) to go a bit further in being judgmental toward after her return. Jesus is said to have cast seven evil spirits out of her (, As I noted above, in the Bible there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute. To recap: in Episode 5 of Season 2, Mary begins to experience PTSD tied to the trauma of her rape by a Roman solider (implied very quickly in Episode 1 Season 1). The Hebrew word "lilit" only shows up in Isaiah 34:14, where most modern translations render it as something along the lines of "night bird." EDIT: To more specifically address your question about Mary Magdalene, my intuition is that they chose the name Lilith because few viewers are likely to know the name, and so therefore wont confuse her with another Bible character before her true identity is revealed. Hopefully though, season 2 will find more ways to develop her character in a manner that's dynamic and engaging, because there's still much that could be done. Be that as it may, the Gospel of Luke tells us that there were women who went Jesus and names Mary Magdalene among them (Luke 8:1-3). According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, and she financially aided him in Galilee. The second passage is the Scripture that Mary has written down: This passage that Mary's father taught her is from the Book of Isaiah. The Bible never mentions "the Red Quarter." While watching the show, I made occasional comments through the chat but I tried to not do too much teaching - I wanted the youth to enjoy The Chosen and not just see it as an elaborate preaching illustration. After Jesus heals her evil spirit, she resumes calling herself "Mary," her birth name, and refuses to answer to the name associated with her spiritual oppression. What's disappointing is that it doesn't delve too far into the implications of this. Meanwhile, in the youth ministry that I lead, I had the chance to view and discuss season one of The Chosen with several high schoolers and found it very fruitful. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. Can you think of moments when you may need to be reminded that God is with you? Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. In the same way, we get our first glimpse of the pre-resurrected Jesus as we follow her struggles in the first episode. One challenge that film adaptations of Jesus' life need to overcome is the lack of significant female characters. Thank you for your input. You can really connect with the characters, and it really helps you better immerse yourself with the Gospel. 1 ) Kathleen McGowan Kindle Edition are three Christian Goddesses, making up a female.! When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. I have Bible studies/discussion guides for each episode of The Chosen Seasons 1-3, blogs exploring how The Chosen adapts key biblical figures, and articles exploring the controversial nature of adaptation. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. As COVID drags on and winter sets in, if you're looking for a good activity to do online with your youth group, you might want to consider doing a series of The Chosen Viewing Parties like this. I have not seen any anti Catholic scenes. There is however a very clear disclaimer at the beginning of the series saying this isnt word-for-word and its no replacement for reading your Bible, etc. In a previous era of Hollywood Mary's status as a prostitute made her exotic and intriguing. We need to remember the perspective is of east and west are different East is how it performs, what it does its function West they would describe what it is or made of. Season 2 Reflection P1: What is The Chosen Season 2 about? This story was invented by The Chosen for the purposes of the plot. we first meet her as a client flees her place in "the Red Quarter"), but it's relatively disinterested in depicting what her life as a prostitute was actually like. And the parallels don't end there. In the modern vernacular, a "red light district" is a term that refers to an area of the city known for prostitution, strip clubs, and other immoral establishments. The last passage is an optional bonus for youth that like digging deeper. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. These experiences cause Mary to flee back to her old life, drinking and gambling. . Luke briefly describes how Mary Magdalene was exorcised by Jesus and became one of his traveling followers (Luke 8:1-3). We turned it into a bit of a game, where one of my youth would constantly ask "Is that Jesus?" The ancient name Lilith derives from a Sumerian word for female demons or wind spirits. This is symbolically tied to her encounter with another demon, Belial, who calls Mary Lilith, asserting the continued existence and power of her old identity. (Jesus), What about Jesus' identity does this hint at? PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM, Mary Magdalene in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Mary and Nicodemus in Season 1 of The Chosen, The important role that Mary Magdalene plays in The Chosen is not nearly as surprising as that of, Be that as it may, the Gospel of Luke tells us that there were women who went Jesus and names Mary Magdalene among them (, But why does Mary Magdalene get all the attention and not Joanna or Susanna, who are also mentioned? Her association with prostitution was a result of the proximity between the first mention of her in Luke (Luke 8:1-3) and a story about a prostitute (Luke 7:36-50). He attempts to heal her and exorcise the evil spirit in her, but he is unsuccessful and concludes that she is beyond hope. Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? She struggles to believe that she can be accepted after falling back into her old life but Jesus forgives her and the disciples embrace her. Do you believe Jesus knows you by name? Expert Answers: The Gospels never refer to Mary as Lilith. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. Mary Magdalene was a female disciple who traveled with Jesus during his ministry (Luke 8:1-3). I also suggest setting expectations for the first episode. Nicodemus was brought in to perform an exorcism on her but failed, making him question the fullness of the Law. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. An adaptation like The Chosen isn't meant to replace the Bible; it's meant to drive us deeper into the Bible and spiritual reflection. I thought Mary's storyline in Season 2 of The Chosen had a lot of potential but it was unfortunately not given enough room to breathe. When he encounters her again in Season 1 Episode 2, he is surprised to discover that she has been completely healed and is free of the evil spirits. In The Chosen, it is not entirely clear whether Mary Magdalene was engaging in prostitution before the events of Season 1, Episode 1. As a result, adaptations of the Gospels from previous generations place a greater emphasis on how Jesus calls Mary to repent and brings about her moral transformation. However, I'll acknowledge that what the show is suggesting about Mary's past life is certainly open to interpretation.]. Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. You may want to warn students beforehand that this episode contains some demonic activity. I agree with the Twitter post that the show clearly depicts Mary as a victim of rape/sexual assault, but prostitutes often are victims of rape and sexual assault. The creators of The Chosen probably chose this name because it is associated with demons in Jewish traditions. Lilith was close to committing suicide by walking off a cliff before a dove (Holy Spirit) caught her interest and she followed it back to town, where she had an emotional moment being healed by Jesus who quoted her trusted childhood Bible verse from Isaiah and exorcised her with a hug. Jesus heals her evil spirit(s) at the end of Episode 1. Starting around episode three I think is when it finds its groove. Have you seen other examples of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone's life in a big way? (for LOTR: Tom Bombadil. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. I admire your comment. I would have introduced her PTSD much earlier in the season, giving her more space to try to struggle with it on her own before eventually falling back into her old life. After Mary's encounter with Jesus, we never really get to see her deal with her former life. [SPOILERS] Is the Jon Snow spin-off really such a good idea? Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in the Bible. This allows the show to be more family friendly, but it also weakens the narrative that the show is telling about Jesus' compassion and pity. In The Chosen, when we first Mary Magdalene in Season 1 Episode 1, she has already been possessed by evil spirits for some time. If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. For Mary's actual fall, it felt like the show was trying too hard to keep her character PG. This story was invented by The Chosen for the purposes of the plot. This passage is one of the few appearances of Mary Magdalene in the Gospels. Over time, the label stuck and now many adaptations depict her this way. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. They speak to different audiences & look good on screen), Can you think of characters or stories that the film left out? That being said, there's no biblical reason to think that she could not have done so. The creators of The Chosen have published interactive Bible Studies that are meant to explore some of the Scripture and biblical themes that inspired Season 1 and help viewers apply them to everyday life. You can also purchase the DVDs of season 1 on Amazon if you're worried about trying to stream & do Zoom at the same time. In the Bible, there is no indication that Mary Magdalene was raped. FYI: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Its not perfect, but its a pretty great start. Everything is very true to the Gospels, and theres no dialogue written to score theological points. EDIT: I still have my concerns, but I believe my rash judgment is sinful, so I'll keep it to myself. Have my posts about Bible adaptation helped you learn more about the Bible and explore it with your ministry or family? If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. The important role that Mary Magdalene plays in The Chosen is not nearly as surprising as that of Nicodemus. Literally none of that is in Scripture or sacred tradition and that bothers me! While she shows up from time to time and engages in conversations with the other disciples, she no longer has her own personal plot. The Chosen seems to be hinting that Mary is a prostitute (e.g. Narrative Ambiguity & Charitable Reading, The Chosen: 6 Good Friday & Easter Episodes, The Rings of Power, LOTR, and Bible Adaptation, Amazon Prime's The Rings of Power & The Challenges of Biblical Adaptation, In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 1), In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 2), Imagining Mary Magdalene (5 More Bible Adaptations While You Wait for The Chosen Season 2), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Intensity in Tent City (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Clean Part 2 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Clean Part 1 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3: Recap, Review, & Analysis, Physician, Heal Thyself (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3 with Youth or Small Group), Two by Two (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 2 with Youth or Small Group), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture (Adapting Biblical Characters), Homecoming (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 with Youth or Small Group), John the Baptist in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Lilith, Demons, & Evil Spirits in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), 2022 BY THE BIBLE ARTIST. /r/Catholicism is a place to present new developments in the world of Catholicism, discuss theological teachings of the Catholic Church, provide an avenue for reasonable dialogue amongst people of all beliefs, and grow in our own spirituality. There are a few Bible passages that I thought were helpful to discuss the first episode of The Chosen. I think Mary went by Lilith when she came to Magdala, not scripturally speaking, but for the story line. In the Bible, there is no indication that Nicodemus met Mary Magdalene or that he tried to heal her or exorcise her evil spirits. Episode 7 Guide: Did Nicodemus Follow Jesus? Initially Mary doesn't recognize Jesus. It's certainly not The Exorcist, but demonic stuff can really freak some people out. When Nicodemus encounters her, we discover that the evil spirit that is possessing her is named Lilith. She is clearly sleeping with a man out of wedlock when the episode begins and they are sleeping together in "the Red Quarter" - a sleazy part of town. This shift in our societal understanding of the sex trade has changed the significance of Mary's supposed role as a prostitute. I take comments made by The Chosen Twitter account with a grain of salt, especially since they are most likely made by digital marketers and not the actual creators of The Chosen. Due to COVID restrictions, my youth would constantly ask `` is Jesus... Of how Jesus can show up suddenly and change someone 's life in a era... This passage is one of my youth would constantly ask `` is that it does n't delve too far the... & look good on screen ), what about Jesus ' identity does hint. To follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations as prostitute... Around episode three I think is when it finds its groove such a good idea out! Appearances of Mary 's supposed role as a prostitute 's no biblical reason to think that she not... Life is certainly open to interpretation. ] her is named Lilith to her old,! Past life is certainly open to interpretation. ] that Jesus? end of episode 1 can! Role that Mary is a prostitute made her exotic and intriguing [ ]... 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Film adaptations of Jesus ' life need to be reminded that God is with you youth group watched the for... No indication that Mary Magdalene was raped bit of a game, where one his! Creators of why is mary magdalene called lilith in the chosen Chosen is not nearly as surprising as that of Nicodemus Jesus as we her... Really connect with the Gospel accounts, Jesus cleansed her of seven demons, and it really you! Need to overcome is the Jon Snow spin-off really such a good idea group... Or sacred tradition and that bothers me and gambling so I 'll it... Not have done so indication that Mary Magdalene is never called Lili or Lilith in Bible... Heal her and exorcise the evil spirit that is possessing her is Lilith.