I had an interesting back-and-forth on X/Twitter recently and it inspired a blog post. It was an exchange around a criticism that someone expressed about The Chosen portraying a Jesus that was 'overly emotional'. Here is their criticism in their own words (aimed at The Chosen series):
"The crucifixion of Christ is not a cinematic experience meant to stir emotions, it's the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Rom. 1:16). It's not a moment for dramatized sorrow or performative grief. He died, was buried, and rose, defeating death and bringing eternal life. We're not meant to weep like spectators, we're called to believe and proclaim the Gospel. Emotionalism doesn't equal faith. Truth does."
Starting with what I agree with - yes, emotionalism doesn't equal faith and yes, we are certainly called to believe and proclaim the Gospel in response to what Jesus has guaranteed and secured for us on the Cross (the forgiveness of sins and eternal life)...but to suggest that emotion is not involved at any point in the story of Jesus, to me, is absurd. Not only was Jesus an emotional person but I believe the writers of the New Testament were, at least in part, engaging their own emotions when conveying the life and deeds of Jesus AND asking us, the readers, to engage ours.
An Imperfect Show
I talk about this show all the time - I think it's a wonderful show. Is it flawless? No. Do I disagree with some of their theology? Yes. Do I think they are portraying heresy? No. If I thought that I wouldn't watch, much less have my kids watch it, and I also wouldn't recommend it to anyone else. I will say - their depiction of Jesus is a little over-the-top emotional for me, but I also recognize that the New Testament gospels portrays Jesus as a man with a lot of emotions: sorrow, frustration, joy, anger, sadness, and compassion...all emotions which Matthew, Mark, Luke and John record for us to read ourselves. In keeping with that, The Chosen's portrayal of Jesus in the series is a character with a wide variety of emotions.
A Brief Aside: The Power of Imagination
What I love most about The Chosen is how it invites the audience to stand in the shoes of the characters. When you read through the Gospels, they are a little dry. It can be easy to turn off our imaginations when we read and have it feel like we're reading a newspaper or something. Dallas Jenkins and the writers of the show do have to take some creative license in order to bring the screenplay to life a little, but I never feel like the things they add are unfaithful or manipulative. For example, one of my favorite scenes in all of the seasons is when Mary Magdalene gets discouraged and goes back to her old life for one day. She is brought back to her senses by a couple of the other disciples (Peter and Matthew) and returns to the camp where everyone is staying. She immediately goes and sees Jesus and what follows is stunning for the imagination. She knows she has screwed up and when she stands before Jesus, she confesses her sin to him and asks for forgiveness. You see the compassion of Jesus in Jonathan Roumie's portrayal of Jesus:
This scene does not appear in Scripture. It is completely made up and yet, it is a situation we can all identify with. I believe this is precisely the point of this scene...Jesus' longs for our hearts and recognizes our humility when we confess our sins to him and is quick to forgive. Imagine standing in front of Jesus, as you will one day, and being just as Mary is...and then Jesus saying to you "I forgive you". It's not the emotionality of the show that moves me to tears, it is imagining myself in that position and Jesus saying to me, "I forgive you". It helps me not only imagine the forgiveness of God, but also to remember the depth of my sin and the desperation of my condition.
Let's Look Together:
I thought for this one, I will dive deep. Here is, exhaustively, all of the mentions of Jesus having and/or expressing emotions (mostly explicitly, some implied) in the Gospels.
Amazement:
Matthew 8:10 - "When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith."
Mark 6:6 - "And he marveled because of their unbelief."
Luke 6:9 - "When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
Joy/Happiness:
Luke 10:21 - "In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord in Heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will."
Frustration/Exasperation (more of an implied emotion than the rest):
Matthew 15:16 - "Are you still without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is expelled?"
Matthew 16:8 - "But Jesus, aware of this, said, "O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread?"
Matthew 17:16 - "And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him." And Jesus answered, "O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to do with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me."
Mark 8:12 - "And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation."
Luke 9:41 - "O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you?"
Luke 24:25 - "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!"
Compassion:
Matthew 15:32 - "Then Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat."
Matthew 20:32-34 - "And stopping, Jesus called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened." And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him."
Mark 1:40 - "And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean."
Mark 6:34 - "When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep with a shepherd."
Mark 10:21 - "And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
Anger (sometimes implied, sometimes explicit):
Matthew 21:12-13/Mark 11:15/Luke 19:45/John 2:15 - "And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer', but you make it a den of robbers!"
Mark 10:14/Luke 18:15 - "But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God."
Luke 11:40 - "You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also?"
Sorrow/Lament:
Matthew 23:37/Luke 13:34 - "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gather her brood under her wing, and you were not willing!"
Matthew 26:37/Mark 14:33-34 - "And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me."
Luke 19:41 - "And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it..."
Luke 22:44 - "And bring in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like drops of blood falling down to the ground."
John 11:33 - "When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled."
John 11:35 - "Jesus wept."
John 12:27 - "Now is my soul is greatly distressed; and what shall I say, 'Father, deliver me from this hour'? No, but for this very reason I have come to this hour."
John 13:21 - "After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."
I think there are other implied emotions or, short of that, certainly implied intensity with Jesus. There are alot of things he says that would be extremely confrontational - particularly with the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law, but also with certain disciples. The famous "get behind me Satan!" line that he says to Peter would have been an extremely intense moment. Anyway, my point in this exercise is to highlight that Jesus was an emotional human being, just like the rest of us. The difference, of course, is that he was never unrighteous with his emotions. James writes in Chapter 3 of his epistle, "For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, also able to bridle his whole body." I think it's clear that he has Jesus in mind in saying this. Jesus showed, in speech, conduct and emotion, what it looks like to live completely righteously.
So I appreciate that Jonathan Roumie's portrayal of Jesus is dynamic emotionally - I think that it is keeping with what the Gospel writers said of him and I think we will see that for ourselves when he returns. Personally, I can't wait!
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