I don’t watch much television these days, and don’t tend to keep up with what is new or popular on TV. One show, however, has caught my attention because of its notoriety, and its subject matter. The Chosen, which has been on air for a few years now, seeks to depict the life and ministry of Jesus Christ in the form of a television series. The series has been met with rave reviews, with thousands of professing Christians lending their support for the series, and a 90%+ rating on major review sites. I have only heard about it because of the success it seems to be having within the church, as more and more Christians talk about it. However, I find this new excitement over The Chosen concerning, and would warn Christians from watching the show for the following 3 reasons.

The Chosen Violates The 2nd Commandment 

Christians ought to make quick work of discerning whether or not to watch The Chosen by simply recognizing that it violates the 2nd Commandment. For reference, here is the 2nd Commandment given in Exodus 20:4-6:

You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in 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 the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

Exodus 20:4-6 ESV

Additionally, the Westminster Larger Catechism 109 helpfully expounds what is forbidden in the 2nd Commandment .

Q. 109. What are the sins forbidden in the second commandment?

A. The sins forbidden in the second commandment are, all devising, counseling, commanding, using, and anywise approving, any religious worship not instituted by God himself; the making any representation of God, of all or of any of the three persons, either inwardly in our mind, or outwardly in any kind of imageor likeness of any creature whatsoever; all worshiping of it, or God in it or by it; the making of any representation of feigned deities, and all worship of them, or service belonging to them; all superstitious devices, corrupting the worship of God, adding to it, or taking from it, whether invented and taken up of ourselves, or received by tradition from others, though under the title of antiquity, custom, devotion, good intent, or any other pretense whatsoever; simony; sacrilege; all neglect, contempt, hindering, and opposing the worship and ordinances which God hath appointed.

Christians wanting to obey the Scriptures ought to reject the use of images representing “God, of all or of any of the three persons.” This applies especially to any use of images in corporate worship, but also directs what kinds of shows we watch, books we read, and more. To watch The Chosen, shows a disregard for God’s law. While most watching the show, I suspect, are not doing so with the intention of going against God’s Word, the end result is still the same. We must be careful to know God’s Word, and to obey God’s Word, in all aspects of our life.

The Chosen Comes From A Concerned Source

One issue that has not been given much publicity is the explicitly non-Christian religious influence on the show’s production. The production company behind the show, Angel Studios, was founded, and is operated by two members of the Mormon faith. Angel Studios is, in fact, owned by the Mormon Church. It is worth noting that Angel Studios also creates a product called VidAngel which is used by many Christians to help censor and filter out inappropriate content from TV shows and other streaming platforms. Still, the company now moves into the production business, and their portrayal of Jesus and his ministry is concerning.

There have been many concerns about how faithful the representation of Jesus would be to Scripture. The very nature of television leads there to be edits and interpretations to set up more dramatic encounters and dialogues. Still, one explicit example worth noting came when the show had Jesus say “I am the law of Moses,” which is found nowhere in Scripture, but is found in the Book of Mormon. It would seem the potential Mormon influence is greater than perhaps some are willing to admit. Furthermore, the situation has not been helped by the Creator, Director, Co-Writer, and Executive Producer of the show, Dallas Jenkins, who has often responded to this controversy with joking and implications that he may work more Mormon references into the show. Jenkins has also been unclear regarding his understanding of the clear distinction between Christians and Mormons, and how they are fundamentally separate faiths.

It leaves me to wonder why Christians would partake in entertainment which comes from such a concerned source. As with a poisoned well, you may get some clean water from it, but is it worth the risk? The Chosen represents a dangerous source of entertainment, which dramatically takes Jesus and his words out of context, and even allows for heresy to be brought in. Even discerning Christians are at risk watching a show like this, and the payoff of entertainment does not justify it.

Jonathan Roumie claims to have a connection to now dead, Saint Padre Pio

Exerpt from an interview with exaudi.org (Catholic News):

And I know you made a pilgrimage to San Giovanni Rotondo to see the tomb of Padre Pio. There are so many places in Rome and throughout Italy, why did you choose to make a pilgrimage to that spot?

Jonathan Roumie: I have had a personal connection with St. Padre Pio for many years now. My family has. It started with my mother, and she had an experience [knew of someone miraculously cured of cancer.] Then last year, I had started praying online, Live, the divine mercy chaplet, at the start of the pandemic, not because it was a great career move, but because I couldn’t ignore the calling to do it. I just had that feeling: I should do this. But thinking [smiling], then people will really think and know I am Catholic. And I was like, yea [smiling] … So that went on for 40 days, and during that time, someone sent me a book of prayers close to his heart, including the Stay with Me prayer, that is just extraordinary, and if one hasn’t read or prayed it, it is extraordinary.  And I remember praying it online for the first time and I just couldn’t get through it, because I was so moved by it. It was so intense. Later that summer, he appeared in a dream for me, and I just thought: Well, ok, when they say he starts going after you, he lets you know. So, yes, since that point, the devotion kind of increased. So, of course, coming here, I knew it was something I wanted to do, despite how distant it was. We also made a point to go to St. Michael’s Cave…It was quite beautiful.

https://www.exaudi.org/a-childhood-dream-come-true-the-chosens-jesus-jonathan-roumie-on-his-time-with-pope-francis-2/

In addition to having personal interactions with a saint that died in the 1950’s, Roumie also claims to be a Catholic mystic who has received personal revelation from God.

We Have Something Greater Than The Chosen

Perhaps someone reading this article disagrees with me on my interpretation regarding the 2nd Commandment. Perhaps its even possible that they disagree with the alarming concern surrounding the changing of Jesus’s actions and words. I know of several Christians who believe that productions such as The Chosen are helpful, because they stir their imaginations, and raise their affections for Christ. Even if you disagree with my previous two warnings, I would like to issue a third, by demonstrating that The Chosen is far less than what you already have in God’s Word.

God in His providence, chose to send His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world when He did. Christ could have come to save the world during the time of cell phones and live streaming, but He didn’t. God chose to send His Son in the fullness of time, and to have the proclamation of His work be done through the Word. In short, God gave us a book, and it was not by accident that He did so. God speaks to us through His Word, and He has not left us with some lesser form of revelation.

In John 20, we see the famous account of Jesus and Doubting Thomas. Thomas, demands to see Jesus in order to believe. After witnessing the risen Christ, here is what Jesus declares:

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

JOhn 20:29

Immediately following this declaration by Jesus, John gives us his purpose statement for the entire Gospel account:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 20:30-31

It is clear what John is doing here. Jesus speaks to Thomas, but in a way, He is speaking past Thomas, to all of the readers. We get to hear Jesus’ declaration as a message to us as well. It is not a lesser form of revelation to hear of Christ through the Word than to see Him in the flesh. In fact, Jesus here positively declares that those who hear and believe are truly blessed. Many Christians think that their faith would be so much better if only they could see Jesus for themselves – Jesus disagrees.

Additional Concerns…

When I meet Christians enamored with productions like The Chosen, I’m left scratching my head. Why would we settle for something which goes against God’s law, alters the events of Jesus’ life, and takes us away from the Word of God? Surely it is far greater to regularly commune with God through His Word, sitting daily under its instruction, that our affections would be shaped by God and stoked into a greater zeal by the true Christ! For Christians who have been caught up with shows like The Chosen, my simple desire would be to point you back to the Word of God, and to discover something far greater for your soul.

Let’s look at examples of how this show twists Scripture and demeans Christ.

#1 – “Follow Your Heart” — but not to Christ

Jesus meets Nicodemus in The Chosen series, and much of their conversation seems scriptural. There are subtle changes, however, such as adding, “What does your heart tell you?”—a popular Disney line. (Remember, the Bible says, “the heart is deceptively wicked”.) Later in the series, Jesus says, “Soon it’ll all be about the heart”. Subtle is the nature of such mystic teachings.

It’s worth noting that in this same scene, Nicodemus kneels at Jesus’ feet and The Chosen Jesus stops him, telling Nicodemus he doesn’t need to worship Him. The Catholic Church hates the worship of Jesus, and The Chosen follows suit.

#2 – A Hearsay Gospel

Throughout the series, disciples like Matthew and John interview people, running around with notepads and writing down hearsay that will become their supposed Biblical books. In one case, a woman runs by crying, “He healed me!” Matthew, in desperation, calls her saying, “Healed you of what?” The show attempts to destroy the inspiration of Scripture, portraying it as a common book comprised of hearsay.

The Bible says, “Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost”. 1 John 1:1-3 declares the gospels as eyewitness accounts, and 2 Peter 1:16 echoes this truth. Yet according to The Chosen, John 21:25 came from Mary Magdalene and not John himself. In their rewritten gospel, The Chosen Mary Magdalene plays an oddly feministic role for that time period and even becomes a disciple, traveling with Jesus. There is a subtle deconstruction of inspiration, transforming the Bible into a book of hearsay and fables rather than truth.

#3 – An Arrogant Forerunner

In The Chosen, John the Baptist is arrogant, disrespectful, and always questioning Jesus. In one scene, Jesus says he is not ready to get into specifics, and in a flippant voice John the Baptist responds, “You appear to not be ready to get into the specifics on a lot of things”. In a previous discussion, Jesus speaks to John the Baptist regarding incest and adultery, saying, “I understand it is against the law of Moses, but I am here for bigger purposes than breaking rules”. This gives the impression from “Jesus” that John, who is about to confront Herod, is uninspired and even foolhardy—and that “Jesus” doesn’t care about the Ten Commandments.

As if seeking attention, John tells Jesus he is planning on marching into Herod’s palace to tell him off, and then adds, “My followers will love it.” This isn’t what happened! In the Bible, John stated, “I must decrease”, so why does The Chosen portray him as arrogant?

#4 – Destroying Scripture for Satire

While John the Baptist disrespects Christ, Peter disrespects John the Baptist, calling him “Creepy John”. In the show, Peter and his brother describe John the Baptist, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world”—and do so in a way that destroys the beautiful solemnity of that moment. Peter’s brother begins, “He said ‘behold’…” and Peter interjects, “I am eating a bug”. This lame, sacrilegious attempt at humor ridicules John’s recognition of Jesus as the Messiah and undermines the whole message—including Christ’s divinity.

In the show, Peter comes up to Jesus and says he will go with Him to the ends of the earth, a reference to Luke 22:33. Biblically speaking, this was a monumental point in the conversion of Peter. But in The Chosen, this moment is destroyed when “Jesus” responds, “I hope so Simon, but I seem to remember there was a problem… something about Andrew’s feet.” This is disgusting. Peter had an unconverted heart that would make it impossible for him to keep his promise to Christ, yet viewers of The Chosen will never know how Jesus reveals the truth to him.

The show subtly distorts the Bible, belittles Christ, and is a subtle error of a most disturbing nature.

#5 – Uplifting… Mary

Mary worship was brought into this show by Roman Catholic influence. In Catholic belief, Mary is above Christ. In the show, Mary provides strong emotional support. Jesus says things like, “What would I do without you?” instead of demonstrating Christ leaning on His Father, as Scripture clearly states. The writers insert theology that is not found in the Bible but rather in the Catholic tradition.

#6 – A Doctrine Swap

Show Producer Dallas Jenkins stated in an interview, “Our intentions are different from the Bible’s intentions”. The Bible’s intentions were to uplift Christ, so what are his? He states that the show will be, “What the audience wants or needs to see”. This TV show, carefully crafted to tug at your emotions, doesn’t encourage viewers to sacrifice cherished sins. It subtly swaps Scripture for mystical Catholic doctrine and cheap humor. Furthermore, show writer Tyler Thompson claims the Bible is, “good literature” but not infallible.

During a discussion between the Mormon partners and the show’s host, they joke that the book of Revelation instructs us not to add to the Bible. The show host, Dallas Jenkins discusses with them how it is okay to ignore what John said in Revelation and add to the stories of the Bible (for the series). He later states, with a grin—and please do not miss this—“…the people who only want to read the Bible won’t be watching this series.”

Friends, if the show’s partners claim that viewers purely adhering to the Bible won’t watch their show, we should run as fast as possible. We are Bible purists!

#7 – Disciples or Drunks?

In the show, many Biblical characters are depicted as drunks. In the show, our first encounter with Nathanael portrays him as a drunkard and a failed architect (Nathanael is just one of the misrepresented biblical characters). Circumstances prompt him to drown out his failure in the pub, a common backdrop in the series. Why would the show present Nathanael in such a light when Jesus Himself declared, “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile”? This show would lead us to believe that these things are compatible with Christianity.

#8 – Repentance Not Necessary

Although the true Jesus preached repentance, in the first three seasons of The Chosen you might hear the word mentioned three or four times total—and casually, without conviction. This is intentional. When The Chosen Jesus supposedly quotes Luke 5:32 in the show, he omits the word repentance and simply says he is “calling sinners”. Calling sinners to what? The show is calling sinners to a false gospel where repentance is not needed.

#9 – A Premature Arrest

Jesus is arrested by Roman soldiers prior to the Mount of Olives, a story that is not found anywhere in the Bible. This was added to destroy faith in inspiration for Jesus declared it was not yet His time.

#10 – Demeaning Christ

To bring God down to our level, The Chosen includes a scene where Jesus prepares a sermon and rehearses well-known passages, making them feel more human and common than inspired by His Father. His mother interrupts him during one of these rehearsals, and you can see the frustration in his eyes. During this same interaction with Jesus and Mary, she says, “I’m proud of you” to which this supposed Jesus replies, “Maybe wait to say that until after I’m done, in case I mess up in front of such a big crowd.” …THIS IS JESUS! This show gratifies the evil heart by demeaning our Lord and Savior.

#11 – An Unscriptural Script

Unscriptural additions pepper The Chosen. Some seem innocuous, others are blatantly Catholic, and some amuse the imagination while instilling doubt. When Mary and Joseph lose sight of a young Jesus, they then find Him in the temple, and The Chosen Jesus asks them, “Did you not know I must be in the house of my father”? What? The Bible says, “Be about my Father’s business”. This is typical of a Catholic-inspired production to place the emphasis on a church building instead of obedience to the Father in heaven.

Another example happens in a supposed exchange between a disciple and Mary Magdalene, where she is asked about when she first saw Jesus. Her response: “In a tavern”. She goes on to say, “He put his hand on mine”, adding, “which is not what it sounds like”. She recommends that John leave that part out of his book, so people don’t get confused… just another way The Chosen creates questions and doubts.

This series poses great danger since it appears to “follow the Bible closely” and thus can lead many to deception. In an interview, the show is described as a “multi-lane highway for relationships with Jesus” (for this reason, the show is inclusive of homosexuals, atheists, Catholics, and mystics for their writers, actors, and crew.) The Bible says that narrow is the way leads to life, and broad is the way to destruction. There is no multi-lane highway to Christ.

#12 – Prayers to Mary Behind the Scenes 

The Chosen Jesus actor Jonathan Roumie has quite a following, and it’s concerning how his influence is used. Roumie has a “rosary live” broadcast which attracts many viewers. On the Livestream, he teaches viewers the Catholic rosary, to pray to dead saints, and pray to a dead Mary as well as ask her for the forgiveness of sins. Maybe you wouldn’t watch his rosary, but you will be entertained by his unbiblical depiction of Christ? What place does light have with darkness? We are supposed to be giving the loud cry and calling people out of Babylon, not watching their productions.

#13 – A Catholic Christ?

Interviews with The Chosen Jesus actor Jonathan Roumie reveals much that should concern Protestants.

“Your depiction of Jesus has got the attention of the Catholic world in a big way,” Roumie is told in one interview. (He admits his depiction of Jesus is inspired by the Pope, whom he personally visited and received a blessing from.)

Jonathan Roumie also recounts his experience with a woman who lost her son. The woman was convinced that if she touched the hem of the garment Jonathan Roumie wore, she would be able to connect with the soul of her son. This is a doctrine of demons. This false Jesus did not seek to correct the woman and point her to Christ but instead took the glory to himself. No wonder the man of sin likes him!

#14 – A Troubling Theme and Mystic Music

Topping things off, the music for The Chosen is produced by men such as Dan Haseltine, an avowed teacher of spiritual formation, who said about the production of the show’s music that he, “wanted it to have a little chaos.” When preparing the soundtrack, Dallas Jenkins told the composers, “There are no rules on this.” That mindset carries into the lyrics of the show, as the opening for every episode drives home their message that God, “Got no trouble with the mess you been.” And while they don’t openly say so, mystic undertones characterize the music in each episode.

Final Words of Caution

The Chosen has a gross disregard for Christ and makes light of Him throughout the show. If there were no other point, this would be enough to discard it as a grave and dangerous error. Yet there are dozens of such points. Where the Bible leads us to salvation, The Chosen leads us to lightly regard truth, repentance, and Christ’s sacrifice for us, while seeing Him as a common man. Portions of Scripture that are essential and reveal conversion are twisted to amuse and entertain.

There is no light in this satanic portrayal and twisted humanist production. Those who care about preparing for Jesus’ coming should shun the works of darkness.