“Our most controversial episode yet?” This was the question that the creator of The ChosenDallas Jenkins, after the broadcast of the third episode of season 3. And the truth is that it has undoubtedly been one of the most commented on by fans of the series.
What is narrated in this episode has caused a real stir among the audience of fiction about the life of Jesus Christ, which releases its episodes weekly every Friday on the official application of the series and also in acontra+.
The creators of the series warned viewers that the plot of season 4 would be especially “painful”, but few expected the twist in episode 3, which has fulfilled that promise, leaving some fans very confused and even upset. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s best not to continue, because there are spoilers from here on out.
‘The Chosen’ Season 4 Trailer
What happens in the episode
The outcome of the third episode of season 4 has not only been tragic, but has also been accompanied by controversy. Especially in regards to the character of Jesus and how he acts – or rather fails to act – in the face of tragedy.
One of the plots that have spread throughout the series has been the romance that arises between two of the followers of Jesus (Jonathan Roumie), Tomás (Joey Vahedi) and Ramah (Yasmine Al-Bustami). At one point, Jesus blesses his marriage, even though Ramah’s father would not, and this leads to a particularly moving scene in which Thomas gives Ramah an engagement gift.
However, towards the end of the third episode, and after Jesus heals a blind man, there is a heated debate between Jesus and the Pharisees that gets out of hand. When Thomas finds Ramah in the crowd, the Roman Quintus (Brandon Potter) accidentally stabs her and kills her. After this, Thomas asks Jesus for help, but he tells him that it is not the time for her to be healed or resurrected. And this is something that has generated a lot of debate among viewers.
The reaction of the fans
The public’s reaction to the aforementioned scene has been quite diverse. Some believe that the answer and the fact that Jesus does not act are biblically inaccurate and also go against his nature. And others are disgusted with this branch of history, which is never mentioned in the Bible.
“The Chosen has taken Ramah’s (completely fictional) plot too far. It distracts and dilutes an incredible story. It’s a shame that the scriptwriters had the need to make the story of Christ grow in a material way,” said one user on Twitter.
Another user, however, pointed out that Ramah’s fictional story “overshadowed” Jesus healing the blind man, an event that did occur in the Bible. “Jesus’ healing of the blind man born (in Jerusalem, not Capernaum) is a great story in the Bible. It is unfortunate that this story is overshadowed by the murder of Ramah,” he said.
“Dallas Jenkins has allowed Ramah, who is engaged to Thomas, to die, and that is not biblical at all. However, he has focused much of episode 4 on the funeral walk, until his father takes over. And Jesus does not He resurrects her, again, which is something that goes against her nature,” said another person.
“I think killing Ramah is quite unbiblical. Jesus did not lose any of his disciples,” noted another.
Explanation after the turn
This audience reaction to episode 3 is something the creators of The Chosen They were aware and they have addressed it openly more than once. In a promotional email, Dallas Jenkins called the season 4 episode “the most controversial yet” and acknowledged how it “struck a chord with fans.”
“Our most controversial episode yet?… In episode three, everything changes. This episode, perhaps more than any before it, struck a chord with fans. Even our team members themselves didn’t know how to process everything this,” the email said.
During the premiere of episode 3, creator Dallas Jenkins spoke about this decision, arguing that they wanted to include spiritual truths not just from the Gospels but from “the entire Bible.” He also acknowledged that “what we had just seen is not something that happened in Scripture,” but rather “something that people go through every day all over the world.”
Jenkins stated that he believed that The Chosen “was essential to asking some of these difficult questions” and that it was “not something that was taken lightly, nor something that was done for the sake of it.”
