Overview
Jesus discusses His upcoming Sermon on the Mount with Matthew.
Although the show has an evangelical tendency, there are consultants from three Christian faith traditions providing input. Acting as consultants are Messianic rabbi Jason Sobel from Fusion Global Ministries, Catholic priest and national director of Family Theater Productions Father David Guffey, and Evangelical professor of New Testament at Biola University Dr. Doug Huffman. They review scripts and provide facts or context on the biblical, cultural, and socio-political history of the storyline. The show features many people of color as actors, which is not often the case in television and film based on the Bible.
The opening credits of the first episode include the following:
The Chosen is based on the true stories of the gospels of Jesus Christ. Some locations and timelines have been combined or condensed. Backstories and some characters or dialogue have been added.
However, all biblical and historical context and any artistic imagination are designed to support the truth and intention of the Scriptures. Viewers are encouraged to read the gospels.
The original names, locations and phrases have been transliterated into English for anything spoken.
The show gives backstories to both the characters and the settings. For instance, there are storylines that explore vice and addiction, autism, and physical disability. In The New York Times, Ruth Graham points out that themes within the storylines include "complex relationships, suspense, political intrigue, and charged emotional moments". Other themes, described by Chris DeVille in The Atlantic, include marital conflict and financial struggles. Writing for Vox, Aja Romano points out there is an underlying theme of racial tension as shown in the relationship between Jews and Samaritans of the time.
Christmas Pilot scripture references
| No. | Title | Scripture Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | The Shepherd | Luke 2:1–20 |
Christmas Special scripture references
| No. | Title | Scripture Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | The Messengers | Matthew 1:18-25 Luke 1:1-4, Luke 1:26-38, Luke 1:46-55, Luke 2:1-20 John 12:9 Acts 12:2, Acts 28:14 Ephesians 6:21-22 Colossians 4:7-8 2 Timothy 4:11-12 |
Season One scripture references
| No. | Title | Scripture Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | I Have Called You By Name | Mark 16:9 Luke 8:2 |
| 2 | Shabbat | - |
| 3 | Jesus Loves The Little Children | - |
| 4 | The Rock On Which It Is Built | Matthew 3:1-2, Matthew 3:4-10, Matthew 4:18-22, Matthew 13:1-2, Matthew 13:47-52 Mark 1:4-6, Mark 1:16-20, Mark 4:1-2 Luke 3:1-3, Luke 3:7-14, Luke 3:18, Luke 5:1-11 John 1:6, John 1:19-28, John 1:35-42 |
| 5 | The Wedding Gift | Matthew 3:3 Mark 1:2-3 Luke 2:41-52, Luke 3:4-6 John 1:7-8, John 1:23-24, John 2:1-12 |
| 6 | Indescribable Compassion | Matthew 3:11-12, Matthew 8:2-4, Matthew 9:1-8, Matthew 24:36, Matthew 24:44, Matthew 25:1-13 Mark 1:7-8, Mark 1:40-2:12, Mark 4:21 Luke 3:15-17, Luke 5:12-26, Luke 8:16, Luke 11:33, Luke 13:1-5, Luke 18:1-14 John 1:15, John 1:26-27. |
| 7 | Invitations | Numbers 21:4–9 Matthew 9:9 Mark 2:14 Luke 5:27–28 John 3:1–21 |
| 8 | I Am He | Genesis 33:18-20 Matthew 8:14-15, Matthew 9:10-13 Mark 1:29-31, Mark 2:15-17 Luke 4:38-39, Luke 5:29-32 John 4:4-38 |
Season Two scripture references
| No. | Title | Scripture Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thunder | Matthew 18:10-14 Mark 3:17 Luke 9:51-56, Luke 10:30-35, Luke 15:3-7 John 1:1-5, John 4:39-42, John 21:25 Acts 12:2 |
| 2 | I Saw You | John 1:43-51, John 4:43 |
| 3 | Matthew 4:24 | Matthew 4:24 |
| 4 | The Perfect Opportunity | John 5:1-13 |
| 5 | Spirit | Matthew 8:28-34 Mark 5:1-20 Luke 8:26-39 John 5:14-16 |
| 6 | Unlawful | 1 Samuel 21:1-6 Matthew 4:12, Matthew 12:1-14, Matthew 14:3-4 Mark 2:23-3:6, Mark 6:17-18 Luke 3:19-20, Luke 6:1-11 |
| 7 | Reckoning | Matthew 6:9-13 Luke 11:1-4 |
| 8 | Beyond Mountains | Matthew 5:1-7:27 Luke 6:17-23, Luke 6:27-49, Luke 11:2-13, Luke 11:33-36, Luke 12:6-7, Luke 12:22-34 John 4:45 |
Season Three scripture references
| No. | Title | Scripture Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Homecoming | Matthew 5:1-8:1 Luke 6:17-23, Luke 6:27-7:1, Luke 8:1-3, Luke 11:2-13, Luke 11:33-36, Luke 12:6-7, Luke 12:22-34 |
| 2 | Two By Two | Matthew 10:1-42 Mark 3:13-19, Mark 6:7-11 Luke 6:12-16, Luke 9:1-5, Luke 12:4-5, Luke 12:8-12 |
| 3 | Physician, Heal Yourself | Matthew 11:1, Matthew 13:53-58 Mark 6:1-6 Luke 4:16-30 John 4:44 |
| 4 | Clean, Part 1 | Mark 6:12-13, Mark 6:30 Luke 9:6, Luke 9:10 |
| 5 | Clean, Part 2 | Matthew 9:14-26 Mark 2:18-22, Mark 5:22-43 Luke 5:33-39, Luke 8:40-56 |
| 6 | Intensity In Tent City | Matthew 11:2-19 Luke 7:18-35 |
| 7 | Ears To Hear | Matthew 11:15, Matthew 13:9, Matthew 13:36 Mark 4:9, Mark 4:23, Mark 7:16, Mark 7:31-37 Luke 14:16-24 |
| 8 | Sustenance | 2 Samuel 11:5 Psalms 77:1-20 Matthew 8:11, Matthew 8:23-27, Matthew 11:15, Matthew 11:20-30, Matthew 13:3-9, Matthew 13:31-32, Matthew 13:44-46, Matthew 14:13-34, Matthew 15:29-39, Matthew 17:20, Matthew 21:28-31 Mark 4:2-9, Mark 4:30-41, Mark 6:31-52, Mark 8:1-10 Luke 8:4-8, Luke 8:22-25, Luke 9:11-17, Luke 13:18-19, Luke 13:28-29, Luke 17:5-6 John 6:1-21 |
Season Four scripture references
| No. | Title | Scripture Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Promises | Matthew 14:3-13 Mark 6:17-29 Luke 1:5-25, Luke 1:39-45, Luke 1:56-80 John 1:6-8, John 1:15, John 3:29 |
| 2 | Confessions | Matthew 10:34-37, Matthew 16:13-20, Matthew 18:15-35 Mark 8:27-30 Luke 9:18-21, Luke 12:51-53, Luke 17:3-4 John 1:42, John 6:69 |
| 3 | Moon To Blood | 2 Samuel 12:15-23 Matthew 10:34, Matthew 12:38-42, Matthew 12:49-50, Matthew 16:1-12, Matthew 23:1-36 Mark 3:34-35, Mark 4:22, Mark 7:3-4, Mark 8:11-21 Luke 8:17, Luke 8:21, Luke 11:27-32, Luke 11:39-54, Luke 12:1-3, Luke 12:51 John 8:12, John 9:1-41 |
| 4 | Calm Before | Matthew 8:5-13, Matthew 9:27-33, Matthew 16:21, Matthew 17:22-23, Matthew 20:17-34 Mark 8:31, Mark 9:30-32, Mark 10:32-52 Luke 7:1-10, Luke 9:22, Luke 9:43-45, Luke 18:31-43 John 4:46-54 |
| 5 | Sitting, Serving, Scheming | Matthew 5:41, Matthew 20:1-16, Matthew 24:35 Mark 10:31, Mark 13:31 Luke 10:38-42, Luke 13:22, Luke 13:30, Luke 21:33 John 12:6 |
| 6 | Dedication | Matthew 19:1 Mark 10:1 John 7:30, John 8:19-20, John 10:1-42, John 11:1-16 |
| 7 | The Last Sign | Luke 22:3 John 6:70-71, John 11:17-46 |
| 8 | Humble | 2 Samuel 3:3, 2 Samuel 10:1-19, 2 Samuel 12:26-31 1 Chronicles 3:1, 1 Chronicles 19:1-19, 1 Chronicles 20:1-3 Matthew 14:1-2, Matthew 21:1-9, Matthew 25:31-46, Matthew 26:6-13 Mark 6:14-16, Mark 11:1-10, Mark 14:1-9 Luke 7:36-50, Luke 9:7-9, Luke 13:31-33, Luke 19:28-38 John 6:67-68, John 7:11-13, John 11:47-12:18, John 13:1, John 13:34-35 |