The Chosen

Discussion and Learning:

Read Luke 5:12-26

How did the scenes you watched match up with the scenes in Luke’s gospel? What was your reaction as you watched these scenes of indescribable compassion?

Jesus tells the Leper who was healed to not say anything to anyone. This is very typical of Jesus’ healings among the Jews. As you can imagine from this episode, healings would have a way of attracting LARGE crowds. And large crowds had the same misconceptions as Jesus’ disciples – they expected the Messiah to lead a war against the Romans. Jesus had to walk a fine line between doing miracles which pointed to Who He was … and not starting a revolution against Rome. That wasn’t His calling. Thus the command to “not say anything to anyone.”

Zebedee makes a big deal of trying to figure out if Jesus is from the tribe of Judah. Genesis 49:8-10 tells us why – check it out. By this time in history easily more than 75% of all Jews were from the tribe of Judah – others were from the tribe of Benjamin or Levi. All the other 9 original tribes had been wiped out (either killed OR carried off into captivity and forced to inter-marry outside of their Israelite faith) by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.

What was your reaction to how the show portrays the curiosity of Matthew and Nicodemus?
Salome is the name of Zebedee’s wife – this is most likely correct. Jesus meets her in this episode – this is most likely in-correct. Check out these passages from the time of Jesus’ crucifixion:
Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. (Mark 15:40 NIV)

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25 NIV)

Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons. (Matthew 27:56 NIV)

It’s very likely that these passages are naming the same women:
Mary, Jesus’ mother (named only in one account)
Mary Magdalene
Mary, wife of Clopas and mother of James & Joseph
Salome, Mary’s (the mother of Jesus) sister, the mother of Zebedee’s sons (James / John)

If this is true, and throughout history the Church has interpreted these passages this way, this would mean that Salome was Jesus’s aunt. Zebedee was Jesus’ uncle. And it would mean that James and John, the disciples whom we’ve met in the series, are Jesus’ cousins. James and John were fishing partners with Andrew and Simon. So … not to burst your bubble, but it is highly likely that all these guys knew Jesus for many years prior to their calling as disciples. They had likely hung out together on many occasions. They knew Jesus … but didn’t know Him. Suddenly Jesus starts doing things like turning water into wine and healing lepers … their reaction? “Who is this guy????”

Close this way: makes a good case – he’s got a ton of Scripture to back up what he’s doing. Are there ways today that we (you) put God in a box? Limit Him? Pray that God will do more than we could ever ask or imagine (as He promises in Ephesians 3:16-21).