"Rise up."
The Chosen - Episode Highlights
Episode Highlights
I Have Called You By Name
This episode is significant for establishing the show's unique focus on the backstories of those Jesus encountered. It centers on Mary Magdalene's trauma and demonic possession, Simon and Andrew's financial desperation, and Matthew's isolation as a tax collector. Jesus only appears at the very end, making his arrival incredibly powerful.
It sets the narrative tone for the entire series: this is a story about broken people whom Jesus comes to heal and call. Mary's healing is the first major transformative event and serves as the emotional anchor for the beginning of Jesus's ministry.
The Wedding Gift
Jesus and his new followers attend a wedding in Cana where the wine runs out, a major social catastrophe. At his mother's urging, Jesus performs his first public miracle, turning massive stone jars of water into the finest wine.
This episode marks the beginning of Jesus's public ministry. It showcases his compassion for ordinary human problems and establishes his authority over the natural world, solidifying the faith of his first disciples and setting him on a path of public renown.
I Am He
Traveling through Samaria, a region despised by Jews, Jesus stops at Jacob's Well and strikes up a conversation with a Samaritan woman who is an outcast in her own community. He reveals her past and offers her "living water."
This is the first time in the series that Jesus explicitly reveals his identity as the Messiah. His deliberate crossing of cultural and gender boundaries to engage with the Samaritan woman demonstrates the radical inclusivity of his ministry, and her subsequent testimony launches his ministry in a non-Jewish region.
Beyond Mountains
The disciples prepare for the Sermon on the Mount, with Matthew using his organizational skills to help structure the teachings. The episode builds to the beginning of the most famous sermon in history, showing the immense preparation and anticipation.
This episode is a culmination of the first two seasons of teaching. It's a pivotal moment where Jesus's core teachings are delivered to a massive crowd, establishing the ethical and spiritual foundation of his movement and solidifying his status as a major public figure.
Sustenance
Faced with a crowd of over five thousand hungry people in a desolate place, the disciples are at a loss. Jesus takes their meager offering of a few loaves and fish and miraculously multiplies it to feed everyone, with baskets of leftovers. The episode also deals with the aftermath of Simon and Eden's miscarriage.
This is one of Jesus's most spectacular miracles, demonstrating his power to provide on an epic scale. It solidifies his popularity with the masses but also deepens the disciples' understanding of who he is, while grounding the supernatural event in the raw, human grief of Simon and Eden's loss.
Humble
The season finale deals with the aftermath of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. This ultimate miracle removes any remaining doubt for his followers but solidifies the determination of the religious authorities to kill him. The episode ends with Jesus's final approach to Jerusalem for the Passover, setting the stage for Holy Week.
This episode marks the point of no return. The raising of Lazarus is the final sign that forces the hand of Jesus's enemies, directly leading to the events of the Passion. It's a dramatic pivot from a ministry of public miracles to the final, somber journey to the cross.