The Chosen ~ S02E04a "The Perfect Opportunity"

Greetings Dear Reader, 

There will be spoilers.  This is your only warning.  This BLOG series will walk through each episode of the first two seasons of the amazing show The Chosen available free to watch at the link.  If you have not seen it, I encourage you to do so.  It is by far the best adaptation of the Gospels to film I have ever encountered. 

Again, I feel I cannot measure the depth of this episode with a single monograph.   I will talk about two things and a third is percolating in the basement of my brain.  Before I dive in, I want to say something about the quality of the music in the series.  I find it awesome.  The music in this episode brings it to the forefront.  They use it to set the stage so well in the opening. 

Today I would talk about Zealots.  We meet Simon the Zealot as the story between him and his brother unfolds.  Although I take a different approach to him in The Judas Scroll,  I am pleased with seeing a young Simon as a man filled with the zeal of the Lord. 

I want to address the Zealots in general.  I do not think we get how important they are to the story.  The fourth philosophy was a real danger to the stability of Judea under the Roman occupation.  They were militant fighters willing to kill to tear Rome out of power in their nation.  They were devout Jews who observed the Law and stood against both Rome and the corruption of the Pharisees. 

The idea is their devotion to the Law leads them to forget the primary foundation of the Law.  Like the Pharisees, they forgot the groundwork of Love for the LORD God and for other humans.  They lived a strict life of adherence to the Law but left out the weightier matters of loving. 

Now, drop in the commands like love your enemy or render to Caser what is his and we can see how Jesus might not be pleasing to them.  Still, we have a least one Zealot who sees Jesus as Messiah and longs for him to destroy the enemies of Israel.  Truly, the talk of this is pepper throughout the show.  Simon Peter, James, and John all talk about it.  The general perception is Messiah will come on a tall horse with weapons for war. 

We are no better. Dear Reader.  We deal in judgment and vengeance all the time.  We pass judgment on others and dismiss them for their sin.  We hate this or that group and excuse our lack of love due to our own standards no matter what the Father asks.  I have written at length about the need to love at any cost.  This means whether we discuss politics, social issues, morality, or sports, we are obligated to love every human involved.  We fail.  Our failures split us and we end up with marriages, churches, and a nation torn and divided.  

As a follower of Christ, I cannot be a Pharisee or a Zealot in any circumstance.  I can have Zeal and I can love the Word of God.  I cannot fail to love my neighbors, friends, enemies, and strangers in the land.  I cannot murder the unborn out of zeal for my freedom.  I cannot ignore the needs of others who beg our nation for help.  All I think must be founded on showing my love for the Father through my love for humans.  If I think I follow Jesus, I cannot neglect others because of my zeal for him.  This is never how it works. I cannot follow Christ without loving my enemies, Dear Reader. 

Wishing you joy in the journey, 

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a homeowner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”
(͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

Every human story is part of the great story that leads to the Father getting everything back to Good. 

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In my Zeal for the Father, I cannot neglect the words of the Son,