The Chosen (2017–…): Season 2, Episode 3 - Matthew 4:24 - full transcript

But where would be
a good place to start?

For you?

- Yes,
for me.

The Law of Moses?

The prophecies
of Isaiah?

The wisdom
of Solomon?

- Mm.

For you, I think
Psalms of David.

A good start.

- I'm ready.

- For example,



"To the choirmaster,
a psalm of David.

"If I ascend to heaven,
you are there.

If I make my bed in the depths,
you are there."

- And...?

- Just that.

Just a few more
minutes.

Thank you for your patience,
folks, thank you.

- But I'm not planning on
ascending to heaven

or making my bed
deep in the depths.

- You asked
for a passage.

- Yes, but one that could
help me understand how

you and everyone else
knows more.

- That's what I know,

and what you must
come to believe



if you want to make
any meaningful study of Torah.

- I don't understand.

Excuse me.

Yes?

Can you tell me
what happened with Jesus.

He healed me!

- Healed you of what?

Epilepsy!

- Yes,
and how long have—

- Say it back to me.

- "If I ascend to heaven,
you are there.

"If I make my bed
deep in the depths,

you are there."

- There's nowhere
you can go,

no heights you can climb to
in your intellectual mind,

no depths you can reach
in your soul,

where God
is not with you.

Do you get it?

- I think so.

- No amount of learning
can bring you closer to God,

or you make you more or less
precious to Him.

He's always right here,
right now,

with you,
and for you.

- But I don't feel it.

- The feeling doesn't
always come first.

Sometimes you have
to believe first.

- Believing a thing
does not make it true.

- That is wisdom.

But these aren't
not just any words.

They are David's,
in Scripture.

- But how do you know

whether David was only
talking about himself,

and not about
everyone else?

He did say, “If I ascend”
not “If people ascend.”

- It almost sounds like

you don't want it
to be true.

- Excuse me,

can you please tell me
what happened with Jesus?

Are you with Him?

- Yes, yes,
we are His students.

- Oh, thank you!

- Are you okay?

- I'm fine.

So, with the passage
from David...

I'm just trying
to understand.

- The trying
is the thing.

Meditate on it for a few days
and come back to me.

You're always
writing things down.

Try writing it down
several times.

Something about writing it down
that goes a long way.

- That's what I say,
too.

- Matthew, I think we've
only just begun to know

all you can do.

I've been
healed, I've been healed!

Thaddeus, Little James,
you're up!

I've been healed!

- How's the line?

- It's getting longer.

I'll come back out soon
and help you,

I won't take
my full break.

- Where's Nathanael?

It's my turn
to replace him.

- Said he's
staying through,

doesn't want
to stop his shift.

- Philip,
take my place,

see if you can make
some headway,

he's scary good.

- There have been
over 60 people already,

with 50 waiting
in line currently,

not including lepers

and others
who are still in line.

- Did you say over 50
in the line right now?

- Yes.

- How long
is this going to last?

- Well, it depends
on each encounter you have—

- Never mind,
I get it.

- Matthew.

- Yes.

- Did you get some ideas
from Philip?

- Yes,
from the songs of David...

the passage to study
before we learn more.

- "If I ascend to heaven,
you are there.

"If I make my bed
deep in the depths,

you are there..."

- It's still bleeding.

- What?

is that from the firewood
from before?

- Yes, and then,
when I pushed back the man

that was rushing
the line,

I cut it more
on his bag.

Hand me that rag.

That same man you speak of

bumped into me
on his way out,

after Jesus
healed his wife.

I believe he's one of the men
who arrived here last night.

Almost
a four-hour walk this morning

and we didn't even have
a moment to settle in.

I mean, it's great
what He's doing, obviously,

but I wish it would have
happened tomorrow.

- What is happening?

What are we part of?

- Is it wrong to say
I have no idea?

- No, it makes me
feel better.

- I think that I haven't
had time to think about it.

All this time my parents,
I just know, hate it.

Other than that,

I figured Thomas and I
would get our answers

from the rest of you.

- The word is already
spreading so fast.

I didn't think
about that.

Have you thought about the fame
from all of this?

- I wouldn't mind
being famous.

- Ha!
I'm not surprised.

It's not as fun
as you might think.

- I cannot remember
a time

I did not think
about the Messiah

at least
once a week.

My whole life
I prayed and prayed

that He would come
during this time,

and I just hoped that I would
at least get to see Him.

But to be close to Him,
like this?

A nobody like me,
I—

What's not fun
about that?

- You call today fun?

- Maybe not fun,
but good.

But with this fame
comes enemies.

You will be hated,
too.

I'm used to that.

- Well,
you were protected.

And your enemies
weren't powerful.

- Speaking of enemies...

if someone had told you
growing up,

that you would be
a student of the Messiah.

You.

You would be close
to Him,

and you will help Him
in His mission,

what would
you have thought?

- I would have said,

“Sorry, I'm a girl,
ask my brother.”

Fair enough.

But, really,
Thomas...

- Hmm?

- What would you
have thought?

- I would have thought,

“I don't have
military training.”

That's still a problem,
actually.

- Exactly.

When I was a child,

I used to think how amazing
it would be to see Messiah

kill all the Romans
on my street.

And I wanted
to help Him.

I trained every day
with a wooden sword.

- Yes, and I have this scar that
proves he was pretty good.

- I used to imagine

that the Romans would
break into our home,

and I would be hiding
under the bed with a knife.

And just when
they came to get me,

Messiah would rescue me
at the last moment.

- I didn't think we'd be
spending our time healing—

well,
watching Him heal.

And they'll never stop.

The people come
the more they hear about it,

and we're just going to be
doing this the next five years

and we'll never get
to the fighting part.

Eager to bring out that
wooden sword of yours, are you?

- Do you honestly not know
what I'm talking about?

- I guess I haven't
had any expectations,

that's probably why
it's a little easier for me.

I can remember
as a little girl

hearing about how someone
would save us someday,

but I don't remember
much about it.

Why is it you expect
a warrior?

- Zechariah.

“For I will gather all
the nations against Jerusalem

"to battle,

"and the city
will be captured.

"Then the Lord
will go forth

"and fight against
those nations,

"as when He fights
on a day of battle.

"On that day His feet will stand
on the Mount of Olives,

which is in front of Jerusalem
on the east—"

- Yes, yes, yes,

the Mount of Olives
will be split in two

from east to west,

and half of it will move,
all this craziness,

but we don't even know
when this is going to be,

if it's even
in this lifetime.

Here's what I also
do not understand.

Isn't the Messiah
supposed to come

at a time
when all is holy?

That's at least
what you've been telling me.

What is that from?

- Even a prophetic poem
from the rabbis

not so long ago.

“And there shall be no
unrighteousness in them

"on his day,

"for they shall
all be holy

and their king
shall be the Lord Messiah.”

- I guess that's why
the Pharisees

do not think
He is the one, Mary.

You have to help clean out
the Red Quarter first.

- I don't think He's waiting
for us to be holy.

I think He's here because
we can't be holy without Him.

- Whoa...
that's good.

The Baptizer
will want to use that.

Big James,

they need you to help
with crowd control...

people were bickering,
and getting physical,

and I can't help much
in that department.

- Bickering?

- Yeah.

- Are you
serious?

- Yes.

I'm going to use
my sword on them

before the Romans.

- So...

Let's see here,
how are we doing?

Well, how do I put this?

Ehh...

- What?
Are you serious?

I'm worse off
than I was!

- Yes,
yes, you are.

- I thought you said
you were good at this.

- I thought I was.

- I can't get
out of this now.

- Sorry, James.

- Ugh.

So, what was everyone
talking about?

- Eh, not much,

just prophecy,
our growing fame,

the Messiah
healing disease

instead of overthrowing
the Romans,

small topics
like that.

- Well, I'm not sorry
I missed it.

I'm ready for this day
to be over.

- What about
out there?

Anything happen
in your short shift?

- No, it's the same
as all day.

One thing that is
annoying me, though,

is these people,
they are believing in Him,

and praising Him—

and don't get me wrong,
that's great—

but it's because
He's healing them.

The Samaritans.

- Yeah, it was pretty much
what He said.

That's all
they needed.

- I know.

I just don't know
how many of them

would believe in Him
if He wasn't healing them.

- So, I have to ask...

- I think I can guess.

- I have two questions.

Forgive me,
but I speak plainly.

What is your malady?

Forgive me,
I don't mean to offend.

- It's fine.

It's a form
of paralysis,

it's caused problems
since birth.

It's almost
time for evening meal.

Are you hungry?

- So then why...

I mean...
why hasn't He healed you?

How do you watch
all these healings today?

Does it bother you?

- Whew!
Fair questions.

Um...
I'm still trying to figure out

how I feel
about all of this.

I mean, I suppose one big thing
is that I haven't asked.

- Why not?

- I don't know.

- If I had your...
struggle,

and I was watching
what was happening today,

I'd demand it.

- I don't know
if I should.

It just doesn't
feel right.

You know, and I suppose
I've just been grateful

that He called me to follow Him
in spite of it, but—

it's never come up,
not even once.

I'm just afraid that
if I mention it to Him,

it will make Him change
His mind about me, or something.

- I'm pretty sure
He knows your situation.

It's not like
if you point it out,

He'd be surprised.

- That's true.

Mary!

- Let's go.

So good to see you!

So good to see you!

So glad to be here.

We thought
you were coming tomorrow.

Well, some friends

were able to come
with me earlier,

so they dropped me off
today

and they are seeing
some family in the area.

- You'll be with us
for a little while, yes?

- Through the Feast,
and then we'll see.

Oh, Philip,
shalom!

What are you
doing here?

- I'm with
your Son now.

- Is John all right?

I haven't spoken to him
in a while.

- John is fine,

but he said
the time was now,

so here I am, trying
to make myself useful.

Uh-huh.

Mary,
this is Matthew,

he wasn't with us
at the wedding.

Oh, shalom,
Matthew, welcome.

Oh, look,
that's fine clothing.

- Thank you.

What do you do?

- I don't,
I was—

- He's a new student;
Jesus called him.

- Ah, lovely.

Well, I'm sure
you're someone special.

So, was today
a very long day?

I saw
a lot of people,

Simon told me
to come back here.

Do we know when Jesus
will be finished?

- We walked from Philippi
this morning,

and He hasn't stopped
since then.

- Hmm.

He has always
been a worker.

He gets that
from his father...

both of them,
I suppose, hm.

Speaking of work,
I see the food.

You all look exhausted.

I'm here to help.

We'll have it ready
very, very soon.

Andrew,
I need a mental break.

Do one of your
“meaningless question” games.

- They're not meaningless...
they're interesting.

And I've got one I've been
thinking about lately.

What would you do
for unlimited money?

Or what would you
give up

to have all the money
you could ever want,

for the rest
of your life?

Meaning...

would I do
something painful?

- Yes,
or crazy.

Would you run through
the marketplace

with no clothes on,
screaming?

Of course not,

I'd be killed
by a soldier.

- Plus, it would be immodest,
it would be a sin.

- Fine, something
that wasn't a sin.

Would you give up
your left hand

if you would be rich
the rest of your life?

- Maybe not a full hand,
but a couple fingers, sure.

- What about love?

Would you give up
ever getting married?

- I don't know...

Simon,
is it worth it?

- Absolutely,

but you'll never be so lucky
to find someone like Eden,

so...
take the money.

- I have never had much money
my whole life,

and I've been happy.

I don't expect
we'll have much money

for as long
as we're following Him.

- But you had some money
before, yes?

Are you happier now
or then?

- Ask Matthew.

- John.

- What?

That was
a bad question?

You brought up money.

Matthew's had it;
we have not.

- I feel better now,

I don't know
if that means happy.

- It's not polite
to talk about personal money.

Just a question.

I think about it
sometimes...

and then
I feel guilty.

- For what?

- For thinking about things
I shouldn't,

for wanting things
I shouldn't care so much about.

Sometimes,
I feel like...

like I'm living
someone else's life.

Like...

when I look at myself
from the outside...

it doesn't always
feel like me.

It feels like
someone who's...

trying to live up to
the heroes of our history,

like, I have to do
something great,

but I know
I'm not great.

Know it even more now,
being with Him.

- I understand.

I feel like I need to not
make anymore mistakes.

- How do you think
I felt?

- You must feel that
every day, no?

- Not anymore.

He always
reassured me,

and God always
made me feel like

I shouldn't
be burdened.

- So how did you feel
when it happened?

- When what happened?

- His birth.

Even before that.

How did you know,
when did you know who He was?

- Oh, I don't know.

We're all tired,

do you really
want to hear all that?

Yes!

- Oh.

Uh, hmm.

Well...

nothing about it
was easy,

I can tell you that.

It wasn't
in my hometown,

my mother
wasn't there,

we had no midwife.

I don't know if I'm ready
to give all the details,

maybe some other time.

But I do remember this...

When Joseph
handed Him to me,

it was like nothing
I expected.

It was like everything
I'd heard about having a baby,

but I thought this would be
completely different.

- What do you mean?

- I had to clean Him off.

He was covered in, um...

I will be polite;
He needed to be cleaned.

And He was cold,
and He was crying.

And...
He needed my help.

My help...

a teenager
from Nazareth.

It actually made me think
for just one moment,

“Is this really
the Son of God?”

And Joseph
later told me

he briefly thought
the same thing.

But we knew
He was.

I don't know
what I expected...

but He was crying
and He needed me.

And I wondered how long
that would last.

He doesn't need me
anymore...

not since we taught Him
how to walk and eat.

He hasn't needed me
for a long time, I suppose.

And after Joseph passed—
may he rest in peace—

He grew up
even quicker.

And I wish I could say
that made me happy.

Of course,
as a Jew,

I'm excited to see everything
He does for our people,

and I'm proud of Him.

But...
as a mom,

it makes me a little sad
sometimes.

So, it's good to be
with all of you for a bit,

I can find ways
to help.

- We'll take it.

- Simon, when you were
just with Him,

did it seem it would go
for very long?

- It's tough to tell.

The line was dying down,
but...

He won't send anyone
away anyway, so—

—we'll see.

- I'll go check
on them.

Can I take your plate?

- Yes, thank you.

- I didn't know
He lost His Father.

I lost mine
several years ago,

I'll have to ask Him
about that.

Has anyone else
lost a parent?

- Mm-hmm.

- I'm sorry.

Was it recent?

- No, no, it was when
I was a little girl.

- It's painful,
I'm sorry.

- Thank you,
it was.

I didn't fully
understand it right away.

But, eventually,
it made me really angry,

and... I left
when I was young.

- Left home?

Left everything.

Everything.

I, uh... I tried to stop
acting like a Jew,

I tried to stop
being myself.

And then, later, as some
of the people from our town,

including some of you,
knew about,

worse things happened.

Most of it
is a blur,

but I forgot so much
of everything I learned

as a little girl.

- But now
you can catch up.

- Yes.

I hope.

With Matthew
and Ramah.

You all are
so far ahead,

and you're so good
at all of this.

We're not as good
as you think.

- Yeah,
most of us,

but you were the one
with your nose in the writings.

Still are.

- Ah, a little;
not as good as others.

- Oh, come on,

you can recite half of Torah,
if you had to.

- Maybe.

- Maybe,
yeah, maybe.

Still going.

I couldn't do
anymore,

but they said
they've got it.

- I really want to be
a good student.

- I don't think any of us
went to bet midrash

or did much study
after school.

That's what's so surprising
about all this.

Thomas,
did you?

- No, I was in
the family business

the day after
I graduated.

Thirteen years old,

and I was preparing
and serving food at weddings,

I was not a student at all,
believe me.

- I wasn't even good at praying
until recently,

I would get bored
with it.

You know, the same thing
over and over.

I learned to love it
as I got older.

- I wasn't great at any of it
when I was a student.

- I wasn't, either,
I didn't like all the rules.

- I never struggled
with it.

I do what I'm told.

- Yes,
I'm the same,

I've always been
a rule follower.

- I've always loved
the history, the stories,

so I've always loved
the rules, too.

- Simon?

- I've had my moments.

- One time when my parents
were asleep,

I had meat with cheese,
just to see what I was missing.

Have you ever
done that?

- No,
I'd feel too guilty.

- You feel guilty
about everything.

Right after you were born,

you said sorry to Eema
for causing her pain.

Forget the guilt,

I was sick for days.

I haven't violated
a single food rule since.

- I tried pork once.

- How?

- We were traveling and we were
in a Gentile marketplace,

and I just
grabbed a piece.

- Really.

- Ah,
it was marvelous.

- One time,
on the boats,

we were approaching
a Shabbat sunset.

Abba and John had
finished their tasks,

and I still had to put
my fish in the barrels

because I had so many.

- No, it was because
you were going too slow,

because you're
too careful.

- No, it was because
I had so many...

- Okay.

- So, you have to
put them away, obviously,

before the sun sets,

or they'll rot
the next day,

and you can't clean them
during Shabbat.

So, I started yelling
to the others,

"Hey, come on,
help me."

No.

They just laughed at me
and walked home.

And I had to work
so hard and so fast,

I ended up spilling
some of the fish

back in the water.

But I finished,
just in time.

And I was breathing so hard,
I vomited on the shore.

He had to wait
two whole days

to clean it up.

Oh, um,
sorry.

- I've grown to love
being Jewish,

and I've grown to love
following the Law,

but it can be
exhausting.

- Following the Law
or being Jewish?

Both.

It always has been.

Even before
the occupation.

Yes, but
aren't we used to it by now?

Hasn't it
made us stronger?

I don't get it,
if I'm honest.

I don't know why God
has allowed the occupation.

I'll have to ask Him
more about that...

why this has been allowed
for so long.

It's hard to feel like
"the chosen people."

- I've been there.

- But it's all
worth it now, yes?

The wait is over.

- What about you?

- What do you mean?

- Has it been difficult for you
all this time?

The occupation,
following Jewish Law?

- My life
has not been easy.

Oh, it hasn't?

What was more painful
for you:

escaping Roman persecution
by working for them,

or escaping your guilt
with all the money?

And now you're catching up
on Torah

and wanting to follow
the Law?

Why now,
all of a sudden?

Why not all the other times
you had the chance?

- Simon.

- No, no, John,
I want to know.

Mary had
horrible trauma,

she didn't choose
all that happened to her.

What's your excuse?

- What do you want me
to say?

I don't know
what you want from me.

- An apology.

- What?

- Simon's not wrong.

He could be more...
delicate about it, but...

you did choose
to work for them,

and you made my life even
harder than it already was,

and you haven't
apologized.

No, no, don't say it,

I don't want you
to apologize,

it doesn't matter.

What will hearing him
say "sorry" do?

I won't forgive it
anyway.

- What keeps putting you
in authority?

Who are you to forgive
or not to forgive?

- What,
you're on his side?

- No,
of course not,

but you've had
your problems too!

What about apologizing
for what you almost did to us

with the Romans?

I didn't go through with it!

I was trying to save
my family's life,

and I love you,
John,

but that's not something
you have to worry about

when Zeb and Salome
are looking out for you.

But you put me
in a desperate position

where I did things I would
never have done otherwise,

and I've repented
for them.

And John and James,
I am sorry,

but I didn't
go through with it!

What is your excuse?

I was a successful
businessman,

and yet I was
always behind.

- He wasn't
your tax collector.

Quit defending him;
I want an answer!

- Hey!
You're new.

Do you even know
what it's like

to be Jewish?

To suffer for centuries
and centuries because of it,

but to still
commit to it?

To protect our heritage,

even though it never stops
being painful?

Because the one comfort
we have

is to know that
we're doing it together,

that we're all
suffering together.

But if we just wait
a little longer,

if we hold tight
just a little more,

we'll have rescue,

because we're chosen,
all of us.

And you betrayed that,
and you spit on it!

I can't
forgive it!

I'll never
forgive it!

All right!

You've said
what you needed to say.

Sit down,
Simon.

- You sit down
first!

- Good night.

Ugh!

Oh, Eema.

Thank you.

You've got blood on your hands.

One more.

There we go.

- I'm a mess.

Good?

- Good.

What would I do
without you, Eema.

- Now, get some sleep.

- Okay.

I'm so tired.

Oh.

Blessed are You,
Lord our God,

King of the Universe,

who brings sleep
to My eyes,

and slumber
to My eyelids.

May it be Your will,
Lord My God,

and God of
My ancestors,

that I lie down
in peace,

and that I arise
in peace.