BEMA Episode Link: 223: The Chosen S1E4 — “The Rock on Which It Is Built”
Episode Length: 39:23
Published Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2021 01:00:00 -0700
Session 6
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings continue a review of The Chosen with a discussion on the fourth episode.

(No) Discussion Video for BEMA 223

The Chosen

The Chosen (TV Series) — Wikipedia

The Chosen (2017 TV Series) — IMDb

Transcript for BEMA 223

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 223: The Chosen S1E4 - “The Rock on Which It Is Built”

Title & Source Summary

Episode: BEMA 223 - The Chosen S1E4: “The Rock on Which It Is Built”

Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings

Focus: Analysis and commentary on the fourth episode of The Chosen Season 1, covering the calling of Simon Peter and the miraculous catch of fish from Luke 5:1-11, along with parallel narratives from the Gospels.

This episode provides a scene-by-scene analysis of The Chosen’s fourth episode, exploring how the show harmonizes different Gospel accounts of Jesus calling his first disciples. The hosts discuss the show’s creative choices in developing backstories for Peter, Matthew, and Nicodemus, while examining themes of faith, desperation, community, and God’s divine setup in bringing people to Jesus. The episode highlights the portrayal of Eden (Peter’s wife) as a strong female character and examines how the show depicts first-century Jewish culture, Roman occupation, and rabbinical teaching methods.

Key Takeaways

  • The show successfully harmonizes different Gospel accounts of the disciples’ calling while maintaining narrative coherence and historical plausibility.

  • Eden’s character represents the biblical concept of “ezer kenegdo” (helper who opposes) - a strength-filled partner who calls her husband back to faithfulness when he strays.

  • Simon’s desperate prayer reveals the authentic human struggle with God’s seemingly inconsistent promises throughout Israel’s history.

  • The miraculous catch of fish demonstrates God’s divine setup - orchestrating circumstances and timing to bring people to recognition of Jesus.

  • Jesus’s teaching about gathering “all kinds” of fish and letting him sort them later challenges the human tendency to judge who belongs in God’s kingdom.

  • Matthew’s backstory as a tax collector effectively portrays the deep social stigma and isolation he experienced, being rejected even more than Romans.

  • The Pharisees were not a monolithic group - there were significant divisions about how to handle figures like John the Baptist, with Nicodemus representing a more thoughtful, questioning approach.

  • Community support matters - when Simon tries to solve problems alone, he fails, but when Zebedee and his sons arrive to help, the stage is set for Jesus’s intervention.

Main Concepts & Theories

Ezer Kenegdo - The Helper Who Opposes

The Hebrew phrase “ezer kenegdo” from Genesis 2:18 describes Eve as a “helper suitable for” or “helper opposite” Adam. The hosts emphasize that Eden’s character beautifully embodies this concept - she is not passively submissive but actively opposes Peter when he strays from faith and tries to fix everything himself. She demonstrates “chutzpah” (bold courage) in calling out her husband’s lack of faith and his pattern of relying on himself rather than God.

This portrayal challenges both patriarchal interpretations that reduce women to silent supporters and modern readings that ignore the first-century cultural context. Eden navigates the patriarchal culture while maintaining her spiritual conviction and refusing to back down from worship or from confronting Peter about his spiritual drift.

Pikuach Nefesh - Preserving Life

Simon invokes the principle of “pikuach nefesh” - the Jewish teaching that almost any commandment can be broken to save a life. He argues that working on Shabbat is justified because their lives are at stake due to their debt to Rome. However, Eden challenges whether this principle truly applies or whether Simon is simply making excuses for a longer pattern of faithlessness and self-reliance.

This principle remains important in Jewish law today, where preserving human life takes precedence over most other commandments. The show uses this to explore the difference between genuine life-threatening emergencies and rationalizations for departing from faithfulness.

Tavilat T’shuvah - Baptism of Repentance

John the Baptist’s baptism is described as “tavilat t’shuvah” (baptism of repentance), which was distinctive from typical Pharisaic ritual cleansing or washing. John was influenced by Essene practices but operated in a rogue manner that didn’t fit cultural norms. He offered baptism connected to the forgiveness of sins, bringing people into a collision of worldviews that upset the religious status quo.

This baptism represented a one-time conversion experience rather than the repeated ritual washings practiced by Pharisees. It called for genuine repentance (turning around, changing direction) rather than mere ceremonial purity.

Harmonizing Gospel Accounts

The show faces the challenge of harmonizing different Gospel narratives about when and how Jesus called his disciples. In John’s Gospel, Andrew meets Jesus first through John the Baptist and then brings Peter. In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), Jesus calls Peter and Andrew while they’re fishing. The Chosen successfully integrates these accounts by having Andrew first encounter Jesus through John the Baptist, then later having Jesus call both brothers during the miraculous catch of fish.

This demonstrates creative faithfulness to the Text - finding ways to honor all the Gospel accounts rather than choosing one version and ignoring others.

Rabbinical Teaching Methods

Jesus’s teaching from the boat demonstrates authentic first-century rabbinical pedagogy. Rather than delivering monolithic lectures, rabbis engaged in dialogue, used concrete objects and experiences from daily life, asked questions, and drew students into participatory learning. Jesus uses the fishing net as a teaching tool, pulls Simon into the conversation, and creates an Eastern parable packaged accessibly for his audience.

This teaching style focused on “the seen to explain the unseen” - using tangible, touchable elements from everyday life to illuminate spiritual truths.

The Pharisee Divide

The episode portrays the complexity and diversity within Pharisaism during the first century. The movement was in tumultuous development, split between schools of Hillel (more lenient) and Shammai (more strict), and divided on how to handle figures like John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Zealots. Nicodemus represents a rare thoughtful voice, willing to question and investigate rather than immediately condemn.

Shmuel, Nicodemus’s own student, represents a more reactionary approach, even going rogue by potentially giving John the Baptist’s location to the Romans. This internal conflict reflects the historical reality that Pharisees had diverse opinions and approaches, not a unified response to messianic movements.

Examples & Applications

Self-Reliance vs. Faith-Filled Community

Simon’s arc in this episode mirrors a common modern struggle - the tendency to try solving problems through personal effort and cleverness rather than faith and community. He makes deals with Romans, plans schemes, and goes fishing alone in desperation. Only when he exhausts his own resources and community arrives to help does God intervene with the miraculous catch.

Application: When facing crises, our first instinct may be to “fix it ourselves” rather than turn to God and community. True breakthrough often comes when we reach the end of our own capabilities and allow God to work through unexpected means.

Religious Fanaticism vs. Genuine Encounter

Andrew’s enthusiasm about meeting the Messiah initially feels like religious fanaticism to both Simon and potentially to viewers. Simon dismisses him with, “I don’t need a lamb, I need fish.” Even the hosts note feeling annoyed at Andrew’s desire to talk about John the Baptist when Simon desperately needs to catch fish.

Application: Sometimes what appears to be impractical religious enthusiasm is actually recognition of what truly matters. Our practical concerns can blind us to spiritual realities and divine appointments. The tension between immediate needs and eternal significance remains relevant for modern disciples.

The Divine Setup

The episode portrays God orchestrating circumstances - Simon’s debt, the failed fishing attempts, Andrew’s encounter with Jesus, the community showing up to help, Jesus teaching from the boat - all leading to the miraculous catch and the calling of the disciples. Nothing is random; God works through the details.

Application: In seasons of failure, frustration, and desperation, God may be setting up divine appointments and breakthroughs we cannot yet see. What feels like meaningless struggle may be preparation for significant encounter.

Gathering All Kinds

Jesus explicitly tells his new disciples that their job is to gather “all kinds” of fish, and he will sort them out later. This directly challenges the human tendency to determine who is “in” or “out” of the kingdom, who is worthy or unworthy of receiving the gospel.

Application: Christians often spend enormous energy on gatekeeping - determining who qualifies for inclusion, who measures up doctrinally or morally. Jesus removes this burden and redirects energy toward invitation and inclusion, trusting him to handle the sorting.

The Matthew Stigma

Matthew’s isolation is portrayed powerfully - he cannot even enter the bar where fishermen gather, he is hated more than Romans because he chose betrayal, and he must disguise himself to follow Simon. This viscerally depicts the social death experienced by tax collectors.

Application: Understanding the depth of social stigma helps us grasp the radical nature of Jesus calling Matthew and eating with tax collectors. It also challenges us to consider who in our context experiences similar social death and how Jesus might call us to include them.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Historical Context of Galilean Fishing Industry
  • What was the economic structure of fishing in first-century Galilee?
  • How did Roman taxation impact fishing families like Simon’s?
  • What was the relationship between boat owners like Zebedee and hired workers?
  • How common was debt and economic desperation among fishermen?
Women in First-Century Jewish Culture
  • What would have been typical roles and expectations for wives in Galilean fishing families?
  • How much agency and voice did women have in household decisions?
  • What does the biblical concept of “ezer kenegdo” reveal about God’s design for partnership?
  • How do we honor cultural context while recognizing where culture departed from God’s ideals?
Essene Influence on John the Baptist
  • What were the core beliefs and practices of the Essene community?
  • In what ways did John the Baptist reflect Essene influence?
  • How did John’s ministry differ from typical Essene practices?
  • What was the relationship between different Jewish sects in the first century?
Gospel Harmonization Principles
  • What are appropriate methods for harmonizing different Gospel accounts?
  • When should differences be maintained rather than harmonized?
  • What do we lose or gain when we create harmonized narratives?
  • How does narrative fiction like The Chosen differ from scholarly harmonization?
The Calling Narratives in Each Gospel
  • How does each Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) present the calling of the disciples?
  • What theological emphases does each evangelist highlight?
  • Why might the Gospel writers present events in different chronological orders?
  • What does each account contribute to our understanding of discipleship?
Pharisaism in the First Century
  • What were the major divisions and schools within Pharisaism?
  • How did Pharisees view other Jewish groups (Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots)?
  • What was the Pharisee relationship with Rome and Herod?
  • How did Pharisaism evolve after the Temple’s destruction in 70 CE?
Miracles and Divine Intervention
  • How should modern readers understand miracle narratives in the Gospels?
  • What theological purpose do miracles serve in Gospel narratives?
  • How did first-century Jews understand divine intervention in daily life?
  • What is the relationship between faith and miracles in the Gospel accounts?

Comprehension Questions

  1. How does Eden’s character embody the biblical concept of “ezer kenegdo,” and why do the hosts view this as significant for understanding biblical partnership in marriage? How does this challenge both traditional patriarchal and modern egalitarian readings?

  2. Explain the difference between John the Baptist’s “baptism of repentance” (tavilat t’shuvah) and typical Pharisaic ritual washing. Why was John’s baptism considered rogue and threatening to the religious establishment?

  3. What is the principle of “pikuach nefesh,” and how does Simon attempt to use it to justify fishing on Shabbat? Why does Eden reject this reasoning, and what does this reveal about Simon’s spiritual condition?

  4. Describe the challenge The Chosen faces in harmonizing different Gospel accounts of the disciples’ calling. How does the show resolve the apparent contradiction between John’s Gospel (where Andrew meets Jesus first) and the Synoptic Gospels (where Jesus calls them while fishing)?

  5. How does Jesus’s statement “gather all kinds, I will sort them out later” challenge the human tendency toward gatekeeping in religious communities? What modern applications do the hosts suggest for this teaching?

Personalized Summary

This episode of BEMA provides rich analysis of The Chosen’s fourth episode, highlighting how the show brings biblical narratives to life while wrestling with theological and historical complexities. The portrayal of Eden stands out as particularly powerful - she is not a passive biblical wife but a strong, faith-filled partner who refuses to let her husband drift from God. Her “chutzpah” in confronting Simon about his self-reliance and lack of faith models healthy spiritual partnership.

Simon’s desperate prayer resonates deeply with anyone who has wrestled with God’s seemingly inconsistent actions throughout history - deliverance followed by wilderness, promised land followed by exile, return followed by oppression. His raw honesty before God captures authentic faith struggle, even as it reveals his spiritual drift and pattern of trying to fix everything himself.

The miraculous catch of fish demonstrates God’s divine orchestration - nothing is random, every failure and frustration is preparation for encounter with Jesus. Community matters in this setup; when Simon works alone he fails, but when others arrive to help, breakthrough becomes possible. This challenges our cultural individualism and self-reliance.

Jesus’s teaching about gathering “all kinds” and letting him sort them out later speaks powerfully to modern gatekeeping tendencies. Christians expend enormous energy determining who qualifies for inclusion, who measures up doctrinally or morally. Jesus redirects this energy toward radical invitation and inclusion, trusting himself to handle the sorting.

The episode also illuminates the complexity of first-century Judaism - Pharisees were not monolithic villains but diverse thinkers with competing approaches to messianic movements, Roman occupation, and religious authority. This complexity makes the narrative more historically credible and challenges simplistic hero/villain readings of the Gospels.

Ultimately, this episode is about recognizing our end and encountering Jesus. Simon must exhaust his schemes, his strength, and his self-sufficiency before he can fall before Jesus and confess, “You are the Lamb of God.” The journey from “I don’t need a lamb, I need fish” to “Depart from me, I’m a sinful man” represents the arc of authentic discipleship - moving from self-sufficiency to surrender, from practical concerns to recognition of who Jesus truly is.

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