As The Chosen Nears Season 6, a Look at How Film Has Portrayed Jesus

The sixth season of "The Chosen" arrives on Prime Video next Sunday, Nov. 15, with a focus on the crucifixion. Its return brings renewed attention to how filmmakers depict Jesus of Nazareth, a subject explored by freelance film critic Peter Chattaway in an interview with host Ayesha Rascoe.

Chattaway, who contributes to Christianity Today and writes a Substack about Bible movies, described a history of differing approaches to Jesus on screen. In the 1959 film "Ben-Hur," Jesus remains a distant presence without a speaking role. Chattaway said that although silent cinema produced many films about Jesus, the genre largely stalled after sound arrived in the late 1920s, before reviving in the 1950s. Concern about offending audiences encouraged filmmakers to emphasize Jesus' influence on others while keeping him at a distance.

Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ" took a markedly different approach, with Willem Dafoe portraying a Jesus troubled by fear and uncertainty. Chattaway said the controversial adaptation of a novel sought to explore the human dimension of a figure Christianity understands as both fully human and fully divine. Earlier films, he said, had generally emphasized divinity, making Jesus seem less accessible.

That shift also brought criticism. Chattaway said some viewers appreciated the attempt to depict Jesus' humanity but thought the character's insecurities went too far. Their objection, as he described it, was that being human did not necessarily mean possessing the degree of doubt and frailty shown in the film.

For the 2004 film "The Passion of the Christ," starring Jim Caviezel, Chattaway pointed to director Mel Gibson's deeply traditionalist Catholic background. He characterized the production as strongly Catholic while noting its broad appeal among evangelical Christians. He also connected its emphasis on Jesus enduring physical suffering to scenes of pain and torture in films featuring Gibson, including "Braveheart" and the "Lethal Weapon" movies.

"The Chosen," which began in 2019 and stars Jonathan Roumie as Jesus, offered Chattaway another comparison. Its earliest episodes reminded him of Billy Graham movies, in which struggling characters find salvation toward the conclusion. He said the series' first two episodes similarly follow other characters before Jesus appears at the end.

Asked about the show's appeal beyond religious audiences, Chattaway said it apparently has fans who enjoy it as a drama. Added subplots and twists outside the biblical accounts contribute to that appeal, he said. He also highlighted its longevity: earlier attempts at biblical television series had ended after one season, while "The Chosen" has reached its sixth and already filmed its seventh.