The Chosen may not be a one-to-one adaptation of the Bible, but fans are concerned about one key omission: the transfiguration of Jesus.
Created by Dallas Jenkins, The Chosen chronicles the life and ministry of Jesus. It began with his emergence in Capernaum, following his teachings across Judea and Galilea – and there’s plans to go all the way to the Passion, with his crucifixion and resurrection set for later seasons.
The showrunner has been open about his approach to the Gospels, with the series intended to support scripture rather than simply reenacting its events. This doesn’t mean the show is necessarily avoiding anything; in earlier seasons, we saw Jesus feeding the 5,000 and walking on water.
However, it appears one moment won’t make it into The Chosen: the transfiguration, a “formative event for those who witness it” – and fans want Jenkins to change his mind.
The Chosen fans want to see the transfiguration of Jesus
The transfiguration takes place in the New Testament. In the simplest possible terms, it’s an event that effectively confirms he’s the son of God, and the second person of the trinity (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
In Mark 9:2-13, three disciples (Peter, James, and John) are taken atop a mountain. “There [Jesus] was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them,” the passage reads.
It’s unlikely we’ll see this adapted in The Chosen. In an earlier Facebook comment, Jenkins wrote: “People keep saying the transfiguration would be an important scene, and I’m confused as to why… what purpose would it serve our story?”
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During an appearance on Against The Current: A “The Chosen” Podcast, he also said he has “no plans” to do the transfiguration.
In a recent Reddit post, a fan of the series asked if they could expect to see the transfiguration, given it becomes a reference point in scripture thereafter. “The season seems to specifically be intended to have a darker tone, and the transfiguration is explicitly not dark, but rather uplifting… do you think the show will still include the transfiguration?” they wrote.
One Redditor said the “story is just too grounded for those spectacular moments… same as Jesus’ baptism… if I was telling this story, I’d have it happen off-screen to the three who saw it, clearly a thing happened to these guys but we don’t get the full story and then have the full story told after Jesus comes back from the dead.”
Others strongly believe it should be included. “Leaving out the transfiguration would be a very big mistake. This is a formative moment for the three who witness it… the transfiguration moment can look exciting and beautiful with someone who cares enough to envision it with creativity. It won’t have to look hokey,” one wrote.
“It is a seminal moment in the Gospels which places Christ’s divinity on total display. It shows the Apostles, who would go to spread the Gospel, that Christ is who He says He is. He is the union of the law and the prophets, and a completion of the Father’s covenant. It would be a mistake to leave it out,” another commented. “Honestly, they really ought to include moments that clearly display the divinity of Christ,” a third argued.
