Season 4 Episode 7 Out of Darkness

[Dr. Shane]

This episode was the climax of season four. Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead. I appreciate all the detail and story telling that went into this episode. The home of Lazarus is filled with mourners as Jesus arrives days after Lazarus has died. The three Mary's are all there. Mary Magdalena, Mary of Bethany and Mother Mary. The resurrection of Lazarus was a prelude to the resurrection of Jesus and, also to the end-time resurrection when all the saints will rise. I didn't feel like the writers of The Chosen fully highlighted that point. Jesus calls Himself the resurrection and that is a critical component of the Christian faith. Paul makes this point in First Corinthians chapter fifteen. In rising from the dead, Jesus defeated death.

Death is also presented as a metaphor in this episode. Calling Lazarus back to life was literally calling him out of darkness. Lazarus was dead inside a dark tomb. Jesus showed up, commanded the stone be rolled away, and called Lazarus back to life and into the light. Metaphorically, this is what Jesus was doing throughout His entire ministry. He cast demons out of Mary Magdalena and call her to serve Him. He called Matthew away from serving Rome as a tax collector. He called Simon out of the zealots. He called each to leave their sin and surrender to Him. He lit the way.

Sometimes the death of Christ causes us to overlook His life. Jesus was not only a Man of sorrows on the villa de la rosa. He was not only born into a poor family, he was born at a time when Israel was oppressed by Rome. The Messiah could have come during the glory days of King David when Israel was at the peak of its power. He came during a dark time for Israel. Then He fled to Egypt. Israel was so dark that its king committed genocide in an effort to kill Jesus. When Jesus returned from Egypt, the family went to Nazareth - not the most comfortable village in the territory. His hard life is a light shining for us to follow. Jesus not only calls us out of darkness, He leads the way. At the end of His life came death - and so it will with us (unless His return is very soon). But Jesus rose again - and so will we. The path out of darkness goes through the grave and we are called to walk it with Jesus.