The Chosen — Season 4 Episode 1 “Promise” Recap & Review

Promises

Episode 1 of The Chosen Season 4 titled “Promises” starts with a flashback from before John the Baptist’s birth. A young and pregnant Mary goes to meet her relative, Elizabeth who is pregnant after hearing a message from the Messenger. Mary calls Elizabeth from outside her house and the baby in Elizabeth’s womb kicks. She rushes out to greet her sister and states that her husband, Zechariah is mute.

Elizabeth blesses Mary and the child she is carrying in her womb. Mary tells Elizabeth that the Messenger has sent her to look after her as she is old and pregnant. The two cousins talk about the message Elizabeth received and she reveals that Zechariah was mute because he did not believe the Messenger.

Elizabeth also states that she was going to name her son John as he was going to serve a purpose different from Zechariah. Elizabeth tells Mary that John would help the people of Israel to turn back to God.

The episode jumps ahead in time when Salome is learning how to dance for King Herod’s birthday celebration. Her mother and King Herod’s second wife – Herodias watch Salome dance. She asked Salome to practice further as she needed to be perfect. On the other hand, Big James and John help their father – Zebedee take the sacrificial oil to the high priest.

The brothers ask their father to bless the oil and get going when Shula and Barnaby look for Ramah who has just returned to Capernaum. They tell Big James that Thomas wants to meet Ramah. On the other hand, Chuza – the manager of Herod asks his wife Joanna if she is ready for the great feast that evening.

Chuza accuses Joanna of meeting John the Baptizer in secret and conspiring against Herod but she suspects that Herod had ill intentions towards the prophet. On the other hand, Simon Z. and Judas are washing their clothes as they chat about spreading the message of Jesus’ ministry faster. Simon asks Judas to take things slow and uses the analogy of washing clothes to teach Judas a new way of thinking.

Judas wonders why Jesus never took any peace offerings from the people he has healed but Simon tries to show Judas how Jesus was different from the other rabbis of the past.  At the same time, Zebedee and his sons along with Tamar meet Little James who escorts them to the high priests. The High Priests examine the oil and Zebedee is given the contract for the sacrificial oil.

On the other hand, Joanna sneaks out to meet John the Baptizer before the grand feast. At the same time, Herodias talks to Salome’s dance instructor – Kofi, asking him to make sure Salome impresses the king. Kofi brings up John the Bapitzer insulting her which further infuriates Herodias. She tells Kofi that she will not back down from making John pay.

Joanna is refused permission to see John and she learns that Herodias was plotting to have him killed. She tries to convey the message to John but he tells her that he is making way for the Messiah. At Capernaum, Thomas has a chat with Ramah and asks if her father is willing to let them get married.

Ramah reveals that her father refused to let her marry him because of Jesus’ teachings. She tells Thomas that they could be married without the presence of her father if Thomas gives her an object of high value. Thomas states that John and Jesus could be their witnesses and the two are excited.

In Judea, the celebration of Herod’s birthday starts and Herodias gets him drunk. Joanna does not make it back to the party but leaves for Galilee to tell Jesus and his disciples about what is about to happen to John. Just then, Salome performs her dance for Herod and impresses him. Herod tells Salome that he is willing to give her anything she wishes for. Salome whispers her wish to Herod in his ear which leaves him shocked.

A flashback from the birth of John the Baptizer as an infant when he was baptized and named as per God’s command. At the same time, Zechariah starts speaking as soon as he acknowledges the messenger. Present day John is taken to be decapitated as per Salome’s wish. John learns that his head is going to be served on a silver platter and laughs about it leaving Herod’s guards confused. Before his decapitation, John sees a lamb outside the window and rejoices as the guards behead him.

At the same time, the priest who had baptized John meets Jesus and Jesus realises that the prophecy about John had come true. Jesus’ disciples get together along with Mary Magdalene, Mathew, Ramah, Tamar and the other apostles. Thomas reveals the news of his marriage to Ramah. At the same time, Mathew notices Joanna arrive at Capernaum. Joanna tells Andrew about John the Baptizer’s death and he is shattered.

While the other disciples console Andrew, the disciple John tells his brother that their former Rabbi has served his mission and made the way for Jesus – their Messiah. The disciples discuss that they should look for Jesus and inform him but Matthew notices Jesus walking towards them as the episode ends.

The Episode Review

After quite some wait, fans of The Chosen from all over the world are finally watching the newest season of the show. While this episode was quite emotional to watch, we see the start of the mission that Jesus was sent to Earth. The faith that Elizabeth had in god was profound and I love how the story of Elizabeth’s relationship with Mother Mary was finally shown on the show. 

 The show takes us through flashbacks and flashforwards to make the words from the scriptures make sense as the events happen. While the story of John’s birth and his death due to Herod’s promise to Salome is important to the episode, we also see another promise being made. Thomas promises to marry Ramah and knowing and I am hoping to see them marrying in the episodes to come.