The Chosen Season 1 Episode 4 Review: The Rock on Which It Is Built
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, The Chosen being covered here wouldn’t exist.
The Chosen Season 1 Episode 4, “The Rock on Which It Is Built,” reveals that Simon’s lack of faith has brought him to this dark and dreary place where his life currently dwells. Only a miracle can lift him out of the depths of his personal hell.
Although Simon is a good and caring man, he has lost his way. His religious acts of the past have fallen away, causing him to be bogged down in the mundane and monotonous rituals of everyday life. When things took a turn for the worst, Simon chose to rely on himself rather than some unseen god.
Working on the Shabbat and making shady deals with the Romans may have seemed like a reasonable compromise, but it’s the little things that do the most to destroy our faith. Typically, no one just runs away from their faith, they take baby steps.
Once we feel we are out of God’s sight, we feel we can do whatever we want, but Simon’s seemingly well-thought-out plan proves to be less than flawless.
When Simon leads the soldiers on a wild goose chase, they begin to doubt his so-called expertise. Their scrutinizing eyes and harsh hands tell him to straighten up and fly right, but still, he refuses to do so.
During this shady mission, Simon feels conflicted. He doesn’t feel right about turning his back on fellow fishermen, yet the need to provide for his family begs him to do anything within his power to provide. Can wrong actions be right with the proper intentions?
These kinds of questions crush Simon’s soul, causing him to confess his sins to Eden. This is his first step in the right direction.
Lies beget more lies — but the truth sets us free.
With the truth all out on the table, Simon is shown how he has hurt his family. Spending time away and hiding secrets does more damage than we know. Eden describes her pain through tears.
Leaning on his own understanding has gotten him nowhere. Trusting in his emotions and what could only be described as personal truth has set him up for prison time.
There is no way to help your family or atone for your sins from a prison cell. The sad reality is closing in fast on Simon as he makes a last-ditch effort to catch as many fish as possible.
Even after his sins are thrown in his face, Simon still doesn’t get it. He fully believes he is the only one who can get himself out of this mess.
We dig our own hole and still seem to believe that if we continue digging we will arrive unscathed on the other side. The truth is that we end up in a corner with no means of escape.
Morning hits, and Simon remains empty-handed.
Though his friends come out of the woodwork in his time of need, it proves to be too little too late. Other faulty humans can sometimes save us from ourselves, but occasionally we are falling too fast to be caught.
As Simon gives up, his attention is brought to the shore. A man stands there waiting for his return. This is Jesus, the man Andrew told him about.
Andrew: This man is the messiah!
Like Simon, when we are at our lowest, we refuse to be saved. We give up on hope, faith, and redemption. After all, nothing has worked yet, why should anything change now?
But there is something in Jesus’ words that stirs in Simon’s heart. He doesn’t want to believe. It hurts too much.
Simon thinks he has been let down too many times, yet he decides to obey what Jesus asks. Simply letting down the net one last time can’t hurt anyway.
This is when everything changes.
When Simon decides to no longer serve his own best interest and pride, he is delivered from his looming fate. We would be wise to follow in his footsteps.
This episode gives me hope for the series when the drama is put aside for an authentic Bible story. While it is a story most people know, watching it played out with authentic emotion certainly pulls on the heartstrings.
Simon’s repentance brings tears to our eyes, showing he is truly sorry for how far he has fallen. Jesus’ invitation to him and the others helps us feel we are finally starting the journey we signed up for.
If Dallas Jenkins, Ryan Swanson, and Tyler Thompson can keep this upward momentum, The Chosen can make an impact on the viewers. Setting aside some of the artistic licenses and fleshing out stories believers know to be true will make a stronger connection to the source material.
Still, Jonathan Roumie’s acting leaves a bit to be desired. Simple smiles and hand gestures do very little to link us to his character. While it is good to see Jesus look to the skies after performing a miracle, it will be better when we get to see more emotional content.
All in all, it is nice to have the show take several of the characters and place them in the background, focusing more on a single narrative. Previous episodes felt scattered trying to set up too much at once. Now that key elements are clicking in place, we can more clearly see the big picture.
What did you think of this episode of The Chosen? Would you have obeyed Jesus’ wishes? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Chosen airs Sunday at 8/7c on The CW.
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Charles E Henning
Charles E. Henning lives in a quaint town of Illinois with his ever-loving wife since 1998. He is new to writing reviews, but has over thirty years of fictitious writing for his own personal fulfillment. His interests range from science fiction to character-based dramas, but he is a sucker for anyone in a cape.