Thomas and Ramah in The Chosen & Scripture (Adapting Biblical Characters)
Updated: 3 days ago
The romance between the Apostle Thomas and his girlfriend/potential fiancé Ramah has been a topic of significant interest for fans of The Chosen. Where does the Ramah character come from? Is she in the Bible? And would Jesus allow - much less encourage - a romantic relationship between his disciples?
Looking for my thoughts on the controversy surrounding THAT SCENE in Episode 3 of The Chosen Season 4? Check out my analysis of the controversy. And for new thoughts based on Season 4, scroll down to the bottom of the page.
The Chosen Season 3 raises all kinds of interesting questions about Thomas and Ramah's relationship in Episodes 1 and 2 - before promptly putting Ramah on a bus for the remaining episodes and then giving us only the briefest glimpse of her in the Season 3 Finale. I normally don't speculate about the external factors influencing the direction that the show takes, but in this case it seems warranted. I suspect that some kind of health problem or scheduling conflict involving either Yasmine Al-Bustami (Ramah) or Joey Vahedi (Thomas) caused plans for the Thomas and Ramah relationship to be put on hold. Of course, it's possible that because there was already so much going on in Season 3, the writers decided that they just needed to put the Thomas and Ramah storyline on the back burner. Who can say?
But, setting aside speculation, let's take a step back and reflect on what Scripture tells us about Thomas (and Ramah?) and how The Chosen is adapting that biblical material.
Doubting Thomas in Scripture & The Chosen
In the West, Thomas is known best for his doubt. When the other Apostles tell Thomas about their encounter with the resurrected Jesus, he replies:
"Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (John 20:25b, ESV)
A week later, Jesus graciously addresses Thomas' doubt by meeting his demands:
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:26-29, ESV)
This is one of only a handful of stories that specifically mention Thomas and it's the only story that hinges on his actions. No surprise then that this story has come to define Thomas in imagination of Western Christians (Christians in India remember Thomas more for his role in bringing the Gospel to the East).
The story of Thomas' doubt plays an important role in the context of the Gospel of John. John recognizes that firsthand experience (seeing) can play an important role in coming to faith in Jesus (John 1:46, John 2:11, John 2:23). But seeing miracles doesn't always produce faith that abides (John 2:23-25, John 6, John 8:30-33). Ideally, sight is a reward and not a cause of faith (John 9:39, John 14:9). In light of the revelation he's already received, Thomas' need to see in order to believe is immature - and yet understandable. He thus functions as a foil for the wise reader, who will not have a chance to see the body of the resurrected Jesus but who will nevertheless believe on account of the witness of others (John 20:30-31).
Historically, the story of Thomas' doubt in the Gospel of John has been wielded as a club to discourage Christians or seekers from asking hard questions, expressing doubts, or seeking evidence for the claims of Christianity. Granted, when Jesus says, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed," there is a gentle admonishment implied. But Jesus isn't saying that Christians/seekers can never have doubt or ask questions or seek evidence. After all, the whole goal of the Gospel of John is to provide readers with testimonies and other reasons to believe in Jesus. It's good for us to ask questions and to seek understanding. But there are some claims that Jesus and the Apostles make that we won't be able to verify independently. Instead of always demanding the opportunity to see things for ourselves, we are often called to trust the testimony of trustworthy witnesses. The problem with doubting Thomas is that he has already witnessed a number of miracles, he's already heard Jesus predict the resurrection, and he's received news that Jesus has risen from reliable sources, but he still won't believe until he can see it for himself.
So far The Chosen has done a good job of using the character of Thomas to develop a nuanced understanding of faith. On the one hand, The Chosen uses the story of Thomas to combat fideism, the view that faith is completely independent of - and even opposed to - reason or evidence. When Thomas is first introduced in Season 1 Episode 5 (The Wedding Gift), he struggles to understand how Jesus will be able to help with the dwindling wine at the wedding of Cana. Instead of berating Thomas for his questions and doubts, Jesus says:
It's going to be like that sometimes Thomas. I do not rebuke you. It is good to ask questions, to seek understanding. I know of a man like you in Capernaum [Matthew], always counting, always measuring. Join me and I will show you a new way to count and measure, a new way to see time. Keep watching.
By putting these words on the lips of Jesus, The Chosen affirms the value of asking questions and seeking understanding. Jesus says this to Thomas in particular because the show is seeking to counter-act how the doubting Thomas story has been misused as a prooftext for fideism. In the world of The Chosen, reason is not the enemy of faith and Thomas isn't at fault for being an inquisitive person.
On the other hand, The Chosen also makes it clear that Thomas does need to be challenged. Being rationale - "always counting, always measuring" - is okay, but our understanding of what is rationale needs to be reshaped by Jesus. We need Jesus to show us "a new way to count and measure" - a rationality that accounts for the miraculous. Thomas wants to understand everything first before he trusts Jesus, but his understanding on its own is insufficient. By trusting Jesus first, his mind can be opened and achieve greater understanding that he seeks. As Saint Anselm famously puts it, "I do not seek to understand in order that I may believe, but I believe in order to understand." This is why Thomas needs the more impetuous Ramah to encourage him to trust first and understand later.
By setting this dynamic up at the beginning of Thomas' character arc, The Chosen is framing the doubt he has later on in a new light. When the story of doubting Thomas finally comes up in The Chosen, it won't be the story of a character who is asking questions and struggling with doubt for the first time. Instead, it will be the story of a character who has been asking questions and seeking understanding through faith over the course of several seasons but who then suddenly gives in to doubt as soon as his understanding is challenged. That's not how people tend to think of the doubting Thomas story - but it's probably closer to the reality.
Ramah in the Bible?
The New Testament does not mention a female disciple of Jesus named Ramah. In that sense, the character of Ramah in The Chosen is invented.
The Hebrew word "Ramah" means "high" or "exalted." The word comes up several times in the Old Testament, primarily in reference to the city of Ramah, which was known for being the hometown and base of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 7:17). The only time "Ramah" shows up in the New Testament is in a quotation of a prophecy of Jeremiah:
Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:16-18, ESV)
So far, I can't discern any sort of significance to the name "Ramah" based on its meaning or its biblical connections, although possible that such a sense will arise over time. It's also completely possible that the name was chosen simply because it was popular or because it sounded good - the way names are usually chosen for fictional characters.
Even though there isn't a specific figure named Ramah in the New Testament, the character does fulfill a concrete role suggested by the Gospel of Luke:
Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. (Luke 8:1-3, ESV)
Luke makes it clear that there were several female disciples who traveled with and financially supported Jesus. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Susanna are mentioned by name, but we are told that there were "many others" whose names have not been included. The characters of Ramah and Tamar have been created to represent this group of women, who are often ignored by Bible films, which focus primarily on named figures.
Of course, most people aren't questioning the presence of female disciples among the followers of Jesus. What has caused some controversy is the romantic relationship between Ramah and the Apostle Thomas. Most biblical adaptations and artistic depictions of the Apostles portray them as solitary individuals, given over wholly to the mission of Christ - the precursors of Roman Catholic monks and priests. The average Christian, both Catholic and Protestant, absorbs this assumption from the artistic tradition of Western culture without ever really questioning it.
The Bible itself tells a different story. In his letter to the Corinthian church, the Apostle Paul complains:
Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? (1 Corinthians 9:5-6, ESV)
Paul's words suggest that most of the other Apostles had wives who traveled with them. The celibate lifestyle of Paul and Barnabas was an aberration, not the norm. Although Cephas (Simon Peter) is the only Apostle who is specifically described as having a wife, it's quite reasonable to conclude that the Apostle Thomas would have had a wife as well.
Thus, The Chosen uses Ramah to fill two roles in the biblical narrative: she represents both the unnamed female disciples of Jesus and the unnamed wives of the Apostles. Combining these two roles makes a lot of sense from the perspective of writing. It's economic and makes the character more complex. It also makes sense emotionally. Anyone who has ever been on a mission trip with a bunch of young single people knows how easy it is for romantic relationships to bud between members of the team. The shared adventure, challenge, passion, joy, and sorrow experienced while on mission make it easy for romantic attachments to form. Even if that isn't how the Apostles actually met their wives (something the Bible doesn't describe), it certainly rings true for modern viewers like me.
Update: Thomas in The Chosen Season 4 *Spoilers*
When I wrote my initial post about Thomas and Ramah (in between Season 3 and Season 4 of The Chosen), I assumed that the characterization of Thomas in The Chosen was primarily going to be determined by his infamous doubt. While Thomas' doubt is still the through-line for his character, Season 4 introduces a major wrinkle, which appears to be inspired by interesting but less-known biblical story. I'm, of course, talking about the death of Ramah in Episode 3 of Season 4 and the immense grief that Thomas deals with as a result.
As I noted above, Ramah is not in the Bible, and so obviously her death is not found in the Bible either. But that doesn't mean that the story of Ramah's death is completely a-biblical. Indeed, I am convinced that the decision to kill off Ramah was a result of the creators of the show thoughtfully engaging with what the Bible tells us about Thomas and adapting it in a creative new way. [Note: I've written another post exploring the controversy over how Jesus (in the show) allows Ramah to die, so this post won't rehash the theological and social questions that the scene raised (e.g. "Would Jesus refuse to save a disciple from death during his earthly ministry?" or "Was Ramah fridged?")]
In order to understand the decision to kill off Ramah, we have to look at an interesting but less-known biblical incident involving Thomas:
After saying these things, [Jesus] said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him." (John 11:11-16, ESV)
Thomas' line, "Let us also go, that we may die with him," is enigmatic. Although biblical scholars have ideas about what Thomas may have meant and why John chose to include this rare bit of dialogue, the text itself gives us very little context or explanation.
When biblical scholars approach mysterious moments like these, they focus on finding explanations that make sense of the textual, historical, and cultural data that they have, but when Bible artists approach these moments, they focus on crafting explanations that makes sense in light of the story that they are telling and the characters that they are creating. In The Chosen, Thomas is a highly logical character who is in love with Ramah and wants to protect her. What would make that kind of character openly yearn for death? It's hard to imagine that an emotionally-reserved man like Thomas would consign himself to death merely on account of a friend's death. It's even harder to imagine that he would want to consign all of the other disciples - including his betrothed - to death. The only reason a character like Thomas would speak this way is if his betrothed had died, he was grieving, and he was no longer concerned about his own safety or the safety of the group. This is precisely what happens in Episode 6 of Season 4.
The death of Ramah will also help make sense of Thomas' later struggle with doubt. Given all the dramatic miracles that Thomas and the disciples have seen over the course of Jesus' ministry, it's kind of hard to understand why Thomas struggles to believe that Jesus could rise from the dead. Even a highly rational person who witnessed the miracles of Jesus would come to the conclusion that Jesus had power over death itself. But I'm beginning to suspect that Thomas' struggle in The Chosen will not be so much about God's power as it is about God's goodness and God's timing. Thomas has now seen God raise a man from death, but he's also seen God refuse to raise his beloved from death. When he sees Jesus die on the cross, the question he'll struggle with isn't, "Can God raise him?" but rather "Will God raise him?" Instead of being skeptical of God's power, he'll be pessimistic about God's plan.
There's one other important biblical moment that I believe may be informing the story of Ramah's death and Thomas' grief, although it isn't directly tied to either of them:
After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. (John 13:21-30, ESV)
When Jesus reveals that he's about to be betrayed by one of the disciples, the disciples debate who he's talking about. Even when Jesus gives a hint to John, John doesn't get up an accuse Judas. It clearly must not be obvious to the other disciples that Judas is going to betray Jesus. And so the disciples must have suspicions about someone else. But who would they ever accuse of such a thing? Only someone that was obviously suffering from a deep emotional wound - the kind of wound you get when God doesn't answer your desperate prayer for someone you love. My guess is that the other disciples will consider Thomas, not Judas, to be the prime suspect.
Update: Ramah in The Chosen Season 4 and Beyond *Spoilers*
I don't have too much more to say about Ramah's character in Season 4. Because her character was invented, her death wasn't too surprising for me. In a way, she has always existed to be a concrete example of general types of people mentioned in Scripture, and her death is yet another instance of this pattern. Just as Ramah embodied/represented the unnamed female companions that are described in the Gospels, as well as the wives of the disciples that are mentioned by Paul, she also embodies/represents the unnamed victims of persecution that are alluded to by Jesus.
We aren't told that disciples died during the ministry of Jesus, but if we take Jesus' words at face value and believe that they were aimed at his original audience, then we should assume that some did. Consider these words, which were meant to encourage his followers during his earthly ministry:
"So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 10:26-39, ESV)
We usually consider how such words apply to ourselves or to the early church. But Jesus is preparing his followers to die while his earthly ministry is still ongoing. In her death, Ramah shows us a concrete example of what this might have looked like.
There's one other biblical passage that I suspect will be relevant to Ramah's story in future seasons. Yep, you read that right. I don't think Season 4 is the end for Ramah's character. I'm expecting her to show up for this scene:
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. (Matthew 27:50-53, ESV)
This story gets very little coverage and I don't think I've ever seen it included in a biblical adaptation because it seems so weird. But, taken at face value, it seems to suggest that some believers who died before the crucifixion were resurrected at the moment when Jesus died. If The Chosen chooses to include this moment, it would make perfect sense for Ramah to be one of these saints who has fallen asleep and is raised. We don't have any other named characters (other than maybe John the Baptist) who could even play that role. And such a moment would also allow us to see in a concrete way what Jesus meant when he told Thomas that it wasn't Ramah's time to be healed.
A New Resource for Studying The Chosen
If you're like me, watching The Chosen is about more than entertainment. Bible movies & shows like The Chosen provide us with fresh eyes to see the significance of the Bible and the beauty of the Gospel. That's why I'm excited to share with you a new resource that I've created to help you study biblical adaptations & reflect on how they apply to everyday life. Come and See is a devotional journal designed specifically for studying Bible movies and shows like The Chosen. It includes sections for you to take notes on each episode's plot, your favorite quotes, personal connections, questions, and, of course, Scripture references. Whether you're studying on your own or with your small group or ministry, Come and See is a perfect resource to help you dig deeper into The Chosen.
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