We are a small Episcopal Church on the banks of the Rappahannock in Port Royal, Virginia. We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the first people of Port Royal, the Nandtaughtacund, and we respect and honor with gratitude the land itself, the legacy of the ancestors, and the life of the Rappahannock Tribe. Our mission statement is to do God’s Will in all that we do.

“The Chosen” takes on John the Baptist

We switch this week in the Gospel from the early ministry of Jesus to the death of John the Baptist in Mark Gospel.

“The Chosen” weaves John’s birth to Elizabeth and Zecchariah into the death scene years later into a 12-minute sequence

The sequence includes flashbacks to John’s birth. Here is a recap of The Chosen, Season Four, Episode 4

The importance of this story cannot be over emphasized.

In Mark’s gospel, the fate of John the Baptist and Jesus are closely linked. When John is arrested, Jesus then began his ministry (1:14). Now in the ministry section, the fate of John serves as a warning about the hardships that disciples will also face after Jesus’ death. John’s death also foreshadows the difficulties that Jesus must face in carrying out his mission. He will soon have to reveal to the disciples that his death must be an essential part of his messianic role (8:31, 9:31, 10:45).

Birth


Death