The Chosen

I need more seawater for the cement, Leontes!

It will take three days.

You can't stop construction for three days!

Is it because I'm Jewish?

- No, Nathanael, it's not because you're Jewish.

- I've been telling you, and anyone I can get to listen,

I even told the primi.

I need that saltwater

or the cement won't set to full strength!

Seawater's heavy.

It's hard to move, understand?

- Plans are hard to draw, bedrock hard to reach...

It's all hard,

but your incompetence is making it harder!

Careful.

- Hey, I'm just telling it like it is.

- Three days, Nathanael.

You're in no position to make demands.

You're lucky enough to have this job.

- That's why I have to demand what I need, Leontes.

Do you know how hard I've worked to earn a Roman commission?

As a Jew?

- You're a child that skipped the line.

The men don't respect you for that.

Skipped the line?

Just because I was smart enough to go to school

instead of carrying mud.

- Twenty men show up every day.

Who cares what they think?

I care.

They need to share a vision.

- They need to each do their jobs.

The day laborer, the craftsman,

the foreman, and the architect.

Yes!

In concert with me.

- Who do you think you are?

I am the foreman here.

You think that if everyone would just do it your way,

that it will all turn out?

I do.

- Well, people have their own ideas.

Fabius?!

Marcus?!

We need help!

You're ruined, do you hear me?!

It's over!

What do you mean, two days' worth?

- He said to leave enough firewood

for the next weary traveler.

You heard that, John.

Mm-hmm.

What if it isn't enough?

We used up all the dry stuff.

- That's why it's good to have some strong bodies around.

Like the Sons of Thunder here.

- What? You told him?

SIMON Don't worry,

he made himself look just as bad as you did.

Hey.

Who is that?

Maybe it's a scout from...

where are we, Seleucia?

- Maybe he's just walking.

- No one just walks in the Bashan.

No one but us.

Shh-shh-shh-shh.

Don't come any closer.

Shalom.

He's Jewish.

You think?

What do you want?

- For the Romans to go away.

For a pretty wife someday.

I ate a fattened goose once...

I'd love that again.

Are you followers of the Rabbi Jesus of Nazareth?

- Don't say anything, he could be a spy.

Spying for whom?

For what?

There are spies.

But they're not smart enough to dress like this.

Are you Simon?

Son of Jonah?

Who are you?

You're new at this.

I get it.

Once you've followed your Rabbi for long enough,

you won't even blink when a strange man, such as myself,

walks out of the woods

with a message he can only give to Jesus directly.

- Yeah, we are pretty new.

- Doesn't make us dumb.

- We can't let you see the Rabbi without knowing your business.

I can't say.

If you want to send me away... fine.

Say hello to my friend Andrew for me, though.

What do you think?

I don't know.

Bring him in, I guess.

Let Jesus figure it out.

Something's not sitting right with Simon.

Andrew has friends?

ANDREW Philip!!

Hey!

There he is!

- Whoa! You smell terrible!

- Well, what did you expect, huh?

Come on!

What are you doing here?

Ah, well,

wait till you find out.

He's from Bethsaida?

You never mentioned a Philip when we were there.

You'll find this shocking, but I have a whole life

that doesn't revolve around you.

What's your problem?

I'm just asking about this kook--

- He's not a... kook!

You know, you could be a little less... you

all the time.

Fair enough.

You take it to him.

Make nice.

- We've been back five minutes.

Philip?

Philip?!

Ah.

You never know when you'll get to sleep next.

Or when you'll have clean water.

Take advantage when you've got either one.

Thank you.

- Sounds like you're in a war out there with creepy--

with John the Baptizer.

Ah, no.

War has rules.

What did you find?

Nothing suitable.

Of course he didn't find any.

Where did you look?

- To the east, one mile.

That's the ravine.

Anything you find there would be--

Wet.

Yes, I discovered that.

But there was wood?

It was wet.

That's Matthew.

He checks the ravines for wood.

Probably fishes in the desert, too.

Mm.

Good work, Matthew.

Thank you.

Who are you?

Well...

I'm the guy that dries wood.

Now, if only you had an arsenal of weapons,

we could do it in the manner of Ezekiel.

- How did Ezekiel dry his wood?

No, it's--

- The prophecy against Gog and Magog.

- “And then those who dwell in the cities of Israel

"will go out and make fires of the weapons and burn them--"

ANDREW and PHILIP: "Shields and bucklers--"

"--bow and arrows, clubs and spears--"

"And they will make fires of them for seven years,

"so that they will not need to take wood out of the fields

"or cut down any out of the forests--

- "--for they will make their fires of the weapons."

Shall we?

Hey!

Keep the fire going.

Your strongest...

and... cheapest.

- Is something wrong, friend?

Yes.

Did someone die?

Yes.

- I'm sorry for your loss.

Was it sudden?

I think...

it was a long time coming for him,

but it felt sudden.

- Hmm... tell me about him.

- He was an architect.

It was what he wanted to be his whole life.

Sad.