Who is Tamar in The Chosen?
The Chosen presents the lives of Jesus and His disciples in a story-like fashion. The show provides an additional dimension to inspiring biblical figures you already know, and occasionally adds fictional characters to represent the diverse yet unmentioned group that were involved in the events of Jesus’ ministry.
Tamar in The Chosen is one such biblical character that’s been given added dimension in the show. Though little is known about her New Testament counterpart, her character in The Chosen is an inspiring pillar in the journey of Jesus and His apostles.
Who is Tamar in The Chosen Series?
In Season 1 of The Chosen, we first meet Tamar, a faithful woman from Ethiopia as she looks on in awe as Jesus heals a leper. This miraculous event has a significant and obvious effect on her; we can almost see something inside her shift.
Tamar watches as Jesus restores perfect health to a man afflicted with leprosy, and for her, nothing will ever be the same. The very next chance she gets to see Him, she decides to brave the crowds in Capernaum and exercise faith in Jesus’ power. She and several friends carry their paralyzed friend through the streets, through the concourses of people, and onto the roof of Zebedee’s house. Via a hole in the roof, the group lowers their friend down to Jesus, who forgives him of his sins and heals him of his paralysis.
Tamar decides to follow Jesus and travel with Him and His disciples. She grows especially close to Mary Magdalene and Ramah as they go along their journey.
Tamar in The Chosen: Biblical Connections
Is Tamar in the Bible? She is, though we know significantly less about her than is represented in the show. In the New Testament retelling of Jesus healing the paralytic man, the sick man’s friends are the ones to bring him to Jesus, then desperately and ingeniously lower him through the thatched roof of the home where Jesus was preaching.
While this story is all we officially know about Tamar’s biblical counterpart, her character in The Chosen expands on the faith she showed in bringing her friend to the feet of Jesus. We see the depth of her character as she learns from Jesus and grows in faith, and she adds a relatable dimension to an already beloved Bible story.
The Significance of Tamar in the Bible
The New Testament is filled with faith-filled individuals that paved the way for Jesus to convert, heal, and perform miracles of every kind. Tamar’s biblical counterparts—the friends that lowered their paralyzed friend through the roof to Jesus—have a very brief mention in the Gospels. We really only know about their faith, bravery, and loving kindness it took to perform their selfless act of service, but even though this text is simple, we can learn from these faithful friends’ examples and resolve to be more bold in our own lives.
Tamar plays a significant role in achieving a key mission of The Chosen: to bring to the world a more accessible, relatable perspective on the lives of Jesus and His disciples. “Your faith is beautiful,” Jesus tells Tamar, glancing up at her through that thatched roof.
Tamar’s character in the show is significant, in part, because she represents unrecorded women that followed Jesus during His ministry. We know that a number of unmentioned individuals traveled with Jesus and supported His mission, and that this group included faithful women. Tamar, Eden, Mary, Ramah, and the other women featured in The Chosen are revolutionary characters in a time when women weren’t usually given such a prominent role in religious ministry. These special women are loved and respected by Jesus, they’re empowered to study the Gospel, and they play meaningful roles in the service and conversion of others.
The Actress Behind the Character Tamar
Who plays Tamar in The Chosen? Tamar’s stalwart and inspiring character is brought to life by gifted actress Amber Shana Williams, who’s graced both the screen and the stage with her talent and passion for acting.
Williams’ journey to the screen began when she was a young girl, acting in small stage productions, then in national competitions. Williams believes that there’s no greater form of self-expression than acting, and she honed her craft until she found herself in television and film roles. Besides her role in The Chosen, Williams is also known for her performances in Nacho, Lullaby, and Now and Then.
In addition to giving powerful performances in film and television alike, Amber is also bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish; she performs in theater productions; she loves weapons combat, and trains in both swordplay and firearms; and she splits her time working on American and European projects.
Unveiling the Storyline: Tamar's Character in The Chosen
We’ve seen growth, strength, and courage in Tamar in our time with her thus far, from her witnessing Jesus’ healing of the man with leprosy, to her and her friends’ act of faith in taking their paralytic friend to be healed by Him, to joining the disciples and assisting in Jesus’ rapidly growing movement. Along the way, she develops a special kinship with Mary Magdalene and Ramah, other devoted women in Jesus’ faithful band.
In Season 3 and beyond, the disciples’ dedication to Jesus and the movement will be tested by new experiences and obstacles. Tamar, Mary, Ramah, and the rest of the group will no doubt continue to inspire us as they swim against the current and help to bring about miracles. We’re excited to watch Tamar as her resolve and her faith in Jesus deepen.
The Chosen isn’t like anything you’ve ever seen, because Jesus is unlike anyone you’ve ever met. Enjoy one-of-a-kind entertainment that fills your life with light and catch up on all three seasons of The Chosen here.
Can’t get enough of The Chosen? Help others see this incredible TV show by contributing to Pay it Forward and show off your fandom to everyone you meet!
