The Chosen Season 6 Episode 2: Recap, Review, & Analysis
Episode 2 of The Chosen Season 6 (“2:30 AM – 4:00 AM”) continues the events of Good Friday, moving us into the house of the High Priest, where Jesus is questioned by Annas, Caiaphas' father-in-law and the former high priest (John 18:13, John 18:19-24). As Caiaphas maneuvers to win the influence of Annas to his side, Malchus wrestles with what he experienced in the garden, John finds his way into the courtyard, and the women set out to find Jesus with a little unseen help. Below I'll offer an in-depth recap of the plot (SPOILER WARNING) and then review The Chosen Season 6 Episode 2 and analyze its key themes.
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What Happened in The Chosen Season 6 Episode 2? (Plot Summary)
Caiaphas, Annas, & Ananus in The Chosen Season 6 Episode 2
The episode opens in the middle of the night at the home of Caiaphas. His young granddaughter, frightened by the men gathering outside, comes to her grandparents' bed. Caiaphas tucks her in and prays with her, "Grant, O God, that we lie down in peace and rise up to life renewed…" (the Hashkiveinu, a traditional evening prayer).
Malchus arrives with news that the guards have delivered Jesus to the courtyard. Over a cup of hot water (no honey; it's not a sweet occasion), Caiaphas muses that the Promised Land has little milk or honey these days and they could lose everything to Rome. When his granddaughter complains that she still can't sleep because the prayer didn't work, Caiaphas gently tells her that prayers are sometimes not answered right away and sends her to sleep with her grandmother.
Noticing blood on Malchus' neck, Caiaphas asks whether Jesus resisted. Malchus insists he didn't, and Caiaphas can tell he's holding something back. Finally, Malchus admits the truth: he was wounded, and Jesus healed him. He saw something miraculous, and he felt it. But he quickly apologizes, asks Caiaphas to forget it, and insists he didn't mean to question anything. Caiaphas reassures him that El Elyon is guiding them. Prophecy and political expediency are aligned, and it's all in God's hands.
Meanwhile, Caiaphas' father-in-law, Annas, the former high priest, and his brother-in-law, Ananus, are summoned. As they approach, they discuss how this is Caiaphas' biggest move yet and that he's eager to show off his prize.
A Roman officer, Maximus, arrives, informing Malchus that Pilate neither condones nor opposes the arrest. Malchus assures him it's an internal matter. The Roman decides to stick around to maintain the peace and posts guards at the courtyard entrances. Caiaphas, for his part, dismisses Pilate as out of his depth: he was here before Pilate, and he'll be here long after Pilate is removed.
Taking Annas and Ananus inside, Caiaphas pointedly reminds them that Jesus is his prisoner and he alone is the sitting High Priest. Annas notes that his son-in-law carries a heavy burden, subtly gloating over how Caiaphas is seeking his input. Caiaphas reluctantly acknowledges his father-in-law’s outsized influence with the common people, the undecided masses who could be tipped in either direction.
Initially, Annas wants nothing to do with it, but Caiaphas insists that he can't stay aloof anymore, since the people will want to know where he stands. Ananus admits his brother-in-law has a point. When Caiaphas invokes the prophecy that one man must die to save the nation (John 11:49-52), Annas scoffs at the idea that Caiaphas prophesied and questions whether Jesus is a prophet. Caiaphas admits that he isn't sure but insists that politically, it's clear what must be done. Annas finally relents and sends for Jesus.
Annas questions Jesus, urging him to keep his answers concise. When asked about his teaching, Jesus replies that he has spoken openly in synagogues and in the Temple, and has said nothing in secret, urging him to ask those who heard him (John 18:20-21). Annas continues, questioning Jesus about his followers and whether he would comply with a ban on public teaching. When Jesus is evasive, Ananus strikes him in the face for answering the High Priest with disrespect (John 18:22). Jesus stares him down, and Ananus backs off at his father's nod.
Annas works through a list of accusations. Jesus admits to eating with tax collectors and “impure” women, but denies his actions broke the Sabbath and offers no apologies. Asked whether he counts a zealot among his followers, he says some are very zealous, but none of his followers belong to the Fourth Philosophy. They belong to him. When asked about sharing a drinking vessel with a Gentile woman of African descent, Jesus says he hasn't thought about it. It seems important to them, but not really to him.
Afterward, Annas admits to Caiaphas that he can't make sense of Jesus. He doesn't defend himself and seems almost to want to be arrested. Still, Jesus is not the kind of figure they want influencing the populace. Sensing his discomfort, Caiaphas points out that the prophecy says one man must die but doesn't indicate who kills him. Instead of having Jesus’ blood on their hands, they can hand him over to Rome. Annas agrees.
Peter, John, & Judas in The Chosen Season 6 Episode 2
Determined to stir up as much outrage as possible, Peter bangs on doors, informing people of how Jesus has been illegally arrested. John points out that Jesus told them to watch and wait. Peter counters that they failed to watch in the garden, so now he has to make up for it. Though John points out that Jesus can handle himself, Peter insists his hands will fall off if he doesn't do something. When John spots Malchus, he tells Peter to wait while he talks to him.
Malchus warns John against sticking around, but eventually explains that Jesus is being questioned by Annas, who is still beloved by the people. When John asks why Malchus can't do something after Jesus healed him, Malchus pushes back, questioning why Jesus doesn't save himself. John insists that Jesus is here for their salvation and has never lifted a finger to defend himself. Malchus offers John the best he can: he may be able to let John see Jesus before he's taken away.
Still at the gate, John sees Judas in the courtyard. Judas assures John that he loves Jesus and the disciples and that this is for Jesus' own good and for Israel. But John denies that what Judas is doing is real love. Judas counters that Jesus taught them to love God with their minds, and that his mind is sure that this is the only path forward. John fires back that it must be nice to be so certain, whereas Jesus spoke of faith, believing beyond understanding. Judas lays out his logic: either Jesus is the Messiah and will destroy his enemies, or he isn't and should be arrested. He hopes that Jesus will unleash another shockwave like he did in the garden. At an impasse, John urges Judas to get away before Peter sees him.
As they continue to wait, Peter insists to John that he needs to see how things end. He came up short in the garden by falling asleep, and he doesn't want to come up short a second time. Through the gate, they glimpse Annas and Ananus coming out from questioning Jesus.
Judas asks Malchus what happened, but Malchus questions why he's still there: Judas gave them the location and identified Jesus, so they don't need him anymore. But Judas insists he's not done. This is just the beginning, a chance at something bigger.
Finally, Malchus comes to bring John into the courtyard. He says that Jesus will be questioned and tried. John insists on witnessing what happens inside but urges Peter to stay safe outside for Eden’s sake.
The Women in The Chosen Season 6 Episode 2
On the road to Jerusalem, the women debate where to look first, with Joanna suggesting the governor's mansion. Jesus' mother struggles to keep up and to think. When a rider approaches, the women hide off the road. An angel steps into the path, and the horse stops, forcing its rider to dismount. As a result, Mary Magdalene recognizes the rider as Matthias and emerges out of hiding to seek news from him.
Matthias explains that Yussif and Nicodemus know of the arrest and are preparing arguments that Jesus’ arrest is illegal. Nicodemus has convinced Caiaphas to hold the trial in the morning, so Jesus is safe for tonight. But Mother Mary can sense in her spirit that her son is not safe. They can't wait – they need to find Jesus now. Matthias continues on to Lazarus' house to warn the men, and Mary Magdalene tells him to signal he knows her by saying, “Soon is now.”
The Disciples in The Chosen Season 6 Episode 2
At Lazarus' house, Simon Z is itching to leave when Matthias arrives. He assures the nervous disciples that he isn't an enemy. Matthias tells them that Nicodemus has convinced the High Priest to delay the trial. When he asks about Judas, Matthias learns that he is the one who led the authorities to Jesus.
Matthias explains that the safest place for them is right under the authorities' noses. They agree to go to the home of Chuza, Herod's steward. No one in Herod's court will know until word gets out. If they don't hide, they could be found and compelled to testify as witnesses. Little James wonders what harm there is in testifying to the truth, but Philip questions who will share the message if they all end up in prison.
Since they can't travel as a group, they decide to head into the city in pairs, staggered by the hour. James insists on separating those who favor drastic force, and Matthew agrees. Andrew goes with Matthew, Big James with Nathanael, Simon Z with Little James, and Thaddeus with Philip. That leaves Thomas, who volunteers to go alone, since he could use the quiet time to think.
The Chosen Season 6 Episode 2 Review
The Chosen Season 6 Episode 2 (“2:30 AM – 4:00 AM”) is less momentous than Episode 1, but it provides some much needed space for the characters to grapple with what’s happened so far. A few things I appreciated:
Humanizing Caiaphas: Jesus films are sometimes accused of being anti-Semitic, largely because of the two-dimensional way that they portray the High Priest and later on the crowds. There is no room for leveling such a critique against The Chosen – not because the show is trying to be PC but rather because it is committed to complex characterization. We get a peek into the High Priest’s home life, where he shows his granddaughter laudable compassion, but that doesn't prevent the show from portraying the same man as shrewd and callous in his conversations with Annas about Jesus. It's important for us to remember that a man who seems respectable in one sphere of life may be ruthless in another.
Malchus Torn: A lesser show would have had Malchus immediately become a sympathizer for Jesus. Instead, The Chosen gives him space to grapple with the tension between what he's always held to be sacred and what he has now experienced for himself, while bouncing between interactions with all of our principal characters.
Competing Ambitions: Lesser depictions of the Jewish leaders tend to make them an overly monolithic group. I continue to appreciate how the show depicts the petty infighting caused by the ambition and arrogance of Caiaphas and his in-laws.
Jesus Questioned: Jonathan Roumie does a great job of staring down Caiaphas and Ananus, projecting control and authority in contrast to their insecure ambition.
Showing Providence: Providence is an important Christian belief that's easy to talk about but hard to show in a concrete way. The return of the unseen angelic guardians to help Matthias make a serendipitous connection with the women is an effective way to hint at the divine order behind all the chaos and confusion. Of course, this sort of thing could be overused, but in this case it works – instead of undercutting the tension, it added some needed intrigue to what could have been a bland exchange of information.
Again, there were only a few minor complaints that I have about Episode 2:
As I've already noted, the look of the angels just doesn't do it for me.
Annas and Ananus: This is not so much a complaint as a lament for what could have been. If The Chosen had started off with a larger budget, from the beginning we probably would have gotten more time with Annas, Ananus, Ozem, and some of the other leaders in Jerusalem. That would have made their exchange with Jesus in this episode pop a lot more – and it would have also made it easier to distinguish them from other Jewish leaders. As it is, we have to be spoonfed some exposition about their significance and we're not quite as invested in the exchange as we could be.
Two by Two: I think a little too much time is spent with the disciples figuring out their travel plans and reiterating who might be tempted to rash action. Also: why would Thomas go alone instead of sending three together? It just feels like an artificial constraint to put him in the place that the show wants him to be.
The Chosen Season 6 Episode 2 Themes & Analysis
Self-Certainty vs. Faith Beyond Understanding
John's exchange with Judas highlights the core theme of the episode. Judas is too sure of his own understanding and analysis of the situation, even now. When John speaks of faith beyond understanding, he isn't saying Judas needs to shut off his mind. But he is challenging his former friend to be open to possibilities that he hasn't yet imagined or contemplated. Instead of taking matters into his own hands based on his limited understanding, Judas should have focused simply on obeying Jesus, trusting God to bring about a good outcome in a surprising way (like when his angels providentially connect the women and Matthias).
The same self-certainty that misled Judas is also present in Caiaphas and Annas as they question Jesus. Caiaphas is so assured of his interpretation of the prophecy that he doesn't even care whether the man he is opposing is a prophet. If killing a potential prophet isn't enough to get you to question your understanding, you're clearly too certain. Unfortunately, Caiaphas’ need for certainty is amplified by his rivalry with Annas. His pride cannot abide the thought that he might be wrong and so reaches out to the former High Priest not for feedback or insight but rather for help in executing the plan he's already formed.
Malchus is in the process of losing the certainty that he seems to have once held, as the seed of faith begins to take root. At this point that takes the form of asking uncomfortable questions – the kind that he immediately has to apologize for asking. The miraculous power of Jesus he encountered has started to undermine his old way of understanding the world. He's not yet reached the point of faith beyond his own understanding, but if he continues to press into the mystery of what he's experienced and doesn't retreat back into safe explanations and excuses, there's a good chance he will get there.
Of course, there is a good kind of certainty, born out of faith. When God places a deep conviction on our hearts, like he does with Mother Mary, we don't always have to wait until we understand how that conviction fits with the apparent facts of our situation. Even though Matthias assures her that Jesus will be safe until morning, she senses that his understanding of the situation is limited and so she moves forward based on faith that God is guiding her.
Waiting, Acting, and Fellowship
When something bad is happening, we naturally want to take action. Waiting is hard – like Peter, we may feel like our hands will fall off due to the tension. And yet waiting is often precisely what we need to do in order to live faithfully. Split second action is often driven by the false self-certainty mentioned above. Waiting provides space for God to show up in ways we don't expect (e.g. in the angel scene). It also can give us the time we need to recognize possibilities beyond our understanding.
One of the effects of partnering with others, specifically those who have different personalities and tendencies, is that it forces us to wait. Instead of acting immediately, we have to slow down, talk things over, and convince our partners of the best course – or be convinced by them. That's why the disciples' decision to temper their own tendencies is so wise.
By contrast, Caiaphas treats collaboration with others not as an opportunity to wait and seek wisdom but rather as an obstacle he needs to overcome. It never even occurs to him that he might benefit from slowing things down. He’s too focused on moving forward with his course of action.
What did you think of the episode? Let me know if there's anything I missed and if you agree – or disagree – with my The Chosen Season 6 Episode 2 review and analysis.
More The Chosen Season 6 Resources
Bonus Content for Supporters
Have my resources helped you explore and enjoy The Chosen? My resources are used by thousands of Christians like you, as well as church communities and ministries across the globe.
Support my work for $5/monthly or $50/annually you can get access to exclusive content, including pdf versions of my Bible study/discussion guides, The Bible Artist App, ReMake: Bible Edition, bi-monthly blogs, and more.
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