Quintus Returns (Exploring The Chosen Season 2 Episode 7 with Youth)
Updated: Jun 1
Season 1 of The Chosen ended with Praetor Quintus ordering that Jesus of Nazareth be detained for questioning. This plot, left dangling for most of Season 2, finally resurfaces here in Episode 7, as Atticus reports to Quintus on the whereabouts of Jesus and a detachment of soldiers is sent to bring Jesus in for questioning. The potential arrest of Jesus creates a minor crisis among the disciples, as they debate whether to follow Jesus' instruction to wait peacefully or to go try to set him free instead, by petition or by force. Along the way, Andrew and Philip discover that the paralytic who was healed and his Ethiopian friend have been witnessing about Jesus' miracles and are causing a stir and Andrew gets worried that the Romans might respond to Jesus by swatting him down, just as Herod swatted John the Baptist down. Most of this action is extra-biblical (except for a brief scene at the end where the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray) but the theme of what to do while following under pressure is still worth exploring with your youth group, so that'll be the focus of the lesson below.
The Chosen Season 2 Episode 7 Intro Questions: Fear Not
Ask one of your youth to read the following passage:
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. 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 10:24-39 ESV)
After reading through this passage, I would point out:
Jesus gave this speech to his disciples when he was sending them on mission to spread the Gospel to all the towns of Israel. He knew that they would face a lot of opposition and he wanted to prepare them to handle the pressure wisely and in a way that would honor God.
While we won't see that happen quite yet in The Chosen, this scene does highlight some of the challenges of following Jesus in high pressure, dangerous circumstances, which will be the focus of tonight's episode.
Now I would ask your students:
Were you surprised by the part where Jesus says he came not to bring peace but a sword and to turn family members against each other? What do you think he means?
What are some situations where following Jesus might be divisive? Where could following Jesus get you into trouble?
How are we tempted to respond in situations when following Jesus could get us into trouble?
What are some of Jesus' instructions and wisdom for how to navigate these tricky situations? What specifically does he want us to do?
Why is it important for us to follow these instructions? How will obeying Jesus help us when pressure is high?
Review Questions: The Chosen So Far
Episode 7 expects you to remember several characters from Season 1 that we haven't seen yet in The Chosen Season 2, and so doing a quick recap feels particularly important. Some points that I would suggest reviewing:
What are some of the miracles we saw Jesus do during Season 1 of The Chosen? Which one in particular caused a lot of controversy? (healing of the paralytic in Season 1 Episode 6) Who else helped make that healing possible? (the Ethiopian friend)
What did Jesus say to Shmuel and Yussif during that healing that made Shmuel and Yussif so mad?
During Season 2 Episode 4 of The Chosen, Jesus performed another controversial healing of an invalid man by the Pool of Bethesda. Why were Shmuel and his friend Yanni mad about that healing?
Last episode Jesus created even more controversy about the Sabbath. What did he do? And what did he say to the synagogue leaders?
What else happened last episode that was important?
Who was Quintus? Quintus was also mad about the healing of the paralytic during Season 1 of The Chosen. Why was that? And what other reasons did he have to be mad at Jesus?
Who was Gaius? What was his relationship to Matthew in Season 1?
Like I said - a lot of stuff from Season 1 that we're expected to remember, although The Chosen telegraphs everything pretty clearly as well, so if someone hasn't watched Season 1, they'll mostly follow along.
Viewing The Chosen Season 2 Episode 7
Although The Chosen Season 2 Episode 7 did livestream on YouTube and Facebook, new episodes are now only being left up for a limited time before being taken down. To watch this season with your group, you'll need to pick up The Chosen app (Google / Apple).
While watching The Chosen Season 2 Episode 7, I would make occasional comments through the chat but I try to not do too much teaching. I want the youth to enjoy it and not just see The Chosen as an elaborate preaching illustration. For the most part, I just clarify who characters are and occasionally I briefly explained a reference or allusion that is confusing to my youth.
The Chosen Season 2 Episode 7 Discussion Questions: Quintus Returns
To begin your discussion, ask your youth group:
What stuck out to you about this episode? Were there any scenes that you found interesting or moving?
Did you have any questions about what happened?
After the Romans take Jesus away, the disciples very quickly devolve into bickering with one another and making rude comments. What do you think they were feeling that made them act that way?
When you feel under pressure, do you ever find yourself fighting with others and making rude comments more easily?
What do you think a good response in such a high pressure situation would look like? What did Jesus teach the disciples to do at the end of the episode?
Andrew was really struggling this episode. Could anyone connect with some of the ways that he was reacting to the detaining of Jesus?
Later Andrew tries to stop the friend of the paralytic from sharing her testimony about Jesus with others. Why? Who do you think was right, Andrew or the woman?
What did you think about the encounter between Jesus and Quintus? What did you notice about how Jesus responded?
That's it for this episode! Only one more left in Season 2 of The Chosen. Sermon on the Mount is obviously coming, but I imagine we'll also get more in the Shmuel arc (they'll probably leave us on a cliff hanger) and some more infighting among the disciples. Also, my guess is the frame will once again flash-forward to after the ascension, providing a matching bookend to Episode 1. We'll just have to wait and see though!
The Chosen Season 2, Episode 7 & Scripture FAQ
When was Jesus questioned by Quintus in the Bible? Was Jesus detained by Quintus?
In The Chosen, during Season 2, Episode 7, Jesus is questioned by a Roman Praetor named Quintus. In the Bible, there is no record of Jesus being questioned by Roman officials other than Pilate and Herod Agrippa. This event was invented by the show to illustrate how Rome gradually became aware of Jesus' movement and the difficult situations that the disciples were placed in as a result.
Who is Quintus in the Bible? Is Quintus in the Bible?
While it is possible that Quintus corresponds to an unnamed biblical character, at this point it seems most likely that he is an invented character not found in the Bible. The Bible gives us relatively few named "bad guys" and so The Chosen has introduced characters like Quintus to provide a personal face to Jesus' opposition.
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A New Resource for Engaging Scripture Creatively
After watching The Chosen, have you ever felt inspired to create your own work of Bible Art or biblical adaptation? Read Scripture Like an Artist is a Bible journal that will help you engage with Scripture through your imagination and respond to what you are reading through art and/or creative writing. For each passage that you read, you will still take notes on important literary features like plot and theme, but you will also have space to respond by sketching, doodling, or writing something inspired by the passage. There's also a separate area for you to draw and take notes on your favorite biblical characters. By engaging with Scripture creatively, you'll allow your imagination to be unconsciously shaped and formed by the images, metaphors, and patterns of the biblical story. And, who knows? Perhaps your quiet time will generate an idea that you can turn into something beautiful!
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