The Chosen Season 5 Episode 7: Bible Study & Discussion Questions (Exploring The Chosen with Small Groups & Youth)

Part 3 of The Chosen Season 5 Last Supper features Judas’ betrayal of Jesus (Luke 22:3-6), Peter and John preparing for the Passover (Luke 22:7-13), and the famous scene of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples (John 13:1-21). Below I'll share a Bible Study and discussion questions that you can use to explore The Chosen Season 5 (Part 3) with your community. Want a little additional background? You can check out my discussion of the biblical account of the Last Supper in The Chosen Season 5 & Scripture podcast series. Also be sure to check out my recap, review, and analysis of Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, and Episode 8 as well as our upcoming discussion of The Chosen Season 5 Episodes 6-8 on YouTube.

Peter washes Andrew's feet in The Chosen Season 5 promotional poster

Before Watching The Chosen Season 5 Part 3 Review Questions

As usual, I’d encourage you to do a quick review before launching into your discussion of The Chosen Season 5 Part 3:

• What have we seen Jesus do and teach about the Temple? Why are his actions and teachings so controversial?

• How does Caiaphas want to respond to Jesus? What are some of the issues with his plan?

• After Jesus warns the disciples of his impending death, how do they respond? How does Judas make sense of what’s happening?

• Episode 5 ended with the return of Nicodemus. What can we recall about Nicodemus’ relationship with Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Shmuel?

Also, if members of your group are confused about the two timelines, you may want to discuss it. I have a short explainer here and we also discuss the timeline (with visuals) in our review/analysis of Episodes 3-5.

Before Watching The Chosen Season 5 Part 3: Bible Study & Discussion Questions

For today’s study, we’ll focus on the footwashing:

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.  (John 13:1-18, ESV)

Before launching into discussion, it’s worth pointing out:

• In ancient cultures, footwashing was a task reserved for slaves or inferiors. Keep in mind that most people wore sandals and many streets would be covered with dung and refuse. Because washing feet was so undignified, someone with high status, like a rabbi or an elder, would never wash the feet of those who were beneath them.

To discuss the passage, ask your group:

• Before describing the foot washing, what does John tell us about Jesus’ mindset? What does Jesus know about his status and destiny?

• In our world people who are seeking greater status often try to avoid servile work like washing feet. Why is that? 

• How does Jesus’ knowledge of his divine status and destiny empower him to serve others?

• If we believe in Jesus, what is our status in God's eyes and what is the destiny we are promised? How can that status and destiny empower us to serve others, even those of lower status or position?

• Why does Peter resist having Jesus wash his feet?

• Do you ever resist sharing areas of vulnerability or shame with those who want to help you?

• Jesus explains that Peter and the disciples have already been "bathed" but still need to have their feet washed if they want a share with him. What do you think he means and how does this apply to us?

• Jesus says he is setting an example for how we should treat each other. What are some practical ways we can “wash the feet” of those around us?

• When we find that we don’t want to wash the feet of others, how can Jesus’ words encourage and challenge us?

Judas betrays Jesus in Episode 6 of The Chosen Season 5 Last Supper (Part 3)

After Watching The Chosen Season 5 Part 3: Bible Study & Discussion Questions

After watching an episode of The Chosen, I typically ask people a couple basic questions:

• What stuck out to you about the episode? What did you connect with the most?

• Did you have any questions? Was anything unclear?

I plan on crafting a more specific set of discussion questions after I’ve had a chance to watch all of The Chosen Season 5. But if you’re discussing Part 3 after watching it in theaters, I think these more open-ended questions should suffice for now.

John 13:1-20 (from The Word of Glory)

As a little bit of bonus content, here's my own rendition of John 13, a section of The Word of Glory, my adaptation of the Gospel of John into narrative poetry:

The Passover approaching, he

Knows now has come the Hour, when

Departing from this World, he 

Will with his Father be again;

Because of this, although he has

Already offered love to those

Who were his own within World,

He love unto the end now shows.

It's dinner, and the devil has

Made Judas’ heart deem that it’s wise

To hand over to Death the one

Who even now does recognize

The Father’s given in his hand

All things, that he from God has come,

To God he is about to go;

Because of this, arises from

The dinner, Jesus, laying down

His outer trappings; he then sets

A servant's rag around himself,

Pours water out, with which he wets

The feet of those who followed him,

Beginning then to wash them pure,

He wipes the filth off with a rag,

Which he’s around himself secured;

He comes to Simon; Peter says,

“How can you wash my feet, my Lord?”

Say Jesus, “You can’t recognize

What I now do, yet afterward

You will.” “I won’t be washed by you, 

Not to eternity!" Replies

Jesus, “If you I do not wash,

You will not share in what is mine.”

“Ai!” Peter says, “Not only feet,

Please, also wash my hands and head!”

Says Jesus, “He who has been bathed

Needs only washing on his tread;

For wholly clean is he and are

You also, yet not all of you.”

“Not all,” indeed, already he

The one who’ll hand him over to

His enemies, he’s recognized;

Judas he’s washed, though knowing him,

Along with all the others’ feet;

His trappings he takes, wrapping them

Again around himself, and sits

Beside his friends, “See what I’ve done

For you?” says Jesus, “Have you called

Me Teacher? Am I not the one

You recognize as Master? And,

Indeed, quite well you’ve spoken, for

I am, and yet I’ve washed your feet;

Your Master drops upon the floor;

You Teacher takes your filth away;

Each others feet then you should wash!

For I for you am shining, so

You may reflect what you have watched;

What to you I have given, you

Must also give each other, yes;

I tell the truth, who’s greater? He

Who serves or by whom he’s possessed?

The Master or the one he’s sent? 

If this you recognize and know,

Blessed are you, if what you do,

The Light you’ve seen, reflecting, shows;

The ones I’ve chose, I recognize – 

I speak of only some of you;

Scripture’s fulfilled, for, one, he will

Chew on my Bread yet lift his shoe

Against his Master; I of this,

Before it comes to pass, declare, 

The end from the beginning, so

You, witnessing what I have shared,

Will look with faith and finally see

That I am he, and there is none

Beside me; solemnly I swear,

I tell the truth, that everyone

Receiving those whom I have sent,

Washing their feet from on the floor,

They receive me, and they to he

Who sent me open up the door.”