The Chosen Season 5 Last Supper Episode 6: Recap, Review, & Analysis
- Kevin Keating
- 5 days ago
- 16 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Episode 6 of The Chosen Season 5: Last Supper (Part 3) finally brings us to the Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:14-23) and Judas’ deal to betray Jesus (Luke 22:3-5), in addition to a variety of other events setting the stage for Jesus’ arrest and trial. As always, be warned: SPOILERS AHEAD. Below, I’ll provide a detailed summary of what happens in The Chosen Season 5 Episode 6, as well as a review and analysis of the episode’s key themes and messages. Also be sure to check out my recap, review, and analysis of Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, and Episode 7 as well as our upcoming discussion of The Chosen Season 5 Episodes 6-8 on YouTube.
What Happened in Episode 6 of The Chosen Season 5: Last Supper (Part 3)
The Last Supper Cold Open
Ignoring the confusion of his disciples, Jesus prepares to break bread, noting how earnestly he has desired to eat their last meal together before all is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God (Luke 22:14-15). Blessing God as he breaks the bread, he explains that the bread was once a reminder of how God redeemed Israel from slavery in Egypt and brought them to the Promised Land but will now reflect their redemption from sin. Inviting them to take and eat, he identifies the bread as his body broken for the disciples and urges them to do this in remembrance of him (Luke 22:19). After they’ve finished breaking bread and eating, Jesus blesses the cup, acknowledging how the wine once remembered the blood of the Passover lamb but will now signify the blood of the new covenant shed for the forgiveness of sins. This too they are to do in remembrance of Jesus (Luke 22:20).
As they each take sips of the cup, Jesus gives the “I am the true vine” speech/poem, inviting the disciples to abide in him so that their joy may be full (John 15:1-11). As Jesus finishes this speech, he looks at the end of the table and smiles, at a vision of John the Baptizer, whose joy is clearly now complete (John 3:29). Again ignoring the confusion of the disciples, Jesus announces that, though he washed all of them one is not clean (John 13:10). He goes on to explain that one who has eaten his bread has lifted his heel against him (John 13:18, Psalm 41:9). Peter and Simon Z urge Jesus to reveal who it is so that they can restrain him and make him wish he had never been born (c.f. Matthew 26:24). Overcome with emotion, Jesus has to step away for a moment, and the disciples all look at one another in shock and anxiety.
Nicodemus and Mary Magdalene in Episode 6 of The Chosen Season 5 Last Supper (Part 3)
Nicodemus’ story begins with a flashback to sometime after Shmuel’s ascent to the Sanhedrin and the death of John the Baptizer but before the events of Season 5. Nicodemus is nodding asleep as Zebadiah presides over a rather boring Sanhedrin meeting. After the meeting is adjourned, he is greeted by Shmuel who welcomes him back from a recent trip to Bethel. It’s an awkward moment, the two still feeling estranged by the events of Season 1 and unsure of how to reconnect. Wishing Shmuel well, Nicodemus continues on to a meeting with Zebadiah, who is tasked with catching him up on only the highlights of what the Sanhedrin has been doing. Nicodemus is shocked and grieved to learn of the death of John, although he acknowledges John was “certainly a character” when he visited him in prison. After asking about John’s cousin, Jesus, he’s surprised to learn that even Caiaphas has given a speech denouncing him and pronounced an edict against all those who support him. Upon hearing this, Nicodemus abruptly ends his meeting with Zebadiah and rushes home, where he finds Matthias (the Mysterious Watcher) and sends him out on an assignment.
Back in the present, Mary Magdalene asks Nicodemus why he’s been looking for her. Nicodemus reveals that he had to bring her here secretly because spies and informants are out. Through Matthias, he has been tracking Jesus’ behavior and is troubled by how Jesus seems to be systematically turning potential allies into enemies, calling the leaders hypocrites. Nicodemus goes on to explain how, as Teacher of Israel, he frequently sees false messiahs arise and get shut down before they ever amount to anything, but when he sees someone amassing a real following among the people, he considers it his sacred duty to prove him wrong. And yet what Matthias has actually reported is the opposite – the eyes of the blind are opened, the ears of the deaf are unstopped, lame men leap like a deer, and the mute see (Isaiah 35:5-6), the people who walked in darkness see a great light (Isaiah 9:2), and out of Bethlehem has come forth a ruler whose coming forth is from ancient days (Micah 5:2).
Mary questions why Nicodemus hasn’t told the other teachers and has instead remained absent from the Sanhedrin. In response, Nicodemus admits that many in the Sanhedrin are too concerned with money, politics, and fear. Defending against the charges of false prophecy is something he cannot do. Instead, he wants Mary to warn Jesus that he’s in danger. Since Jesus already knows this, Mary pleads with Nicodemus to do his part and speak up.
Before she goes, Mary thanks Nicodemus for how he came to her in the Red Quarter and tried to help, even though it was uncomfortable. Though Nicodemus dismisses his own efforts, he is glad to see the change that has come of Mary through Jesus. He insists that he will search Scripture to see what will come of the Messiah. After Mary goes, Nicodemus’ wife, Zohara enters and expresses concern for how he hasn’t been taking good care of himself. She has sensed what is going on and wants to talk, but Nicodemus insists that it is not the time.
As Mary returns back from Nicodemus’ house, she sees a soldier (like the one who raped her) and is hit by a wave of emotion. She reflects on Matthias’ words about the people walking in darkness seeing a great light and finds encouragement.
While Nicodemus continues to study Messianic prophecies in Scripture alongside Jesus’ teachings, seeking greater clarity about what lies ahead, Yussif (in disguise) arrives with bad news. His sources have revealed that Caiaphas plans on having Jesus arrested. At first, Nicodemus dismisses the report, since Caiaphas lacks the authority and couldn’t hope to find Jesus, but Yussif reveals that there is a collaborator among the disciples and Annas is pressuring Caiaphas to conduct a trial through a legal loophole. Yussif insists that the Sanhedrin is not entirely corrupt but insists that they need to take the lead in speaking out. Nicodemus fears that it is too late to change things. He can’t solve the crisis with strong words – and disclosing his allegiance to Jesus will only get him shut out of further discussions. Yussif submits to following Nicodemus’ lead and hiding his allegiance to Jesus but urges him to speak up. In the meantime, Nicodemus invites Yussif to help him search the Scriptures for clues to what lies ahead.
Caiaphas and Judas in Episode 6 of The Chosen Season 5 Last Supper (Part 3)
Episode 6 picks up where Episode 5 left off, with Judas standing before Caiaphas, accompanied by Shmuel and Malchus. When Judas begins their meeting by clarifying that he is not like them, Caiaphas agrees, pointing to his own position as the sole anointed Priest who can enter the Holy of Holies. Judas clarifies that he means that, unlike them, he believes Jesus is probably the Messiah, in light of all that he has seen. After Caiaphas questions why he’s betraying him, Judas admits that he hasn’t seen enough, but still hopes that Jesus will easily defeat his captors, lead a rebellion against Rome, and usher in the Messianic age.
Annoyed, Caiaphas dismisses Shmuel and Malchus and scolds Judas for speaking to him so boldly. When Judas offers to leave, Caiaphas orders him to stay. Feeling empowered, Judas insists they just need to agree on a price. The two haggle over the price, with Judas threatening to walk and Caiaphas threatening to have him tortured, but they eventually agree on the price of thirty pieces of silver, four months of work or the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32). Judas insists that Caiaphas must arrest Jesus in private, in order to avoid causing a riot and bringing down Roman wrath. Though Judas hopes Jesus will deliver, if he doesn’t, the thirty pieces of silver won’t do him much good if Rome destroys the city. Caiaphas, in turn, demands that Judas find a time to betray Jesus in the next twenty four hours.
The next day, as Malchus orders the households servants about, making sure that there isn’t any leaven to be found in the house during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (see Exodus 12), Pilate bursts in and confronts Caiaphas about his plans to arrest Jesus. Pilate insists that he has held up his side of their arrangement, arranging for the execution of Zealots, who are hated by both Rome and the normal Jews, who see that as troublemakers. Caiaphas insists that he needs to lower the temperature of the Messianic fever in the city and that a Roman like PIlate can’t comprehend what the Jewish people need right now. Annoyed at how Caiaphas seems to feel entitled to the special religious exemption received by the Jews, even though they were vanquished by Rome, Pilate warns that if Caiaphas’ plans cause tensions to rise, their alliance will be over.
Atticus, Kafni, and Simon Z in Episode 6 of The Chosen Season 5 Last Supper (Part 3)
Having captured Kafni in Episode 5, Atticus now has him in detention. Kafni insists that they have no right to hold him, only for Atticus to remind him that only Roman citizens have rights. Atticus details his knowledge of Kafni’s small, disorganized group of malcontents, who lack the Zealot’s clarity of purpose. Even so, he reveals that he knows they are here because of Jesus and demands to know why. When Kafni claims Jesus seduced and killed his daughter, Atticus chides him, insisting Jesus would never do either. Eventually, Kafni tells his whole tale – and is rebuked by Atticus for making Ramah’s death about himself and blaming an easy target like Jesus instead of dealing with his own guilt and grief like a man. Still, Atticus offers to release him without charges as long as Kafni continues to go around turning public opinion against Jesus.
The next day, Atticus releases Kafni, acting as if the entire thing was a mistake. Simon Z is watching and follows Atticus through the streets, as he leaves his cohort of soldiers and enters a Roman prison.
Meanwhile, Kafni returns to his band of rabble rousers, praising God with the words of Psalm 84, insisting that the Lord has blessed their work by giving him favor with Rome. The other men congratulate him, citing the story of David’s feigned madness (1 Samuel 21:10-15), Jeremiah’s prayer (Jeremiah 32:18-19), and Job’s acknowledgement that no plan of the Lord can be thwarted (Job 42:2). But his wife, Naomi, is not impressed and publicly scolds him for justifying Roman collaboration with Scripture. Taking her aside, Kafni insists Ramah was bewitched by a spell, but Naomi points out that Ramah’s love for her rabbi and for Thomas was not a spell. Though he insists that he cannot lose her to Jesus as well, Naomi tells him that she can’t stand by and watch what hate has made him.
Inside the Roman prison, Atticus and Simon Z meet again. When Atticus warns of the trouble Jesus is facing, Z insists that no jail could hold the Messiah. As they are talking, soldiers arrive accompanying Barrabbas, a former friend of Z, and one of the Zealots scheduled for execution on Friday. Z is saddened – Barabbas was the Zealot present during Season 3 Episode 6 and should have seen enough to believe, if his eyes and heart were open. Atticus laughs at this thought and warns Z that he and the other disciples need to be wary of being jailed. Leaving him two swords and a Zealot knife, he explains that luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity and wishes him good fortune. Simon Z takes the two swords but leaves the Zealot knife.
The Chosen Season 5 Episode 6 Review
Episode 6 sets Part 3 of The Chosen Season 5 off to a pretty good start, with several strong elements:
The Lord’s Supper: I was, for the most part, pleased with the depiction of the Lord’s Supper. I’m glad we got most of the True Vine speech and it makes sense that it is included during the giving of the cup. The appearance of John the Baptizer at the table is also a really emotional moment – and a clever nod to how John is the Elijah to come, taking Elijah’s place at the table.
Mary Magdalene and Nicodemus: While I have some issues with the Nicodemus plot (see below), I generally like his interactions with Mary and I’m glad the show reunited the two. Mary’s last thank you to him and his response was quite touching.
Mary’s Trauma Revisited: I like that we got a brief callback to Mary’s trauma-response to Roman soldiers and that we saw how she has grown, overcoming the trauma by finding encouragement in Isaiah 9:2. I think this bit could have used a little more room though.
Judas and Caiaphas: The back and forth barbs and negotiations between Caiaphas and Judas are intense and engaging. My only quibble is that I think Judas should have first tried (and failed) to convince Caiaphas to consider aligning with Jesus.
Atticus, Kafni, and Simon Z: I have issues with Atticus’ plot (again, see below), but his actual dialogue with Kafni. He is the perfect character to dress down Kafni for projecting his shame on Jesus instead of dealing with it himself. I also continue to like the dynamic between him and SImon Z and having him be the one to offer the swords seems very suggestive thematically.
Barabbas’ Identity: I really like the idea of Barabbas being the Zealot who saw Jesus’ signs and yet didn’t respond. It’s a great way of showing how not everyone who saw Jesus’ signs went on to have real faith and it provides some interesting context for his story in Season 6.
The Watcher’s identity: Although I was expecting the Watcher to be Mark, Matthias makes a better choice. One of the key requirements of an Apostle is to have been a witness to Jesus’ words and miraculous deeds throughout his ministry (Acts 1:21-22). Earlier seasons of the show didn’t really set up any non-Apostle male disciples who could meet that requirement, but the backstory provided to Matthias makes him eligible for replacing Judas (Acts 1:23-26).
Performances: Richard Fancy continues to have real bad dude energy as Caiaphas and Luke Dimyan is strong as Judas. Great to have Eric Avari back as Nicodemus, engaging as always, and it was nice for Liz Tabish to get a little more to do as Mary Magdalene. And Elijah Alexander as Atticus and Alaa Safi as Simon Z have strong chemistry.
Episode 6 did have some issues, however:
True Vine Quibble: Although I like the inclusion of the True Vine speech, separating it from the command to love as Jesus loved us (John 15:12-17) is a mistake. The love command is clearly meant to clarify what it means to bear fruit. It’s particularly disappointing because the cup represents Jesus’ love poured out for us, a great image of how we in turn are called to pour out wine-filled fruit for one another.
Nicodemus Flashback: I’m not sure if we really needed the flashback to Nicodemus’ return to the Sanhedrin. At the very least, it could have been trimmed down. Nicodemus’ reaction to John’s death was interesting, as was his awkward reunion with Shmuel. But we didn’t really need to see him send Matthias off – we get this same information immediately afterward in his meeting with Mary.
Nicodemus’ Timing and Methods: If Nicodemus was worried about Jesus bringing down wrath, why didn’t he have Matthias warn them sooner? And does he really think Mary is a spy who’s going to report him? And if she was, why would it matter if she knew where he lived – surely this is information known in the Sanhedrin? The lack of satisfying answers to questions like these makes the “kidnapping” of Mary at the end of Episode 5 feel like an artificial cliffhanger, not an organic outworking of the story itself.
Atticus’ Methods: The show has really been building up Atticus as this brilliant 4D chess player, so I was a bit disappointed when his plan with Kafni was just to urge him to keep doing what he’s doing. Did Atticus really have to arrest him first in order to make that point? Again, it feels like the arrest was an artificial plot point cooked up to create tension at the end of last episode, not a logical outworking of the story. In general, Atticus is beginning to feel like a bit of a plot crutch. Because no one really knows his plans or strategy, he can show up and do whatever the writer’s need him to get done. I think that’s the danger of having a character whose plans are a secret.
Too Much Worrying, Too Little Movement: In our podcast discussion of Episodes 3-5, one of my co-hosts said he would cry if there was one more discussion amongst the leaders about what to do with Jesus. I’m afraid he will indeed be crying after Part 3. The conversation between Caiaphas and Pilate didn’t really accomplish anything – Pilate already knew what Caiaphas planned and the relationship between the two was already tense. In general, it felt like this episode had too many conversations that basically amounted to people just worrying about what will happen next (Nicodemus and Mary, Nicodemus and Yussif, Caiaphas and Pilate, Atticus and Simon Z).
Pilate confronts Caiaphas in Episode 6 of The Chosen Season 5 Last Supper
Key Themes of The Chosen Season 5 Episode 6
Again, I’ll be updating this post later with my thoughts on the key themes of the episode. A couple I’ll probably highlight:
Remembering
The theme of remembering is established in the opening of Episode 6, when Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper. He explains that the bread was once a reminder of how God redeemed Israel from slavery and provided for them in the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land. But now, when the disciples break the bread, they are to do so in remembrance of Jesus’ body broken for them. Likewise, Jesus explains that the cup was once a reminder of the blood of the Passover Lamb but shall now be taken in remembrance of his own blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. Recalling how Jesus died in the past is an important part of how we abide with him in the present and receive the strength we need to bear fruit through our own deeds of love and sacrifice.
Jesus himself gets a chance to commune with the past when a vision of John the Baptist appears at the table. John’s death was tragic, but the memory of it provides a kind of comfort and encouragement to Jesus as he prepares to face death. In a similar way, the remembrance of Jesus’ death can comfort and encourage us when we are facing death – literally or symbolically.
Jesus isn’t the only one who is reminded of John in Episode 6. The news of John’s death forces Nicodemus to recall his encounters with the Baptizer and with Jesus himself. These memories help shock Nicodemus out of complacency and back into action. At the same time, his memories of the many failed Messiahs and prophets that have brought Roman wrath cause Nicodemus to be cautious, fearing what may come of yet another failed revolution.
Before Mary and Nicodemus part, she goes out of her way to remember their first encounter, thanking him for his part. This memory seems to move Nicodemus to redouble his efforts to search the Scriptures for clues about what lies ahead.
On her way home, Mary encounters a reminder of her own traumatic past – a Roman soldier, like the one who raped her. For a moment, grief and terror seem to reassert themselves. But Mary is able to overcome these dark memories by recalling Isaiah 9:2 and finding comfort, healing, and hope.
Kafni is also struggling with a dark memory – the death of his beloved daughter, Ramah. However, as Atticus points out, Kafni is intentionally mis-remembering what happened in order to avoid dealing with his own guilt and grief. He talks about Jesus “killing” and “seducing” his daughter, even though this is obviously not what happened. By failing to remember the past rightly, Kafni is driving himself toward an even darker future, instead of finding the comfort and healing that he actually needs. It also seems significant that when Kafni is greeted by his men, they all misremember Scripture – misapplying biblical stories or truths to justify their own misguided actions, as Naomi points out.
Dark memories also come for Simon Z, when he follows Atticus into a Roman prison and sees his former compatriot, Barabbas. After they talk, Atticus leaves Simon a Zealot sicarii dagger – a reminder of his past as a man of violence. Though he takes the two swords from Atticus, Simon conspicuously chooses to leave the dagger behind. Z’s own dagger was tossed into the Jordan river when he decided to follow Jesus. By leaving the dagger behind, Z is correctly recalling what he committed to when he began to follow Jesus.
To summarize: by remembering God’s acts of deliverance and the suffering of others, we can find strength and hope we need to face our own suffering and tribulations. Recalling the Scriptures is also an important way to find comfort, healing, and wisdom in times of trial. But memory can also be an obstacle. Dark memories or false memories can overwhelm or tempt us, unless they are countered with memories of the truth.
Seeing & Believing
In Christian theology, the Lord’s Supper is traditionally considered a sacrament, that is, a visible sign of an invisible reality. Without sacraments like communion, the Gospel would be an invisible reality – something we could hear about but never actually see. By giving us communion, Jesus is ensuring that his church will have the ability to “see” a sign of his sacrificial death throughout all generations. The fruit produced by his disciples – acts of sacrificial love for others – will be another visible sign of Christ’s ongoing presence and power in the lives of his disciples (John 15:9).
Nicodemus sends Matthias out to go see Jesus’ actions, intent on disbelieving. Instead, Matthias is brought to faith through what he sees and reports to Nicodemus: the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, the lame leaping, and the dead being raised. But simply seeing miracles is not always enough to believe. Matthias and Nicodemus make sense of the miracles that they have seen in light of Messianic prophecies, but the Sanhedrin is so consumed with money, politics, and fear that it cannot see aright.
Judas has also seen plenty of miracles – enough to convince them Jesus is “probably” the Messiah. But he admits to Caiaphas that he hasn’t seen enough – that is, he hasn’t seen Jesus do the thing that he thinks Jesus should do. His betrayal is an attempt to force Jesus’ hand – to make him reveal the divine glory that Judas hopes he has. But Judas lacks the faith needed to still believe in Jesus if he ends up acting in an unexpected way.
Barabbas also appears to have received only limited faith based on the miracles he saw Jesus perform in Season 3 Episode 6. Z insists that what Barabbas saw should have been enough, if his eyes and heart were open. But it seems clear, as Atticus points out, that his eyes and heart were not open. As a result, Baraabbas faith was short-lived and he returned to his old ways – just as Judas seems prepared to do.
What did you think about Episode 6 of The Chosen Season 5? I’d love to hear your reactions, questions, and theories in the comments below. Also be sure to check back soon for more content!
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