The Chosen Season 5 The Last Supper Episode 4: Recap, Review, & Analysis
- Kevin Keating
- 5 days ago
- 17 min read
Updated: 22 hours ago
In Episode 4 of The Chosen Season 5 The Last Supper (Part 2), Judas and the other disciples struggle to make sense of Jesus' alarming words and action, while Caiaphas, Shmuel, and the Sanhedrin try to find a way to respond to the ways Jesus has challenged their authority and the sacrificial system. Buckle up, because it's an intense and emotional episode. Below, I’ll provide a detailed summary of what happens in The Chosen Season 5 Episode 4, as well as a review and analysis of the episode’s key themes and messages. Also be sure to check out my reviews of Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, and Episode 5 as well as and my Bible study and discussion guide for Episode 3 and my upcoming discussion of The Chosen Season 5 Episodes 3-5 on YouTube.
What Happened in The Chosen Season 5 Episode 4?
In Episode 4, Judas, John, and the other disciples continue to struggle with the implications of Jesus’ actions and teaching in the Temple, while Mary Magdalene and Yussif look for a way to forestall the Pharisees’ efforts to destroy Jesus. Meanwhile, Atticus takes note of Kafni’s opposition to Jesus and Caiaphas, frustrated with the Pharisees, decides to take matters into his own hands.
The Last Supper Cold Open
So far, the Last Supper opening sequences have been taken almost verbatim from either the Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17) or the account of the Last Supper in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 26:17-34, Mark 14:12-25, Luke 22:7-38). But in the opening for Season 5 Episode 4, we cut between the women in Bethany and Jesus and the disciples as they recite a version of the Dayenu, a traditional Passover call and response song that recounts the story of the Exodus.
If He had brought us out of Egypt and not made judgments against our adversaries (it would have been enough).
If He had made judgments against our adversaries and had not destroyed their idols (it would have been enough).
If He had destroyed their idols and had not given us their wealth (it would have been enough).
If He had given us their wealth and had not split the Sea for us (it would have been enough).
If He had split the Sea for us and had not taken us through it on dry land (it would have been enough).
If He had taken us through it on dry land and not drowned our enemies (it would have been enough).
If He had drowned our enemies and had not supplied our needs in the desert for forty years (it would have been enough).
If He had drowned our enemies and had not supplied our needs in the desert for forty years (it would have been enough).
If He had supplied our needs in the desert and had not given us the Torah (it would have been enough).
If He had given us the Torah and had not brought us into the land of Israel (it would have been enough).
If He had brought us into the land of Israel and had not built us the Temple (it would have been enough).
Traditionally, this is where the Dayenu ends, but Big James, crying, adds a new verse: “If He had only built the holy temple and not sent the Messiah in our lifetime, it would have been enough – we would have waited, but you chose us and it is enough.” Matthew is confused by James’ crying but the others understand.
Continuing the Passover liturgy, Peter brings out the bitter herbs that recall Israel’s slavery in Egypt and the salt water that recall the Israelites’ tears, and the disciples ask God to sanctify them to obey his commandments.
As the meal continues, John leans over to Jesus and quietly asks him if the traitor is going to be Thomas. Jesus whispers back, presumably informing him that it is the one to whom he gives the morsel of bread when he has dipped it. He then dips the bread and hands it to Judas (John 13:23-26), while John and Peter look on with suspicion. Leaning over to Judas, Jesus tells him that he does not have to stay, since “he” has him now. When Judas asks who Jesus is referring to, Jesus simply replies, “Not God” – a hint that Satan has now entered Judas (see John 13:27). Judas insists that they can still stop things from ending badly but Jesus tells him to do what he is going to do quickly. When Judas gets up and leaves, Matthew wonders where he’s going and Andrew assumes that he’s gone to bring alms to the poor and get more food (John 13:27-30).
With Judas gone, Jesus explains that since he will only be with them a little longer, he has a new, transformational command to give: that the disciples love each other as he has loved them (John 13:33-4). That prompts Peter to question where Jesus is going (looping back to the Episode 3 introduction).
Atticus, Pilate, and Kafni in The Chosen Season 5 Episode 4
At the start of Episode 4, Atticus is watching Kafni as he continues to agitate the crowds by pointing out how Jesus has both closed the market and endorsed Rome’s taxation. He promises justice to the vendor that he met in Episode 3.
Yussif and Mary in The Chosen Season 5 Episode 4
Yussif is also in the area and overhears Jesse and Veronica discussing how the religious leaders were trying to trick Jesus into saying the wrong thing. Although they think Jesus avoided the traps, they know what he said displeased the religious leaders and some of the people in the crowd.
Meanwhile, Mary is looking around Jerusalem for Yussif and finds Shmuel. When she asks for help in finding his friend, Shmuel demurs at calling Yussif a friend, given how he failed to stand up to Jesus, and he belittles Mary for being a demon-possessed woman from the Red Quarter. In response, Mary confidently asserts she is actually from Magdala by the sea and is only possessed by her creator. Shmuel insists that Jesus’ recent words were a death sentence – he’ll soon wish he was in a leper colony. Mary points out that if Jesus was in a leper colony, he would heal it, but sympathizes with how Jesus’ words must be terrible for Shmuel, especially since he knows that they are true, unlike the others.
When Yussif comes upon them, Shmuel castigates him for going with a woman from the Red Quarter. Though Yussif rebukes him for indecency, Shmuel responds by chastising Yussif for standing by in Lazarus’ house. Shmuel leaves and Yussif is also called to an urgent emergency meeting, but Mary asks for a moment, since they both fear the implications of what is unfolding. What she asks Yussif will not become clear until Episode 5.
Later, at the meeting of the Sanhedrin, Shimon, from the house of Hillel, urges Zebadiah and the members of the House of Shammai to find common cause against Jesus, since he operates outside of their jurisdiction and teaches things against tradition and their interpretation of Torah. When Shmuel stands to testify, claiming to be the one who has documented Jesus’ actions longest, Yussif objects that he has witnessed Jesus’ actions just as long – although he hasn’t documented his observations, as Shmuel points out. As the two debate whether Lazarus’ resurrection was a real or a hoax, Shmuel gets so angry that he encourages them to execute Lazarus for blaspheming the Lord (Leviticus 24:16). Even Zebadiah finds this proposal too extreme, since Lazarus is a Jew in good standing. When Yussif tries to defend Lazarus and Jesus, Shmuel scolds him for being entranced by the belief that Jesus has divine powers and challenges the Sanhedrin to vote on whether they believe in Scripture or the Nazarene.
When Mary returns to Phoebe’s house, she finds Tamar and Joanna discussing Passover and their need to learn more. Mary regretfully informs them that they too are being sent to Bethany, where they will remain with Mother Mary, Martha, and Mary of Bethany through the Passover Seder.
In Bethany, Jesus gathers all of his female disciples for a special meal. Going around the table, he thanks each of them for how they have served him along the way: for Mary Magdalene holding a Shabbat, even when she felt ill-prepared and unworthy; for Mother Mary being long suffering and forgiving him when he stayed in the Temple when he was twelve; for Mary and Martha enduring the pain of Lazarus’ death and believe he had a purpose; for Eden putting up with the sacrifices of Peter’s ministry, for Tamar as a stranger in a strange land putting up with slander and showing beautiful faith; and for Joanna helping Andrew meet John in prison and supporting his ministry. As a final request, he asks them to keep their distance from him during the next few days and Passover, during which he will impart special words to the Apostles. Though the others question why this is, Mary Magdalene recognizes what’s been going on, since she’s been listening.
In response, the women recite a new version of the Dayenu, based on their experiences with Jesus:
Mother Mary: If I had only been given the joy of holding you in my arms and you had not performed signs and wonders (it would have been enough).
Mary Magdalene: If you had only performed signs and wonders and not called me by name (it would have been enough).
Eden: If you had only healed Mary of demons and not called my husband (it would have been enough).
Tamar: If you had only called Simon Peter and not healed my friend (it would have been enough).
Martha: If you had only healed Ethan and not raised my brother (it would have been enough).
Mary of Bethany: If you have only raised my brother and not defended my honor when I worshipped you (it would have been enough).
Joanna: If you had only defended Mary but not given meaning to my life that had been so unfulfilled by letting me support you and this miraculous family that I believe will change the world (it would have been enough).
After the meal, however, Mary Magdalene leaves the house, followed by Tamar. Tamar is worried that she may disobey Jesus’ warning about keeping their distance, but Mary points out that he said to stay away from him, not Jerusalem, and heads back to the city on a mission.
Judas, John, and Jesus in The Chosen Season 5 Episode 4
After Peter returns from talking to Jesus, Judas wants to know if Jesus explained anything else about his validation of taxes to Rome. When Peter points out that Jesus couldn’t denounce taxes with Roman soldiers waiting at hand, Judas insists that the one who walked on water and raised Lazarus could have snapped his fingers and made swords appear in the hands of everyone in the Temple to protect him. But Peter replies that Jesus was evading capture, like David running from Saul. He rebukes Judas for claiming to believe in Jesus but not trusting that he knows what he’s doing. In response, Judas insists that Jesus chose him for a reason and that maybe his role is to challenge him. But Peter points out that this is Judas’ own idea and warns that if he is too full of his own ideas, he will shut out belief.
Later, Jesus finds John looking at frescos in Phoebe’s house and asks him to recount the Greek stories. John points out how the story depicted seems to be copying the story of Jephthah’s rash vow that led him to sacrifice his daughter (Judges 11) – a sacrifice that Jesus insists his Father never asked for but only happened because the people were doing what seemed right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). John then goes on to recount the story of how Agamenon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to Artemis to ensure good wind for the voyage to Troy, only to be murdered by his wife, who was murdered by their son, who was then haunted by the Furies for the rest of his life and could never forgive himself for what he did. John recognizes how both the religious leaders and the disciples are doing what seems right in their own eyes, not realizing what it will cost, and wonders how they will find peace or forgive themselves. Urging John to stay close to him, Jesus assures him that he has forgiven them and that his Spirit will never leave them or forsake them.
Jesus is still in the garden atrium when Judas comes to talk to him about the closing window of opportunity to unite the Jewish people and overcome the lies of their adversaries. Drawing on his business background, he insists that they are at the knife’s edge, when they can either close the deal or lose it. When Judas insists that it’s time for Jesus to reclaim his birthright as the son of David, Jesus questions whether Judas will still believe if he doesn’t do what he wants. Judas again insists that Jesus must have chosen him to contribute something to his Kingdom – otherwise he would be nothing. Turning the tables, Jesus warns Judas that he is at the knife’s edge, when he will have to decide who has his heart. After Judas insists that he wants to continue to follow Jesus, Jesus offers to pray for him. Not pleased with how the meeting went, Judas curtly thanks Jesus for his time and leaves him to pray (and weep).
To Judas’ frustration, Jesus orders the disciples to accompany him and the women back to Bethany, instead of remaining in Jerusalem. Judas questions why the other disciples are drunkenly standing by while the opportunity to fulfill the prophecies about the Messiah passes them by, but no one engages with him. Hungry and with no food, Jesus approaches a fig tree but is disappointed when he finds nothing. To the surprise of his disciples, he curses the tree and they continue on to Bethany (Mark 11:12-14).
Arriving, he orders his disciples to stay vigilant and asks Z to post guards, sensing the potential danger that his presence may pose to Lazarus and the women. That night, as the women dine with Jesus, John stands near the window, listening with fear to the grave words Jesus offers them.
Caiaphas in The Chosen Season 5 Episode 4
As Gederah reports to Caiaphas how Jesus shut the religious leaders down by responding to their question with a question, the High Priest sneers at the more parochial Pharisees for not knowing how to respond to such an old tactic. Although he dismisses Jesus for his belief in the resurrection, he is concerned about the threat against the Temple. But Gederah doubts that this will be the main concern of the Sanhedrin – they’re more concerned with undermining Jesus’ authority with the people. Caiaphas sees their efforts to trap Jesus as a wash but insists that he can still save the day by having Jesus arrested quietly in the night before Passover. As he puts on his priestly ephod, he orders Gederah to figure out a way to find Jesus.
While the Sanhedrin continues to debate what to do with Jesus, Yanni and Zebadiah leave the meeting to meet Caiaphas, who wants to oversee the meeting himself. They insist that his presence will sway votes, who will want to flatter him. At the same time, they praise Caiaphas’ predecessor and father-in-law, Annas, for standing by his convictions without fear, even when it meant being unfairly stripped of his mantle. In an effort to get under his skin, they wonder aloud why Annas’ equally qualified children were not chosen to replace him and urge him to seek his brother-in-law’s opinion so that they can have a stronger case. Caiaphas is not amused, belittling Yanni for being a man of little power but many connections. Nevertheless, he reluctantly agrees to seek the input of his brother-in-law Ananus.
The Chosen Season 5 Episode 4 Review
Episode 4 has some very unique strengths that are worth noticing:
Design Patterns: Episode 4 contains several interesting design patterns. The episode is bookended on either side by a version of the Dayenu. The episode also draws our attention to the fact that the Last Supper scenes appear to be happening in reverse order. By the looks of things, Season 5 is structured like the Christopher Nolan classic, Memento – the cold open scenes are moving in reverse order, while the main story is moving in chronological order. Presumably, the reverse sequences and the chronological sequences will finally meet in Episode 8. We also get the first half of the fig tree story and the end of the first half of Season 5, while the second half of the same story comes in the second half of the season. It’s also quite fitting that we see Judas’ final disappointment with Jesus at the end of the first half of the season, so that his turn to the religious leaders can take up the second half of the season.
Poetry, Tradition, and Story: I love the use of the Dayenu. The poem is beautiful and it grounds the events of the Last Supper in the Jewish Passover tradition. Moreover, having James add to it is a great way of showing how Jesus fulfills the Old Testament storyline. The placing of the Dayenu before the New Commandment also reinforces how God’s gracious acts precede his Law. I also love how the women appropriate the poem’s structure to narrate how Jesus brought each of them personal deliverance. It’s a wonderful model that I hope will inspire many Christians and communities to come up with their own personal Dayenu prayers. I certainly intend to include this practice in my Bible study and discussion guide for the episode. I also appreciate the references to the tragic stories of Jephthah and of Iphigenia, which establish interesting parallels for the actions of Judas and the religious leaders.
The Chosen Lore: Episode 4 draws a lot more on past events from The Chosen in a way that I think many fans will find nostalgic and satisfying. The women’s Dayenu is the most prominent example, but I also really like how Shmuel references Mary’s past and how he and Yussif debate their own past with Jesus.
Personal Moments: Whereas Episode 3 felt a little abstract/impersonal due to the amount of time spent on public speeches, Episode 4 gives us more character-based exchanges – both in public spaces (e.g. Shmuel’s remarks to Mary and his emotional exchange with Yussif in the Sanhedrin) and in private spaces (e.g. Jesus’ moments with John and Judas, Peter’s moment with Judas). Oh, and Jesus’ final aside to Judas during the Last Supper was also pretty intense.
Performances: The exchanges between Shaan Sharma (Shmuel) and Ivan Jasso (Yussif) were intense and emotional. Luke Dimyan also does a great job at capturing Judas’ struggle. And Richard Fancy continues to deliver a strong and intriguing Caiaphas.
Cursing of the Fig Tree: I like how the cursing of the fig tree is handled. This incident is baffling and a little troubling to some readers and so I like how the show uses the event to continue to amplify the bewilderment and alarm of the disciples at Jesus’ behavior.
Villains: I really like what the show has done with Shmuel and his continued descent. I also love the disdain of Caiaphas for the Pharisees – and the way the Pharisees prod and manipulate his insecurities.
Episode 4 has one main weakness:
Confusing Politics: The nature of the back and forth between Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin is a little difficult to follow. I get that Caiaphas doesn’t want to have to debate about Jesus and just wants to arrest him, but I don’t quite understand why the Pharisees are so intent on boxing him out from participating in their deliberations. Again, I suspect casual viewers will have even more difficulty following and investing in the subtle differences in the political outlooks of the different factions, especially since we haven’t spent much time with them up until this point in The Chosen.
Key Themes of The Chosen Season 5 Episode 4
Again, I’ll be updating this post later with my thoughts on the key themes of the episode. A few I’ll probably highlight:
God’s Gracious Deliverance & Proper Gratitude
The Dayenu prayers in the opening sequence and at the end of the episode highlight the abundant grace that Jesus shows in delivering his people. Not only does Jesus save his people from their oppressors (the Egyptians and the false gods, Mary’s demons, the sickness of Tamar’s friend), he calls them into a new identity and purpose (giving Israel the Torah, calling Mary by name, calling Peter, giving Joanna purpose) and sustains them along the way (providing wealth, supplying the needs of Israel in the desert, raising Lazarus and defending Mary’s honor). Individually, any of these acts of deliverance “would have been enough.” Taken together, they far outweigh anything that anyone could feel owed or entitled to – they reveal grace. The proper response to this grace is not only to speak words of gratitude but also to commit oneself to obeying God’s commandments, including the new commandment, “just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34, ESV).
When Judas goes out to betray Jesus, the disciples mistakenly assume that he is going to give alms, showing his gratitude for God’s gracious deliverance. But Judas is actually betraying his master – the ultimate act of ingratitude. Perhaps the reason why Judas lacks gratitude is because he doesn’t understand grace. From the beginning, Judas has been convinced that Jesus chose him because he has something to offer Jesus, not because Jesus has something to offer him. He insists that if he can’t contribute anything, he would be “nothing.” But the whole point of the story of the Exodus is that God delivered Israel when it was “nothing” in the eyes of the world and made it into his treasured possession. Israel did not make itself into something so that God would deliver it; God delivered his people and then gave a new identity and purpose (the Torah) in order to show their gratitude. Sadly, Judas misses this point and that causes him to pursue his own ideas instead.
Deliverance, grace, and gratitude also come up as Jesus and John discuss the stories of Jephthah and Agamemnon. Jephthah and Agamemnon both seek divine favor through sacrifices – the problem is that the sacrifices that they offer are not the type that God asks for or desires. Jephthah could have trusted God to graciously deliver Israel and then responded with grateful obedience. Instead, he leans on his own ideas, just like Judas. As John reflects on how, just as the disobedience of Jephthah led to his daughter’s death, the disobedience of God’s people will soon lead to Jesus’ death, he questions how they will be able to forgive themselves or find peace. In response, Jesus has to remind him to look to God’s gracious deliverance. John doesn’t need to do something to find peace or forgive himself; he needs to receive the forgiveness, peace, and deliverance that Jesus offers.
Who do you belong to?
During their tense tête-à-tête, Jesus warns Judas that he will soon need to decide who he belongs to. By the time they have this conversation, however, we already know the answer. In the Last Supper cold open, just before Judas goes to betray him, Jesus sadly informs him that “He has you now” – the “he” being “Not God” but rather Satan (John 13:27). Those who choose to embrace deception and murder declare themselves to be children of the devil (John 8:44). By contrast, those who are Jesus’ “little children” show it by embracing Jesus’ way of self-giving and self-sacrificial love (John 13:33, 34).
The idea of belonging also comes up conspicuously in the confrontation between Shmuel, Mary, and Yussif. Shmuel refers to Mary as the woman from the Red Quarter possessed by seven demons. In response, Mary pushes back and corrects the record by asserting that she comes from Magdala by the sea and is possessed by the God of the universe. By calling her by name (Mary), Jesus declared that she belonged to him and his ways, not the ways of Satan and this world. Ironically, Shmuel’s willingness to pursue murder at the Sanhedrin (even in the name of Torah) suggests that the one he belongs to is “not God.”
Will You Still Believe?
After Judas sets out his agenda for what Jesus should do, Jesus responds with a very challenging question: “If I don’t do whatever big thing you imagine I should do, will you still believe?” As Peter explains to Judas, part of faith is trusting that Jesus knows what he’s doing. When, like Judas, we become too full of our ideas about what Jesus should do, it shuts out real belief – the willingness to follow Jesus wherever he goes, even when he leads us in a direction that doesn’t seem good in our eyes. In The Chosen, Judas’ betrayal appears to be an attempt to force Jesus to do the thing that Judas thinks he should do. Shmuel’s final rejection of belief also appears to have been caused by how Jesus didn’t respond in the way Shmuel thought he should.
What did you think about Episode 4 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!
Supporting The Bible Artist
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. You can help my work continue through one-time gift or recurring support*.
*Members who contribute $5/monthly or $50/annually receive access to exclusive content, including monthly blogs and pdf versions of my Bible study/discussion guides, as well as free gifts and other perks.
