What to Expect in The Chosen Season 5: Key Events of Holy Week
Updated: Dec 11
Anticipation for the March 27 Season 5 of The Chosen is already building, even though the new season is still months away. Perhaps that’s because we already know far more about the story of Season 5 than we have about any previous season. Below, I’ll be offering some predictions about what we can expect in Season 5, based on what we’ve seen so far and what we learn in Scripture. [Looking for analysis of the recent Last Supper teaser? Check out another recent post!]
Even if you studiously avoid spoilers and inside scoops about The Chosen (which I generally do), by now you’ve probably heard the blueprint for the remaining seasons of The Chosen. Season 5 of The Chosen will depict the events of Holy Week, leading up to but not including the crucifixion of Jesus. Season 6 of The Chosen will focus almost exclusively on the crucifixion itself. Season 7, the final season of The Chosen, will give us the resurrection of Jesus and some of the aftermath. But the story will continue in The Way of The Chosen, a sequel series following the events recorded in the Book of Acts and the letters of Paul.
Because the Gospels aren’t concerned with constructing a precise chronology of the events of Jesus’ ministry that took place prior to Holy Week, the creators of The Chosen had a lot of latitude to pick and choose and rearrange biblical events while writing seasons 1-4 of The Chosen. But the events of Holy Week are much more clearly defined (even if the exact sequence of those events isn’t always clear), which means we have a much better sense of what to expect in Season 5.
When will The Chosen Season 5 be released?
Dallas recently announced that Part 1 (Episodes 1 & 2) of The Chosen Season 5 will premiere on March 27, 2025. Part 2 (Episodes 3-5) and Part 3 (Episodes 6-8) will be released in the following weeks. Holy Week 2025 begins April 13 and Easter is April 20, which makes it a perfect time for the new season, which is focused solely on Holy Week.
Update: The Chosen Season 5 Ending
In a USA Today article released with the teaser, Dallas makes it clear that Season 5 will end before the arrest of Jesus. This post was written before the article was released and so my speculation about the timing of events and the ending obviously needs to be updated.
Key Holy Week Events in The Chosen Season 5
Below is a list of the events of Holy Week that I expect to see in The Chosen Season 5. In addition to listing events, I draw attention to different details (and some apparent discrepancies) found across the four Gospels. I also make some predictions related to show-specific elements like character-development. For analysis of the key themes of Season 5, check out another recent post.
The Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday
All four Gospel accounts describe Jesus entering Jerusalem, riding a donkey, greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of supporters, praising Jesus with the words of Psalm 118 [Matthew 21:1-17, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-46, John 12:12-50]. In addition to these core facts, some of the accounts contain additional information:
In Matthew and Luke, the Pharisees rebuke Jesus for allowing his followers to address him as “the Son of David” – an openly messianic phrase. Jesus is undeterred.
Matthew, Luke, and Mark all record Jesus entering the Temple, but in Matthew and Luke Jesus also performs the cleansing of the Temple. In Mark, we’re told that this event happened the following day. John places the cleansing of the Temple outside of Holy Week, near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.
In Luke, as Jesus approaches Jerusalem, he weeps over the city, anticipating its destruction at the hands of Rome and bemoaning its resistance to his leadership.
In John, we’re told that the crowd comes to greet Jesus largely because they’ve heard news of the resurrection of Lazarus.
John also specifically mentions an encounter between Jesus and Greek pilgrims, facilitated by Andrew and Phillip. This prompts Jesus to anticipate his crucifixion and commit himself to glorifying God’s name. God responds by audibly affirming Jesus – although some people in the crowd hear only thunder or think it’s the voice of an angel.
Preparations for the Triumphal Entry begin in Episode 8 of Season 4 and so the actual event will almost certainly take place in Episode 1 of Season 5. I expect that we’ll see all of the core elements, and most of the additional details included across the four Gospels.
The only real question is whether The Chosen will follow the chronology of Matthew and Luke and place the cleansing of the Temple at the end of the triumphal entry or whether the show will follow Mark and place it the next day. I expect the show to follow Mark’s version of events, both for historical and dramatic reasons:
Historically, it’s more likely that Luke and Matthew have elided Jesus’ two visits to the Temple for the sake of simplicity than it is that Mark invented an extra visit that doesn’t really serve much of a narrative purpose.
Dramatically, separating the triumphal entry from the cleansing of the temple would allow each event to be the center of its own episode. Of course, both episodes would likely contribute to a 2-3 episode premiere-arc, like we’ve seen in Season 3 and Season 4.
The only other element of the Triumphal Entry that’s worth commenting on is the story of the Greeks approaching Phillip and Andrew and asking to meet with Jesus. This event will almost certainly involve Leander, the Greek convert that we met in Season 3. This is why Season 3 established a relationship between Phillip and Andrew. The meeting between Jesus and Gentile Greeks is a theologically significant event, because it foreshadows the eschatalogical in-gathering of the nations to Jerusalem (e.g. Isaiah 60). It’s also an event that could make Jesus appear to be a more significant threat to Rome – and to the Jewish leaders that fear Rome’s wrath.
Want to dig deeper into what the Bible says about the Triumphal Entry and what it might look like for The Chosen to adapt it? Check out our "The Chosen Season 5 & Scripture" podcast discussion.
The Cleansing of the Temple
As I noted above, the cleansing of the Temple is sometimes included in the events of the Triumphal Entry and sometimes depicted as a separate event. Although they seem to disagree about when the cleansing took place, all of the Gospels agree on the basic elements: Jesus drove out those who were selling sacrificial animals in the Temple complex because he considered it an affront to the purpose of God’s house and consequently drew the ire of the religious establishment (Matthew 21:12-16, Mark 11:15-18, Luke 19:45-46, John 2:14-22). Once again though, there are unique elements included in the various accounts:
Luke is the shortest account and the only one that doesn’t specifically mention overturning tables and driving out the money-changers.
In Matthew, after Jesus drives out the sellers and money-changers, he welcomes in the blind and the lame and heals them. This seems to suggest that this is part of the Temple’s true purpose – to be a place for the vulnerable to pray for and receive healing.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke all have Jesus declare that God’s house is meant to be “a house of prayer” (alluding to Isaiah 56:7) but is instead a “den of thieves” (alluding to Jeremiah 7:11). When Isaiah 56 describes the Temple as a house of prayer, it is picturing Gentile pilgrims coming to pray there – which is more explicit in Mark, where Jesus says the Temple shall be a “house of prayer for all nations.”
In John, when the leaders rebuke Jesus, he challenges them to “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Jesus doesn’t say this phrase in the other gospels, but it is ascribed to him by his opponents when they accuse him of threatening the Temple (Matthew 26:60, Mark 14:58).
John is also the only account that specifically mentions Jesus using a whip.
Some interpreters have theorized that the event described in John 2 is actually distinct from the cleansing of the Temple described in the synoptics. That is to say, Jesus cleansed the Temple twice, once early in his ministry and once near the end. It seems pretty unlikely that The Chosen will take this approach – if Jesus cleansed the Temple earlier in his ministry, even if it was before he called the disciples, we would still expect the Jewish leaders to have mentioned it by now. It seems much more likely that the show will follow the synoptics – although I expect it will incorporate the unique elements recorded in John as well.
Many interpreters see the cleansing of the Temple as a prophetic act, meant to foreshadow the destruction of the Temple. Just as Jesus uses a whip to drive the money changers out of the Temple, God will one day use the Roman armies to drive the corrupt Jewish establishment out of Jerusalem. The imminent destruction of Jerusalem and the overthrowing of the Jewish elite is a major theme throughout Jesus’ teachings during Holy Week and so I expect the creators of The Chosen will explore that angle. Of course, it’s a tricky topic that could cause a lot of controversy – as I’ve explored elsewhere. This implication will really push Shmuel over the edge – and be quite concerning to Judas.
Jesus Debates the Priests, Pharisees, and Herodians in the Temple
After the cleansing of the Temple, the synoptics record a series of debates, teachings, and assorted incidents. These include:
The cursing of the fig tree (another prophetic sign, foreshadowing the doom of Jerusalem) [Matthew 21:18-19]
Debate over Jesus’ authority and John’s authority [Matthew 21:23-27]
Parables about the failure of the religious leaders to respond to Jesus [Matthew 21:28-22:14]
The Herodians and Pharisees trying to entrap Jesus by asking about taxes to Caesar [Matthew 22:15-22]
The Sadduccees debating with Jesus about the resurrection [Matthew 22:23-33]
A lawyer asking Jesus about the greatest commandment [Matthew 22:34-40]
Jesus shutting down the Pharisees by questioning how the Christ can be David’s son, since David calls him “Lord” [Matthew 22:41-46]
Jesus decrying the Pharisees and scribes and lamenting for Jerusalem [Matthew 23]
Jesus praising the widow’s mite over the lavish and visible gifts of the rich [Luke 21:1-4]
The show has a degree of leeway with these events. I could see the writers picking and choosing and rearranging these events as they construct episodes 2-5. Here we’ll see some of the factions and figures that were introduced in Season 4 come into play. I also expect to see plenty of Shmuel and Yanni.
Jesus Spares the Woman Caught in Adultery
This is the only event on this list that is canonically not included in the Gospel accounts of Holy Week. In fact, most scholars question whether it's actually included in any of the original biblical books. Although most modern Bibles include the story in the Gospel of John with an asterisk (7:53-8:11), our earliest copies of John do not include the story – which leads many scholars to believe that it was added to John by a later scribe.
Even so, the story is famous and beloved. While in the Temple, Jesus is confronted by Pharisees who have a woman caught in adultery. They ask Jesus if she should be stoned – as the Law of Moses requires. Jesus says he who is without sin should cast the first stone and then sits and writes in the dust, while the men slowly file out, starting with the oldest. Finally, Jesus tells the woman that he does not condemn her but charges her to sin no more.
This story could easily be included among Jesus’ debates with the priests and Pharisees in the Temple. Indeed, that’s precisely where it’s placed in the 1927 The King of Kings, one of the ur-Jesus films. I could envision an episode with a thematic focus on marriage that includes this story as well as Jesus’ debate with the Sadducees over the resurrection and the future destiny of a woman who has been married multiple times.
I've also posited a pretty controversial theory. I suspect that Joanna will be the woman caught in adultery. Because she may not be legally able to divorce her lecherous husband, Chuza, any romantic activity on Joanna’s part could be construed as adultery. Jesus’ enemies would essentially be pressuring him to condemn his own disciple to death or deny the Law of Moses – a win-win in their eyes. It would also play nicely into the faithfulness/unfaithfulness theme that I expect to see.
Jesus Predicts the Destruction of the Temple and the Coming of the Son of Man
After Jesus finishes his debates in the Temple, he notices his disciples marveling at the architecture and takes it as an opportunity to predict the destruction of the Temple (Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, Luke 21). When the disciples follow up with Jesus to get more details, he launches into a more extensive prophecy and ultimately predicts the coming of the Son of Man. Adapting Jesus’ prophecy will be challenging, given how hotly debated the interpretation of the passage is among Christians. Still, I expect that The Chosen will not shy away from the challenge. I wouldn’t be surprised if this event plays a pretty important role in the structure of the season – perhaps as a midseason pivot (around Episode 4 or 5). Judas is pretty rosy-eyed about the glorious future of Israel, so he might not be excited when Jesus starts predicting destruction and suffering. Perhaps that’ll be part of what takes him over the edge.
Judas Conspires with the Chief Priests
Sometime before the Last Supper, Judas approaches the Chief Priests and offers to betray Jesus in exchange for money (Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11, Luke 22:1-6, John 13:2). I expect we’ll see this event somewhere around episodes 4-6, as tension builds.
Gospel adaptations often give Judas complex motives, even though the (canonical) Gospel accounts all agree that Judas actively sought to betray Jesus and did so in exchange for money. In some adaptations, instead of seeking out the Jewish leaders, Judas is entrapped by them and intimidated into betraying Jesus. In others, Judas betrays Jesus with good intentions – either to rein him in or to force him into action. In still others, Judas’ act is motivated by disillusionment, after it becomes clear that Jesus does not intend on launching a revolution. Some of these concepts have roots in the New Testament apocrypha or in modern historical reconstructions, but none of them are found in the canonical biblical accounts.
Based on what we’ve seen so far, it seems like The Chosen is giving Judas complex motives. We have every reason to believe that Judas has been sincere in his commitment to Jesus – or at least to his idea of who Jesus could be. In Season 4, however, that commitment starts to crack as Judas begins to realize that Jesus’ plans don’t line up with his own. Judas expects Jesus to revive the nation of Israel and lead it against Rome – and eventually establish his own glorious empire. When Jesus turns down the opportunity to build an alliance with the religious establishment through Shmuel, Judas seriously starts to question the direction of the movement. I expect that we’ll see Judas’ disillusionment continue to grow as Jesus engages in even more provocative behavior in Jerusalem. I also wouldn’t be surprised if we see him betraying Jesus with the hope that Jesus will be forced to act.
There’s one other element of Judas’ betrayal that’s worth noting. Both Luke and John suggest that Judas is under the direct influence of Satan when he betrays Jesus. What they mean is debated. It’ll be interesting to see if The Chosen directly depicts or hints at Satan’s influence – and, if so, how Satan’s influence is portrayed. Will we see Judas get demonically possessed? Will he encounter Satan, either in a dream-state or in corporeal form? Or will the influence of Satan merely be implied?
Jesus Washing the Disciples’ Feet, the Last Supper, and the Upper Room Discourse
All the Gospel accounts suggest that Jesus has a final meal with his disciples, during which he anticipates his betrayal, which creates a lot of anxiety and arguing among the disciples. When Peter boasts that he will never leave, Jesus warns Peter that he will indeed fall away that very night. As the meal proceeds, Judas leaves to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:17-34, Mark 14:12-25, Luke 22:7-38, John 13-17). Again, each account offers different details about the event:
The synoptics all suggest that the meal was a Passover supper, while John seems to suggest that it was a meal on the day before Passover (this may be because John wants to suggest that Jesus is the true Passover).
In the synoptics, Jesus breaks bread, describing it as his body, and shares a cup of wine, describing as his blood, of the covenant, poured out for all. He urges them to pass on the ritual in remembrance of him.
Luke contains a strange aside, in which Jesus seems to encourage the disciples to sell their cloaks to buy swords – but then subverts the superficial meaning of his words by saying that the two swords they have are enough.
In Mark and Matthew, Jesus tells the disciples to meet him in Galilee after the resurrection.
In John, Jesus washes the feet of his disciples after the meal – a clear subversion of the normal rabbi-disciple relationship – and instructs them to love each other in the same way.
John also contains a lengthy final speech in which Jesus instructs his disciples about love, the Holy Spirit/Comforter, prayer, dwelling in Christ, and the opposition that they can expect from the world. This speech is concluded by a long prayer on behalf of the disciples and the future church.
Season 5 will almost certainly include all of the major Last Supper events – but probably only a shortened version of the lengthy Upper Room Discourse. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Supper is the focus of a kind of self-contained bottle episode – somewhere around episodes 5-7.
Readers of the Gospels often wonder why none of the other disciples seem to suspect Judas is the betrayer. I suspect that Judas will try to avoid suspicion by accusing Thomas of being the traitor. Thomas does, after all, have the most obvious grudge against Jesus and has been acting in some very suspicious ways. It would certainly make for some pretty intense drama.
Jesus Arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane
All of the Gospels agree that after dinner, Jesus takes the disciples to a remote garden. They’re interrupted by a band of soldiers and servants of the Chief Priests, led by Judas, who betrays Jesus. Some of the disciples seek to fight back, only to be rebuked by Jesus. As the disciples scatter, the soldiers lead Jesus away (Matthew 26:36-57, Mark 14:32-53, Luke 22:39-54, John 18:1-12). Again, we get specific details scattered across the Gospels:
The synoptics include the famous story of Jesus repeatedly praying “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42), while Peter and the other disciples keep falling asleep. Jesus says that he is “very sorrowful, even to death” (Matthew 26:38) and ends up sweating blood (Luke 22:44).
In the synoptics, Judas helps the soldiers identify Jesus by kissing him on the cheek. In John, however, when the soldiers ask for Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus steps forward and replies, “I am” – a response that knocks the soldiers onto the ground (as if they are bowing down in worship to the great I AM).
The synoptics conceal the identity of the disciple who attacked the servant of the High Priest, presumably to conceal him from retribution. John, which was almost certainly written after Peter’s death, identifies Peter as the attacker.
Luke is the only account that describes Jesus healing the servant that Peter attacks.
Mark includes a strange aside about a young man who is almost seized but escapes by tearing off his clothes and running away naked. Interpreters have theorized that the “young man” in question is Mark himself, subtly signing his work with an embarrassing personal anecdote.
The arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane is the last event that I’m confident we’ll see in Season 5. Personally, I expect that the season will end after Jesus’ trial, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if the season cut off with Jesus being hauled away into the darkness, while the disciples scatter. It would really emphasize faithfulness/unfaithfulness, which I expect will be a central theme in Season 5. That said, I think it’s more likely that we’ll see Jesus get arrested in episode 6 or 7.
Again, we’ll probably see all of the major elements included across the four Gospels – the only real adaptive challenge is harmonizing how Jesus is identified by the soldiers. Judas’ kiss is so iconic that I can’t see it being left out. I could see Jesus’ “I am” moment getting omitted – it feels like a moment that would be hard to pull off in a visual medium. But I also wouldn’t be surprised if The Chosen finds a way to blend the two versions of the story. Indeed, it might play an important role in Quintus’ character arc.
I’m curious whether the show goes for the Mark anecdote. There’s a touch of humor to the anecdote, which totally fits with the show’s general tone, but it might be hard to reconcile with the tone of the episode as a whole. If the narrative is included, we can expect Mark to be introduced earlier in the season. Some believe that the Last Supper was hosted by Mark’s family, so his character could fill a few functions.
Jesus Questioned and Condemned by the Chief Priests and Sanhedrin
The exact sequence of events following Jesus’ arrest are little less clear than some of the previous parts of the story. The Gospels agree that Peter follows Jesus to the house of the High Priest. There, Jesus is questioned, falsely accused, and struck, while Peter denies that he is a disciple three times, fulfilling Jesus’ prediction (Matthew 26:57-27:2, Mark 14:53-15:1, Luke 22:54-71, John 18:12-27). But there are other elements of the story that are less straightforward.
In the synoptics, Jesus is led straight to Caiphas, the High Priest, who questions him with some of the other chief priests and elders late at night. Dawn of Friday morning, the Sanhedrin is then convened to condemn Jesus. In John, Jesus is first led to Anas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, before being sent to Caiaphas. John doesn’t mention a meeting of the Sanhedrin.
All of the Gospel accounts agree that the first person who accuses Peter of being a disciple is a servant girl. In Matthew, another servant girl also accuses him, as well as a bystander. In Mark, the original servant girl accuses him a second time, and a bystander accuses him the third time. Luke doesn’t specify the identity of Peter’s accusers. In John, a group accuses Peter the second time, and a relative of Malthus, the High Priest’s servant, accuses Peter the third time.
In Mark, Peter’s third denial happens before the rooster crows twice. The other accounts seem to suggest that the third denial happens before the rooster crows once.
In Matthew and Mark, Jesus is falsely accused of threatening to destroy the Temple but refuses to answer the accusation. In all of the synoptics, Jesus is pressured to answer whether he is the Christ and responds by declaring that he is the Son of Man. This response is deemed to be blasphemy. In Luke, this exchange happens during Jesus’ trial, while in Matthew and Mark it happens during his initial questioning. John only records Jesus’ exchange with Anas, in which Jesus refuses to say anything more than what he has taught in public and is beaten for insolence.
In John, Peter is accompanied by the beloved disciple (John), who has a connection to the household of the High Priest and is able to get them in the gate.
As I noted above, I think it’s possible that Jesus’ trial will be in Season 6 but I think it’s most likely that we’ll see it in Season 5 – probably around episode 7 or 8. I suspect that the show will follow the synoptic version of the story for the sake of simplicity – the questioning before Anas doesn’t really add much and requires the introduction of an otherwise unnecessary character.
The Chosen has already laid the groundwork for John’s mysterious connection to the household of the High Priest. Season 4 establishes that Zebedee intends on selling his olive oil to the priests in Jerusalem. We can expect to see this exchange earlier in the season, providing John with an opportunity to befriend servants in the household of the High Priest.
Judas’ Regret and Suicide
In Matthew, after Jesus is condemned, Judas tries to return the thirty pieces of silver and insists that he has betrayed innocent blood. When the priests refuse to take the money, he throws it down and goes off to hang himself. The money is then used to buy a burial field for strangers (Matthew 27:3-10). Luke seems to suggest that Judas purchases the field himself and that he falls down in it and splits open (Acts 1:18-19).
The Chosen hasn't showed away from disturbing content (e.g. Mary’s demonic possession and Eden’s traumatic miscarriage), but I'm not sure if we'll see the suicide on screen. Judas will certainly die by suicide (probably in Episode 8) but I wouldn't be surprised if it takes place off screen and we only see other characters react to and discuss Judas’ death. If we don't see the body, the show may sidestep the need to harmonize Matthew and Acts, although many interpreters have found ways to do so.
Jesus Questioned, Beaten, and Handed Over by Pilate
All the Gospels agree that after being condemned by the Jewish leadership, Jesus is brought to Pontius Pilate, while it is still early in the morning. The Priests and elders accuse Jesus of misleading the people and making himself out to be the Messianic King, but when Pilate questions Jesus, he finds no guilt in him. Pilate seeks to release Jesus to fulfill the tradition of an annual Passover pardon, but the leaders pressure him to release Barabbas the robber instead. Jesus is mocked and beaten and dressed in a purple robe and a crown of thorns. Under pressure from the crowds and Jewish leaders, Pilate sends him out to be crucified, washing his hands of responsibility (Matthew 27:2-26, Mark 15:1-20, Luke 23:1-25, John 18:28-19:16). There are a few details that are unique to each account, however:
In the synoptics, after Pilate asks Jesus if he is the King of the Jews, Jesus says, “You have said so” and then makes no further answer. In John, Jesus and Pilate have a much more detailed conversation regarding the nature of Jesus’ kingdom and mission.
John also describes a second conversation between Jesus and Pialte, which takes place after the Jewish leaders accuse Jesus of calling himself the son of God. This accusation frightens Pilate, who pleads with Jesus to explain himself, but Jesus refuses to give an answer – other than a brief comment reminding Pilate that his authority is derivative.
In Luke, Pilate has Herod question Jesus, since Galilee is under Herod’s jurisdiction. Herod is eager to question Jesus and see him perform a miracle. When Jesus refuses to respond, even as the priests accuse him, Herod sends him back to Pilate, concurring with Pilate’s assessment. This interaction is said to smooth over a disagreement between the two leaders.
In Matthew and Mark, Pilate has Jesus scourged after he condemns him to death. In Luke, Jesus is mocked and beaten after Herod questions him but before he is condemned by Pilate. Also in Luke, when Pilate tries to convince the crowd to release Jesus, he offers to have him beaten again. In John, Pilate has Jesus beaten as a kind of last-ditch attempt to appease the crowd before ultimately condemning him to death.
Matthew is the only account in which we’re told that Pilate’s wife had a dream about Jesus and urged him to have nothing to do with him.
It’s hard to say whether Jesus’ trial before Pilate and his scourging will be included in Season 5 or Season 6. Dallas has said that Season 6 will focus almost exclusively on Jesus’ crucifixion, but it’s hard to imagine how a single event like the crucifixion could be stretched out into an entire season. That has lead some fans to conclude that Season 6 will also include some of the events leading up to the crucifixion, like Jesus’ trial and scourging.
That seems like a plausible scenario, but I think it’s more likely that Jesus’ trial before Pilate will be the focus of episode 8. Given how much work Season 4 did to set up Pilate, Claudia, and Herod, I can’t see the show letting the characters sit around with nothing to do until Season 6. Judgment (in multiple senses of the term) will almost certainly be an important theme in Season 5, and so it would make a lot of sense to end with the judgment of Jesus. I also think there would be a beautiful symmetry if Season 5 begins with Jesus entering Jerusalem to shouts of acclamation and then ends with Jesus exiting Jerusalem to shout of derision.
In terms of the actual shape of Jesus’ time in Pilate’s household, I think the show will draw on elements from all of the accounts. We’ll definitely get John’s longer, more philosophical exchanges between Jesus and Pilate – that’s why Season 4 has Pilate and Atticus musing about truth and belief. The show has obviously set Claudia up in Seasons 3 and 4 so that she can warn Pilate like she does in Matthew’s account. We’ll also get the questioning of Jesus by Herod that’s described in Luke – again, Season 4 clearly sets this up by bringing Herod to Jerusalem. I suspect the show will also follow John’s account by having Pilate order the scourging of Jesus as a kind of last-ditch attempt to appease the crowd, before finally giving in and condemning him to death – that would be the most dramatic option. Even if it’s more historically-plausible that Jesus was beaten multiple times, I can’t see the show going there – at least not for extensive scenes.
If the trial of Jesus is included in Season 5, we can also expect a lot of set up. I’m guessing that the show will weave the backstory of Barabbas into the earlier episodes, setting him up as the philosophical antithesis of Jesus. If I’m right in predicting that Quintus will participate in the scourging of Jesus, then we can also expect to see his character show up earlier in the season to set up his role. Indeed, I wouldn’t be surprised if these two characters end up being connected – perhaps Quintus will be the one who first apprehends Barabbas.
The Chosen Season 5 Cold Open Prologues
The Chosen is known for its cold open prologues, which feature a mixture of thematically-related Old Testament stories, backstories for minor characters, and flashforwards to the early apostolic era. I’m sure we’ll get some surprises, but there are a few scenes that I’m expecting to see:
The story of David being betrayed by his son, Absalom, and his advisor, Ahithophel (2 Samuel 15)
Either the story of the first destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC (2 Kings 25) or a flashforward to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
A character-backstory for Barabbas
A backstory bridging where we left Quintus in Season 4 Episode 4 and where he is when Season 5 begins
What do you think of my predictions? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to offer your own predictions and share which moments and character arcs you are most excited to see!
