The Chosen Season 5 Episode 6: Bible Study & Discussion Questions (Exploring The Chosen with Small Groups & Youth)
- Kevin Keating
- Apr 10
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 10
Episode 6 of The Chosen Season 5: Last Supper (Part 3) provides us with an opportunity to discuss the Lord's Supper and what it means to abide in Christ. Below I'll share a Bible Study and discussion questions that you can use to explore Season 5, Episode 6 with your small group, Bible study, or youth ministry. Also be sure to check out my other resources on The Chosen Season 5: Last Supper:
The Chosen Season 5: Last Supper Resources
Before Watching The Chosen Season 5 Episode 6: Review Questions
As usual, I’d encourage you to do a quick review before launching into your discussion of The Chosen Season 5 Episode 6:
What do we recall about the story of Nicodemus in Season 1 of The Chosen? How did he meet Mary? Why did he not follow Jesus?
What have we learned about the trauma that Mary Magdalene suffered that lead to her period of spiritual darkness?
How has Judas changed since we first met him in Season 2 of The Chosen? What aspects of his character have remained the same?
What does Caiaphas want to do about Jesus? What are the current obstacles that he’s facing?
Before Watching The Chosen Season 5 Episode 6: Bible Study & Discussion Questions
Episode 6, Season 5 of The Chosen depicts the betrayal of Jesus to Caiaphas by Judas (Luke 22:3-5), continuing to build toward Jesus’ arrest. But the most important biblical event that Episode 6 explores comes in the cold open, when we see Jesus instituting the Lord’s Supper (that is, Communion). As a kind of commentary on what it means to be united to Christ, the show interpolates John 15 into the middle of the supper. I think most Christians will have an easier time applying the significance of John 15 to their own personal lives, so I’d suggest making this the focus of your study for this episode. But don't worry, we'll still discuss the Lord's Supper latter on in the post-episode 6 discussion.
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:1-17, ESV)
After reading, you could point out:
In this passage, Jesus continues to refer back to Isaiah 5, which compares God to a vine-grower and Israel to a fruitless vine. By contrast, Jesus describes himself as the true vine that produces real and lasting fruit.
Jesus expands on this imagery by picturing the disciples as branches connected to him and describing the process of these branches being pruned. A vine-grower would view a branch that produced absolutely no fruit as a waste and would remove it in order to avoid wasting the vine’s nutrients. A branch that produced a limited amount of fruit would be trimmed back in order to help it develop into a more fruitful vine in the long run.
The Greek word Jesus uses for “pruning” is the same word that is used for “cleansing.” For example, John uses the same word in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Now ask your group:
What is Jesus’ ultimate goal? What is the “fruit” that Jesus is commanding us to bear?
How does this fruit glorify the Father and prove that we are Jesus’ disciples?
Jesus warns that the Father will remove those that bear no fruit. What causes a person to produce no fruit? Is it simply a lack of effort, or is there a deeper problem?
Jesus says the Father will also prune/cleanse those who are bearing fruit, so that they can produce even more. Can you think of times when the Father has pruned you?
What is Jesus communicating when he describes us as branches and himself as the vine? What should our connection to him look like?
Jesus says, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done to you.” How does this connect to us bearing fruit? What should we ask God to do in and through us?
How does loving others allow us to abide in Jesus’ love and experience his joy?
Jesus says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.” What does this reveal about the nature of Jesus’ love for us?
After Watching The Chosen Season 5 Episode 6: 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?
As always, if the conversation takes on a life of its own, I encourage you to run with it instead of feeling bound by the questions that follow. However, if you need more structure, you can ask some of the following questions:
Why do you think Episode 6 inserted John 15, the passage we discussed earlier, into the middle of the Lord’s Supper? How is it connected?
What do you think the significance of Jesus’ vision of John the Baptist is? How does his presence at Passover relate to his role as the new Elijah?
How are Nicodemus/Matthias and Judas similar? What has led them to believe in Jesus? What do they think about Jesus’ recent behavior?
How are Nicodemus/Matthias and Judas different? How do Nicodemus and Matthias respond to Jesus’ surprising behavior and words? How does Judas respond? What do their responses reveal about their hearts?
Some people assume they would believe if they could simply see more signs or miracles. How does Episode 6 challenge this assumption?
Seeing is not believing, but it’s not wrong for seekers to want to see more of who Jesus is. What can we see and learn about Jesus through the Lord’s Supper? What can we see and learn through the fruit of Jesus’ disciples?
When Mary Magdalene sees a Roman soldier and it reminds her of her traumatic past, how does she find comfort and strength?
Why is it important to turn to Scripture when the things we see are unexpected or frightening? Can you think of specific times when you’ve done this?
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Further Reading
An adaptation like The Chosen isn't meant to replace the Bible; it's meant to drive us deeper into the Bible and spiritual reflection. The 40 Days with Jesus series helps readers connect the events of The Chosen with Scripture and their own everyday lives.
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