The Chosen Season 5 Episode 7: Bible Study & Discussion Questions (Exploring The Chosen with Small Groups & Youth)
- Kevin Keating
- May 18
- 8 min read
Updated: May 19
Episode 7 of The Chosen Season 5 Last Supper (Part 3) features the story of Peter and John finding a home where Jesus and the disciples can celebrate Passover (Luke 22:7-13), as well as 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, Episode 7 with your small group, Bible study, or youth ministry. Also be sure to check out my recap, review, and analysis of The Chosen Season 5 Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6, Episode 7, and Episode 8.
Before Watching The Chosen Season 5 Episode 7: Review Questions
As usual, I’d encourage you to do a quick review before launching into your discussion of The Chosen Season 5 Episode 7:
After arresting Kafni, what did Atticus tell him to do? Why?
What did we learn about Judas’ family back in Season 3 of The Chosen?
How did Peter, James, and John first encounter Jesus? What was Peter’s mental and spiritual state at the time?
Before Watching The Chosen Season 5 Episode 7: Bible Study & Discussion Questions
I’ve always found the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples to be both captivating and challenging. Since this is also the most moving moment in Episode 7 of The Chosen Season 5, it seems like an obvious focus for study and discussion:
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 most streets were traveled by animals that would leave their dung. 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. Why is that?
How does Jesus’ knowledge of his divine status empower him to serve others?
If we believe in Jesus, what can we know about our own status in God’s family? How can that status 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?
Jesus tells the disciples that he is setting an example for us. 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?
After Watching The Chosen Season 5 Episode 7: 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 did you think of how Episode 7 depicted the footwashing scene? Why do you think the show specifically highlights Big James, Little James, Thomas, and Judas? Why is this moment meaningful for each of them?
In the show, Peter tries to get out of having his feet washed by offering to help wash the feet of the remaining disciples. Have you ever served others in order to mask your own vulnerabilities or struggles?
Jesus eventually does allow Peter to wash the feet of the other disciples – but only after he submits to having his own feet washed. This isn’t what happens in the original text, but what do you think The Chosen is trying to show?
In Episode 6, Jesus repeats his famous instruction about servant leadership. By washing the feet of his disciples, Jesus is obviously putting this teaching into practice. But how do we see the disciples humbly serving throughout the remainder of the episode?
The story of Jesus telling Peter and John to find a young man carrying water and follow him to the house where they will eat Passover is in Scripture (Luke 22:7-13), although Mark’s vision is an idea introduced by The Chosen. What do you think the show is communicating about Mark’s character and the nature of the Passover?
As each of the disciples make their way to the Passover Seder, we see them having flashbacks to life before they encountered Jesus. What do we learn about how they’ve changed and grown over the past few years?
Can you recall what your life was like before you encountered Jesus? What are some of the biggest ways that you have changed or grown as a result of his presence in your life?
During Little James’ flashback, how do we see him entrust his vulnerability and shame to Jesus? How does this connect back to the footwashing?
Why does Little James seem to feel safe sharing his vulnerability and shame with Jesus?
What are some ways that we can make others feel safe to share about their areas of vulnerability and shame? What should we avoid saying or doing?
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.”
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