Season 5 depicts the beginning of Passion Week. It’s framed by teaching of Jesus from the Upper Room Discourse in the Gospel of John with bits from Luke 22.

The sharpest bit from Luke 22 is v.36. In the NIV Jesus says, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.” Generations since have not known quite what to do with what Jesus says about swords. On the one hand, we have the vast majority of Jesus’s words – and all his actions – that point in the direction of pacifism, of not using swords. Reading the Book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament the first generation certainly doesn’t look like “sword people.” The Chosen adds the line, “Ultimately your protection comes from above” to point back in this direction. On the other hand, we have the human tendency toward violence. We want to use swords (or better yet, in our day, guns) to defend ourselves. When we hear Jesus saying, “Sell your cloak so you can afford a weapon for self-defense,” we feel justified in our inclination.

John 2 is also featured in this episode. First, the climax is Jesus “cleansing the temple.” Though it likely happened once, and that once in the week leading up to his crucifixion, John puts it at the beginning, in Jesus first trip (first during his ministry) to Jerusalem. There is also a return to the story of Thomas. We have flashbacks to Thomas and his girlfriend packing up their wares to serve wine at the wedding in Cana, the first story in John 2. Those flashbacks set us up for Thomas’s confrontations with that girlfriend’s parents.

One of the strengths of the visual format is showing how big the temple business was. It took huge amounts of work to keep the sacrificial machinery going. Any disruption in the money changing and animal buying would put a kink in the flow of activity.

Caiaphas, the high priest, is a major focus of the episode. In his conversation with Herod we see that he has received a revelation from God and is staking his action on that revelation. We see that revelation in John 11. He’s been told that it’s “Necessary for one man to die for the nation.” Caiaphas is absolutely sure that he understands this revelation. Here’s Jesus, a false Messiah, causing a big ruckus in Jerusalem. Pilate has threatened Caiaphas – it’s his job to keep the peace, to prevent riots. If the Romans have to send in the troops to put down a riot, the people will certainly suffer. Caiaphas is sure that wants him to lead the saving of his nation by doing away with Jesus the messianic pretender.

A simple reading of history shows that Caiaphas’s being absolutely sure of himself yet absolutely wrong is not a rare thing. We seem to take such stances frequently.

By the end of the episode everyone seems convinced Jesus has gone mad. Caiaphas is hardened in his interpretation of the revelation. The crowds are stunned. Judas thinks Jesus has blown his opportunity to play the crowds into crowning him king.