Season 5 of The Chosen is here, and with it comes the most intense and emotionally charged portrayal of Jesus Christ’s final days before the crucifixion. According to series creator Dallas Jenkins, The Chosen: Last Supper stands apart not only in scale and production value but also in its raw and unfiltered depiction of the most pivotal week in human history—Holy Week.
Jenkins describes this season as being “The biggest season we’ve ever done by far, and that’s because the story demands it.” He elaborates, “Season One, set in the small town. Jesus’ ministry is just starting. He’s gathering one disciple, two disciples at a time. Now the entire region knows who He is. The word has spread, and it’s Passover week. I mean, this is the biggest week in the calendar for the Jewish people. Well over a million people, conservatively, are all gathered in one city centered around one place, the temple, in order to honor and remember Passover and Jesus enters into this, a majority of the people have heard about Him and believe He’s the conquering king and the coming Messiah—and a large chunk of people, the ones with the power, want Him dead. And they’re all gathered in one place, it is a powder keg.”
Jenkins eloquently captures the dramatic contrast that plays out across the week, “Those people who believed He was the conquering king, by the end of the week, also want Him dead. The setting is huge, Jerusalem is the big dog, all the people are there, this is a huge story that demands a big stage.”
This new season is particularly massive in its scope, and Jenkins notes of the cinematic potential, “That’s one of the reasons why we are really pushing people more than ever to see this in the theater, because this is big and you’ll feel that, and you’ll see that.”
Jesus: Confrontational Messiah
The Chosen: Last Supper unveils a side of Jesus that has been hinted at in previous seasons, but now commands center stage with unfiltered intensity. While many have become accustomed to the compassionate healer, the gentle teacher and the friend of sinners, Season 5 presents Jesus as the bold, unyielding Messiah—fearless in His confrontation of corruption, hypocrisy and spiritual blindness.
Jenkins highlights this transformation, stating, “You’ve never seen this side of Jesus before.” While earlier seasons have shown glimpses of His frustration—especially in His verbal clashes with the Pharisees—Season 5 escalates into full-scale confrontation. “This is turning over the tables time. This is cursing a fig tree to death. This is Jesus standing in the Holy Temple, on the religious leaders’ own turf, and declaring, ‘How are you going to escape being condemned to hell?’ I mean, it’s just brutal,” Jenkins says.
This portrayal of Jesus may challenge some viewers’ perceptions, particularly those who envision Him solely as a figure of mercy and grace. Yet, this season shows with stark depth that Jesus was also a disruptor of the status quo, a revolutionary force in a corrupt religious system and an unrelenting voice of truth in the face of opposition. His words cut to the heart, exposing hypocrisy, confronting injustice and forcing those around Him—including His own disciples—to wrestle with the reality of His mission.
Jenkins himself acknowledges the high-stakes nature of this depiction: “This is kind of the ‘kick-butt’ season, where, before going to the cross, Jesus upends everything. He challenges. He rebukes. He calls out sin with unflinching boldness. And in doing so, He confuses His followers, horrifies His enemies and shakes the very foundations of power.”
For viewers, this season offers a deeply immersive Holy Week experience—one that is raw, intense and filled with moments that will stir emotions and spark conversation. Jenkins comes back to this central plot aspect, “Holy Week is the most important and impactful week in the history of the world, and this is by far our most intense season.” As The Chosen continues to push boundaries, this portrayal of Jesus as both the suffering servant and the fearless warrior of righteousness leaves audiences both shaken and inspired.
The Last Supper and the Jewish Connection
The significance of the Last Supper is a primary plot point, Jenkins explaining that it must be understood through its Jewish roots, “I don’t think that you can fully understand and experience Holy Week without understanding the Jewishness of it.” He emphasizes, “Jesus came in and turned over the tables of the temple. Clearly He was upset, and clearly they’re just making money, and He’s telling them it’s wrong to make money and to use the temple to make money. Well, it’s not that simple.”
Jenkins continues, “For many people, this was their way of life. And for the religious leaders, not all of them were just selfish and greedy. Many of them are honoring rules that were handed down by God. Now they’ve just taken those rules and taken them too far, and some of their own human understanding and fleshly desires have interfered with it and turned it into something it wasn’t meant to be.”
The Passover connections are central to the Last Supper, and Jenkins recalls how they prepared the cast for these pivotal scenes: “We actually had Jonathan [Roumie] and the actors who portray the disciples get together with Rabbi Jason Sobel. We did a Passover meal together. We went into our synagogue, set a table and did the whole thing, and went through some of the liturgy before we filmed the Last Supper sequence. And that’s the thing that I had never fully appreciated. Even though I’ve been a believer as long as I can remember, that what they were celebrating that week specifically connected to what was coming with Jesus on the cross.”
The Importance of Holy Week
Holy Week is the central observance in the Christian faith, commemorating the final days of Jesus’ earthly ministry, His crucifixion and His Resurrection. It begins with Palm Sunday, marking Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where crowds welcomed Him with palm branches, symbolizing victory. The week progresses with key events such as the cleansing of the temple, His teaching sessions and the growing tensions between Jesus and the religious leaders.
Maundy Thursday is significant for the Last Supper in the Upper Room, where Jesus instituted the sacrament of Communion, breaking bread and sharing wine with His disciples symbolizing His body and blood, and where 50 days later the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples. This sacred meal established the foundation for Christian worship and remembrance.
Good Friday marks the Crucifixion, the darkest day of Holy Week, as Jesus willingly gave His life for the sins of humanity. His suffering and death fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, bridging the gap between God and mankind. Holy Saturday follows, a solemn day reflecting on Jesus’ sacrifice and the anticipation of His Resurrection.
Easter Sunday is the pinnacle of Holy Week—the day of Jesus’ Resurrection, signifying victory over sin and death. For believers, it affirms Jesus as the Son of God and the promise of eternal life.
Emotional Struggle of the Disciples: Wrestling with Faith and Fear
One of the most compelling aspects of The Chosen has always been its ability to humanize biblical figures, portraying them as deeply flawed yet profoundly loved individuals. Season 5 is no exception, as it brings to life the raw emotional turmoil of the disciples in the face of Jesus’ increasingly direct teachings about His impending death and Resurrection.
Jenkins points to a particularly striking dynamic: Jesus is not speaking in parables here—He is telling His apostles what is to come with extreme clarity: “Jesus is explicitly telling His apostles what’s going to happen. And it’s like, He actually says, ‘I’m going to die and I’m going to rise again.’ And they just don’t get it,” Jenkins explains. “Trying to capture that was difficult.”
It’s easy for modern audiences armed with the hindsight of Scripture to wonder how the disciples could have been so blind to the truth. But this reaction misses a crucial point: their struggle was not one of intellect, but of expectation, fear and faith. These men had left everything to follow Jesus, believing Him to be the promised Messiah—one who would establish God’s kingdom in a way they had envisioned for generations. To hear Him speak of His own suffering and death was not just perplexing—it was terrifying. Their entire worldview was being challenged, and their hearts wrestled with the tension between their hopes and His words.
In The Chosen, this tension is vividly portrayed. We see Peter, whose boldness masks his inner turmoil, refusing to accept a suffering Messiah. We see John and James, the “Sons of Thunder,” grappling with the implications of a kingdom built not on conquest but on sacrifice. We see Judas, torn between his ambition and his devotion, struggling to reconcile Jesus’ meekness with the triumph he longs for. And we see Thomas, Andrew and the others, wrestling with doubt, fear and the growing realization that following Jesus is leading them into the unknown.
This struggle is deeply relatable. How often do we, like the disciples, fail to grasp what God is doing even when He speaks plainly? How often do we resist His ways because they do not fit our expectations? The emotional blindness of the disciples mirrors our own—when faith demands surrender, when God’s plan disrupts our comfort and when the road ahead seems to lead not to glory, but to the cross.
Says Jenkins, “We’ve been able to connect so well with the human emotions of the disciples. How will we see this affect Peter, James, John?”
By portraying these raw emotions, The Chosen not only brings the Gospel narrative to intimate, relatable life, but it also reminds us of a fundamental truth: faith is not the absence of doubt, but the courage to trust even when we do not understand. And just as Jesus was patient with His disciples, guiding them through their fears, He is patient with us. Their journey of faith—fraught with confusion, resistance and ultimate transformation is our journey as well.
The Chosen: Last Supper Is a Global Blessing That’s Changing Lives
When The Chosen Season 5 premiers in theaters on Friday, Mar. 28, it will arrive to anticipation unlike anything in the production’s first four seasons. Fans around the world eagerly await this pivotal next chapter in the groundbreaking series that has captivated millions and reignited passion for the Gospel like no other show before. Series creator Dallas Jenkins says of the huge groundswell of hype, “I have not experienced this much anticipation for a season. From everything people are telling us, they just can’t wait. And I can’t wait to bring it to you.” This season is a profound invitation to walk side-by-side with Jesus and His disciples in their final days together. Audiences will witness the triumph, the heartbreak and the ultimate victory that transformed human history. The Chosen builds on its powerful movement of faith, drawing people deeper into Scripture, strengthening believers worldwide and offering the unchurched an authentic encounter with the living Christ. In the stunning cinematography, the profoundly deep storytelling grounded in the show’s widely respected biblical accuracy, Season 5 promises to bless the church and the world like never before.
