Ninety days after Season 5 has been out on Prime, it will be available on the show’s free app. Season 5 DVDs are now available for pre-order as well.
While speaking with George Xanthis, the Greek actor who portrays John, Jenkins asked about the intensity and tension of playing Jesus’ beloved disciple. Xanthis described the experience of “wrestling with the tension” of knowing what will happen to Jesus yet not expecting it to happen “right now.”
Filming Season 6 is “so emotional,” Xanthis said. “This is the art of storytelling. You have to come to these tough moments…but it is going to be energizing and life-altering, I think.”
Dallas Jenkins Answers Questions About Season 5
Editor’s note: The rest of this article contains some spoilers about season 5.
“The Chosen,” Jenkins reminded viewers, is “art…not just a Bible re-enactment.” Some seasons are more linear than others, and some connections take a while to unfold. But the goal, he said, is to offer “a fresh perspective” on the Bible, which is the “ultimate source.” Jenkins said he tries to challenge people “to dig in a little deeper” into God’s Word, and that motive was behind much of Season 5.
While answering viewers’ questions, Jenkins talked about the women’s Last Supper, calling it an “interesting angle” to explore the journey of female characters. He spoke about the artistic license of portraying The Watcher—Matthias, who replaced Judas as a disciple. With these choices, Jenkins said he works to not “violate any theological or doctrinal issues.”
The director explained the inclusion of Ezekiel 37 and the Valley of Dry Bones in the Season 5 finale. As for the connection with the Garden of Gethsemane, Jenkins said, “This is one of those things that may play out over time, so just be patient.”
Many viewers have commented on flashback scenes during the Last Supper, which Jenkins said were intentional, “not filler.” Those scenes emphasize the “remembrance” aspect of the Passover celebration and remind the disciples of “the cost of discipleship” and the need to trust even when they don’t fully understand.
As for portraying the sleeping disciples as children, Jenkins said that was an “artistic rendering” that showed how Jesus’ followers are “spiritually children” who don’t understand or see everything. Although Jesus asks his disciples to stay awake, “the flesh is weak,” Jenkins said. “He sees them as children, and so do we.”
