Week 5 of 21 · John 5 · Thursday December 17
The Son Who Gives Life
Jesus, equal with the Father, gives life to whom He wishes and holds all judgment. Whoever hears His word and believes has eternal life now and has passed out of death into life. Every witness points to Him, and men stay away not for lack of evidence but because they are unwilling to come.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”John 5:24
MondayRead John 5 twice and mark itMon Dec 14
TuesdayStudy notes and the Observe questionsTue Dec 15
WednesdayInterpret, Weigh the Teachers and ApplyWed Dec 16
Thursday eveningTogether: the film, the worksheet, prayerThu Dec 17
Season 2, Episode 4 · “The Perfect Opportunity”The healing at the Pool of Bethesda (5:1–13).
Season 2, Episode 5 · “Spirit” (optional)The aftermath, as the authorities learn who healed him (5:14–15).
Read it against John 5
- The man is named Jesse and made the brother of Simon the Zealot. Scripture leaves him unnamed and gives him no family.
- John 5:1 says only “a feast of the Jews.” The show sets it at the Feast of Tabernacles.
- The episode suggests the water was stirred by natural causes. Most modern Bibles footnote 5:3b–4 (the angel stirring the water) because it is missing from the oldest manuscripts. Look at your Bible’s footnote together.
- The heart of the chapter is Jesus’ answer in 5:17–47 — “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” The episode ends with joy; John’s account turns to conflict (5:16–18).
The Chosen is a drama, not Scripture. Watch it to picture the people and places, then test every scene by the text — “examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). God’s Word is the truth; where the film differs, the Word wins.