The Chosen + BibleProject | Season 5 Reading PlanSample

Experiencing Death—While Staying Alive
We often hear that Jesus “conquers death” and offers “eternal life” that we can experience right now. But aside from Jesus, everyone still dies—and, as far as we can see, stays dead. So is eternal life just a metaphor or comforting optimism?
The disciples are likely wrestling with this at the Last Supper. Jesus, who has promised deliverance from death and oppression, now says he will soon die at the hands of oppressors. It’s like trusting a lifeguard who’s about to drown.
But the Last Supper takes place during Passover, linking everything happening at that table to the first Passover. As the BibleProject video below explains, Passover celebrates God’s protection of life, rooted in the deliverance he provided during Israel’s exodus from Egypt.
In that story, all of Egypt, including Israel, faces a deadly plague. But God gives a life-saving command: mark your doorposts with the blood of a sacrificed lamb. This act of trust protects and preserves the lives inside.
By linking this meal with his disciples to Passover, Jesus signals a new exodus. Like Moses, he’s leading people to freedom—not in the land of Canaan but in God’s eternal Kingdom.
But remember: the generation Moses led—including Moses himself—died in the wilderness before reaching the Promised Land. Did God fail to keep his promise? No. While it’s true that Moses hasn’t yet entered God’s rest, one day he will (see Heb. 4:1-11; 11:24-29, 39-40). The deep truth is that God preserves life through death and ultimately restores it.
Jesus’ promise of eternal life works similarly. Following him doesn’t mean avoiding death; it means being pulled through it into restored life.
The scene you watched from The Chosen draws from the gospel accounts of Matthew and John. In John’s gospel, during Jesus’ conversation at the Last Supper, he identifies himself as the only true source of life—“I am the vine” (John 15:5). And the Passover connection may suggest that he is also the ultimate Passover lamb.
Just as Israel once trusted God’s protection through a lamb’s blood, now they must trust Jesus, who secures life through his own blood—not painted on doorposts, but shed on the cross.
Jesus urges his disciples to abide in his love and obey his command: love one another. This kind of love sets life free, carries it through death, and restores it fully in God’s Kingdom—which is free from all death and where “eternal” feels more and more natural as the years blend together.

Reflection Questions
To “abide” or “remain” in Jesus involves trusting his guidance and living according to his way of love and forgiveness for all, including enemies. But the instruction to “be loving” can prove difficult in real life. Where do you experience the most challenges when trying to “abide” or “remain” in the way of Jesus by “loving one another”?

People commemorate this moment Jesus shares with his disciples by observing the Lord’s Supper, which involves taking bread and wine or juice, often while quoting these words from Scripture. From what you’ve experienced and studied, how has your understanding of the Lord’s Supper expanded or changed? What new questions do you hope to explore?