Lesson video

Hi, my name is Miss Minton, and welcome to this Christianity: Beliefs lesson on the Nativity and Jesus as the Son of God.

Now, by the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain Christian teachings about the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, and how these beliefs influence Christians.

Now, lots of our learning today might be new to you, but please don't worry because I'm here to guide you through each step of your learning today.

And I'm confident that by the end of this lesson, you will achieve this outcome.

So let's get started and take a look at the keywords for today's lesson.

We have Jesus, Son of God and Trinity.

Now, Jesus is believed by Christians to be the Son of God, and he was a first century Jewish teacher living and travelling in first century Palestine and Israel.

The Son of God, is a title that's used for Jesus and it refers to Jesus as the second Person of the Trinity and shows the special relationship between Jesus and God.

And finally, the word Trinity refers to the belief that God as One includes that God is manifest in three Persons and that these three Persons are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Now our lesson today will have three parts.

We'll start by looking at the nativity in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

We'll then look at Jesus as the Son of God, and we'll then look at how Jesus, as the Son of God, influences Christians.

So let's get started and take a look at the nativity in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

So on the screen here, you can see an image and I'd like you to look really carefully at this image and think about what story this image is telling.

So pause the video and either have a think to yourself or talk to a partner.

Off you go.

So well done for identifying that this picture is showing the story of Jesus' birth, which we commonly refer to as the nativity.

Now within the Bible, the story of the nativity and Jesus' birth can be found in the Gospels of Luke and Matthew.

Now, although this story is found in both of these Gospels, each Gospel tells this story from a slightly different perspective.

So there are differences to the details of the story.

Now, the other two Gospels, the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of John, actually don't contain the story of Jesus' birth.

So let's check your understanding so far.

Which of the Gospels contain the story of Jesus' birth? A: Matthew, B: Mark, C: Luke, or D: John? Fantastic.

The correct answers are A: Matthew and C: Luke.

Well done.

The Gospels of Matthew and Luke give us some really important information about Jesus' birth.

For example, they tell us that Mary and Joseph were Jesus' earthly parents.

So Mary and Joseph were Jesus' human parents here on Earth, that Mary was a virgin when she conceived.

So Mary had not had sexual intercourse when she became pregnant, and that she became pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

And it tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

So it gives us a little bit of context to Jesus' background and his early life.

Now, many Christians consider Mary being described as a virgin in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke as being a really important detail.

Now, I would like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me or have a think to yourself.

Why is this an important detail? So why is it significant that Mary was a virgin? Off you go.

So this is significant because it means that Mary's pregnancy was an act of God.

It was a miracle, and this is because it's impossible for Mary to have become pregnant naturally, since she was a virgin.

So that shows us that Jesus' birth and Mary's pregnancy was an act of God.

Now, the Gospel of Luke describes Mary finding out that she was pregnant, and it tells us that the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and announced the news.

And Luke 1:34-35 describe Mary's response to this news.

And it says this, "'How will this be, Mary asked the angel, 'since I am a virgin? The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the most high will overshadow you.

So the holy want to be born will be called the Son of God.

'" Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me or have a think to yourself.

How does this passage show that Mary's pregnancy was a miracle? Off you go.

So this passage shows that Mary's pregnancy was a miracle because it shows Mary questioning how her pregnancy is possible.

So how is it possible that she's going to have a child when she's a virgin? And this passage also says that the pregnancy is the work of the Holy Spirit because it says that the Holy Spirit will come onto Mary.

Now, the Gospel of Matthew also describes the news of Mary's pregnancy, but it describes Joseph as being quite concerned by this news because Mary is his future wife.

Matthew 1:20 says this, "But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

'" Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me or have a think to yourself.

Who is speaking to Joseph in this passage and when did this conversation occur? Off you go.

So according to this passage, it's an angel who's speaking to Joseph, and this happened during a dream.

Now I'd like you to pause the video again, but this time I'd like you to talk to a partner or have a think to yourself.

How does this passage also show that Mary's pregnancy was a miracle? Off you go.

So this passage also shows that Mary's pregnancy was a miracle because it says that Mary conceived through the Holy Spirit, and that's a miracle because that defies the laws of nature.

Now we've looked at these two passages from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, I'd like us to think about what the similarities between the two passages are.

So pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me or have a think to yourself.

What similarities do you notice between the two passages from the two Gospel accounts? Off you go.

So you may have noticed that both of these passages say that Mary was Jesus' mother and that both describe Jesus as being conceived through the Holy Spirit.

So in both passages, Mary becomes pregnant through the work of the Holy Spirit.

They also both say that Mary was a virgin and they say that an angel was present.

So now we've identified the similarities between the two accounts, I'd like us to now think about the differences.

So pause the video again, and this time I'd like you to talk to a partner, talk to me or have a think to yourself about what differences you notice between the two Gospel accounts and the passages that we've looked at.

Off you go.

So you may have noticed that although both of these passages mention an angel, the Gospel of Luke actually names the angel as angel Gabriel, whereas the Gospel of Matthew, no name is mentioned.

The angel also appears to Mary in the Gospel of Luke, whereas in the Gospel of Matthew, the angel appears to Joseph.

And you may have also noticed that only the Gospel of Luke explicitly uses the term "Son of God." Now in addition to the differences concerning Mary's pregnancy and how this news was delivered, there's also differences between the two accounts and their description of the circumstances of Jesus' birth and the setting that Jesus' birth took place in.

Now in both of the Gospels, we know that Jesus gets some visitors after he's born, but in the Gospel of Matthew, these visitors are the Magi or the wise men, or kings, we sometimes call them.

But in the Gospel of Luke, these visitors are shepherds.

We also know from both of the Gospels that King Herod was in charge when Jesus was born.

But in the Gospel of Matthew it says that King Herod had ordered the killing of baby boys.

Whereas in the Gospel of Luke, there's actually no mention of this order from King Herod.

And finally, the two Gospels described the setting of Jesus' birth in different ways.

In the Gospel of Matthew, when the Magi visit Jesus, he's in a house, whereas in the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is described as being wrapped up in cloth and placed in a manger when he was born.

Now a manger is a feeding trough for animals.

So that would lead to the assumption that Jesus was born in a stable or a barn.

Now some people might question whether the differences between these two Gospel accounts make the story less convincing, so make the story less believable.

James, who is Roman Catholic, explains one possible response to this concern.

He says, "The differences don't make me doubt the truth of Jesus' birth for two reasons.

Firstly, the stories are different because they've been written from different perspectives, so naturally there will be inconsistencies.

Secondly, the most important parts, such as Mary being a virgin, are mentioned in both accounts." So what we can see here from James's response is that Christians can acknowledge that there are differences and there are inconsistencies across the two accounts, but that that's quite a normal thing to happen when these accounts have been written from different perspectives.

But some of the key details, some of the really important details, like Mary being a virgin, they are the same across both accounts.

So let's check your understanding.

True or false? The inconsistencies across the Gospel accounts of Jesus' birth show that the story is not true.

Fantastic, that statement is false, but why is that statement false? How do we know that this statement is false? Well, it's because for many Christians, there are differences across the two accounts of Jesus' birth, but this is because they have been written from different perspectives, so it's natural that there would be some differences.

But the key details, such as Mary being a virgin, remain the same across both accounts.

So well done for identifying that that statement is false and for identifying the reason why.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

Sofia is explaining Christian beliefs about the birth of Jesus, so the nativity.

She says, "Most Christians believe that Jesus' birth was a miracle, and this is supported by the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, which both refer to Mary as a virgin." Now, what I really like about Sofia's answer is that she's given a point.

She said that many Christians believe that Jesus' birth was a miracle and she's supported this with a source of authority, and she's actually made reference to both the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of Matthew.

But unfortunately, Sofia has not developed the source of authority she's used, so she's not explained it and linked it to her point.

I would like you to add to Sofia's answer by explaining the link between her point and the source of authority that she's used.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you were asked to add to Sofia's answer by explaining the link between Sofia's point and the source of authority that she's used.

Sofia had said, "Most Christians believe that Jesus' birth was a miracle, and this is supported by the Gospels of Luke and Matthew, which both refer to Mary as a virgin." Now, your explanation might look something like this: "This shows that Jesus' birth was a miracle because Mary being a virgin means that the pregnancy did not occur naturally.

Therefore, it must have been an act of God." So well done for developing Sofia's source of authority and applying it to her point.

We're now moving on to the second part of our lesson, which is to look at Jesus as the Son of God.

Now, in both Gospel passages that we've looked at so far, Jesus is described as being the Son of God.

This happens very explicitly in Luke, where the name Son of God is actually used in Luke 1:35, and it happens more subtly in the Gospel of Matthew by Jesus being described as having origin from the Holy Spirit.

Now, although the story of Jesus' birth is only found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, there were references to Jesus as the Son of God throughout all four of the Gospels.

So in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

So let's take a look at what the Gospel of Mark says about Jesus as the Son of God.

The Gospel of Mark actually begins by declaring that Jesus is the Son of God.

And Mark 1:1 says this, "The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God." Now I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me or have a think to yourself, why is this important? So why is it important that Jesus is being described as the Son of God in 1:1? Off you go.

So this is important because from the very beginning, the Gospel of Mark is confirming that Jesus is the Son of God.

Now let's take a look at the Gospel of John and how the Gospel of John describes Jesus as the Son of God.

So the Gospel of John does this through Jesus' role as the Saviour when he died on the cross to save humanity from sin.

And an example of this can be seen in John 1:14, which says this, "We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father full of grace and truth." Now I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me or have a think to yourself.

How might Christians interpret this passage to show Jesus is the Son of God? Off you go.

So, many Christians interpret this passage as Jesus being the one and only Son that's described here, and this is the one and only Son who came from God the Father, and God the Father is the first Person of the Trinity.

As well as this, the Gospel of John also recalls another person testifying that Jesus is the Son of God and this person is John the Baptist.

John 1:34 recalls John the Baptist saying this about Jesus.

"I testify that this is God's chosen one." Now, I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself, What does it mean to testify? Off you go.

So to testify means to be witness to something or to give evidence for something.

So what we can see here is John the Baptist giving evidence confirming that Jesus is the chosen one.

So Jesus in other words, is the Son of God.

So let's check your understanding.

Which Gospel begins by declaring Jesus as the Son of God in verse one? Is it A: Matthew, B: Mark, C: Luke, or D: John? Fantastic.

The correct answer is B.

The Gospel of Mark opens in chapter one in the very first verse declaring that Jesus is the Son of God.

Well done.

So this belief that Jesus is the Son of God is significant for many Christians today, and that's because it confirms the miracle of the virgin birth.

It shows the close relationship between Jesus and God the Father.

And for many Christians it confirms Jesus as the second Person of the Trinity.

So let's now take a look at each of these reasons in a bit more detail.

So it confirms the miracle of the virgin birth because it shows that Mary must have conceived through the Holy Spirit, and that confirms that Mary's pregnancy was a miracle.

So it's not something that happened naturally.

It's not something that could have ever happened naturally.

It was the work of God through the Holy Spirit.

It shows the close relationship between Jesus and God the Father, because Jesus as the Son of God shows that he is the closest person to God.

So just like how a child is often very close to their parent, Jesus as the Son shows that he has that close and intimate relationship with God the Father.

It also shows that Jesus has a special relationship with God because he is of the same nature as God.

And finally it confirms Jesus as the second Person of the Trinity.

And this is because the second person of the Trinity is God the Son.

And for most Christians, Jesus being the Son of God who is conceived through the Holy Spirit and born to the Virgin Mary is confirmation of Jesus as God the Son and the second Person of the Trinity.

So let's check your understanding.

True or false? Jesus as the Son of God is significant because it confirms the virgin birth and Jesus as the third Person of the Trinity.

Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But why is this statement false? Well, Jesus as the Son of God does confirm the virgin birth.

So that part of the statement is true, but it confirms Jesus as the second Person of the Trinity, not the third.

The third Person of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit.

So well done for identifying that that statement is false and for identifying the reason why.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I would like you to complete the table to explain how Jesus is shown as the Son of God in the Gospels.

So on the left hand side of the table, we have the sources of authority that are already completed for you.

These are Mark 1:1, and John 1:14.

You then need to complete the right hand side of the table explaining how this shows Jesus as the Son of God.

Off you go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you were asked to complete the table and explain each source of authority to show how Jesus is described as the Son of God in the Gospels.

So for the first source of authority, which was Mark 1:1, you may have said that "The Gospel of Mark opens by declaring that Jesus is the Son of God and this confirms the Trinity and shows the special relationship that Jesus the Son has with God the Father." And for the second source of authority, which is John 1:14, you may have said this, "Many Christians interpret this passage as describing Jesus as the Son of God who came from God the Father who is the first Person of the Trinity.

So well done for your work explaining how each source of authority from the Gospels shows Jesus as the Son of God.

We're now moving on to the third and final part of our lesson, which is to look at how Jesus as the Son of God influences Christians today.

So the word influence refers to when something or someone has the ability to shape or change our thoughts, beliefs, or our actions.

Now, Andeep shares his thoughts on how beliefs about the birth of Jesus and Jesus as the Son of God influence Christians today.

He says this: "I think these beliefs influence Christians to have a closer relationship with God." Now I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me or have a think to yourself.

How might beliefs about the birth of Jesus and Jesus as the Son of God influence Christians to have a closer relationship with God? Off you go.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have considered that Christians can have a closer relationship with God because they gain a greater appreciation for God sending his one and only Son to Earth, or that they're able to gain a better understanding of God the Father through the Son.

And this is because Jesus is the closest Person to God.

So when ordinary people can relate to Jesus, they're able to become closer to God through Jesus.

Now, David is an Anglican Christian and he explains how his beliefs about the birth of Jesus and Jesus as the Son of God influence his relationship with God.

He says: "My belief in Jesus as the Son of God enables me to have a closer relationship with God.

This is because I'm grateful that God sent his one and only Son to Earth and did so by allowing Jesus to have a humble and simple birth.

I can relate to this which strengthens my relationship with God." Izzy now shares her thoughts on how beliefs about the birth of Jesus and Jesus as the Son of God might influence Christians today.

She says, "I think these beliefs influence Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus." Now, Izzy is correct.

These beliefs do influence many Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

And many Christians do this on the 25th of December, which is Christmas Day.

Now, there's many ways that Christians today might celebrate the birth of Jesus, and these can include: having gatherings on Christmas Day with family and friends, celebrating Advent, which is a four week period of preparation and waiting that leads up to Christmas, attending midnight mass or other church services over the Christmas period, or celebrating carol concerts and maybe taking part in or watching nativity plays.

So let's check your understanding.

How might the beliefs about the birth of Jesus influence Christians today? A: Christians celebrate Easter, B: Christians celebrate Christmas, C: Christians celebrate Holy Week, or D: Christians celebrate Ash Wednesday? Fantastic.

The correct answer is B.

One of the ways that the birth of Jesus can influence Christians is that many Christians celebrate Christmas.

Well done.

Let's now take a look at some more examples of how beliefs about Jesus' birth and Jesus as the Son of God can influence Christians.

So Niamh is a Roman Catholic Christian and she explains how these beliefs influence her.

She says: "I attend midnight mass each Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

I don't usually attend other church services throughout the year, so celebrating the birth of Jesus is an important time for me and I'm able to feel part of my church community through these celebrations." Danielle is also Roman Catholic and she explains how these beliefs influence her.

She says: "Like Niamh, I also attend midnight mass to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

As well as this, I celebrate Advent, which is a time of preparation and waiting for the birth of Jesus.

Throughout the year, I also use a prayer known as the Rosary.

The Rosary includes mysteries which are meditated upon during the prayer.

Some of these mysteries relate to the birth of Jesus and are known as the Joyful Mysteries." So let's check your understanding.

True or false? Christians only celebrate the birth of Jesus during Advent and Christmas.

Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But how do we know that that statement is false? Well, it's because Christians can actually reflect upon and celebrate Jesus' birth at any time throughout the year.

For example, Christians like Danielle might say prayers like the Rosary that reflect the birth of Jesus.

And this can happen at any time throughout the year.

So well done for identifying that that statement is false and for identifying the reason why.

It's now time for you to have a go at a task.

I would like you to explain two ways in which the belief in Jesus as the Son of God influences Christians today.

Now, good practise when responding to this task would be to offer a point in relation to the task, develop this point by explaining it and then repeat that process with a second point, developing that point as well.

So for this particular task, that might look something like this: Giving one way that the belief in Jesus as the Son of God might influence a Christian.

Then explaining how and why this could impact the life of a Christian today.

Then giving another way that that belief in Jesus as the Son of God might influence a Christian.

And then again, explaining how and why that particular point could impact the life of a Christian.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task, explaining how beliefs about Jesus as the Son of God might influence Christians today.

Now, your response might look similar to this: "The belief that Jesus is the Son of God may influence Christians to celebrate Jesus' birth.

Many Christians prepare for Jesus' birth during the period of Advent and celebrate Jesus' birth on Christmas Day.

This may involve going to midnight mass or other church services to celebrate the birth of the Son of God.

The belief that Jesus is the Son of God may also influence Christians to pray.

Some Christians might pray the Rosary if they are Roman Catholic or other prayers that enable them to reflect on and show thanks for Jesus as the Son of God.

So well done again for your work during that task.

We've now reached the end of our lesson on the nativity and Jesus as the Son of God.

But before we finish up, let's take a look at some of the key things that we've learned this lesson.

So we've learned that the nativity refers to the birth of Jesus and that the accounts of Jesus' birth can be found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.

And although the Gospels of Matthew and Luke were written from different perspectives, both of them confirm that Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary and that he was conceived through the Holy Spirit.

We've also learned that most Christians agree that the virgin birth is a miracle that shows Jesus is the Son of God and how the belief that Jesus is the Son of God is referenced in all four of the Gospels.

And finally, we looked at how beliefs about the birth of Jesus and Jesus as the Son of God can influence Christian practises today, for example, the celebration of Christmas.

So a huge well done for all of your work today.

It's been wonderful learning with you.