Lesson video

Hi, my name is Ms. Minton, and welcome to this lesson on Jesus the Teacher.

Now, by the end of this lesson, you'll be able to describe Jesus as a teacher and explain how the teachings of Jesus are interpreted by and influence many Christians today.

Now, lots of this learning today might be new to you, but please don't worry because I'll be guiding you through each step of your learning, and I'm confident that by the end, you will have achieved this outcome.

So let's get started and take a look at the key words for this lesson.

We have the Beatitudes, the Old Testament, parable, and sermon.

Now, the Beatitudes are blessings given by Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount.

The Old Testament is the first part of the Bible which contains the law, history, prophecy, and the wisdom of the people of Israel.

A parable is a simple story that's used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, and a sermon is a talk on a religious or moral topic.

Now, our lesson today will have three parts.

We'll start by looking at the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes.

We'll then look at the Sermon on the Mount, the Old Testament law, and finally, we'll look at Jesus' use of parables.

So let's get started and take a look at the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes.

Now, I'd like you to imagine that you have to give a speech to a really large audience, and your speech needs to be about the right way to live.

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

What would you say in this speech? Off you go.

Now, you were asked to imagine that you had to give a speech on how to live.

But according to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus did give a speech on how to live to His followers.

Matthew 5 tells us that when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down.

His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them.

Now, this speech that Jesus gave to His followers that's recorded in the Gospel of Matthew is known as the Sermon on the Mount, and it's actually one of Jesus's most famous teaching moments.

So let's check your understanding.

One of Jesus's most famous teaching moments is known as A, the sermon on the hill; B, the Sermon on the Mount; or C, the sermon on the cliff.

Fantastic.

The correct answer is B.

One of Jesus's most famous teaching moments is known as the Sermon on the Mount, well done.

Jesus began His sermon on the Mount with what's known as the Beatitudes.

Now, the word Beatitudes comes from the Latin word beatus, meaning blessed or holy.

And the Beatitudes were set of teachings delivered by Jesus that told people what behaviour would be rewarded by God.

Each of the Beatitudes begins with the phrase, blessed are the, and it's followed by a behaviour or a characteristic that Jesus was saying God would bless.

The Beatitudes are: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the Earth.

Blessed are those who hunger or thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of me.

Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in Heaven, for, in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

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 the Beatitudes influence Christians today? Off you go.

So the Beatitudes might influence Christians in a number of ways today.

For example, the Beatitudes might influence Christians to show forgiveness to others because blessed are the merciful.

They might encourage Christians to live in a peaceful way by not causing or taking part in any kind of conflict, because blessed are the peacemakers.

They might encourage Christians to strive to always do the right thing, because blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, or they might encourage Christians to be humble and to place their trust in God, because blessed are the meek.

So let's check your understanding.

Which of the following is not an example of behaviour that reflects Jesus' teachings from the Beatitudes, A, showing forgiveness; B, supporting conflict; C, striving for what is right and fair; or D, being gentle and humble? Fantastic.

The correct answer is B.

Supporting conflict is not an example of behaviour that reflects Jesus's teachings from the Beatitudes, well done.

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

I would like you to match the examples of behaviour to the relevant teaching from the Beatitudes.

So the examples are, one, resolving conflicts using calm and nonviolent methods; two, speaking out against unfair treatment and discrimination; three, forgiving a friend who has wronged you.

And the Beatitudes to match these to are, A, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness; B, blessed are the merciful; and C, blessed are the peacemakers.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task, matching the example of behaviour to the relevant teaching from the Beatitudes.

Your response should look like this.

Number one, resolving conflict using calm and non-violent methods matches to C, blessed are the peacemakers.

Number two, speaking out against unfair treatment and discrimination matches to A, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.

And three, forgiving a friend who has wronged you links to B, blessed are the merciful.

So well done for matching the examples of the behaviours to the correct teaching from the Beatitudes.

We're now moving on to the second part of our lesson, which is to look at the Sermon on the Mount, Old Testament law.

Now, I'd like you to think back the ideas for your speech on how to live, and I'd like you to consider what you were influenced by.

So when deciding what you should include in your speech on how to live, who or what influenced the content of your speech? So pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself.

Off you go.

So you may have been influenced by people in your life, like your parents, your friends, or maybe even your teachers.

You may have been influenced by the law.

So what we are told is right and wrong through the law, maybe that influenced you and what you wanted to include in your speech.

Or maybe you were influenced by your religious beliefs and what you believe to be right and wrong through your religion.

Now let's take a look at what may have influenced Jesus.

So, many Christians interpret the New Testament as Jesus fulfilling Jewish law and teachings from the Old Testament.

And this interpretation also comes from the Sermon on the Mount.

Now, according to the Gospel of Matthew, after Jesus gave the Beatitudes, He went on to say this: "Do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets.

I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfil them." Now I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

What does it mean to abolish something? Off you go.

So to abolish something means to get rid of it or to put an end to it.

Now we know what the word abolish means, I'd like you to pause the video again, but this time, I'd like you to talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How might this passage be interpreted by Christians? Off you go.

So for many Christians, this passage can be interpreted to suggest that Jesus develops, expands on, and sometimes challenges laws and teachings from the Old Testament rather than putting them to an end.

So in a similar way that your speech may have been based on things that you've learned from your friends, your family, the law, or your religious beliefs, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount was based on Old Testament laws and teachings.

So let's check your understanding.

True of false: during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared that He had come to abolish the Old Testament laws.

Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But why is that statement false? Well, it's because during the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus actually declared that He'd come to fulfil the Old Testament law, not to abolish them.

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

So we're now going to take a look at some examples of Old Testament law and how Jesus either expanded on these, developed them, or challenged them during the Sermon on the Mount.

And the first one is the Old Testament teaching from Exodus, you shall not murder.

Now, Jesus developed this teaching by saying this: "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.

' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgement ." I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How has Jesus expanded on and fulfilled Old Testament law in this example? Off you go.

So Jesus is confirming here that murder is wrong.

So He's not changing the original law, but He goes further, and He condemns holding onto feelings of anger.

So as well as saying that murder is wrong, He's saying that actually even feeling angry towards another person is also wrong.

So Jesus expands and develops on this Old Testament law to not murder.

The Old Testament also says, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself.

I am the Lord." This teaching is from Leviticus in the Old Testament, and Jesus makes reference to this in His Sermon on the Mount.

And Jesus develops this teaching by saying this: "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour but hate your enemy.

' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." So I'd like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How has Jesus expanded on and fulfilled Old Testament law in this example? Off you go.

So in this example, Jesus confirms that people should show love to those who are around them, so they should show love to their neighbours, but they should actually also go further and show love for their enemies as well.

So in this example, Jesus had developed the Old Testament law of showing love to your neighbour and extended this to also showing love for your enemies.

Now, another example of Old Testament law that Jesus makes reference to is this teaching from Exodus.

"If there serious is injury, you are to take life for life and eye for eye." Now, this is an example where Jesus actually challenges this teaching.

And He says this: "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person.

If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also." So now pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How has Jesus challenged the Old Testament law in this example? Off you go.

So in this example, Jesus challenges this law by teaching His followers not to retaliate to wrongdoing.

So instead of taking life for life and eye for eye, Jesus is saying don't respond or retaliate or try and take revenge when someone wrongs you.

Let's now check your understanding.

Which of these statements best describes Jesus's teachings from the Sermon on the Mount? A, Jesus developed teachings on murder and the treatment of others and challenged teachings about revenge; or B, Jesus confirmed teachings about revenge and challenged teachings about murder and the treatment of others.

Well done, the correct answer is A, Jesus developed the teachings on murder and the treatment of others, but He challenged the teachings about revenge, well done.

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

I would like you to complete the table by describing what Jesus said about each Old Testament law during the Sermon on the Mount.

So the Old Testament laws are murder, love your neighbour, and an eye for an eye.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So you are asked to complete the table by describing what Jesus said about each Old Testament teaching during the Sermon on the Mount.

And your response might look like this: For murder, you may have said that Jesus confirmed that murder is wrong, but He expanded on it in saying that holding onto feelings of anger is also wrong.

For love your neighbour, you may have said that Jesus confirmed that people should show love to those around them, but that this love should also be extended to everyone, even enemies.

And finally, for an eye for an eye, you may have said that Jesus said that people should not retaliate against wrongdoing.

So again, well done for your work during that task.

We're now moving on to the final part of our lesson, which is to look at Jesus's use of parables.

Now, I would like you to consider, if you had to teach people something that was difficult to understand, how would you do it, and what methods might you use? So pause the video and either talk to a partner or have a think to yourself.

Off you go.

So when thinking about how you would teach people something that was difficult to understand, you may have considered things like demonstrating, so showing somebody how to do something.

You may have considered actually getting that person to do or experience the thing that you are trying to teach them and getting them to try it out for themselves.

Maybe you thought about using images or videos to visually show someone the thing that you are trying to teach.

Or maybe you considered using stories or examples to help somebody relate to what you are trying to teach them.

Now, Jesus actually took the approach of stories, and He used parables to convey challenging ideas about God, the afterlife, society, and morality.

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 do you think Jesus used parables to do this? So why do you think Jesus chose to use stories to teach about God, the afterlife, society, and morality? Off you go.

So Jesus used parables because parables allowed people to understand these challenging ideas more easily.

Now, throughout the Gospels, there are many examples of parables that were told by Jesus, for example, the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son.

Now, each parable teaches important lessons, for example, how to treat other people; truths about God, God's nature, what God is like; and what might happen after death.

So let's check your understanding.

True of false: Jesus used parables to convey simple ideas.

Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But why is that statement false? Well, it's because Jesus used parables to convey complex ideas, and these ideas were often about God, the afterlife, society, and morality.

So these parables helped people to understand these complex ideas more easily.

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

Now, following the teachings of Jesus, including the teachings that come from parables, is central to the lives of many Christians today.

However, these teachings aren't always interpreted in the same way, and particularly when it comes to parables, there may be different interpretations.

Danielle, who is Catholic, explains this.

She says, "My interpretation of a parable might be different to someone else's interpretation, and sometimes I can also find multiple messages within one parable.

One parable might teach me many different things, and I can use the same parable to influence different aspects of my life." Now, one example of a parable told by Jesus that may have different interpretations is the Rich Man and Lazarus, and Jesus used this parable to teach His followers about worldly possessions and the afterlife.

And the parable, which is found in the Gospel of Luke, goes like this: There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day.

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table.

Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

The time came when the beggar died, and the angels carried him to Abraham's side.

The rich man also died and was buried.

In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side.

So He called to him, "Father Abraham, have pity on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his fingers in the water and cool my tongue because I am in agony in this fire." But Abraham replied, "Son, remember that in your lifetime, you received good things while Lazarus received bad things, but now he's comforted, and you are in agony." I'd now like you to pause the video and either talk to a partner, talk to me, or have a think to yourself.

How might many Christians interpret this parable? What might they learn from it, and how might it influence them? Off you go.

So as part of your thinking time or your discussion, you may have considered these ways of interpreting the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, that God will pass judgement that will reward and punish people, that worldly possessions are not important because they won't be with people in the afterlife, that suffering is not permanent, or to help people who are in need.

So let's check your understanding.

Which of the following is not an example of what can be learned from the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus? A, suffering is permanent; B, material possessions are not important; C, there is a possibility of reward in the afterlife; or D, it's important to help others.

Fantastic.

The correct answer is A.

Suffering is permanent is not an example of what can be learned from the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, well done.

Now, another example of a parable that may have different interpretations is the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant where Jesus taught His followers about forgiveness.

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, which is also found in the Gospel of Luke, goes like this: Therefore, the kingdom of Heaven is like a king who wanted to settle his accounts with his servants.

As he began the settlement, a man who owed him 10,000 bags of gold was brought to him.

Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

At this, the servant fell to his knees and begged him.

"Be patient with me," he begged, "and I will pay back everything." The servant's master took pity on him.

He cancelled the debt and let him go.

But when the servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him 100 silver coins.

He grabbed him and began to choke him.

"Pay back what you owe me," he demanded.

His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, "Be patient with me, I will pay it back." But he refused, and instead, he went off and he had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.

When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged, and they went and told their master everything.

The master then called the servant in.

"You wicked servant," he said.

"I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.

Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had on you?" In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay back everything that he owed.

This is how my Heavenly Father will treat you unless you forgive your brothers or sisters from the heart.

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

How might many Christians interpret this parable of the Merciful Servant? What might they learn from it, and how might it influence them? Off you go.

So as part of your discussion or your thinking time, you may have considered that the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant might teach Christians that it's important to show forgiveness to others.

It might also teach them that humans can be forgiven by God, that people should show forgiveness if they want to receive forgiveness back, and that you should treat others how you would like to be treated.

So let's check your understanding.

True of false: Jesus taught about the importance of forgiveness through the Parable of the Unmerciful King.

Fantastic.

That statement is false.

But why is that statement false? Well, it's because Jesus taught about the importance of forgiveness through the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.

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

It's now time for you to complete a task.

Alex asks you to explain why Jesus taught using parables and what can be learned from them.

I would like you to explain this to Alex, and I'd like you to use examples from the following parables in your explanation.

The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus and the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.

So pause the video and have a go.

Well done for your work during that task.

So Alex asks you to explain why Jesus taught using parables and what can be learned from them.

And your response might look something like this: Jesus taught using parables to convey complex ideas and help His audience understand these ideas more easily.

For example, Jesus used the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus to teach that worldly possessions are not important, and humans can be rewarded or punished for their behaviour on Earth.

Jesus also used the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant to teach that God is merciful, and because God will forgive humans, humans should show the same forgiveness to others.

So well done for explaining this to Alex.

We've now reached the end of our lesson on Jesus the Teacher.

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

So we've learned that the Sermon on the Mount is considered to be one of Jesus's most famous teaching moments and that Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount with the Beatitudes, and He told His audience what behaviour would be blessed and rewarded by God.

We've learned that Jesus declared that He'd come to fulfil Old Testament law, not abolish it, and He did this during the Sermon on the Mount.

We've also learned that Jesus taught using parables in order to convey challenging ideas about God, the afterlife, society, and morality.

We've also learned that following the teachings of Jesus is central to the lives of many Christians today, but these teachings can be interpreted differently by different Christians.

So a huge well done for all of your hard work this lesson.

It's been wonderful learning with you.