Lesson 21: Matthew 18
Introduction
Jesus Christ taught His
disciples principles that would help them lead His Church after His Ascension.
The Lord also gave the parable of the unmerciful servant in response to Peter’s
question about forgiveness.
I.
Matthew 18:1–20
Jesus Christ teaches His disciples principles that will help them
lead the Church
---List the following offenses on
the board:
being lied to; having something
stolen; being betrayed by a friend.
---Silently rate each offense on a
scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being the easiest to forgive and 10 being
the hardest.
---Who wants
to report how you rated each of the offenses?
---Ponder why we should forgive
others even when it’s difficult to do so.
---As we study Matthew 18 look for truths that can help you understand
why we should forgive others.
---In Matthew 18:1–14 Jesus instructed His disciples to
humble themselves and become as little children. He also explained that those
who “offend” little children, lead them astray, or cause them to stumble in the
faith, would be subject to the justice of God (see verses 6–7, including verse 6, footnote a). The Savior then
counseled His disciples to remove from their lives those things that could
offend them, or cause them to stumble (see verse 9). (Note: The Savior’s teachings
found in Matthew 18:1–14 will be discussed in greater
depth in the lessons on Mark 9 and Luke 15.)
---After the Savior counseled His
disciples to remove from their lives those things that could cause them to
stumble, He told them what a person should do if someone trespasses, or sins,
against him or her. He also taught the Apostles principles of Church
discipline.
---Read Matthew 18:15
and look for what Jesus told His disciples to do if someone trespassed against
them.
- What can we learn from this verse about what should we do if someone trespasses against us?
---Matthew 18:16–17 says that the Savior told His
Apostles that if a person refused to acknowledge his or her wrongdoing and
confess his or her sin, and two or more witnesses testified against him or her,
that person would be cut off from the Church. Today, those who preside over
Church disciplinary councils where such decisions are made always seek the
Lord’s will regarding whether an individual should be cut off from the Church,
or excommunicated.
- What authority did the Apostles have given to them? (Explain that the Savior had given the Apostles the keys of the priesthood, which gave them authority, under the direction of Peter, to perform sealing ordinances and make binding decisions regarding the Church, including whether a sinner could remain a member [see Matthew 16:19].)
- What did the Lord promise His Apostles in verses 19–20? (You may want to suggest that students mark the promise in verse 20.)
II.
Matthew 18:21–35
The Lord gives the parable of the unmerciful servant
---Read aloud the following account,
related by President Thomas S. Monson, of a family whose two-month-old
baby had died:
“[The] father was a cabinetmaker and fashioned a beautiful
casket for the body of his precious child. The day of the funeral was gloomy,
thus reflecting the sadness they felt in their loss. As the family walked to
the chapel, with Father carrying the tiny casket, a small number of friends had
gathered. However, the chapel door was locked. The busy bishop had forgotten
the funeral. Attempts to reach him were futile. Not knowing what to do, the
father placed the casket under his arm and, with his family beside him, carried
it home, walking in a drenching rain”
(“Hidden Wedges,” Ensign, May 2002, 19).
- If you had been a member of that family, how would you have felt when the bishop failed to show up for the funeral?
- Why would it be difficult to forgive the bishop?
---After the Savior instructed the
Apostles, Peter asked the Lord a question about forgiveness.
- What did Peter ask the Savior?
---Some religious leaders in Peter’s
day taught that an individual did not need to offer forgiveness to another person
more than three times. In asking the Lord if he should forgive someone seven
times, Peter may have thought he was being generous (see Bruce R.
McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, 4 vols. [1979–81], 3:91).
- How many times did the Savior say we should forgive those who offend or sin against us? (Explain that “seventy times seven” is a way of saying we should put no limit on the number of times we forgive others.)
- What truth can we learn from the Savior about forgiving others? (Students may use different words, but make sure they identify the following truth: The Lord has commanded us to forgive those who offend or sin against us.)
- What does it mean to forgive others? (Explain that to forgive others is to treat with love the person who has offended or hurt us and to have no unkind feelings toward him or her [see Guide to the Scriptures, “Forgive,” scriptures.lds.org; D&C 64:9–11]. Forgiving does not mean that we continue to allow others to harm us or that the offender should not be held accountable for his or her actions, legally or otherwise.)
---After answering Peter’s question,
the Savior taught His disciples a parable that can help us understand why we
should forgive others.
---Group students into pairs and
invite each pair to read Matthew 18:23–35
together, looking for why we should forgive others. After sufficient time,
invite students to report what they found.
Instead of having students read Matthew 18:23–35, consider showing the video “Forgive Every One Their Trespasses: The Parable of the
Unmerciful Servant” [6:06]. As students watch the video, invite them
to look for why we should forgive others. After the video, invite students to
report what they found. This video is available on LDS.org.
---To help students deepen their
understanding of this parable, copy the following words on the board:
King
|
Servant
|
Fellowservant
|
|||
- How much did the servant owe the king? (Write owed the king 10,000 talents under Servant.)
---In Jesus’s day “10,000 talents
equaled 100,000,000 denarii [Roman currency]. One denarius was a typical day’s
wage for a common laborer” (Jay A.
Parry and Donald W. Parry, Understanding the Parables of Jesus Christ
[2006], 95). Calculate how many years it would
take for the servant to pay off this debt by dividing 100,000,000 denarii by
365 days (100,000,000/365 = 273,973).
---Write 273,973 years on the board under owed the king 10,000 talents.
- How much did the fellowservant owe the servant? (Write owed the servant 100 pence under Fellowservant.)
---100 pence equaled 100 denarii.
Therefore, the fellowservant owed the servant roughly 100 days’ worth of work,
or nearly one-third of his yearly salary. Write 100 days on the board under owed the servant 100 pence.
- Why do you think the king told the servant he was wicked for not forgiving his fellowservant this debt?
---Who do
you think each of the three people in the parable could represent?
---After they respond, write the
following possible representations on the board:
King = Heavenly Father, Servant =
Us, Fellowservant = Those who have offended us.
- What principle do you think the Savior was trying to teach His disciples about why we should forgive others? (Students should identify a principle similar to the following: If we want God to forgive us, then we must be willing to forgive others. Write this principle on the board.)
- What can a person do if he or she is struggling to forgive someone?
---To help students understand what
we can do to be more willing to forgive others, invite a student to read aloud
the following statement by President James E. Faust of the First
Presidency. If possible, make a handout for each student.
“We
need to recognize and acknowledge angry feelings. It will take humility to do
this, but if we will get on our knees and ask Heavenly Father for a feeling of
forgiveness, He will help us. The Lord requires us ‘to forgive all men’ [D&C 64:10] for our own good because ‘hatred
retards spiritual growth’ [Orson F. Whitney, Gospel Themes
(1914), 144]. Only as we rid ourselves of hatred and bitterness can the
Lord put comfort into our hearts. …
“… When tragedy strikes, we should not respond by
seeking personal revenge but rather let justice take its course and then let
go. It is not easy to let go and empty our hearts of festering resentment. The
Savior has offered to all of us a precious peace through His Atonement, but
this can come only as we are willing to cast out negative feelings of anger,
spite, or revenge. For all of us who forgive ‘those who trespass against us’ [Joseph Smith Translation,
Matthew 6:13], even those who have committed serious crimes, the Atonement
brings a measure of peace and comfort”
(James E.
Faust, “The Healing Power of Forgiveness,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2007, 69).
- What did President Faust tell us to do that will help us forgive others?
- According to President Faust, what can happen when we forgive others?
Remember the students of President
Monson’s story shared earlier in class and read the conclusion of the account:
“If the family were of a lesser character, they could have
blamed the bishop and harbored ill feelings. When the bishop discovered the
tragedy, he visited the family and apologized. With the hurt still evident in
his expression, but with tears in his eyes, the father accepted the apology,
and the two embraced in a spirit of understanding” (“Hidden Wedges,” Ensign, May 2002, 19).
- How has the Lord helped you forgive someone who has sinned against or offended you?
- What has helped you forgive others? (Consider inviting students to respond to this question in their class notebooks or scripture study journals.)
---Ponder whom you may be
withholding forgiveness from. Pray for a desire to forgive and the ability to
let go of hurt and anger so that Jesus Christ can help you feel peace and
comfort through His Atonement.
Commentary
and Background Information
Matthew
18:20. “Where two or three are gathered together in my name”
President Boyd K. Packer of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that this promise of gathering together in
the name of Jesus Christ applies to us when gatherings are
presided over by proper authority:
“The Lord has told us, ‘Where two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.’ (Matt. 18:20; see also D&C 6:32.)
“There is safety in learning
doctrine in gatherings which are sponsored by proper authority” (“Reverence Invites Revelation,” Ensign, Nov.
1991, 21).
Matthew
18:21–22. “Seventy times seven”
“The answer ‘seventy times seven’ (a
hyperbolic quantity, meaning indefinitely) is for those who sin against us but
repent. And for those who sin against us and refuse to repent, the first three
times we are still obligated to forgive, but the fourth time the testimonies
against the sinner are to be brought before the Lord. If sincere repentance and
restitution ensue, forgiveness is required; but if there is no
repentance, the sinner is given over to the judgments of God. All of this
additional instruction is given in Doctrine and Covenants 98:39–48, the law of forgiveness”
(D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, Verse by Verse: The Four
Gospels [2006], 371–72).
Note that the phrase “thou shalt not
forgive” in Doctrine and Covenants 98:44 means that
unrepentant perpetrators should be held fully accountable for their actions. It
does not mean that we should withhold forgiveness
from or continue to feel animosity toward them (see Doctrine and Covenants and Church History
Seminary Teacher Manual [Church Educational System manual, 2013], 349).
Matthew
18:22. Forgiveness and Church discipline
Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught how Matthew 18:22 relates to situations involving
Church discipline:
“There is no limit to the number of
times that brethren should forgive each other their personal trespasses upon
conditions of true repentance. This, however, is not intended to mean that the
Church itself shall continue times without end to forgive and fellowship its
erring members. There are instances in which sinners must be cast out of the
kingdom no matter how sorry they may be for their unrighteous acts” (Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 1:423).
Matthew
18:23–30. The Lord has commanded us to forgive those who offend us
Elder Richard G. Scott of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles helped us understand how we are blessed for
forgiving others:
“Forgiveness heals terrible, tragic
wounds, for it allows the love of God to purge your heart and mind of the
poison of hate. It cleanses your consciousness of the desire for revenge. It
makes place for the purifying, healing, restoring love of the Lord” (“Healing the Tragic Scars of Abuse,” Ensign, May
1992, 33).
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of
the First Presidency taught the following about forgiveness:
“Remember, heaven is filled with
those who have this in common: They are forgiven. And they forgive” (“The Merciful Obtain Mercy,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2012, 77).
Supplemental
Teaching Idea
To help students feel the importance
of forgiving those who have hurt us, consider showing the video “Forgiveness: My Burden Was Made Light” (8:24).
In this video, a man shares his experience of losing his wife and two children
in a car accident and forgiving the drunk driver who killed them. This video
can be found on LDS.org.
Right margin
extras:
Ask
questions and make invitations that encourage application
The aim of gospel teaching is to
help students apply the principles and doctrines found in the scriptures,
become converted, and receive the blessings promised to the faithful and
obedient. Questions and invitations that encourage application can help
students see how they can apply these principles and doctrines in their current
situations and in the future.
Lesson 22: Matthew 19–20
Introduction
Jesus Christ taught about
the sanctity of marriage. He emphasized the importance of choosing eternal life
over worldly wealth and taught the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.
Jesus also foretold His death and taught His disciples to serve others.
I.
Matthew 19:1–12
The Savior teaches about the sanctity of marriage
---Display a picture of a happily
married couple who has been sealed in the temple. Point out that the Lord’s
doctrine concerning marriage and divorce differs from many of the world’s
beliefs.
- What are some of the world’s beliefs about marriage and divorce? (Caution: Avoid spending too much time on topics that could take time away from other important principles in today’s lesson.)
---As we study Matthew 19:1–12 look for the Lord’s teachings about marriage
and divorce and consider the importance of these teachings for them.
---Read Matthew 19:1–3
looking for the question the Pharisees asked Jesus. Invite students to report
what they find.
---The phrase “to put away his wife
for every cause” (Matthew 19:3) refers to a man divorcing his wife
for any reason, even if it is trivial or selfish.
- What truths about marriage do we learn from the Savior’s response to the Pharisees? (Students may identify several truths, but be sure to emphasize that marriage between a man and a woman is a sacred relationship designed and established by God.)
- What did the Pharisees ask the Savior?
- According to the Savior, why did Moses allow divorce among the Israelites? (Because of the hardness of the people’s hearts.)
---To help students understand how
this teaching relates to our day, invite a student to read aloud the following
statement by Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“The kind of marriage required for exaltation—eternal in
duration and godlike in quality—does not contemplate divorce. In the temples of
the Lord, couples are married for all eternity. But some marriages do not
progress toward that ideal. Because ‘of the hardness of [our] hearts’ [Matthew 19:8], the Lord does not currently
enforce the consequences of the celestial standard. He permits divorced persons
to marry again without the stain of immorality specified in the higher law” (“Divorce,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 70).
---Consider inviting students to
share their testimonies that God designed and established marriage as a sacred
relationship between a man and a woman.
II.
Matthew 19:13–30; 20:1–16 Jesus
teaches of eternal life and gives the parable of the laborers in the vineyard
---Invite a student to come to the
front of the class. Tell the student that if he or she can do 10 push-ups, he
or she will receive a small reward (such as 10 small pieces of candy). After
the student does 10 push-ups, give him or her the reward, and then ask for
another volunteer. Ask the second student to do one push-up, and then ask the
class what reward they think this student should receive and why. Invite the
two students to return to their seats. Inform the class that later in the lesson
the second student will receive a reward based on what the class learns in the
scriptures.
---Matthew 19:13–27 says that Jesus encouraged His
followers to seek eternal life rather than worldly wealth. Peter asked what the
disciples would receive because they had given up their worldly possessions to
follow the Savior. (Note: The events discussed in these verses will be taught
in detail in the lesson on Mark 10.)
- According to verse 29, what will everyone who forsakes all to follow the Savior inherit?
---The Savior then taught His
disciples a parable to help them understand Heavenly Father’s desire to give
all His children the opportunity to receive eternal life. In this parable, a
man hires laborers at different times throughout the day to work in his
vineyard. A normal working day in New Testament times would have been from
about 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with slightly varied lengths at different seasons
of the year.
---Copy the following chart on the
board or provide it to students as a handout:
Laborers
(Start Time)
|
Salary
Agreed On
|
Hours
Worked
|
Amount
Paid
|
Early in the morning (6:00 a.m.)
|
|||
3rd hour (9:00 a.m.)
|
|||
6th hour (12:00 p.m.)
|
|||
9th hour (3:00 p.m.)
|
|||
11th hour (5:00 p.m.)
|
---Invite students to work in small
groups. Ask them to read Matthew 20:1–7 in
their groups, looking for how long each group of laborers worked and the salary
they agreed on. (“A penny” refers to a denarius, which was a Roman coin roughly
equal to a laborer’s wages for a day.)
---After sufficient time, invite a
few students to come to the board and fill in the first two columns of the
chart (or invite them to fill them in on the copies you have provided).
- Who do you think should be paid the most?
- What payment did each group of laborers receive? (After students respond, write 1 penny in each of the boxes in the column labeled “Amount Paid.”)
- If you were among the laborers who worked all day, what thoughts or feelings might you have had as you received the same reward as those who worked for only an hour?
---Read Matthew 20:11–14
looking for what those who labored all
day said to the lord of the vineyard and what he replied to them.
- What was the complaint of those who had worked all day?
- What did the lord of the vineyard say in response?
- How had the lord of the vineyard been just (or fair) with those who had worked all day?
---The wage of one penny can
represent everlasting or eternal life, as mentioned in Matthew 19:29.
---Write the following incomplete
statement on the board:
God gives eternal life to all people
who …
- If the reward in this parable represents eternal life, what could the labor represent? (Students may give a variety of answers, but be sure to emphasize that the labor in this parable can represent making and keeping sacred covenants with God. After students respond, complete the truth on the board as follows: God gives eternal life to all people who choose to make and keep sacred covenants with Him.)
---This truth helps us understand
Heavenly Father’s mercy for individuals who do not make or keep covenants early
in life and for those who do not have the opportunity to do so until after they
die (see D&C 137:7–8).
- Why do you think it is important for us to know that God gives eternal life to all people who choose to make and keep sacred covenants with Him, regardless of when that may occur?
---Remember the second student who
did only one push-up, and ask:
- What reward do you think this student should receive for doing one push-up? (Give the student the same reward you gave to the student who did 10 push-ups.)
---Read Matthew 20:15–16
looking for how the lord of the vineyard responded to those who complained
about his kindness toward the other laborers.
- What do you think the lord of the vineyard meant when he asked, “Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” (verse 15).
---Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of
the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles paraphrased this question as follows: “Why
should you be jealous because I choose to be kind?” (“The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2012, 31).
- What does it mean in verse 16 that “many [are] called, but few chosen”? (To be called means to be invited to participate in Heavenly Father’s work. To be chosen means to receive His blessings—including the blessing of eternal life.)
- What principle can we learn from verse 16? (Students may identify a number of principles, including the following: If we choose to be jealous of Heavenly Father’s blessings upon others, then we may lose the blessings He wants to give us.)
---Read aloud the following
statement by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, and invite students to ponder how
they might be tempted to be jealous of the blessings Heavenly Father gives to
others:
“There are going to be times in our lives when someone else
gets an unexpected blessing or receives some special recognition. May I plead
with us not to be hurt—and certainly not to feel envious—when good fortune
comes to another person? We are not diminished when someone else is added upon.
We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the
most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really
in is the race against sin. …
“… Coveting, pouting, or tearing others down does not
elevate your standing, nor does demeaning someone else improve your self-image.
So be kind, and be grateful that God is kind. It is a happy way to live” (“Laborers in the Vineyard,” 31, 32).
---Testimony of the truths students
identified as they studied the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.
---Write the following statement on
the board. Give students time to complete the statement in their class
notebooks or scripture study journals:
Based on what I have learned from
this parable, I will …
---After sufficient time, invite a
few students who feel comfortable doing so to share with the class what they
wrote.
III.
Matthew 20:17–34
Jesus foretold His own death and taught His disciples to serve others
---In Matthew 20:17–34 the Savior foretold that He
would be betrayed and condemned to death when He returned to Jerusalem. He
taught His disciples that rather than striving for position and authority, they
should follow His example and serve others.
Commentary
and Background Information
Matthew
19:3–6. “What God hath joined together”
Elder F. Burton Howard of the
Seventy explained that prophets have long taught the role of marriage in God’s
plan:
“Eternal marriage is a principle
which was established before the foundation of the world and was instituted on
this earth before death came into it. Adam and Eve were given to each other by
God in the Garden of Eden before the Fall. The scripture says, ‘In the day that
God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he
them; and blessed them’ (Gen. 5:1–2; emphasis added).
“The prophets have uniformly taught
that the consummate and culminating element of God’s great plan for the
blessing of His children is eternal marriage” (“Eternal Marriage,” Ensign or Liahona, May
2003, 92).
Sister Julie B. Beck, who
served as Relief Society general president, taught the following about why
marriage is ordained of God:
“We know that in the great premortal
conflict we sided with our Savior, Jesus
Christ, to preserve our potential to belong to eternal families. …
We believe in the formation of eternal families. That means we believe in
getting married” (“What Latter-day Saint Women Do Best: Stand Strong and
Immovable,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2007, 110).
Matthew
19:6–9. Divorce
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles commented on divorce’s impact on families:
“There are many good Church members
who have been divorced. … We know that many of you are innocent victims—members
whose former spouses persistently betrayed sacred covenants or abandoned or
refused to perform marriage responsibilities for an extended period. …
“… All who have been through
divorce know the pain and need the healing power and hope that come from the
Atonement. That healing power and that hope are there for them and also for
their children. …
“… We cannot control and we are
not responsible for the choices of others, even when they impact us so
painfully. …
“Whatever the outcome and no matter
how difficult your experiences, you have the promise that you will not be
denied the blessings of eternal family relationships if you love the Lord, keep
His commandments, and just do the best you can” (“Divorce,” Ensign or Liahona, May
2007, 70–71, 73).
Matthew
19:10–12. “For there are some eunuchs”
Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that anciently some people held the
false belief that a life of celibacy was to be sought after:
“Apparently those who made
themselves eunuchs were men who in false pagan worship had deliberately
mutilated themselves with the expectancy that such would further their
salvation. It is clear that such was not a true gospel requirement of any sort.
There is no such thing in the gospel as willful emasculation; such a notion
violates true principles of procreation and celestial marriage” (Mormon
Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 241).
Matthew
20:1–16. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared an important lesson to be learned from the
parable of the laborers in the vineyard:
“Like other parables, this one can
teach several different and valuable principles. For present purposes its
lesson is that the Master’s reward in the Final Judgment will not be based on
how long we have labored in the vineyard. We do not obtain our heavenly reward
by punching a time clock. What is essential is that our labors in the workplace
of the Lord have caused us to become something. For some of us, this requires a
longer time than for others. What is important in the end is what we have
become by our labors” (“The Challenge to Become,” Ensign, Nov.
2000, 34).
Supplemental
Teaching Idea
Matthew
20:12–14. The last can receive even as the first
After students identify the truth
that God gives eternal life to all people who choose to make and keep sacred
covenants with Him, ask:
- What blessings can you enjoy because you have the opportunity to make and keep covenants with Heavenly Father early in your life?
To help students understand that we
can choose to repent and keep our covenants even if we may have made poor
choices in the past, invite a student to read aloud the following statement by
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“[The parable of the laborers in the
vineyard]—like all parables—is not really about laborers or wages any more than
the others are about sheep and goats. This is a story about God’s goodness, His
patience and forgiveness, and the Atonement of the Lord Jesus
Christ. It is a story about generosity and compassion. It is a story about
grace. It underscores the thought I heard many years ago that surely the thing
God enjoys most about being God is the thrill of being merciful, especially to
those who don’t expect it and often feel they don’t deserve it. …
“… However late you think you
are, however many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you
feel you have made … , or however far from home and family and God
you feel you have traveled, I testify that you have not traveled beyond the
reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the
infinite light of Christ’s Atonement shines. …
“… Even if you feel you are the
lost and last laborer of the eleventh hour, the Lord of the vineyard still
stands beckoning. …
“… His concern is for the faith
at which you finally arrive, not the hour of the day in which you got there” (“The Laborers in the Vineyard,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2012, 32–33).
- How can Elder Holland’s statement encourage us to repent and keep our covenants with Heavenly Father even though we may have sinned and strayed from Him?
Right margin
extras:
Be
sensitive to the needs and feelings of students
As you discuss the Savior’s
teachings on marriage and divorce, be sensitive to students who may have
experienced pain or worry due to the separation or divorce of parents or other family members.
Prayerfully seek and follow the guidance of the Holy Ghost as you prepare
and teach. Remember to listen carefully as students ask questions or share
their thoughts and feelings.
Marking
and annotating the scriptures
Marking and annotating the
scriptures is one of the most helpful ways for students to retain what they
learn. Students can do this by underlining, shading, or outlining key words or
phrases. They can also write definitions, principles, prophetic commentary, or
personal insights and impressions in the margins of their scriptures.
Lesson 23: Matthew 21:1–16
Introduction
Jesus made His triumphal entry into
Jerusalem at the beginning of the last week of His life. While there, He
cleansed the temple for the second time and healed the blind and the lame who
came to Him.
Note: At the end of this lesson is a
one-page visual titled “Jesus Christ’s
Last Week, Atonement, and Resurrection.”
This brief overview of the last week of the Savior’s mortal life can help you
and your students understand the events that led up to Jesus Christ’s death and
Resurrection. You may want to use this overview in Mark, Luke, and John as
well.
I.
Matthew 21:1–11
Jesus Christ makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem
---Display an item of food or write
the name of a food on the board. Ask students to indicate whether they have
tasted this food and would recommend it to others. Invite a student who would
recommend the food to come to the front of the class. Ask him or her to imagine
that no one else has tasted this food. Instruct the student to demonstrate what
he or she would say or do to help someone develop a desire to try this food.
Invite the student to return to his or her seat when finished. Then ask the
class:
- If you had not tasted this food before, how likely would you be to want to try it now? Why?
---Display a picture of the Savior.
---Many people have little knowledge
of Jesus Christ and His gospel and that we have the responsibility to help
others learn about Him.
---Ponder what you could do to help
someone want to know more about Jesus Christ. Look for a principle as we study Matthew 21:1–11 that can help you as they
encourage others to learn more about Jesus Christ.
---Matthew 21 records the events that took
place five days before the Savior’s Crucifixion. Remember that a multitude of
people followed Jesus and His Apostles as they traveled to Jerusalem from
Jericho (see Matthew 20:17–18, 29).
- What did Jesus instruct these disciples to do?
---Write this reference next to verse 5. The prophecy referenced in Matthew 21:4–5 is found in Zechariah 9:9–10. This prophecy was about the
promised Messiah, or “the anointed Prophet, Priest, King, and Deliverer whose
coming the Jews were eagerly expecting” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Messiah,” scriptures.lds.org). In biblical times, the donkey “was a symbol of Jewish
royalty. … Riding on a donkey … showed that Jesus came as a peaceful and
‘lowly’ Savior, not as a conqueror upon a warhorse” (New Testament Student Manual [Church
Educational System manual, 2014], 64).
- What are some actions in different cultures that show respectful acknowledgment of royalty?
---Read Matthew 21:6–8
looking for what “a very great multitude” (verse 8) did as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. Joseph
Smith Translation, Matthew 21:5 [in Matthew 21:7, footnote a], clarifies that
only one animal was brought and ridden.
- What did the multitude do to respectfully acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah? (You might point out that the Gospel of John specifies that the multitude used “branches of palm trees” [John 12:13]. Palm branches were a Jewish symbol of victory and triumph over enemies. Providing a carpeted path, like the one the multitude created using branches and clothing, was a gesture used to honor royalty or conquerors. By doing this, the multitude acknowledged and welcomed Jesus as their Deliverer and King.)
---Imagine that you are one of the
people in this picture. Read the first part of Matthew 21:9 aloud, and invite the class to read
aloud in unison the multitude’s cry in the second half of the verse as if they
were part of the multitude.
- What word did the people repeat? (Hosanna.)
---Hosanna means “save now” (Bible
Dictionary, “Hosanna”).
Write this definition in your scriptures next to verse 9.
---Part of the multitude’s cry
fulfilled the messianic prophecy found in Psalm 118:25–26. Write this reference next to Matthew 21:9. The royal and messianic title “Son
of David” (verse 9) was reserved for the heir to the
throne of David.
- By making this cry, who were the people declaring Jesus was?
- If you had been living in Jerusalem at this time, what thoughts or feelings might you have had as you witnessed the Savior’s triumphal entry?
---Thousands of additional people
were in Jerusalem at that time to celebrate the Passover.
- What question did others ask because of the multitude’s behavior?
- As illustrated in this account, what can happen as we publicly acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ? (Students may use different words but should identify the following principle: As we publicly acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ, we can help others develop a desire to know more about Him. You might want to write this principle on the board.)
- What are some settings outside of Church meetings where we can publicly acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ? (Help students understand that, when appropriate, we can do this in formal settings, through social media, and during conversations with friends, family members, and neighbors.)
- How can we publicly acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ in a way that will help others want to know more about Him?
- How would you answer if you were asked who Jesus Christ is?
---Write the following questions on
the board, and invite students to respond to one of them in their class
notebooks or scripture study journals:
When have another person’s efforts
to publicly acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ led you to want to know
more about Him?
When have you (or someone you know)
helped someone want to know more about Jesus Christ because you publicly
acknowledged and spoke about Him?
---After sufficient time, invite
several students who are willing to share what they wrote.
---Look for and take opportunities
to appropriately acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ.
II.
Matthew 21:12–16
Jesus cleanses the temple and heals the blind and the lame
---Display a picture of the Reno Temple.
---Ponder and describe the thoughts
and feelings you had the last time you visited the temple. (If students have
never been to the temple, ask them to describe how they think they would feel
inside the temple.)
- What happens in the temple that enables us to experience these feelings?
---After the Savior entered
Jerusalem, He went to a courtyard on the temple grounds.
---Read Matthew 21:12–13
looking for what some people were doing that was offensive to Heavenly Father
and Jesus Christ.
- How were some people treating God’s house?
---The visitors who came to
Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover needed to purchase animals to offer as
sacrifices in the temple as part of their worship. Moneychangers exchanged
Roman and other currencies for temple currency so the animals could be
purchased, and other merchants sold the animals.
- What was wrong about conducting this type of business on the grounds of the temple?
---Even though this business was
necessary and served a good purpose, handling it where and how the merchants
did was disrespectful and irreverent. Verse 13 suggests that the moneychangers and
merchants were more interested in making a financial profit than in worshipping
God and helping others to do so.
- What truth about the temple can we learn from the Savior’s words and actions? (Students may use different words, but make sure they identify the following truth: The house of the Lord is a sacred place, and He desires that we treat it with reverence.)
- How can we show reverence for the house of the Lord?
- How can worthily attending the temple show reverence for it?
- What did the Savior do for the blind and the lame who came to Him in the temple?
- What can we learn from this account about what the Lord can do for us as we attend the temple? (Make sure students identify the following truth: As we attend the temple, the Lord can heal us.)
- In addition to physical ailments, what other illnesses and challenges can the Lord heal as we attend the temple?
---Read aloud the following
statement by President James E. Faust of the First Presidency. Listen for
President Faust’s testimony of the truth they identified.
“The Lord has provided many avenues by which we may receive
[His] healing influence. I am grateful that the Lord has restored temple work
to the earth. It is an important part of the work of salvation for both the
living and the dead. Our temples provide a sanctuary where we may go to lay
aside many of the anxieties of the world. Our temples are places of peace and tranquillity.
In these hallowed sanctuaries God ‘healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up
their wounds.’ (Ps. 147:3.)”
(“Spiritual Healing,” Ensign, May 1992, 7).
- Why does worshipping in the Lord’s house help us experience His healing influence?
---The healing we experience as we
worship in the temple can be immediate, as it was for the blind and the lame
described in this account, or it can take place over time.
- When have you, or someone you know, experienced the Lord’s healing influence by worshipping in the temple? (You may also want to share an experience of your own.)
---In Matthew 21:15–16 the chief priests and scribes were displeased
with what Jesus did in the temple and with the people crying “Hosanna” to Him
there. Jesus pointed out that the people’s public acknowledgment of Him
fulfilled a prophecy (see Psalm 8:2).
---Testimony of the truths discussed
in this lesson.
Commentary
and Background Information
Matthew
21:8. Spreading palm branches and garments before Jesus
Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught what it meant for the people to spread
palm branches (see John 12:13) and their garments before Jesus as He
entered into Jerusalem:
“Only kings and conquerors received
such an extraordinary token of respect as this. (2 Kings 9:13.) … Amid shouts of praise and
pleas for salvation and deliverance, we see the disciples strewing our Lord’s
course with palm branches in token of victory and triumph. This whole dramatic
scene prefigures that yet future assembly when ‘a great multitude,’ which no
man can number, … shall stand ‘before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed
with white robes, and palms in their hands,’ crying with a loud voice,
‘Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.’ (Rev. 7:9–10.)” (Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 1:578).
Matthew
21:9–11. The multitude cried, “Hosanna”
“Hosanna is a Hebrew word that ‘means
“please save us” and is used in praise and supplication. … At the Lord’s
triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the multitudes cried “Hosanna” and spread palm
branches for Jesus to ride upon, thus demonstrating their understanding that
Jesus was the same Lord who had delivered Israel anciently (Ps. 118:25–26; Matt. 21:9, 15; Mark 11:9–10; John 12:13). These people recognized Christ as
the long-awaited Messiah’ (Guide to the Scriptures, “Hosanna”; scriptures.lds.org). The phrase ‘all
the city was moved’ (Matthew 21:10) suggests that Jesus’s triumphal
entry was noised throughout the city and was known by many people” (New
Testament Student Manual [Church Educational System manual, 2014], 64–65).
Supplemental
Teaching Idea
Matthew
21:7–11. Speaking about Jesus Christ to others
The following instruction can help
students further understand the truth that as we publicly acknowledge and speak
about Jesus Christ, we can help others develop a desire to know more about Him.
After asking students to name
settings where we can publicly acknowledge and speak about Jesus Christ, invite
a student to read aloud the following statement by Elder David A. Bednar
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Ask the class to listen for one setting
where we can publicly speak about Jesus Christ and other gospel truths.
“Social media channels are global
tools that can personally and positively impact large numbers of individuals
and families. And I believe the time has come for us as disciples of Christ to
use these inspired tools appropriately and more effectively to testify of God
the Eternal Father, His plan of happiness for His children, and His Son, Jesus
Christ, as the Savior of the world; to proclaim the reality of the Restoration
of the gospel in the latter days; and to accomplish the Lord’s work” (“To Sweep the Earth as with a Flood” [address
given at BYU Campus Education Week, Aug. 19, 2014], LDS.org).
- How can we use social media to help others want to know more about Jesus Christ?
Consider showing the Mormon Messages for Youth video “Nine Ways to Use Technology to Share Your Beliefs”
(2:02), which depicts the positive effect we can have by sharing the gospel
through social media. This video is available on LDS.org. Ask students to look
for what the young woman in this video did to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- What did the young woman do to share the gospel of Jesus Christ?
Right margin
extras:
Marking
and annotating the scriptures
Marking and annotating the
scriptures is one of the most helpful ways for students to retain what they
learn. Students can do this by underlining, shading, or outlining key words or
phrases. They can also write definitions, principles, prophetic commentary, or
personal insights and impressions in the margins of their scriptures.
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