Lesson 26: Matthew 23
Introduction
During the last week of the Savior’s
mortal ministry, He condemned the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees and
lamented that the people of Jerusalem would not accept His love and protection.
I.
Matthew 23:1–12
The Savior condemns the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees
---Invite students to show their
sets of scriptures to each other and to determine who has the largest set.
- How would you respond if someone claimed that the person with the largest set of scriptures was the most righteous?
- Why would this be an ineffective way to determine an individual’s righteousness?
- What might happen if we determined others’ righteousness by outward appearances? (Among other problems, it might lead some people to act hypocritically.)
- What is hypocrisy? (“The word generally denotes one who pretends to be religious when he is not” [Bible Dictionary, “Hypocrite”]. It could also refer to someone who pretends not to be religious when he or she really is.)
---As part of the Savior’s final
public message given at the temple in Jerusalem during the last week of His
mortal ministry, He condemned the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees.
---Look for truths in Matthew 23 that will help you know how to
respond when you see others acting hypocritically and what you can do to
overcome hypocrisy in your own lives.
---Read Matthew 23:1–7 looking
for what the Savior said about the ways in which the scribes and Pharisees were
being hypocritical. The phrase “sit in Moses’
seat” (verse 2) means the scribes and Pharisees
occupied a position of authority to teach the doctrine and interpret and
administer the law. The phrase could also refer to a literal seat that was
found in some ancient synagogues that was reserved for those who considered
themselves more worthy than anyone else in the synagogue.
- In what ways were the scribes and Pharisees being hypocritical?
Jewish man wearing phylacteries
---Display a picture of someone wearing
phylacteries, also called tefillin.
---It was customary for the Jews to
wear phylacteries, which were small leather boxes strapped onto the forehead
and arm. Inside the phylacteries were small rolls of parchment that contained
excerpts from the Hebrew scriptures. The Jews wore phylacteries to help them
remember to follow God’s commandments (see Deuteronomy 6:4–9; 11:13–21; Exodus 13:5–10, 14–16). The Lord did not condemn those who wore phylacteries, but
He did condemn those who used them hypocritically or enlarged them to cause
others to notice them or to appear more important.
- According to Matthew 23:5, why did the scribes and Pharisees enlarge their phylacteries and “the borders of their garments”?
- In what other ways did they seek “to be seen of men” (verse 5) or receive worldly honors?
- According to the Lord’s counsel to His disciples in Matthew 23:3, what can we do when we see others acting hypocritically, or pretending to be righteous when they really are not? (Students may use different words but should identify a truth similar to the following: We can choose to obey God’s laws even if we see others acting hypocritically.)
- Why is this truth important for us to follow in our day?
---Read Matthew 23:8
and look for what the Lord counseled the people not to do. Invite students to
report what they find.
---Notice the phrase “all ye are
brethren” (verse 8. The Savior taught the people not to
consider themselves better than others, because they were all God’s children,
equal in His sight.
---In Matthew 23:9–10 the Savior testified that Heavenly Father is
our Creator and that He, Christ, was sent by the Father and is our true Master
who gives life (see
Joseph
Smith Translation, Matthew 23:6 [in Matthew 23:9, footnote a]; Matthew 23:7 [in Matthew 23:10, footnote a]).
---The scribes and Pharisees thought
position and status would make them great.
---Read Matthew 23:11–12
and look for who the Savior said He will consider great in the kingdom of God.
- According to verse 11, who will be considered great in God’s kingdom?
- According to verse 12, what will happen if we, like the Pharisees, try to “exalt” (or lift) ourselves above others? (After students respond, make sure they understand the following principle: If we try to exalt ourselves above others, we will be abased. Explain that to be abased means to be lowered or humiliated or to become less respected.)
- According to verses 11–12, what will happen if we are humble and serve others? (Students may use different words but should identify the following principle: If we are humble and serve others, the Lord will exalt us.)
---The phrase “shall be exalted” (verse 12) implies that the Lord will lift us
up and help us become more like Him.
---Based on
what you have learned in Matthew 23, what does it mean to be humble?
---Draw the following continuum on
the board. Invite students to ponder their good works at school, home, and
church. Ask them to consider where they would place themselves on this
continuum based on their motives for doing good works and their efforts to be
humble.
---Remember that all of us are
Heavenly Father’s children. Set a goal to serve someone every day for the next
month. Consider writing about this experience in your personal journals.
II.
Matthew 23:13–36
Jesus Christ declares woes upon the scribes
and Pharisees
---Before class begins, prepare
three nontransparent cups. Smear mud or grease on the outside of the first cup
and on the inside of the second cup, and leave the third cup clean. Display the
cups, and ask the class which one they would prefer to drink from. Invite a
student to examine the insides of the cups and to explain which cup he or she
would prefer to drink from and why.
- In what ways do the dirty cups represent hypocrites?
---In Matthew 23:13–36 the Savior denounced the scribes
and Pharisees for being hypocrites. Scan these verses, looking for a word the
Savior repeated at the beginning of several verses. Report what you find. Mark
the word woe in these verses. Woe
refers to misery, distress, and sorrow.
---Write the following scripture
references and questions on the board:
Matthew 23:23–24 (see also verse 24, footnote a)
Matthew 23:29–36 (see also verse 36, footnote a)
---How were
the scribes and Pharisees being hypocritical?
---What
examples of this kind of hypocrisy do we see in our day?
---Divide students into pairs.
Invite each pair to read aloud each reference on the board and to discuss the
questions on the board after they read each reference. (Encourage students to
read the Joseph Smith Translation excerpts in the footnotes for their assigned
passages.)
---After sufficient time, ask
students to report their answers.
---Read Matthew 23:26
and look for what the Savior told the Pharisees to do to overcome their
hypocrisy.
- What did the Savior tell the Pharisees to do?
- Based on what the Savior taught the Pharisees, what will happen to us as we strive to become spiritually clean on the inside? (After students respond, make sure they understand the following principle: As we strive to become spiritually clean on the inside, it will be reflected in our outward choices.)
- What must we do to become spiritually clean on the inside?
- How might our inner righteousness be reflected in our outward choices?
---Ponder which cup best represents your
current spiritual condition. Set a goal that will help you be spiritually
clean.
---Testify of the preceding
principle.
III.
Matthew 23:37–39
The Savior laments that the people of Jerusalem would not come to Him
Display or draw a picture of a hen
protecting her chicks.
- Why do hens gather their chicks under their wings? (To protect them from danger. Point out that a hen would sacrifice her life to protect her chicks.)
- How is the Savior like a hen that gathers her chicks?
- What does it mean to be gathered by the Savior?
---Notice the phrase “your house is
left unto you desolate” (verse 38). Desolate means empty or
abandoned. Because the people were unwilling to be gathered by the Savior, they
were left unprotected. This phrase could refer to the spiritual condition of
the people during Jesus’s time as well as in the future when Jerusalem would be
destroyed.
- Based on what Jesus taught about a hen and her chicks, what can we receive if we are willing to be gathered by the Savior? (Students may use different words but should identify the following principle: If we are willing to be gathered by the Savior, then we will receive His care and protection.)
- How can we show the Savior we are willing to be gathered by Him? (List students’ responses on the board.)
To help students understand one way
they can gather to the Savior, invite a student to read aloud the following
statement by President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency:
“More than once [the Savior] has said that He would gather
us to Him as a hen would gather her chickens under her wings. He says that we
must choose to come to Him. …
“One way to do that is to gather with the Saints in His
Church. Go to your meetings, even when it seems hard. If you are determined, He
will help you find the strength to do it”
(“In the Strength of the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2004, 18).
- What did President Eyring say we can do to show our willingness to be gathered by the Savior?
---Look at the list on the board of
ways we can show our willingness to be gathered by Christ.
---Who will
share how you have received care and protection by gathering to the Savior in
one of those ways?
---Decide what you will do to gather
to the Savior so you can continue to receive His care and protection.
Commentary
and Background Information
Matthew
23. Types of hypocrisy
President N. Eldon Tanner of
the First Presidency explained that there are two kinds of hypocrisy:
“Harry Emerson Fosdick observed that
there are two kinds of hypocrisy: when we try to appear better than we are, and
when we let ourselves appear worse than we are. We have been speaking of the
kind of hypocrisy where people pretend to be more or better than they are. Too
often, however, we see members of the Church who in their hearts know and
believe, but through fear of public opinion fail to stand up and be counted.
This kind of hypocrisy is as serious as the other” (“Woe unto You …
Hypocrites,” Improvement Era, Dec. 1970, 33).
Matthew
23:35. “Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the
altar”
In the September 1842 issue of the Times
and Seasons, which was published while the Prophet Joseph
Smith was serving as the editor, an explanation was given concerning
the fate of Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist:
“When Herod’s edict went forth to
destroy the young children, John was about six months older than Jesus, and
came under this hellish edict, and Zacharias caused his mother to take him into
the mountains, where he was raised on locusts and wild honey. When his father
refused to disclose his hiding place, and being the officiating high priest at
the Temple that year, [he] was slain by Herod’s order, between the porch and
the altar, as Jesus said” (“Persecution of the Prophets,” Times and Seasons,
Sept. 1, 1842, 902).
Supplemental
Teaching Idea
Matthew
23:13–30. Hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees
After asking students to read the
references about hypocrisy on the board, you could distribute the following
handout (with the right column blank). Invite students to fill out the chart as
they look for hypocritical actions of the scribes and Pharisees as recorded in Matthew 23:13–30. Or, for variety, you could turn
this into a matching exercise by shifting around the information in each cell
of the chart and asking students to match each verse with its corresponding
description.
Verses
in Matthew 23
|
Hypocritical
Actions of the Scribes and Pharisees
|
They not only rejected Christ, His
Church, and His offer of salvation, but they also tried to prevent others
from accepting Christ and salvation.
|
|
They were greedy and materialistic
and preyed upon others’ misfortunes.
|
|
They tried to recruit others to
their false beliefs.
|
|
Through their oaths, they showed
more reverence for the temple’s gold and furnishings than for the Lord, whom
the temple honors.
|
|
They obeyed rules but ignored the
more important doctrines and principles the rules were based on.
|
|
They hid internal greed and
self-indulgence beneath an exterior show of righteousness. They looked clean
and attractive externally, but internally they were corrupt and spiritually
decayed.
|
|
They rejected living prophets
while claiming allegiance to dead prophets.
|
Right margin extras:
Help
students fulfill their role in the learning process
Spiritual learning requires effort
and the exercise of agency by the learner. For many students, making an effort
to learn from the scriptures can seem unfamiliar and somewhat difficult.
However, you can help them understand, accept, and fulfill their role in gospel
learning. As students actively fulfill their role in gospel learning, they open
their hearts to the influence of the Holy Ghost.
Lesson 27: Joseph Smith—Matthew; Matthew 24
Introduction
Jesus
Christ prophesied of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. He
revealed the signs of His Second Coming and instructed the faithful to watch
and prepare for that day.
I.
Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:1–20 Jesus prophesies of the destruction of
Jerusalem and the temple
---Ponder questions you have
concerning the Second Coming of Jesus Christ and write these questions in your
class notebooks. Do not seek to answer these questions at this time, But look
for answers as we study Joseph Smith—Matthew.
---Joseph Smith—Matthew is the Joseph
Smith Translation of Matthew 23:39 and Matthew 24. Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:1–3 says that as Jesus
Christ taught at the temple in Jerusalem, His disciples understood that He
would return to the earth. Jesus then left the temple, and His disciples came
to Him, wanting to know more about when the temple would be destroyed.
---Read Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:4 looking for two questions the disciples asked Jesus on the
Mount of Olives. Report what you find
---Write the following questions on
the board:
- When will Jerusalem and the temple be destroyed?
- What is the sign of Jesus Christ’s Second Coming and the destruction of the wicked?
---Jesus Christ addressed the first
question in verses 5–21, and the second question is answered in
verses 21–55.
---Divide students into pairs.
Instruct them to read Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:5–12 aloud with their partners, looking for the signs related to
the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Ask students to report what they
find.
- Although Jesus said His disciples would suffer during this time, what did He say about those who “remaineth steadfast and [are] not overcome”? (verse 11).
- What principle can we learn from verse 11? (Students may use different words but should identify the following principle: If we remain steadfast and are not overcome, then we will be saved. Using students’ words, write this principle on the board.)
- What does it mean to be steadfast and not overcome? (Steadfast suggests being immovable, solid, unshakable, and undefeatable.)
---As we are steadfast, we may not
be saved from hardship, but we will ultimately be saved in God’s kingdom.
---Read the following paragraph
aloud. Listen for how those who remained steadfast in obeying the Savior’s
counsel were saved from destruction:
---In Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:13–18 we learn that Jesus
warned His disciples to be ready to flee to the mountains and not return to
their homes because Jerusalem would be attacked and destroyed. He prophesied
that the tribulation of those days would be the worst Israel had ever seen. In A.D. 70,
approximately 40 years after Jesus spoke these words, the Romans laid siege to
Jerusalem and killed over a million Jews. The temple was destroyed, and not one
stone was left on top of another—just as the Savior had prophesied (see Matthew 24:2).
However, those who heeded Jesus’s warning safely escaped to Pella, a town about
50 miles northeast of Jerusalem (see Bible Dictionary, “Pella”).
- How does the Jews’ experience illustrate the importance of remaining steadfast in obeying the Savior’s words?
- When have you been blessed by remaining steadfast in obeying the commandments?
---In Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:19–20 Jesus prophesied
that though the Jews would suffer great trials, they would be preserved because
of God’s covenant with them.
II.
Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:21–37 Jesus prophesies of the signs of His
Second Coming
---In addition to explaining signs
that would warn of Jerusalem’s destruction, the Savior answered his disciples’
second question by prophesying of signs concerning His Second Coming.
---Read Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:21–23 looking for why the Lord revealed the signs of His Second
Coming.
- Why is it helpful for disciples of Jesus Christ to know the signs that signal the Second Coming?
- How will the Savior appear at His Second Coming?
- How can knowing this help the elect avoid being deceived?
---Read Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:27–31 silently, looking for signs that will precede the Second
Coming.
- What difficulties will people face before the Second Coming?
- Based on verses 27 and 31, what hopeful signs will precede the Second Coming? (Students may use different words but should identify the following truth: Before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the Lord’s elect will be gathered and the gospel will be preached in all the world.)
- In what ways do we see this prophesy being fulfilled?
---Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:32–36 describes additional
signs associated with the Second Coming.
---Remember the Savior’s warning
that in the latter days false Christs and false prophets would seek to “deceive
the very elect” (verse 22).
- How can the elect avoid being deceived?
- What principle can we learn from this verse? (Students may use different words but should identify the following principle: If we treasure up the Lord’s word, then we will not be deceived. Write this principle on the board.)
---To help students understand this
principle, invite a student to read aloud the following account given by Elder
M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“One of my fine missionaries who served with me when I was
the mission president in Toronto [Canada] came to see me some years later. I
asked him, ‘Elder, how can I help you?’
“‘President,’ he said, ‘I think I’m losing my testimony.’
“I couldn’t believe it. I asked him how that could be
possible.
“‘For the first time I have read some anti-Mormon
literature,’ he said. ‘I have some questions, and nobody will answer them for
me. I am confused, and I think I am losing my testimony’” (“When Shall These Things Be?” Ensign, Dec.
1996, 60).
---Ponder whether you, or
individuals you know, have experienced something similar to what this former
missionary experienced.
- What counsel would you give to someone in this situation? Why?
---Continue reading Elder Ballard’s
account aloud:
“I asked him what his questions were, and he told me. They
were the standard anti-Church issues, but I wanted a little time to gather
materials so I could provide meaningful answers. So we set up an appointment 10
days later, at which time I told him I would answer every one of his questions.
As he started to leave, I stopped him.
“‘Elder, you’ve asked me several questions here today,’ I
said. ‘Now I have one for you.’
“‘Yes, President?’
“‘How long has it been since you read from the Book of Mormon?’ I asked.
“His eyes dropped. He looked at the floor for a while. Then
he looked at me. ‘It’s been a long time, President,’ he confessed.
“‘All right,’ I said. ‘You have given me my assignment. It’s
only fair that I give you yours. I want you to promise me that you will read in
the Book of Mormon for at least one hour every day between now and our next
appointment.’ He agreed that he would do that.
“Ten days later he returned to my office, and I was ready. I
pulled out my papers to start answering his questions, but he stopped me.
“‘President,’ he said, ‘that isn’t going to be necessary.’
Then he explained: ‘I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know Joseph Smith
is a prophet of God.’
“‘Well, that’s great,’ I said. ‘But you’re going to get
answers to your questions anyway. I worked a long time on this, so you just sit
there and listen.’
“And so I answered all his questions and then asked, ‘Elder,
what have you learned from this?’
- How does this experience illustrate the principle we identified in verse 37?
- How have you been blessed as you have treasured the Lord’s word?
III.
Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:38–55 Jesus instructs His disciples on being
prepared for His Second Coming
---Using parables, Jesus instructed
His disciples on how to treasure His word and be prepared for His Second
Coming.
---Divide students into pairs.
Assign one student in each pair to study Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:38–46 and the other to study Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:47–54. Invite students to look for doctrines and principles in
their assigned verses and to write them down.
---Summarize the parables you read
to your partners and discuss the
following questions:
- What truths did you identify?
- How did the Savior illustrate these truths in the verses you studied?
---Invite several students to report
the truths they identified, which may include the following: Only
Heavenly Father knows when the Savior’s Second Coming will occur. If we watch
for the signs and obey the Lord’s commandments, then we will be prepared for
the Savior’s Second Coming.
---Review the truths identified in Joseph Smith—Matthew,
---Consider how these truths help
answer the questions you wrote at the beginning of the lesson. Testify of
truths you have learned.
---Read aloud the following statement
by Elder Dallin H. Oaks (if possible, provide copies to hand out to
students):
“What if the day of His coming were tomorrow? If we knew
that we would meet the Lord tomorrow—through our premature death or through His
unexpected coming—what would we do today? What confessions would we make? What
practices would we discontinue? What accounts would we settle? What
forgivenesses would we extend? What testimonies would we bear?
“If we would do those things then, why not now?” (“Preparation for the Second Coming,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2004, 9).
---Write a response to the following
question and remember to apply what you wrote:
If I knew that I would meet the
Savior tomorrow, what would I change today?
Commentary
and Background Information
Joseph
Smith—Matthew 1:11. “He that remaineth steadfast and is not
overcome”
Elder David A. Bednar of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained what it means to be steadfast:
“The word ‘steadfast’ is used to
suggest fixed in position, solid and firm, unshaken and resolute (Oxford
English Dictionary Online, 2nd ed. [1989], “Steadfast”). … A person who is
steadfast and immovable is solid, firm, resolute, firmly secured, and incapable
of being diverted from a primary purpose or mission” (“Steadfast and Immovable: Always Abounding in Good Works,”
New Era, Jan. 2008, 2).
The Savior taught: “He that
remaineth steadfast and is not overcome, the same shall be saved” (Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:11). To be saved does not
mean to be spared from all hardship. The Prophet Joseph Smith explained:
“It is a false idea that the Saints
will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked suffer; for all flesh is
subject to suffer, and ‘the righteous shall hardly escape;’ … many of the
righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by reason of the
weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God” (in History of
the Church, 4:11; see also Journals, Volume 1: 1832–1839, vol. 1 of
the Journals series of The Joseph Smith Papers, ed. Dean C. Jessee,
Ronald K. Esplin, and Richard Lyman Bushman [2008], 352–53).
Joseph
Smith—Matthew 1:22. “There shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets”
The terms “false Christs” and “false
prophets” refer to anyone—in and out of the Church—who claims to speak for the
Lord without authority or who promotes teachings that are contrary to the words
of living prophets. False systems of worship may also be false Christs (see
Bruce R. McConkie, The Millennial Messiah [1982], 48). The phrase
“the elect according to the covenant” in verse 22 refers to members of the Church of Jesus
Christ.
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained the terms “false Christs” and “false
prophets”:
“When we think of false prophets and
false teachers, we tend to think of those who espouse an obviously false
doctrine or presume to have authority to teach the true gospel of Christ
according to their own interpretation. We often assume that such individuals
are associated with small radical groups on the fringes of society. However, I
reiterate: there are false prophets and false teachers who have or at least
claim to have membership in the Church. There are those who, without authority,
claim Church endorsement to their products and practices. Beware of such” (“Beware of False Prophets and False Teachers,”
Ensign, Nov. 1999, 62).
Joseph
Smith—Matthew 1:22. “If possible, they shall deceive the very elect”
President Joseph F. Smith
warned Church members:
“We can accept nothing as
authoritative but that which comes directly through the appointed channel, the
constituted organizations of the priesthood, which is the channel that God has
appointed through which to make known his mind and will to the world.
“… And the moment that
individuals look to any other source, that moment they throw themselves open to
the seductive influences of Satan, and render themselves liable to become
servants of the devil; they lose sight of the true order through which the
blessings of the Priesthood are to be enjoyed; they step outside of the pale of
the kingdom of God, and are on dangerous ground. Whenever you see a man rise up
claiming to have received direct revelation from the Lord to the Church,
independent of the order and channel of the priesthood, you may set him down as
an imposter” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 42).
Right margin extras:
Improving
as a teacher
As you desire to improve and
consistently work to teach in a way that is pleasing to our Heavenly Father, He
will inspire you in your preparation, strengthen your relationships with
students, magnify your efforts, and bless you with His Spirit. He will help you
see how you can progress as you strive to teach in a way that leads students to
understand and rely on the teachings and Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Lesson 28: Matthew 25:1–13
Introduction
As Jesus Christ privately taught
His disciples on the Mount of Olives about His Second Coming, He taught the
parable of the ten virgins.
I.
Matthew 25:1–13
Jesus Christ teaches the parable of the ten virgins
---Read aloud the following account
told by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
about a young returned missionary who shared a personal experience in a
testimony meeting.
---Imagine how you might feel if you
were the young man in this story.
“He … told of coming home from a date shortly after he had
been ordained an elder at age 18. Something had happened on this date of
which he was not proud. He did not go into any details, nor should he have done
so in a public setting. To this day I do not know the nature of the incident,
but it was significant enough to him to have affected his spirit and his
self-esteem.
“As he sat in his car for a while in the driveway of his own
home, thinking things through and feeling genuine sorrow for whatever had
happened, his nonmember mother came running frantically from the house straight
to his car. In an instant she conveyed that this boy’s younger brother had just
fallen in the home, had hit his head sharply and was having some kind of
seizure or convulsion. The nonmember father had immediately called for an
ambulance, but it would take some time at best for help to come.
“‘Come and do something,’ she cried. ‘Isn’t there something
you do in your Church at times like this? You have their priesthood. Come and
do something.’ …
“… On this night when someone he loved dearly needed
his faith and his strength, this young man could not respond. Given the feelings
he had just been wrestling with and the compromise he felt he had just
made—whatever that was—he could not bring himself to go before the Lord and ask
for the blessing that was needed”
(“The Confidence of Worthiness,” Liahona, Apr.
2014, 58–59).
- What would you be thinking if you were the young man in this situation? Why is it so important to always be prepared?
---Display the picture Parable of the Ten Virgins (Gospel Art Book [2009], no. 53;
see also LDS.org).
---Remember that while Jesus Christ
was on the Mount of Olives with His disciples, He taught them about His Second
Coming (see Matthew 24). He then gave the parable of the
ten virgins to illustrate how to be prepared for His Second Coming.
---Read Matthew 25:1–4
looking for the main elements of the parable. Invite them to report what they
find. Write the following phrases on the board:
The bridegroom
Wise and foolish virgins
Lamps and oil
---According to Jewish wedding
customs, the groom, or bridegroom, accompanied by his close friends, would go
at night to the bride’s house for the wedding ceremony. Following the ceremony,
the wedding party would proceed to the groom’s house for a feast. Wedding
guests who joined the procession were expected to carry their own lamps or
torches to indicate they were part of the wedding party and to add to the
brightness and beauty of the occasion.
---Read Matthew 25:5–13
looking for what the five wise virgins did and what the five foolish virgins
did.
Instead of having students read Matthew 25:5–13 aloud, you could show students a
portion of the video “They That Are Wise” (time code 0:00–5:46), which
portrays the parable of the ten virgins. This video is available on Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Visual
Resources DVDs and on LDS.org. Before starting the video, invite students to
look for what the five wise virgins did and what the five foolish virgins did.
- What did the five wise virgins do? What did the five foolish virgins do?
---Refer to the elements of the
parable written on the board. Ask the class to suggest what they think each
element might represent.
---Write Jesus Christ next to The bridegroom on the board.
---The phrases “while the bridegroom
tarried” (verse 5) and “at midnight there was a cry
made” (verse 6) refer to the Second Coming of Jesus
Christ.
- What can we learn about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ from these phrases?
---The wise and the foolish virgins,
who were invited to the feast, represent members of the Church (see Dallin H. Oaks, “Preparation for the Second Coming,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2004, 8).
---Write Members of the Church next to Wise and foolish virgins on the
board.
---Review Matthew 25:8–9 and ponder why the wise virgins
did not give their oil to the foolish virgins.
---Read aloud the following
statement by President Spencer W. Kimball. Listen for what the oil can
represent and why it could not be shared.
“This was not selfishness or unkindness. The kind of oil
that is needed to illuminate the way and light up the darkness is not
shareable. How can one share obedience to the principle of tithing; a mind at peace
from righteous living; an accumulation of knowledge? How can one share faith or
testimony? How can one share attitudes or chastity, or the experience of a
mission? How can one share temple privileges? Each must obtain that kind of oil
for himself. …
“In the parable, oil can be purchased at the market. In our
lives the oil of preparedness is accumulated drop by drop in righteous living.
… Each act of dedication and obedience is a drop added to our store” (Faith Precedes the Miracle [1972], 255–56).
- What does the oil in the parable represent? (Write students’ answers, such as spiritual preparation, testimony, faith, conversion, and experience, next to Lamps and oil on the board. To provide additional insight into the symbolism of the oil, you may want to suggest that students read Doctrine and Covenants 45:56–57 and cross-reference it with Matthew 25:8.)
- What truth can we learn from the parable and from President Kimball’s comments about borrowing spiritual preparation? (After students respond, write the following truth on the board: We cannot borrow spiritual preparation from others.)
- What truth do we learn from the parable about how to prepare for the Second Coming? (Students may use different words, but make sure they identify the following truth: We prepare for the Second Coming by increasing our testimony and conversion through daily righteousness. Write this truth on the board.)
---Provide students with copies of
the accompanying handout.
---List on the handout ways you can
acquire the “oil” of spiritual preparedness.
Preparing
for the Lord’s Second Coming
To prepare for the Lord’s Second
Coming, I will add “oil” to my “lamp” by:
© 2015 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
All rights reserved.
---After sufficient time, ask a few
students to share some of their ideas with the class.
To help students understand other ways in which they can
accumulate oil drop by drop through righteous living, consider showing the rest
of the video “They That Are Wise” (time code 5:46–8:44).
Invite students to add ideas to their lists as they watch the video.
---Read Matthew 25:10–12
looking for what the bridegroom said to the foolish virgins. Report what you
find.
---Joseph
Smith Translation, Matthew 25:11 clarifies that the bridegroom said,
“Ye know me not” (in Matthew 25:12, footnote a).
- What does the statement “ye know me not” tell us about the five foolish virgins? How is knowing the Lord different from merely knowing about Him?
- What can we learn from this verse about what we must do to be ready for the Lord’s coming? (Help students identify the following principle: To be ready for the Lord’s coming and be worthy to remain in His presence, we must come to know Him.)
- In what ways have you recently come to know the Savior better?
---Remember the story from the
beginning of the lesson about the young priesthood holder who was unprepared in
a moment of need. The young man rushed to the house of an older man in his ward
who lived down the street. The older man gave the younger brother a blessing
that stabilized his condition until paramedics arrived.
---Read aloud the young man’s
testimony as related by Elder Holland:
“‘No one who has not faced what I faced that night will ever
know the shame I felt and the sorrow I bore for not feeling worthy to use the
priesthood I held. It is an even more painful memory for me because it was my
own little brother who needed me and my beloved nonmember parents who were so
fearful and who had a right to expect more of me. But as I stand before you
today, I can promise you this,’ he said. ‘I am not perfect, but from that night
onward I have never done anything that would keep me from going before the Lord
with confidence and asking for His help when it is needed. Personal worthiness
is a battle in this world in which we live,’ he acknowledged, ‘but it is a
battle I am winning. I have felt the finger of condemnation pointing at me once
in my life, and I don’t intend to feel it ever again if I can do anything about
it. And, of course,’ he concluded, ‘I can do everything about it’” (“The Confidence of Worthiness,” 59).
Ask students to consider what they
need to do to be spiritually prepared for the Lord’s coming and to be worthy to
remain in His presence. You might encourage them to circle one or two of the
actions they listed on the handout and to set a goal to act in ways that will
increase their spiritual preparedness. Invite them to take their handouts home
as a reminder of their goals.
Commentary
and Background Information
Matthew
25:1–4. Wise and foolish virgins
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught who the ten virgins represent:
“The ten virgins obviously represent
members of Christ’s Church, for all were invited to the wedding feast and all
knew what was required to be admitted when the bridegroom came. But only half
were ready when he came” (“Preparation for the Second Coming,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2004, 8).
Matthew
25:1–13. The parable of the ten virgins and our testimonies
Elder David A. Bednar of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained:
“I now want to use one of many
possible interpretations of the parable of the ten virgins to highlight the
relationship between testimony and conversion. Ten virgins, five who were wise
and five who were foolish, took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
Please think of the lamps used by the virgins as the lamps of testimony. The foolish
virgins took their lamps of testimony but took no oil with them. Consider the
oil to be the oil of conversion. …
“Were the five wise virgins selfish
and unwilling to share, or were they indicating correctly that the oil of
conversion cannot be borrowed? Can the spiritual strength that results from
consistent obedience to the commandments be given to another person? Can the
knowledge obtained through diligent study and pondering of the scriptures be
conveyed to one who is in need? Can the peace the gospel brings to a faithful
Latter-day Saint be transferred to an individual experiencing adversity or
great challenge? The clear answer to each of these questions is no.
“As the wise virgins emphasized
properly, each of us must ‘buy for ourselves.’ These inspired women were not
describing a business transaction; rather, they were emphasizing our individual
responsibility to keep our lamp of testimony burning and to obtain an ample
supply of the oil of conversion. This precious oil is acquired one drop at a time—‘line
upon line [and] precept upon precept’ (2 Nephi 28:30), patiently and persistently.
No shortcut is available; no last-minute flurry of preparation is possible.
“‘Wherefore, be faithful, praying
always, having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may
be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom’ (D&C 33:17)” (“Converted unto the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona,
Nov. 2012, 109).
Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described the ten virgins:
“Five are zealous and devoted, while
five are inactive and lukewarm; ten have the testimony of Jesus, but only five
are valiant therein” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols.
[1965–73], 1:685).
Matthew
25:6. The significance of the bridegroom coming at midnight
Jesus
Christ will come when we do not expect it. President Spencer W.
Kimball explained:
“The foolish virgins were not averse
to buying oil. They knew they should have oil. They merely procrastinated, not
knowing when the bridegroom would come. …
“Midnight is so late for those who
have procrastinated” (Faith Precedes the Miracle [1972], 256).
Matthew
25:7. The virgins “arose, and trimmed their lamps”
The phrase “trimmed their lamps” (Matthew 25:7) means that the virgins cut the
wicks of their lamps in a way that would allow for a bright flame.
Right margin extras:
Use
stories to engage attention and build understanding
Stories can engage students’
attention and help them understand the gospel through vicarious experiences. By
illustrating gospel principles in a modern context or in the context of the
scriptures, stories can help students understand how those principles relate to
their lives and help them feel a desire to apply them.
No comments:
Post a Comment