New Testament
Teacher Resource Manual
Prepared by the Church Educational System
Published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Salt Lake City, Utah
Send comments and corrections, including typographic errors, to CES Editing, 50 E. North Temple Street, Floor 8, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-2722 USA.
E-mail: ces-manuals@ldschurch.org.
© 1999 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
English approval: 9/03
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INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT TEACHER RESOURCE MANUAL
“The objective of religious education in the Church Educational System is to assist the individual, the family, and priesthood leaders in accomplishing the mission of the Church” (Teaching the Gospel: A Handbook for CES Teachers and Leaders [1994], 3). The first area of emphasis in meeting this objective is to teach students the gospel of Jesus Christ as it is found in the standard works and the words of the prophets. This manual is provided to help you accomplish that—whatever your teaching experience and in whatever language or country you teach.
The second area of emphasis is to teach by precept, by example, and by the power of the Spirit. Those who teach by precept and example teach the gospel most effectively. To teach by precept you must first seek, “by study and also by faith” (D&C 88:118), to understand the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. To teach by example you must live the gospel in your personal life. And you must rely on the Spirit for direction. Elder Boyd K. Packer, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, taught: “Power comes when a teacher has done all that he can to prepare, not just the individual lesson, but in keeping his life in tune with the Spirit. If he will learn to rely on the Spirit for inspiration, he can go before his class . . . secure in the knowledge that he can teach with inspiration” (Teach Ye Diligently [1975], 306). The power Elder Packer spoke of is often manifest as a teacher bears personal testimony of the principle or doctrine being taught.
How to Use This Manual
The scriptures are to be your primary source as you prepare your lessons. To help you with your scripture study and in preparing your lessons, you should have the following manuals:
- This manual—New Testament Teacher Resource Manual (item no. 34590)
- The home-study seminary student manual—New Testament Student Study Guide (item no. 34188)
- The support materials for the New Testament video series—New Testament Video Guide (item no. 34232)
- The institute student manual for Religion 211 and 212—The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles (item no. 32474)
These manuals do not replace your study of the scriptures, nor do they substitute for the inspired guidance of the Holy Ghost as you prepare to teach your students. They are additional resources and support for your lesson preparation. In particular, the New Testament Teacher Resource Manual provides introductory information to the scripture blocks, outlines important gospel principles to look for, and suggests ways many of those principles might be taught so as to help students understand them and apply them in their lives.
“The CES administration has determined that in the CES weekday setting, where more time is available for instruction, the scriptures should be taught in a sequential manner. One of the best ways to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ is to teach the scriptures sequentially. Sequential scripture teaching is teaching the scriptures in the sequence they appear in the standard works” (Teaching the Gospel: A Handbook, 20; see that page for more information on sequential scripture teaching). This manual follows the sequence of the scriptures but does not provide teaching helps for all of the verses in each scripture block. Additional helps are found in the institute student manual and the seminary student study guide.
Teaching the Gospel: A Handbook for CES Teachers and Leaders (item no. 34829) gives detailed help on teaching a CES class. You should become very familiar with its contents. The following general suggestions may be helpful in your lesson preparation.
Prepare Yourself to Study and Teach the Gospel
- Live the gospel.
- Pray for the Spirit to guide you as you study, as you prepare, and as you teach.
- Exercise faith in the Lord, in the power of the Spirit, and in the power of the scriptures to meet the needs of your students.
Decide What You Will Teach
- Decide what portion of the scriptures you want to cover in your lesson. This manual is divided into scripture blocks that indicate where the story line or the subject changes. The pacing guide on pages 5–6 can help you determine how much material to cover each day or week.
- Study the scripture block thoroughly. Read it several times, making note of the doctrines, principles, events, and difficult words or phrases. This manual, the institute student manual, and the student study guide will help you understand the scripture block and decide what is important for your students. You will be more effective in your teaching if you have discovered something inspiring in the scripture block. You might then lead your students to make a similar discovery.
- Choose those doctrines, principles, and events that are most important for your students to know. Let the promptings of the Spirit and the needs of your students guide you as you decide what to teach.
Decide How You Will Teach
- Choose one or more teaching methods for each event, principle, or doctrine you want to teach. Use your own methods or those suggested in the curriculum materials.
- Choose methods that encourage student readiness, participation, and application.
- Readiness means that students are prepared spiritually and intellectually, alert, focused, and willing to participate in the learning experience. “Readiness is a condition of the heart as well as the mind” (Teaching the Gospel: A Handbook, 13). It is not a gimmick used to start a lesson; it is a continual assessment of your students’ focus.
- Participation means that students are involved in the learning process. Their participation may be physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. The more involved students are in the learning process, the more they will understand, remember, and apply.
- Application means that students accept the ideas being taught, understand how they can apply them to their lives, and then seek to live according to those principles.
How This Manual Is Organized
Each scripture block in the four Gospels begins with a time line showing the approximate times of the events covered in that block. Times are based on the “Harmony of the Gospels” chart in the Bible Dictionary (pp. 684–96).
The introductions for each of Paul’s Epistles include a similar time line placing the Epistles in relation to the book of Acts. This information is based on “Pauline Epistles” in the Bible Dictionary (pp. 743–48).
The resource materials for the scripture blocks are found in four sections.
Introductory Material
This section provides background material and other information to help you understand the scripture block in its historical and scriptural setting. Introductory material is also provided for each book of scripture. These, together with background information in the student study guide and the institute student manual, can enhance your own study and understanding of the scriptures. You can also use the introductory material to provide:
- Motivating questions to ask your students and promote learner readiness.
- Background information, things for students to look for as they read, and other prereading helps.
- Quotations to display or write on the board, or notes for the students to write in their scriptures.
Some Important Gospel Principles to Look For
You may find many important doctrines and principles in a scripture block. This section lists some of those you might want to teach your students. The following are ways to use them in your teaching:
- Use them as a standard to ensure that correct doctrine is being taught.
- Use them to help determine what your students need to be taught.
- Write them on the board to give students principles to look for as they study the scripture block.
- Invite students to look for additional scripture references that support or explain the doctrine.
Additional Resources
The commentary in the institute student manual—The Life and Teachings of Jesus and His Apostles—is organized as a harmony of the New Testament (scripture passages are treated in the order the events are thought to have occurred). This manual—the New Testament Teacher Resource Manual—follows a sequential approach to the New Testament (scripture passages are treated in the order they appear in the Bible). This section provides corresponding page numbers in the institute student manual to help you locate resource information. References to materials in the appendix are included as well.
Suggestions for Teaching
This section contains teaching ideas you may want to consider as you decide how to teach the events, principles, and doctrines you have chosen from the scripture block. You are not required to use these teaching suggestions. They are provided as a resource for you as you consider the needs of your students with the direction of the Spirit. You will also find useful suggestions in the student study guide that can be adapted for use in the classroom (see “An Introduction for Teachers to the New Testament Student Study Guide,” p. 3).
The headings for the teaching suggestions include the following:
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Statement of Focus. Introducing each suggestion is a section in bold type telling what scripture block and principle that particular teaching suggestion focuses on. These often correspond to the principles found in the “Some Important Gospel Principles to Look For” section of the scripture block.
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Scripture Mastery. Teaching suggestions that include scripture mastery passages are identified with the icon shown here. President Howard W. Hunter, then President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said, “We would hope none of your students would leave your classroom fearful or embarrassed or ashamed that they cannot find the help they need because they do not know the scriptures well enough to locate the proper passages” (Eternal Investments [address to religious educators, 10 Feb. 1989], 2).“Scripture mastery” is a method for teaching students how to find scripture verses, gain an understanding of their meaning, and apply them in their lives. One hundred scriptural passages—twenty-five for each scripture course—have been chosen to receive special emphasis in seminary. These references are labeled “Scripture Mastery” in the teaching suggestions where they are found. You should help students master the scripture mastery references by reviewing them in class and encouraging students to learn them on their own. For suggestions on how to encourage scripture mastery in your classes, see Teaching the Gospel: A Handbook, pages 34–35.
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Weekly Icon. Some teaching suggestions are also identified with the icon shown here. This icon identifies teaching suggestions recommended for a teacher in a home-study program or one who wants help teaching larger blocks of scripture. -
Time Designation. At the end of the heading is an approximate amount of time it would take to teach that suggestion. It is included only to help you plan your daily lessons and is not an indication of how much time should be spent teaching that suggestion.
Other Teaching Helps
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New Testament Video (item no. 53141). This video package contains presentations to help you teach the New Testament. Teaching suggestions for the New Testament Video presentations are found in the New Testament Video Guide (item no. 34232). Scripture blocks for which there is a video presentation are designated with the icon shown here and a note at the beginning of the teaching suggestions section. -
Appendix. Occasionally a teaching suggestion refers to a chart, a harmony, or a handout in the appendix that can help you teach that lesson. These items are referred to by title and page number for your convenience.
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Student Reading of the New Testament. Encourage students to read the entire New Testament. President Spencer W. Kimball once said: “I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 135).
Encourage your students to follow the assignments in the “New Testament Reading Chart” in the New Testament Student Study Guide. (You may need to adapt this chart to your school year.) This will help them pace their reading to correspond with class activities. Students who want to read ahead may do so, but encourage them to review the scripture block the class will be studying during the week. Using the reading chart will challenge you to pace yourself during the year so you can teach the entire New Testament.
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Students with Special Needs. “Special needs” is a general term used to identify students of unique circumstances. It may include those with reading or learning disabilities, behavioral disorders, and intellectual disabilities. It may also include those who are incarcerated, attending alternative schools, confined to wheelchairs, homebound, hearing or visually impaired, and so forth.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “All the minds and spirits that God ever sent into the world are susceptible of enlargement” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 354). You should make every reasonable effort to meet the learning needs of all your students. It may not be possible to meet all the needs of all the students all the time. You can, however, be aware of the special needs of your students and adapt the regular curriculum materials so that all students can gain something from at least part of each lesson. Other students can also be given the opportunity to help students with special needs. Such selfless service is a blessing to both the giver and the receiver.
In addition to the regular curriculum materials, other materials are available to help teach those with special needs. The CES publications catalog lists items in Braille and on audiocassette or videocassette (all new CES videos produced for the classroom are closed-captioned). The catalog also includes the Beginning Course materials, a highly visual, simplified curriculum for students on a second- to fourth-grade reading level (see “Specialized Curriculum Materials”). The Church Distribution Center catalog includes many helpful items (see especially the “Audiocassettes,” “Disabilities, Materials for Members with,” “Videocassettes,” and “Videocassettes, American Sign Language” sections in the subject index). The Church magazines are good sources for articles, pictures, and ideas that may relate to the special needs of your students. The Gospel Art Picture Kit (item no. 34730) is a collection of 161 colored pictures that depict scripture and Church history stories or illustrate gospel principles.
An Introduction for Teachers to the New Testament Student Study Guide
The New Testament Student Study Guide helps students read the New Testament and then ponder and apply its teachings. It is required for the home-study program, but most daily teachers will find it useful in their preparation and teaching.
Use in the Home-Study Seminary Program
Seminary is a five-day-a-week program (or its equivalent) throughout the school year. Because home-study seminary classes meet only once a week, home-study students should use the student study guide the other four days. Although all students are encouraged to read the scriptures daily, home-study students should understand that they are expected to spend 30–40 minutes each day for four school days each week working on the activities and assignments in the study guide.
Students do not write in their study guides. Use one of the following options for written assignments:
- Have each student do the written work on pages in a loose-leaf notebook and submit the pages completed each week. When you return the work, the student can put the pages back in the notebook.
- Have each student use two notebooks and alternate between them. The first week, the student works in one notebook and submits it to you when class is held. The next week the student writes in the other notebook, and then exchanges it in class for the first notebook, and so on.
After you collect the students’ work each week, read it and write comments to the students. This is an excellent way for you to get to know each of your students and determine how well they are understanding their studies. You can help motivate your students by inviting any who are willing to share some of what they wrote in their notebooks as part of the weekly class lessons.
Grading the Student Notebooks
There is no answer sheet for checking the activities in the student study guide. Some of the answers are found in the scriptures and should be apparent to you as you familiarize yourself with each activity. Other answers are based on the students’ ideas, experiences, opinions, and testimonies. In these cases there may not be a single correct answer. Evaluate and grade students on the degree of effort made based on their abilities. As you write your comments, correct any misunderstandings or answers that are clearly incorrect, and praise students for their effort.
Be sensitive to students with special needs, and adapt the student study guide accordingly. For example, if a student has a disability that makes writing difficult, you might allow the student to use a tape recorder to record his or her work or have a friend or family member write for the student. You may need to adapt the number of study activities assigned to some students because of special needs. Other students may be advanced and could be encouraged to go beyond the minimum requirements.
Use in the Daily Seminary Program
The New Testament Student Study Guide is not required for students in daily seminary programs, but you should provide a desk copy for each student. You can then have students refer to the “Understanding the Scriptures” sections for help in understanding difficult words and phrases and for quotations and explanations.
While preparing lessons, look at the introductions to each scripture block and the “Studying the Scriptures” sections for help in deciding what and how to teach. For example, some of the introductions provide discussion questions that help create learner readiness. Occasionally, you may want to have students do one of the “Studying the Scriptures” activities during class and then have them share what they wrote—either in groups or with the whole class. Even when the activities are not followed exactly as prescribed in the study guide, they may provide good ideas that can be adapted for use in a classroom setting.
PACING YOUR TEACHING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
There is not enough time in a school year to discuss every verse in the New Testament. The challenge is to pace your teaching. If you move slowly and spend too much time teaching the Gospels, you will miss the messages of the Epistles and the book of Revelation. If you move too fast, your students may not understand and appreciate significant parts of the New Testament. Use this pacing guide to help you decide how much you need to cover each day and week and what chapters to assign your students to read.
Because there are many types of seminary programs throughout the world, it is not possible to organize this manual to fit every situation. You may need to adapt this 36-week guide to your program and the needs of your students. Seminary is taught five days per week, but lesson material is provided for only four days to allow time for interruptions such as school activities and assemblies, special seminary activities and presentations, scripture mastery, and tests and quizzes. You may choose to spend more than one day to teach a scripture block more effectively. This flexibility is to encourage you to seek the direction of the Spirit to meet the specific needs of your students. Note: For help teaching the Gospels as a harmony, see the charts on pages 277–78.
Teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to the youth of the Church is a sacred trust and a joyous duty. May the Lord bless you and your students as you study the ministry of Jesus Christ and His Apostles in the New Testament this year.
Pacing Guide for a 36-Week School Year
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Week |
Suggested Scripture Block to Be Taught |
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1 |
Day 1: “An Introduction to the New Testament” and “Scripture Study Helps” |
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2 |
Day 1: Matthew 1–2 |
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3 |
Days 1–2: Matthew 5–7 (continued) |
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4 |
Day 1: Matthew 11–12 |
|
5 |
Day 1: Matthew 17 |
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6 |
Day 1: Matthew 24 |
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7 |
Day 1: Matthew 27 |
|
8 |
Day 1: Mark 4–5 |
|
9 |
Days 1–2: Mark 11–13 |
|
10 |
Day 1: Luke 1 |
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11 |
Days 1–2: Luke 7 |
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12 |
Day 1: Luke 10 |
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13 |
Day 1: Luke 16 |
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14 |
Days 1–2: Luke 22 |
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15 |
Day 1: John 1 |
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16 |
Days 1–2: John 6 |
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17 |
Day 1: John 9 |
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18 |
Day 1: John 13 |
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19 |
Day 1: John 18 |
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20 |
Day 1: Acts 1 |
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21 |
Day 1: Acts 6–7 |
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22 |
Day 1: Acts 13–14 |
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23 |
Day 1: Acts 21 |
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24 |
Day 1: Romans 1–3 |
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25 |
Day 1: Romans 9–10 |
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26 |
Day 1: 1 Corinthians 1–4 |
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27 |
Day 1: 1 Corinthians 15–16 |
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28 |
Day 1: Galatians 1–2 |
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29 |
Day 1: Philippians 1–4 |
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30 |
Day 1: 1 Timothy 1–6 |
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31 |
Day 1: Hebrews 1–2 |
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32 |
Day 1: James 1–2 |
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33 |
Day 1: 2 Peter 1–3 |
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34 |
Day 1: Revelation 1 |
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35 |
Day 1: Revelation 8–9 |
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36 |
Day 1: Revelation 17–19 |
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT
Introduction
In an address to Church Educational System teachers, Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve said:
“There is great value in presenting a brief but very carefully organized overview of the entire course at the very beginning. . . .
“Those few beginning periods, so brief an investment of time by comparison, make it possible for the students to locate themselves anywhere along the way. They have something of a feeling. They retain much more when they know how all of the pieces fit together, and the light of learning shines more brightly. The preview forms a framework and is more than worth the time and work invested in it” (The Great Plan of Happiness [address to religious educators at a symposium on the Doctrine and Covenants/Church history, Brigham Young University, 10 Aug. 1993], 2; or Charge to Religious Educators, 3rd ed. [1994], 113).
Take the time to develop and teach an introduction and overview of the New Testament. This will help your students understand the importance of the New Testament and look forward to the materials they will read and learn during the school year. An introduction and overview will strengthen your own and your students’ understanding of the divine mission of Jesus Christ.
What Is the New Testament?
The New Testament is a record of the life, teachings, and mission of Jesus Christ and the ministry of His disciples in promoting the spread of the early Christian Church. The word that was translated as testament could also be translated as covenant; thus the New Testament is the new covenant. In a gospel sense, a covenant is a sacred vow or agreement between a person or group and the Lord. When we enter into a covenant we promise to do certain things, and the Lord in turn promises blessings. The Lord sets the terms for both the efforts we must make (obedience to laws and ordinances) and the blessings we receive. If we keep our covenants and endure to the end in faith, the Lord blesses us during mortality and promises us salvation and exaltation when this life is over. The New Testament contains covenants and doctrines the Lord and His Apostles gave to His children during His mortal ministry to teach them how to return and live in His presence.
Why Should We Study the New Testament?
Both ancient and modern prophets have stressed the value of the scriptures in helping us come to know God. Jesus taught, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). The Apostle Paul taught Timothy about the value of holy writings:
- They are able to make one “wise unto salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15).
- They are “given by inspiration of God” (v. 16).
- They are “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (v. 16).
- They help the righteous become perfect and “throughly furnished unto all good works” (v. 17).
The prophet Mormon wrote:
“Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—
“And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven” (Helaman 3:29–30).
The scriptures help us “divide asunder” (overcome) the lies and temptations of the devil and follow a course that will “land us in” (bring us to) the celestial kingdom.
Elder Boyd K. Packer taught:
“In the New Testament course, you learn of the birth and ministry of Jesus the Christ and His divine Sonship. You learn about ordinances, about baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.
“You read of the call of the Twelve and follow their ministry. You learn of the fatherhood of God. You learn of the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, and personal revelation.
“You relive the days of the Betrayal and the Crucifixion, and learn transcendent truths of the Atonement and the Resurrection. You learn of love and law and why a Redeemer.
“From the four Gospels to the book of Revelation, the teachings of the Master and of His Apostles—the Lord Jesus Christ’s gospel—are opened to you” (in Conference Report, Mar.–Apr. 1990, 49; or Ensign, May 1990, 38).
The following doctrines, all taught in the New Testament, show why a careful study of the New Testament is not only meaningful but crucial:
- God is literally our Father in Heaven.
- Heavenly Father created the heavens and the earth through His Son Jesus Christ.
- Heavenly Father sent His Son into the world that “the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17).
- Heavenly Father has given all judgment to the Son.
- God can and does intervene directly in the lives of men.
- Heaven is divided into different kingdoms of glory.
- We receive blessings from God by making and keeping sacred covenants.
- Idolatry in any form is spiritually destructive.
- Jesus Christ’s Second Coming is prophesied, including events of the last days.
Being far removed in time and culture from the New Testament period brings special challenges to those who study the Bible. In addition, the record we now have is not complete. Many parts “which are plain and most precious” were taken away (1 Nephi 13:26). Much that was lost has been restored by the Book of Mormon, the Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible, and other modern revelations (see 1 Nephi 13:33–41). Further, some portions of the Bible are cloaked or hidden in symbolic language. Such prophetic cloaking has been useful because those who sought to remove the “plain and precious” parts have left many of the more obscure passages relatively intact. Thus, many great truths have been preserved to be read and understood by the power of the Holy Ghost and the “spirit of prophecy” (2 Nephi 25:4) that God has made available to the Saints of the latter days.
How Is the New Testament Organized?
The Bible is not one book but a collection of books; that is what the word bible means. These books do not necessarily appear in the Bible in the order in which they were written. The New Testament contains twenty-seven books that can be grouped into four main categories based on the nature of their content.
- Historical Books—This group consists of the four Gospels and the book of Acts. The Gospels record the testimonies of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John concerning the ministry of the Savior. The book of Acts is an account of the ministry of several of the Lord’s Apostles. The Gospels can also be divided into two groups. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the synoptic (meaning “see-alike”) Gospels because of their similarities. John’s testimony is a separate and distinct witness and is thought to have been written specifically to members of the Church. (See Bible Dictionary, “Gospels,” pp. 682–83.) According to one Latter-day Saint educator: “In Bibles that are published today each of the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John . . . is titled, ‘The Gospel According to. . . .’ Scholars tell us, however, that these titles were added sometime around the fourth century A.D., and that before that time probably only the name of the writer appeared; that is, only the name of Matthew, for example” (Robert J. Matthews, Behold the Messiah [1994], 22).
- Epistles of Paul—This group consists of the books of Romans through Hebrews. The word epistle means “letter.” Most of Paul’s letters were written to specific branches of the Church organized in cities where Paul had proclaimed the gospel and which he had established. Hebrews and Philemon are exceptions to this rule. Paul’s letters are arranged according to their length, except for Hebrews. (See Bible Dictionary, “Pauline Epistles,” pp. 743–48.)
- General Epistles—This group consists of letters written by James, Peter, John, and Jude. They are called General Epistles because they are not addressed to specific branches of the Church or individuals, except for John’s second and third letters. (See Bible Dictionary, “General Epistles,” p. 678.)
- The Apocalypse—This is the last book in the New Testament and is known as the book of Revelation. It is a record of a vision received by the Apostle John while imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos. John saw the history of the earth, including the events of the last days and the eventual victory of Jesus Christ over the kingdom of Satan. (See Bible Dictionary, “Revelation of John,” pp. 762–63.)
For more detailed information on the origin and history of the Bible, see “Bible” in the Bible Dictionary (pp. 622–24).
Prayerfully consider these introductory materials and the following principles before preparing your lessons.
Some Important Gospel Principles to Look For
- The New Testament helps us come unto Christ.
- The New Testament was preserved for our day and for our benefit.
Suggestions for Teaching
Use the following video presentations or some of your own ideas to teach an overview of the New Testament. Note: The two teaching ideas provided below cover some of the same material as the videos and may be especially useful to those without access to the videos.
New Testament Video presentation 1, “Come unto Me” (11:36), shows how studying the New Testament can help us learn more about the Savior and how He can help us in our lives. Presentation 2, “The Maze” (10:07), teaches that the New Testament can give us perspective on resolving life’s questions and problems. (See New Testament Video Guide for teaching suggestions.)
New Testament Overview. The New Testament helps us come unto Christ. (15–20 minutes)
Put some wet sand in a shallow container. Invite several students to each press a finger into the sand and then pull it out. Ask them to count the particles of sand that stick to their fingers. Have them guess how many particles are in the box. Invite the class to imagine trying to count the particles of sand along the western coast of Alaska to the tip of South America. Have students read Moses 7:30, and ask:
- What does this verse teach about the extent of Christ’s creations and power?
- Read John 1:1–3. What do these verses say concerning Jesus Christ and His power?
Tell the students that Jesus was a God (the Word) before He was born on earth, and that He created the heavens and the earth under the direction of our Heavenly Father.
- Read John 1:14. Why do you think Jesus Christ, who created all things, would choose to come to this earth and take on mortality? (see Mosiah 3:7–9).
- What is His relationship to our Heavenly Father?
- Read Matthew 11:28–30. What invitation does Jesus Christ extend to us?
- What are some reasons that we should come unto Jesus Christ? (List responses on the board.)
Remind students that the Savior is willing to use all His power to help those who come unto Him. Invite them to think of times the Savior has helped them or their families. Invite any who would like to share appropriate experiences with the class to do so.
Testify that this year is a wonderful opportunity to learn of Jesus Christ through their study of the New Testament. Explain that during their study they will witness many people who came to the Savior and obtained His rest, as well as many who rejected His invitation. Tell the students that they will have that same opportunity. Ask: How do you accept His invitation and come unto Him?
New Testament Overview. The New Testament was preserved for our day and for our benefit. (15–20 minutes)
Have students open their Bibles to the table of contents. Help them mark the groupings of the New Testament (the Histories, the Epistles of Paul, the General Epistles, and the Apocalypse), and discuss what each part contains (see “How Is the New Testament Organized?” above).
Have students name some of their favorite stories or teachings from the New Testament and tell why they like them. Ask:
- Have you ever been asked to accomplish something that seemed impossible?
- Have you ever been accused or punished for doing something you didn’t do?
- Have you ever been confronted by bullies?
- Have you ever felt alone?
Have the students read Hebrews 2:18 and footnote a, and ask: How can the Savior know how to succor (comfort) us in our trials? (He suffered similar trials and more.) Tell students that the New Testament Saints also faced problems much like our own. Remind them that although the New Testament is a scripture from the past, its doctrines, histories, and stories are of great value today. The New Testament was organized and preserved for our day and for our benefit.
Tell students that we can come to understand the New Testament only if we open and study it. Ask: What do you think is the relationship between people’s attitude toward the New Testament and their ability to understand the gospel principles it teaches? Encourage students to approach their study of the New Testament with sincere effort and a prayerful attitude.
SCRIPTURE STUDY HELPS
Study Helps in the LDS Edition of the King James Bible
In 1979 the Church published a Latter-day Saint edition of the King James Version of the Bible in English. Included in this edition were numerous helps to make a study of the scriptures more meaningful and rewarding. Speaking of this new edition of the scriptures, Elder Boyd K. Packer testified: “This work . . . will one day emerge as a signal inspired event of our generation. Because of it, we shall raise up generations of Latter-day Saints who will know the gospel and know the Lord” (Bruce R. McConkie, Apostle [address at the funeral of Elder Bruce R. McConkie, 23 Apr. 1985], 4).
See the section “Study Helps in the Latter-day Saint Editions of the Scriptures” in the New Testament Student Study Guide for a detailed explanation of these study helps.
Some Important Gospel Principles to Look For
- The Latter-day Saint editions of the scriptures contain significant study aids that can help us increase our understanding of the scriptures.
Suggestions for Teaching
Choose from the following ideas, or use some of your own, as you prepare lessons on the scripture study helps.
Scripture Study Helps. Knowing the names and the order of the books in the New Testament helps us find scripture references more quickly. (10–15 minutes)
Students often enjoy learning the books of the New Testament by singing “The Books in the New Testament” (Children’s Songbook, 116). Singing this song several times and then again at the beginning of class each day for about a week could help students quickly learn the books.
Scripture Study Helps. The study helps provided in the Latter-day Saint editions of the scriptures help us get the most out of our scripture study. (40–45 minutes)
The Church has included numerous study helps in the scriptures. These are explained in the “Study Helps in the Latter-day Saint Editions of the Scriptures” section of the student study guide. The following suggestions can help you teach the study helps.
Chapter Headings and Section Introductions. Have students turn to the chapter heading for Matthew 5. Read it and explain that the headings emphasize the main points of each chapter and often present doctrinal insights.
Have students read the designated chapter headings and answer the following questions:
- Matthew 17—Who accompanied Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration?
- John 1—Who created all things?
- Acts 7—Who does Moses remind us of?
- Galatians 3—Why was the Mosaic law given to the children of Israel?
Have students examine the headings to a section in the Doctrine and Covenants. Explain that the first heading contains background information and the second is a synopsis of the section’s contents.
Italicized Words in the Bible. Explain that italicized words in the King James Version of the Bible are words the translator inserted to render a correct English reading. When the Bible was translated from Greek and Hebrew, a direct translation into English was not always possible. Therefore, it was necessary to insert words in order for the scriptures to be grammatically correct.
Footnotes. Choose a couple of pages in the New Testament that illustrate the several types of footnotes available in the Latter-day Saint editions of the scriptures. Have the students turn to the pages, and share with them the advantages of the footnote system.
- Point out that each verse is independently footnoted and that each footnote in the verse is in alphabetical sequence.
- Show examples of footnotes that point to the Topical Guide (TG).
- Show examples of footnotes that give Hebrew (HEB) and Greek (GR) meanings.
- Show examples of footnotes that give modern synonyms and explanations (OR and IE) for archaic or obscure words and phrases in the King James Version of the Bible.
- Show examples of footnotes that present insights from the Joseph Smith Translation (JST).
Refer to the study helps section in the student study guide for additional help and examples.
Use the following questions to give students an opportunity to practice using the footnotes:
- What is the Greek meaning of the word that was translated as “rule” in Matthew 2:6? (see footnote 6d).
- Read Matthew 5:48. What does it mean to be perfect, as the Lord said we should be? (see footnote 48b).
- Read Luke 7:41. How long would it have taken a workman to earn five hundred “pence”? (see footnote 41a).
- What is the “dearth” referred to in Acts 7:11? (see footnote 11a).
- What is the Hebrew meaning of the word translated as Sabaoth in Romans 9:29? (see footnote 29a). What is the Greek meaning of the word seed? (see footnote 29b).
- What is the “sea of glass” referred to in Revelation 4:6? (see footnote 6a, and then see D&C 77:1).
The Joseph Smith Translation. Share with your students the information from “Joseph Smith Translation” in the Bible Dictionary (p. 717). Tell them that not all of the changes from the Joseph Smith Translation are included in the Latter-day Saint edition of the King James Version of the Bible, but more than 600 verses with changes are included. Some verses or passages that are too long to be included as footnotes have been placed in a separate appendix in the Bible.
For examples of Joseph Smith Translation contributions, have your students refer to the JST footnotes for John 4:24 and 1 Corinthians 15:40 and determine what changes the Prophet made.
Topical Guide. Tell students that they can use the Topical Guide to search more than 750 gospel topics as deeply as they want. Help them understand that this guide contains scriptural references from all of the standard works and that it can serve as a concordance or an index. The following exercises can help students become familiar with the Topical Guide:
- Have each student select a subject he or she would like to talk on if asked to speak in a Church meeting. Have the students use the Topical Guide to determine scripture references they could use to prepare their talks.
- Have students turn to the Topical Guide and note the various topic headings about Jesus Christ.
Index to the Triple Combination. Explain that the index in the triple combination is a combined index for the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price and contains numerous references from each on many topics. It is similar to the Topical Guide in the Bible but the index gives a short summary of each scripture reference, while the Topical Guide quotes from each reference. The index also only gives references from the triple combination, while the Topical Guide covers all of the standard works. One very helpful feature of the index is that it identifies people or places with the same name by superscript numbers and brief descriptions to differentiate between them.
Have the class turn to the first page of the index and find out how many men were named Aaron and who each one was. Also note that by searching for key words in the index, students can quickly locate scripture references.
Bible Dictionary. Look through the Bible Dictionary with the students. Explain that it contains 1,285 biblical topics prepared from a Latter-day Saint point of view. Share several specific topics and point out the following sections:
- Chronological tables (“chronology,” pp. 635–45)
- A harmony of the four Gospels (“Gospels, harmony of,” pp. 684–96)
- An analysis of the Apostle Paul’s letters (“Pauline Epistles,” pp. 743–48)
- Old Testament quotations found in the New Testament (“quotations,” pp. 756–59)
- A list of weights and measures mentioned in the Bible (“weights and measures,” pp. 788–89)
Bible Maps and Photographs. In 1999, the Church added a new maps and photographs section to the Latter-day Saint edition of the King James Bible. Indexes and helps for both the photographs and maps are grouped together at the beginning of the section. The color maps and photographs themselves appear together at the end.
Have students look at several photographs from the back of the Bible Maps and Photographs section and determine what each shows. The photographs in this section depict sites from Bible history. Ask the students to find a photo of the Temple of Herod (no. 9). Refer them to the description of the temple under the “Photographs of Scriptural Sites” heading at the front of the section. Ask them to name three important events that took place at this temple.
Have students turn to the “Maps and Index of Place-Names” heading. The first page of this subsection explains map features. Refer students to the second paragraph for an explanation of how to use the index of place-names. Show them the index, beginning on the next page. The index lists the names of places alphabetically and includes coordinates for locating them on the maps.
Some of the individual maps are accompanied by notes and scriptural references related to locations on those maps. Have the students turn to map 12 and the accompanying page of notes. Ask them to find the temple and to identify two events that took place there during the life of Jesus Christ (see note 9).
Church History Chronology, Maps, and Photographs. In 1999 the Church also added new maps and photographs to the triple combination. These features are similar to the corresponding ones in the Latter-day Saint edition of the King James Bible. This section also includes a chronology of Church history events. Have the students turn to this section and find what year and month Joseph Smith completed his translation of the Book of Mormon.
Pronouncing Guide. The pronouncing guide at the end of the Book of Mormon provides a standard for the pronunciation of Book of Mormon names. Have the students become familiar with this guide.
Scripture Study Helps. Using the study aids can help increase our understanding of the scriptures. (5–10 minutes)
Share the following story from Elder Richard G. Scott, then a member of the Seventy. It illustrates the worth of the study aids in the new publication of the standard works.
“I remember when the new triple combination was introduced to the Brethren. Elder McConkie made the presentation. He held up a book and read from the flyleaf, ‘To Bruce R. McConkie.’ It was signed ‘Amelia’ [his future wife] and dated the day he entered the mission home. He said, ‘I have carried these scriptures all over the world. I’ve used them extensively. They have been bound three times. I can tell you the location on the page for many of the scriptures in that book.’ He then added, ‘But I’m not going to use that book anymore. It does not have the precious teaching aids and powerful tools to enhance study and understanding that are in this new volume.’ I was really impressed by that. The next day I had occasion to go into his office. He has a large desk, and there he sat, book in hand, with ruler and red pencil marking the new edition of the scriptures. Well, if someone who knows the scriptures as well as he does finds it worthwhile to use the new edition, I have resolved to do likewise” (“Spiritual Communication,” in Principles of the Gospel in Practice, Sperry Symposium 1985 [1985], 18–19).
Scripture Study Helps. Help students use what they learned about using the scripture study aids. (30–35 minutes)
After you have taught students about the scripture study aids, have them use the aids to complete the following quiz as a review of what they learned. You may want them to work in groups.
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Answer the following questions about baptism:
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What does the word baptism mean?
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What evidence is there that baptism was practiced before the time of Christ?
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What does baptism symbolize?
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What are four purposes of baptism?
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Find the meaning of the italicized word in each of the following phrases. Notice how knowing what these words mean brings added understanding to the scripture passages.
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“They have no cloke for their sin” (John 15:22)
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“Trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent” (2 Timothy 3:3)
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“The word of God is quick, and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12)
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“A peculiar people” (1 Peter 2:9)
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List three scripture references for each of the following topics:
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Last days
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Lost scriptures
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Prophecy
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Revelation
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Answer the following questions after reading the verses and referring to the footnotes:
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Matthew 4:23—Why were those people in Galilee healed?
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Matthew 4:24—What is palsy?
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Matthew 4:25—Where is the region of Decapolis? (see the map section).
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Matthew 5:3—What are some other meanings of the word blessed?
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Matthew 5:3—What does the Book of Mormon add to our understanding of this verse?
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Matthew 5:5—What are some other meanings of the word that was translated as meek?
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Read the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:24–30 and, using the cross-references in the footnotes, identify what the following symbols represented:
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Field
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Sower of the good seed
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Tares
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Sower of the tares
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Reapers
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Identify the following people and tell where they are mentioned in the scriptures:
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Matthias
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Sadducees
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What direction from the city of Jerusalem was the hill Golgotha and the Garden Tomb?
PLAN OF SALVATION OVERVIEW
Introduction
In 1993 Elder Boyd K. Packer told teachers in the Church Educational System that, along with a brief overview of the subject to be studied, they should give an overview of the plan of salvation at the beginning of every school year. The following teaching suggestions refer frequently to Elder Packer’s talk, parts of which are included, with other helps, in the appendix. Please refer to it as you prepare to teach the plan of salvation to your students. (See “The Great Plan of Happiness,” pp. 279–82.)
Prayerfully study “The Great Plan of Happiness” and consider the following principles before preparing your lessons.
Some Important Gospel Principles to Look For
- Heavenly Father is a glorified, perfected, celestial Father who possesses a fulness of joy (see Mosiah 4:9; 3 Nephi 28:10).
- We lived with Heavenly Father before we came to earth. We are His spirit children and He wants us to have the same joy that He has by becoming like Him (see Jeremiah 1:5; Hebrews 12:9).
- In order to become like God, we must have a resurrected, glorified physical body and we must grow to possess the qualities of godhood (see Alma 11:43–44; 3 Nephi 27:27; D&C 130:22).
- Our mortal life on earth is designed to help us gain godly attributes. It provides us with the opportunity to gain a physical body and learn the lessons of godhood by having the freedom to choose to follow the counsel of God or the enticements of Satan (see Genesis 2:16–17; 2 Nephi 2:25–27; Alma 34:32–34).
- The Creation of the earth and the Fall of Adam brought about the necessary conditions of mortality, including spiritual and physical death and a world where there is toil, pain, and sorrow (see Genesis 2:17; 3:6–7; 2 Nephi 2:15–25).
- The Atonement of Jesus Christ provides for the Resurrection so that everyone will receive an immortal physical body (see Job 19:25–27; Ezekiel 37:12–14; Alma 11:42–45; 42:23).
- The Atonement can also cleanse us from personal sins through our repentance and enable us to obtain eternal life and become like God (see Isaiah 1:18; 2 Nephi 10:24–25; Mosiah 3:19; Moroni 10:32–33).
- In every dispensation, Jesus Christ has sent prophets to teach His gospel to God’s children on earth. The Church of Jesus Christ has been established in these latter days to invite all to come unto Christ and partake of His plan of happiness (see Amos 3:7; Alma 12:32–34; D&C 1:1–14).
Additional Resources
Suggestions for Teaching
Choose from the following ideas, or use some of your own, as you prepare to teach a plan of salvation overview.
Note: The four teaching suggestions for the plan of salvation overview will be the same for each of the four scripture courses. It is recommended that you choose a different one each year.
Plan of Salvation Overview: Suggestion 1. (90–120 minutes)
Help the students visualize the plan of salvation (the plan of happiness) by stretching a string from one wall of your classroom to the other. Hang a paper clip over the string so that it can easily slide along the string. Prepare two identical figures, one of clear plastic and another of white paper, that can be attached to the paper clip.
Tell students that the string represents the line of our lives and that one end of the string represents our past and the other our future. The clear plastic figure represents our spirit body, and the white paper figure represents our physical body. Move the paper clip along the string and add the figures to it as you discuss our progression from premortal past to postmortal future. When you discuss death, separate the paper clip and clear plastic figure from the white paper one. Ask questions such as those listed in the following sections as you teach the plan of happiness, and use the information in the appendix as needed. It is usually preferable to let the students discover as many of the answers as they can by letting them search the suggested scripture references.
Premortal life
- Where does the life line begin and end? (see D&C 93:29; Abraham 3:18; “Spiritual Creation,” p. 280). Explain that the line of our lives actually extends beyond the walls of the room and continues forever in both directions. Our lives did not have a beginning, and they will have no end.
- What do you know about your Father in Heaven and your life with Him before you were born on earth? (see “Premortal Existence,” p. 279).
- What does it mean to be a spirit child of God? (see “Premortal Existence,” p. 279; “Spiritual Creation,” p. 280). Hang the plastic figure on the paper clip to illustrate this step.
- Since we lived with Heavenly Father in the premortal world and we were immortal, why didn’t we stay there? (see “Agency,” “The Grand Council and the War in Heaven,” p. 280).
- What do we know about the differences between Heavenly Father’s plan and Lucifer’s alternative? (see Moses 4:1–4; “The Grand Council and the War in Heaven,” p. 280).
- Why do you think the Lord prizes the freedom to choose (agency) so much that He would even allow Lucifer and his followers to rebel and start a war in heaven? (see “Agency,” p. 280).
Mortal life
- Since Satan will eventually be cast into outer darkness, why did God allow him and his followers to come to earth and tempt us? (see D&C 29:39).
- Why was it necessary for us to come to a physical earth and get a physical body? (see D&C 93:33–34; Moses 1:39; “The Grand Council and the War in Heaven,” “Physical Creation,” p. 280).
- What were the consequences of the transgression of Adam and Eve? Why was the Fall of Adam and Eve necessary? (see 2 Nephi 2:19–25; “The Fall and Mortality,” p. 280).
- Why was a Redeemer chosen even in premortality? What would result if there were no Redeemer? (see 2 Nephi 9:7–10; “The Grand Council and the War in Heaven,” p. 280; “The Atonement,” p. 281).
- Why did Jehovah (Jesus Christ) need to come to earth and take upon Himself a mortal body? (see “The Atonement,” p. 281).
- Since we face so much temptation in the world today, what can we do in cooperation with the Lord to change our natures and resist evil? (see 1 Nephi 2:16; Mosiah 3:19; 4:1–3; 5:1–2; Ether 12:27).
Postmortal life
- What is the difference between physical death and spiritual death? How are we rescued from each one? What is our part in overcoming spiritual death? (see 2 Nephi 9:6–23; Alma 40:11–14; D&C 29:40–44; “The Mission of the Church and the Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel,” “The Atonement,” p. 281; “The Spirit World,” p. 282).
- Where do we go upon death? What important works that we know of are going on in the spirit world? (see Alma 40:11–14; D&C 138:11–37; “The Spirit World,” p. 282).
- Who is the great Judge? When will we be judged? Is there more than one judgment? (see “Judgment,” p. 282).
- For what will we be judged? By what standard will we be judged? (see Mosiah 2:36–41; Alma 41:3–7; D&C 82:3; “Judgment,” p. 282).
- What possibilities are available to those who don’t hear about the gospel in this life? (see D&C 138:1–37; “Judgment,” p. 282).
- What will we be like when we are resurrected? (see Alma 11:42–45; “Judgment,” “Resurrection,” p. 282).
- What is our ultimate destiny and what can we become if we follow the “great plan of happiness”? (see D&C 76:50–70).
- Why couldn’t our Father in Heaven bestow godhood upon us without our having to go through this mortal experience? (see Alma 34:32–34).
Consider leaving the string up for a time and referring to it as needed to help students see how what they are learning fits into the plan.
Ask students how a knowledge of the plan helps them understand why the Lord commands certain things and forbids others. Choose a commandment that some young people in your area seem to struggle with (perhaps honesty, morality, or Sabbath observance) and ask students why keeping that commandment makes sense when you understand the plan of happiness.
Share your testimony of the beauty of the plan and the importance of remembering why we are here and what the Lord has done to help us return to Him.
Plan of Salvation Overview: Suggestion 2. (90–100 minutes)
A diagram, such as the one below, can be used to teach the plan of salvation. This method is good for teaching the plan visually but does not teach the chronology as well as suggestion 1.
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Ask questions such as those listed in suggestion 1 as you draw the diagram on the board (or you could use a handout) and discuss the elements of the plan of salvation. Draw arrows to help indicate our progression through the stages of our existence, according to the plan. Where possible, let the students discover the answers to the questions by searching the suggested scripture references. Consider displaying the chart in the classroom so that you can refer to it throughout the year.
Plan of Salvation Overview: Suggestion 3. (60–70 minutes)
A simple yet effective way to review the plan of salvation that emphasizes the importance of mortality is to use an illustration of a bridge. Draw the accompanying diagram on the board or on a poster. Leave the labels off at first and write them in as your students discover the elements of the plan as you study the scriptures together.
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Show students the bridge and ask: What purpose does a bridge serve that a road alone cannot? (It helps you cross a canyon or gap.) Read Abraham 3:22 with your students and help them understand where we were before we came to earth. Then read Moses 1:39 to help them understand what Heavenly Father is seeking to bring to pass, where He wants to take us. (Immortality means to live forever as resurrected beings; eternal life means to be with God and to be like Him; see “Premortal Existence,” p. 279; “Spiritual Creation,” “Agency,” p. 280.) Write All Mankind at the lower end of the bridge and Eternal Life, with its definition, at the other end.
Ask the following questions:
- Why were we encouraged to leave the premortal world and come to this earth?
- What “gap” or “canyon” (what differences) existed between Heavenly Father and ourselves when we lived with Him as His spirit children?
Help students discover that although we lived with Heavenly Father and were His children, in many ways we were not yet like Him (see 3 Nephi 12:48; D&C 76:70; 88:41; 130:22; “Premortal Existence,” p. 279).
Tell students that the pillars supporting the bridge represent what Heavenly Father has brought about to help us become like Him, and the span on top of the pillars represents what we are to do. Have your students read Abraham 3:24–27 to find what Heavenly Father did for us; then discuss why that was necessary (see “Agency,” “The Grand Council and the War in Heaven,” “Physical Creation,” p. 280). Write The Creation on the first pillar.
Ask students:
- What do you think the second pillar represents?
- After the physical creation of the earth, what part did Adam and Eve fulfill to prepare the way for us to become more like Heavenly Father? (see 2 Nephi 2:22–25; “The Fall and Mortality,” p. 280).
Write The Fall on the second pillar and discuss briefly how the Fall brought opposition, sin, and death into the world.
Ask students: What would happen to us physically and spiritually if everything remained in a fallen condition? Read 2 Nephi 9:6–10 and discuss what God did to help us overcome the effects of the Fall (see “The Atonement,” p. 281). Ask students what the third pillar represents and label it The Atonement of Jesus Christ. Ask:
- Why can Jesus Christ promise to redeem us from our sins?
- On what conditions can we be forgiven of our sins and bring about the plan of redemption in our lives? (see Alma 42:9–15).
Have students read Helaman 14:15–17 looking for the blessings of the Atonement that are given to all mankind regardless of how they live. (The Resurrection and being brought back into God’s presence for judgment.) There are other blessings that are given only to those who earnestly seek them and live by His gospel. Have students read Articles of Faith 1:3–4 and list the first things God requires us to do to be forgiven of our own sins and to be perfected (see also “The Mission of the Church and the Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel,” p. 281).
Finish labeling the bridge as in the diagram and ask students how understanding the plan of salvation helps them understand why we are commanded to do some things and forbidden to do others. Choose commandments that some young people in your area might be struggling with and discuss what the plan teaches us about why God has given us those commandments.
Read to your students Elder Boyd K. Packer’s statement in “Judgment” (p. 282) and share your testimony of the “great plan of happiness” that Heavenly Father has prepared for His children.
Plan of Salvation Overview: Suggestion 4. (40–45 minutes)
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Prepare the accompanying diagram as a handout for each student or as an overhead transparency. Review with students that we once lived in the presence of God (see “Premortal Existence,” p. 279) and the circumstances that brought us to our fallen condition (see “The Fall and Mortality,” p. 280).
Ask students:
- Where does the strait and narrow path lead?
- What has our Heavenly Father given to help us stay faithfully on the path?
Invite a student to read the following statement by Elder Orson F. Whitney, who was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, to help them understand the seriousness of our fallen condition and the only way we can be freed from it:
“When Adam fell, it was as if the human race had fallen into a pit, from which they were powerless, by any act of their own, to emerge; having no means whereby to climb up and out, and not even knowing how to climb. But a Friend, all-wise and all-powerful, comes to the mouth of the pit . . . and proposes to rescue them from their unhappy situation. He makes of his own life a ladder; lets it down into the pit and says: ‘Now climb!’ They who climb, get out of the pit. They who refuse to climb, remain in the pit—and who is to blame but themselves?” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1927, 149).
Have students, individually or in groups, study the following questions to help them discover how the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the principles and ordinances of the gospel provide the way for us to overcome our fallen condition:
- What is the path that leads us out of our fallen condition? What are the first steps we must take to get on that path? (see 2 Nephi 31:17–19; “The Mission of the Church and the Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel,” p. 281).
- What are some of the ways the gift of the Holy Ghost helps us overcome our fallen condition and press forward on the path? (see John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13; 3 Nephi 27:20; D&C 45:56–57).
- Who provided and pointed out this path for us? What must we do to stay on it? (see 2 Nephi 31:19–21; “The Atonement,” p. 281).
- In addition to the covenant of baptism, what other ordinances and covenants has Heavenly Father given to help us rise above our fallen condition? (see D&C 84:33–40; 131:1–4).
- What will we be like when we return to live with Heavenly Father if we have been faithful in making and keeping our sacred covenants? (see 1 John 3:1–4; Moroni 7:48).
- How does a knowledge of the plan of salvation help us understand why we are commanded to pray? to be baptized? to be honest? to be morally clean?
- How does a knowledge of the plan of salvation help us understand why we are commanded to be free from addictive substances? to pay tithing? to serve a mission? to attend the temple?
When students have completed the exercise, invite them to share what they learned with the class. Share your testimony of what the plan of salvation means to you. Encourage students to ponder often about the plan of salvation and determine how an understanding of it can help them live the gospel in their daily lives. Conclude by reading the following statement by President Hugh B. Brown, who was a member of the First Presidency:
“The leaders of the Church have, from the beginning, taught faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we acknowledge him as our Savior and Redeemer. It is our duty to teach this to our children . . . and, because they are children of God, [to] teach them to be loyal to the royal spirit that is in them” (in Conference Report, Sept.–Oct. 1966, 104).
THE TIME BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS
Introduction
Between Malachi and Matthew, four hundred years passed in the Holy Land for which we have no prophetic record. Much happened during this period that affects our understanding of the New Testament, so it is important to be familiar with at least the major events that occurred in this intertestamental period. After the Babylonian captivity Judea was ruled in turn by the Persians, the Greeks, the Egyptians, the Syrians, and the Romans, with a brief period of self-rule under the Hasmoneans. The Old Testament was translated into a Greek version called the Septuagint, which is the version most often quoted in the New Testament. Also, this period saw the rise of the Pharisees and Sadducees and an increase in the influence of the scribes.
Prayerfully study “The Intertestamental Period” (pp. 283–85) and consider the following principles before preparing your lessons.
Some Important Gospel Principles to Look For
- Knowing the background of the intertestamental period helps us better understand the New Testament.
- Although many still yearned for the coming of the Messiah during this period, apostasy and misunderstanding caused many Jews to “look beyond the mark” and reject Jesus Christ as the Messiah (see Matthew 16:13–16; Jacob 4:14).
- Although many Jews greatly disliked Samaritans and Gentiles, the gospel of Jesus Christ brings all people together as children of God (see Acts 10:34–35).
- Just as in our day, there were many religious groups in the Holy Land in New Testament times. Jesus reproved many of these groups. Some good people, however, belonged to them (see John 3:1–12; 7:50–51; 19:38–40; Acts 21:40–22:3; 23:6).
Additional Resources
Suggestions for Teaching
Choose from the following ideas, or use some of your own, as you prepare lessons on the intertestamental period.
New Testament Video presentation 3, “New Testament Setting” (12:45), can be used in teaching the religious and political climate at the time of Christ (see New Testament Video Guide for teaching suggestions).
Intertestamental Period. Knowing the background of the intertestamental period helps us better understand the New Testament. (30–40 minutes)
The period between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament is known as the “intertestamental period.” The following activity is designed to help students understand the significance of this period to their study of the New Testament. Divide the class into small groups. Give each group a copy of this chart with the items rearranged (they are now in chronological order). Have them look up each item in the Bible Dictionary and then identify or describe it briefly. (The words in quotation marks are the titles of relevant entries in the Bible Dictionary.)
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Discuss each item with the class to help them understand its importance to the New Testament. With the students’ help, write each on the board in its correct historical order (refer students to the chronology tables on pages 635–45 of their Bible Dictionaries).
Intertestamental Period. Although many Jews yearned for the coming of the Messiah, apostasy and misunderstanding caused others to “look beyond the mark” and reject Jesus Christ (see Matthew 16:13–16; Jacob 4:14). (30–40 minutes)
Have students read “Messiah” in the Bible Dictionary (p. 731), and ask:
- What does the word Messiah mean?
- Who prophesied concerning the Messiah? (see Jacob 7:11).
- How is it that many Jews, who had long awaited the Messiah, overlooked Him and rejected Him when He came? (see Jacob 4:14–15).
Read the following true incident or share a similar one of your own:
“I’ll never forget what happened the day I returned from my mission. When I left for my mission to Norway my younger brother was in ninth grade. When I arrived at the airport I walked right past him. What I expected him to look like was so completely different from what he looked like that I didn’t recognize him at all.”
Explain that this incident helps us partly understand why the Jews did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Centuries had passed since the last recorded prophet of the Old Testament had declared, “Thus saith the Lord” (Malachi 1:4).
Ask students: Which is the last book of the Old Testament? Invite them to find when Malachi was written by looking up “Malachi” in the Bible Dictionary (430 B.C.; see p. 728). What happened between then and the birth of Jesus Christ?
Help students understand that we do not have record of a true prophet in the Holy Land between the time of Malachi and the period of the New Testament. Many of the Jews believed in and lived by that portion of the gospel they had, but many doctrinal truths had become lost or mixed with the philosophies of men. Write the following on the board:
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Some Misunderstandings of
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Read the following scriptures with your students to show how, even though many rejected Jesus as the Messiah, others who were spiritually in tune accepted Him.
- John 1:10–12 (Most people did not receive Jesus as the Messiah.)
- Luke 2:25–38 (Simeon and Anna, by the power of the Holy Ghost, recognized that the baby Jesus was the Messiah.)
- Matthew 16:13–17 (By the spirit of revelation, Peter knew who Jesus was.)
Tell students that as they read the New Testament this year they will learn of humble people who accepted Jesus as the Messiah and instances of people who rejected Him.
Intertestamental Period. “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). (20–30 minutes)
Write the words German, Mexican, American, Japanese, Syrian, Iraqi, and Korean on the board.
- Which of these nationalities are invited to become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?
- How does the gospel unite all nationalities, races, tribes, and cultures?
Tell your students the following incident, retold by Elder James M. Paramore, a member of the Seventy:
“I remember a story recounted during World War II, when a German Latter-day Saint soldier was struck by an American bullet and lay perilously ill. He told his leader, ‘Please take a white flag and go to the other side and see if there is a Mormon elder who could administer to me.’ What a bizarre request in a war of two mortal enemies. But seeing his condition, and anxious to satisfy what appeared to be a last request, the leader took the white flag, went across the enemy line, and asked for a Mormon elder. One was found and he, with the German, crossed the enemy line, laid his hands upon that brother’s head, and commanded in the name of the Lord that he remain alive until help could be had. There is a sense of belonging that is fulfilled by the gospel of Jesus Christ—first to our Father in Heaven; then to our family, which can be an eternal unit; and then to members everywhere upon this earth” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1983, 37; or Ensign, May 1983, 28).
Have students read 2 Nephi 26:33, and ask:
- Who is invited to come unto Jesus Christ?
- How can the gospel help break down barriers of hatred and prejudice?
- Can you think of examples from the scriptures showing how racial hatred and cultural differences can be overcome? (One example is the mission of the sons of Mosiah to the Lamanites; see Alma 17–24.)
Have students find Samaria on Bible map 11. Have them read the entries for “Samaria” and “Samaritans” in the Bible Dictionary (p. 768). Ask: Why was there such intense dislike between Jews and Samaritans?
Ask the students to read the following scripture passages and tell how they apply to the discussion:
- Luke 10:29–37 (In the parable of the good Samaritan, a priest and a Levite pass by a man who has been beaten and robbed, but a Samaritan stops and helps.)
- John 4:3–10, 27 (Jesus talked to a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. His disciples were surprised that He talked with her.)
- Acts 1:8 (Jesus told His disciples that they would preach the gospel in Judea, in Samaria, and to “the uttermost part of the earth.”)
Help students understand how Jesus Christ provides the way and the example for overcoming divisions between people.
Intertestamental Period. As in our time, there were many religious groups in the Holy Land in Jesus Christ’s day. (25–35 minutes)
Ask: Why are there so many different churches and religious beliefs in the world today? Explain that this was the case among the Jews of Jesus Christ’s day as well.
Among the Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus were the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes. To help students understand the differences between these groups, give each student a copy of the following handout with the answers blank. Have them use their Bible Dictionaries to identify which group each definition describes. Then have them write “S” for Sadducees, “P” for Pharisees, or “Sc” for scribes in the blanks.
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Discuss the various religious groups as you go over the answers.
- How did Jesus Christ feel about these groups? (see Matthew 3:7; 5:20; 16:6; 23:13–32).
- What examples can you find of members of some of these groups who were good and honorable? (Paul, Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and Gamaliel were all Pharisees.)
Testify that a similar situation exists in our own day.