Lesson Objectives:

1) To know who the 5 main social groups were at the time of Jesus

2) To understand why these groups might have been unhappy with Jesus as the Messiah

ADMIREADMIRE

Look up to someone

Want to be like someone

Respect someone

Want to please them

Task one

1) in the back of your books describe in 2 points a person you admire.

2) don’t say who that person is – we’ll have a guess

It can be anyone: footballer, actor, musician or even a member of your family.

Who do you think Admires Jesus?

Who do you think Worships Jesus?

What’s the difference between admiring and worshiping someone?

Definition you need…

Admire - the word admire means you look up to someone, respect them and maybe want to be like them.

Worship - if you worship someone you are usually willing to do anything they say without question

What’s a Messiah?

The Jews at the time of Jesus were waiting and hoping for the Messiah to come and free them from the Romans who had taken over their country.

There was some argument between the Jews as to what this Messiah would be like, but they all agreed he would be their leader.

The Pharisees

These were not priests, but ordinary men.

They though that they kept the Jewish law’s better than everyone else and kept themselves separate from other Jews.

The Sadducees

These were a group of rich and powerful Jews

Many of them were priests at the temple which they looked after

They collected taxes from Jewish worshippers to pay for the temple and their own living

The Essenes

This group were even stricter than the Pharisees and believed that the Religion had been spoiled.

They lived in small groups away from the city, to keep the laws ‘pure’.

The Scribes

The scribes were like lawyers

They checked the laws and judged situations

The Romans allowed them to rule on Religious matters only

The Zealots

These were a rebel group apposed to the Romans, they were like ancient terrorists

They refused to pay taxes and tried to begin wars, riots and revolts

Task two: 1) Draw a spidergram in your books 2) add 2 pieces of information about each group to it. .

Pharisees

•not priests

•Kept the laws strictly

What sort of a Messiah do you think each of these groups would have wanted? Write one sentence for each group Include why you think they wanted a

Messiah like that

Do you think they would have been pleased or disappointed with Jesus as the Messiah?

Give reasons for your answer

What have we learned?

1) To know who the 5 main social groups were at the time of Jesus

2) To understand why these groups might have been unhappy with Jesus as the Messiah