Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term - Junior Secondary School 2

SUBJECT: CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE

CLASS:  JSS 2

DATE:

TERM: 2nd TERM

REFERENCES

1. Christian Religious Knowledge for JSS 2 by F.N.O Quarcoopome et’ tal.
2. Christian Religious Knowledge for JSS 2 by Adedeyinkae’tal
3. Ilesanmi Christian Religious Studies for JSS 2 by TundeErumeobee’tal
4. Christian Religious Knowledge for JSS 1-3, by A.F Bello.
5. Revised Standard Version (R.S.V.) Bible

 
WEEK ONE

TOPIC: JESUS CHRIST TEACHING IN PARABLES

Parables are earthly story with heavenly meaning. Jesus Christ taught in parables to make his listeners understands his teachings better. Parables are teachings about God and his kingdom.Jesus taught the people things that are practical in nature so as to create a kind of picture in their mind, that they would not easily forget.[Matt. 13:34- 35]

EVALUATION

What are parables?

TYPES OF PARABLES

[a] Parable of the kingdom.

[b] Parables showing God’s relationship with his people.

[c] Parables showing attitude to possessions. 

[d] Parables showing maturity and responsibility.

[A]PARABLES ABOUT GOD’S RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS PEOPLE[Luke 15:18-32]

Parables are earthly stories with heavenly or spiritual meaning. Jesus used parables to illustrate his teachings on God’s care and love for sinners. They also talked about attitude of Christians on how they can show high degree of maturity and responsibility in their daily activities. 

CONTENT:  

Topic:  Parable of the Kingdom

Content:

1. The Sower.Matt 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20
2.   The Mustard seed Matt 13:31-32, Mark 4:30-35, Luke 13:18-19
3. The Wheat and the Tares.Matt 24:30-43,
4. The Seed growing Secretly. Mk.4:26-29.

The Sower Matt 13:1- 23, Mark 4L1-27.

A Sower went to sow seeds some fell on footpath and were devoured by birds. Others fell on

rocky spots with little earth, germinated, but due to the fact that the roots could not get to the soil 

because  of the rocks, they withered under the scorching heat.  The others fell among thorns, 

germinated but were choked up by the thorns.  Finally, the rest fell on good fertile soil, 

germinated well, grew up and bore plenty fruits.   

According to Jesus, the seeds that fell on the footpath or way side represent people who receive 

the word of God, but cannot understand it.  The bird represents the devil who immediately, 

diverts their attention from what they heard and thereby denying them the kingdom of God.

The seed that fell on the rocky spots represent people who receive the word with joy, but due to 

the tribulations and persecutions that follow the gospel, they fall aside, as they cannot endure. 

As for the seeds that fell among thorns, they represent those who hear the word but because of 

their love for the material things of this world , they get deceived by such materialism which also 

chokes the words .As a result, they do not bear fruits.

Finally, the seeds that fell on good soil represent the people who hear the gospel and understand 

it and bear fruit as well, some hundred folds, some sixty and others thirty.

EVALUATION

1. Narrate any parable illustrating the kingdom .
2. Point out any three lessons derivable from it.

Significance or Lesson to Learn 

1.   In the world today, different people receive the word of God differently.  The way one receive it determine his/her  reward – Kingdom of God or hell fire.
2. If we do not receive the word of God positively and put it into practice, we will not enter into the Kingdom of God. We will just die and go to hell.

The Mustard Seed – Matt 13:31-32, Mark 4 : 30-32, Luke 13:18-19

 Unlike the parable of the sower, the three synthetic gospels have an account of the parable of the Mustard seed.  Jesus teaching on this parable focuses on the fact that the mustard seed is like the kingdom of God in that it is the tiniest seed on earth., but if planted it grows to become the biggest in the garden, with branches many enough to allow bird to make nest on them.

Significance of the Parable.

1. The gospel began with only Jesus and his twelve apostles, but today every part of the world has received it.
2. The kingdom of God is such a large entity, but entering it is simple; a mere belief in Jesus guarantees entry.

The Wheat and the Tares  Matt 13:24-30, 36-43.

Only Mathew gives an account of this parable which Jesus also used to illustrate the kingdom of 

God.  A man planted good seeds on his farm and went home, but in the night his enemy went  

and planted tares  in the midst of the good seeds and both germinated.The man’s labourers

discovered the tares in the farm and sought their master’s permission to uproot them. 

But the master declined, saying that it was risky as the wheat may intentionally be uprooted in 

the process of uprooting the tares.He rather suggested that both the tares and wheat be allowed 

to grow together until harvest, when the tares will be harvested first and burnt, and the wheat 

stored in the barn.

Interpretation of the Parable

Jesus interpreted the parable to mean that the sower of the good seed is the son of man (Jesus). 

The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom while the wheat are the evil 

ones.  The enemy who sowed the weeds is the devil, the harvest is the close of the age and the 

reapers are the angels.

Significance of the Parable.

1. In various churches today, there are good and bad Christians fellowshipping together .
2. Men are not scripturally permitted to judge, but many people today do.
3. Men often hurt innocent people by hurriedly judging them.

The Parable of the Seed Growing Secretly (mark 4:26-29)

The parable of the seed growing secretly is recorded only in the book of Mark.  Jesus compared 

the kingdom of God to a man who scatters seed on the ground and goes home to sleep every 

night. The seeds sprout and grow, but he does not know how they grow. As the plant grows, it 

produces the blade, then the ear and finally the full grain in the earth, when the grain is ripe, the 

farmer puts in his sickle because it is time for harvest.

Significance of the Parable.

This means that the growth of the kingdom of God in a Christian life is secretly and quiet and 

when it grows fully, the individual submit to God completely and his life is controlled by the 

Holy Spirit

Evaluation 

1   Mention at least, three parables that describe the kingdom of God

2. Narrate the parable of the sower and outline its significance.

General Evaluation/ Revision Questions

1. Narrate the parable of the mustard seed.
2. Explain the parable of the sower.
3. Mention three roles of the members of the family.
4. Mention two things that can help to maintain a good family name.

READING ASSIGNMENT

[1]   Christian Religious knowledge for JSS. BK 2,by T.N.O Quarcoopome eta’l.Page;10-102.

[2]   Christian Religious knowledge for JSS. BK 1-3 by A.F Bello.Page:199-202.

[3] Fundanmental of Christian Religious Knowledge for JSS. BK 1, by AdeyinkaPage:21-23.

[4]   Ilesanmi Christian Religion Studies for JssBk 2 By TundeErumol eta’l..Page:39-42.

[5]   Revised Standard Version Bible (Compulsory)

Weekend Assignment 

1. Which of the following parables illustrates the day of Judgement? (a) The Sower (b) The Wheat and the Tares   (c) The Mustard Seed (d) the seed growing secretly
2. Which of the following is not a parable of the kingdom? (a) The sower   (b) The prodigal son (c) The seed growing secretly (d) the wheat and tares
3. In the parable of the weed, the enemy who sowed among the wheat was____.

    (a) a wicked neighbor (b)  the man’s bad servant  ( c) Satan, the devil (d) a wicked in law

4. The parables of the kingdom of God teach about

    (a) Criteria for entering the kingdom of God   (b) the nature of the kingdom and its coming (c) The number of people who may enter (d) the kind of people who may enter

5. The Christian church is today a universal institution.  This is pointed out in the parable of the____.(a) Mustard seed (b) the sower (c) the seed growing secretly (d) prodigal son

Theory

1. Narrate any parable to illustrate the kingdom of God.
2. Point out any three lessons derivable from it.