Christian Religious Studies - Junior Secondary 2 - The birth of Jesus Christ

TERM: 1^ST TERM

WEEK: 2

CLASS: Junior Secondary School 2

AGE: 13 years

DURATION: 40 minutes

DATE:

SUBJECT: Christian Religious Knowledge

TOPIC: The Birth of Jesus Christ

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to

1.) Give an account of the visit of the wise men Matt 2:1-12

2.) Give an account of the flight to Egypt Matt: 2:15

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUES: Identification, explanation, questions and answers, demonstration, story-telling, videos from source

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS: Recommended Christian Religious Knowledge textbooks for Junior Secondary School 2

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES:

NOTE

THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST

Account of the Visit of the Wise Men (Matthew 2:1-12)

In the Gospel of Matthew, the visit of the wise men, or Magi, is described shortly after the birth of Jesus. The account begins with the Magi arriving in Jerusalem from the East, having seen a star that signified the birth of the King of the Jews. They came seeking information about the child, asking King Herod, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2).

Herod, troubled by the news of a rival king, gathered the chief priests and scribes to inquire where the Messiah was to be born. They informed him that the prophecy pointed to Bethlehem, as stated in Micah 5:2. Herod then secretly summoned the wise men and asked them when the star had appeared, instructing them to go to Bethlehem and find the child. He deceitfully expressed a desire to worship Him as well.

The wise men followed the star to Bethlehem, which led them to the place where Jesus was. Upon entering the house, they saw the child with His mother, Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. They presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, each with symbolic significance: gold representing Jesus’ kingship, frankincense signifying His divinity, and myrrh foreshadowing His suffering and death.

After their visit, the wise men were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. Instead, they departed for their own country by another route, thus avoiding Herod’s malicious intentions.

2. Account of the Flight to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-15)

After the wise men departed, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, warning him to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt to escape King Herod’s impending wrath. Herod was furious after realizing that the Magi had not returned to inform him of the child’s whereabouts, and he ordered the massacre of all male children in Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the time frame he had determined from the Magi’s information.

Joseph immediately obeyed the angel’s command, taking Mary and Jesus during the night and departing for Egypt. This flight fulfilled the prophecy spoken by Hosea: “Out of Egypt I called My Son” (Hosea 11:1). The Holy Family remained in Egypt until Herod's death, which allowed them to return safely to Israel. This account emphasizes both the danger that surrounded Jesus at His birth and the divine protection that guided His early life.

EVALUATION:

1. What significance did the star hold for the Magi in their journey to find Jesus, and how did it guide them?
2. Discuss the reactions of King Herod and the chief priests upon hearing the news of the birth of Jesus. What do their responses reveal about their character and concerns?
3. Analyze the gifts presented by the Magi to Jesus. What does each gift symbolize, and how does this reflect the understanding of Jesus' identity?
4. What were the implications of the Magi being warned in a dream not to return to Herod? How does this illustrate the theme of divine guidance in the narrative?
5. Evaluate the significance of Joseph’s obedience to the angel’s warning to flee to Egypt. What does this reveal about his character and role in the early life of Jesus?

CLASSWORK: As in evaluation

CONCLUSION: The teacher marks their books and commends them positively