Strand: Scripture, Israel and Jesus (SIJL1-2E2)

Levels 1 and 2

Through the stories and teachings in the New Testament, Christians are shown how to pray, live, and love God and each other.

Investigate and express how Christians today can pray, love God and each other as modelled by Jesus in the New Testament.

Elaborations

The New Testament is the second volume of Christianity’s sacred text: the Bible. The stories and teachings of Jesus are located in the New Testament, which includes the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, as well as the gospel of John. The twenty-three other books of the New Testament include history, letters and apocalyptic literature, usually addressed to communities in particular locations. While all books were written several decades after Jesus’ death, they were nonetheless written within a relatively short period of time; always with the intention of guiding the early Christian communities in how to pray, live and love God and each other.

Examples in Scripture include but are not limited to:

Examples in the three synoptic gospel where Jesus modelled how to pray.

Mark 1: 35 – Jesus’ prayer time in the early morning
Matthew 4: 1-2 - Jesus in the wilderness
Mark 11: 24 – Prayer and the Lesson from the Withered Fig Tree
Luke 11:1-14 - Lord’s Prayer
Luke 18 – Prayer and the Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge

Examples in the New Testament where Jesus modelled how to live and love each other:

Luke 8:2-3 - Mary Magdalene, Joanna & Suzanna – who accompanied and supported Jesus in his ministry
John 4 – Jesus and the woman of Samaria
John 7: 37-39 – rivers of living water
Mark 10: 13-14 - peace
Matthew 7:24-27- building on strong foundations
Luke 10: Mary and Martha
James 2:14-26 – the importance of faith and good works
Colossians 3:12-17 – living with compassion, kindness, love and forgiveness

Examples in the New Testament where Jesus modelled how to love God:

Acts 16: 14-15; 18:1-16 -Lydia and Priscilla – both women were active in the early Church
Acts 17: 28 – in God “we live and move and have our being.”
Luke Chapter 4:14- Chapter 9:50 – Jesus’ ministry
1 John 4: 7-21 – God is love
John 14: 15-24, 15: 9-14 – Promise of the Holy Spirit
Matthew 22: 34-40 – The greatest commandment

See Learning Lites: Synoptic Gospels, Revelation, Right Relationships.

Resources:

● The Catholic Youth Bible: Second International Edition, Saint Mary’s Press.

● Maloney, F. (2010). A friendly guide to the New Testament. Mulgrave: Garratt Publishing.

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