Note: As a Sunday school leader I take my role of educating our youth about Jesus very seriously. As such, I feel it necessary to dig deeper into the stories I have known throughout my life to really have a strong background and grasp on the stories, concepts, and possible life applications that can be drawn. Therefore, the following is my own quest for that knowledge prepared for you in “Bible study” form. I encourage you to learn and grow as much as you feel called to in order that you might not only feel prepared to teach and share with our children, but that you may also be filled and renewed in your study of God’s Word. This is not meant to be an exhaustive of the text, but notes to help provide context and background for leaders.
Objectives:
• Provide leaders with a historical context for understanding.
• Provide leaders with a Biblical context for reaching and teaching.
• Provide a theological basis for the concepts to be taught to the children.
• Serve as a renewal and time of reflection to strengthen leaders to serve.
Scripture: Luke 23:1-25, Matthew 27: 11-26, Mark 15:2-15, John 18:29-40 are all accounts of the story. The one that contains the most conversation is the John account, which is the one we’ll focus on in terms of the Biblical Context.
Memory Verse for this rotation: NOT APPLICABLE
Concepts to be learned by children:
• Jesus was “on trial” by Pontius Pilate.
• Pilate wanted to let Jesus go.
• We must be responsible for our actions.
• Jesus died for our sins.
Historical/Theological/Biblical Contexts
Authorship, Date, & Background on the book of John
John is one of the four gospels. The authorship of it cannot be determined from the material in the book itself, as the author isn’t directly named, however, there are enough hints to determine that it was John, the son of Zebedee and Salome (most likely the sister of Mary, mother of Jesus, thereby making Salome Jesus’ aunt and John his cousin), as the author. It is certain that the writer was a Palestinian Jew and an eyewitness who was familiar with Jewish customs and traditions.
The book was probably written in Ephesus (Asia Minor) and can be dated in the last decade of the first century (A.D. 90-95). The date is important because this Gospel is quite different from Matthew, Mark and Luke. Those three have been called the “synoptic Gospels” (meaning having the same or common views); John’s work does not fit this pattern. The easiest explanation is that he was familiar with the other Gospels and felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to fill in some gaps and stress more specifically what the other Gospels only hinted at. It was un-necessary for him to repeat what was already widely known and read. Moreover, some time had passed since the writing of the other Gospels, and the theology of the church was developing. John’s writing has some to contribute in the way of theology.
Characteristics and Content:
John presents Jesus as true God and a true human being. At least five times he repeats his witness and that of others, together with the teaching of Jesus himself, about the deity of Jesus: 1) He “was God” (John 1:1-2); 2) “before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58); 3) “the Father and I are one” (10:30); 4) “whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (14.9); 5) Thomas said, “My Lord and my God!” (20.28). He also emphasizes the humanity of Jesus when he speaks of him as tired, hungry, troubled, loyal to his friends, loving, and brave. John shows that Jesus, as the God-man, was subordinate to his Father. He was obedient and did His will, even unto death on the cross. Moreover, he accomplished the Father’s work, which was to bring life to sinful people (John 10:10).
John states his purpose for writing the book explicitly: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believe you may have life in his name” (John 20:30-31). In these verses John uses three of the words which constitute the dominant these of the book: 1) Miracles or signs; 2) faith or believing on Jesus; 3) life, which is the result of faith in him. John thus declares that sinners need not believe without evidence. He presents seven miracles as evidence and expects that as a result of them, sinners ought to have faith in Jesus. Those signs were: changing water into wine, healing the government official’s son, healing the paralyzed man, feeding the 5,000, walking on the water, healing the man born blind, raising Lazarus from the dead. Five of these seven do not appear in the other Gospels. Are seven were performed publicly to help people or were for the benefit of other people.
John also records the seven “I ams” of Jesus (in addition to “I am” standing by itself in 8.58). “I am the bread of life” (6.35); “I am the light of the world” (8.12); “I am the gate for the sheep” (10.7); “I am the good shepherd” (10.11-14); “I am the resurrection and the life” (11. 25); “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (14.6); “I am the true vine” (15.1).
Structure
I. Prologue (1.1-18)
II. Revelation to old Israel: the public ministry (1.19-12.50)
III. Revelation to new Israel: disclosures to the disciples (13.1-20.29)
IV. Conclusion (20.30-31)
V. Epilogue (21.1-25)
Text Study
Phrases/Ideas for Thought and Reflection (using NRSV)/Questions to Consider:
PILATE from Halley’s Bible Handbook Pg. 450
Pilate was Roman governor of Judea, 26-37 A.D. He assumed office about the time that Jesus began his public ministry. His official residence was at Caesarea. He came to Jerusalem at time of Feasts to keep order. He was merciless, cruel, noted for his habitual brutality. Like the Roman emperors of his day, he rather enjoyed the spectacle of the torture and death of a man. At one time he had mingled the blood of the Galileans with the sacrifices, Luke 13:1.
One of the strangest pictures in history is the impression that Jesus made on this hard-hearted Roman governor. Whether Jesus was erect and handsome, as one tradition has it, or stop-shouldered and ugly, as another tradition has it, there must have been something about his countenance and bearing so divine, so commanding, that although he was dressed in the robes of mock royalty, with the crown of thorns on his head, and the blood streaming down his face, Pilate could not keep his eyes off him.
Pilate’s effort to get out of crucifying Jesus is a pitiful story. He did not want to do it. He appealed from the Jewish rulers to Herod. Then from Herod back to the rulers. Then from the rulers to the multitudes. Then when the multitudes turned against Jesus, Pilate tried to appeal to their pity, by having Jesus scourged, in hope that they would be satisfied with partial punishment, and not require him to go all the way to crucifixion. Failing in that, he did not finally make up his mind to crucify Jesus till the Jews threatened to report him to Caesar. Not till it began to look as if it might cost him his position as Governor of Judea did he at last give his consent to the death of Jesus.
Pilate is said to have committed suicide.
Pilate’s wife, Procula, tradition says, became a Christian.
MATTHEW 27:1-2 and 11-26—account that includes hand washing
Verse 1: “They conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about his death” They did not have the authority themselves to execute Jesus, so they sought to induce the Roman government to sentence him to death.
Verse 19: Pilate gets word from his wife, Claudia, that he should have nothing to do with Jesus, “that innocent man”…that she has suffered terribly in a dream about him. This lone voice is speaking against the mass of people outside. How do you think her thoughts affect Pilate’s decision? Did they matter at all? Do you have anyone in your life that carries weight in regards to your decision making?
Verse 24: Pilate took water and showed the entire crowd that he “was innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves”…do you feel that this act exempts him from any sort of blame in regards to Jesus’ crucifixion? Does keeping a riot from beginning justify the death of Jesus, or any living person, for that matter? How would you have responded as Pilate?
Verse 26: Scourging usually preceded capital punishment. In this case Pilate seems to have hoped that the multitudes would consider it to be sufficient punishment. Scourging was done with a whip which was made of a number of leather thongs weighted with pieces of lead or sharp metal. The victim was stripped to the wait, then bound, in a bent over position, to a post, and beaten on the bare back with the scourge till the flesh was torn open. Sometimes death resulted.
MARK 15:1-15—most brief account
Verse 1: Pilate was the Roman procurator (governor) over the territory formerly ruled by Herod’s on, Archelaus. Judea, Idumea, and Samaria were part of that territory. Nothing is known of Pontius Pilate’s origins, although procurators usually came from the Roman equestrian class. Pilate’ rule began about the time John the Baptist started preaching. He was responsible for the financial administration of the territory and for the collection of taxes. The Jewish Sanhedrin exercised great power, except that it did not have the right o impose a death sentence without and appeal to the procurator, who then carried out executions. Pilate and the Jews were often at odds with each other. In the case of Jesus, Pilate wanted to release him, but he finally capitulated to their demands that Jesus be crucified, putting aside any sense of justice and moral rectitude for personal and political reasons. After ten years’ service he was removed from the procuratorship.
Verse 7: Barabbas was a well-known revolutionary who probably led the revolt mentioned in Luke 23. 18, 29, 25. In John 18.40 he called a “bandit” (Gk. lestes), a word used by Josephus to describe rebels against Roman authority. The same word is used to describe the two thieves crucified on either side of Jesus. We know nothing more about Barabbas than is found in Scripture. Some manuscripts call him “Jesus Barabbas”.
LUKE 23:1-25
Verse 3: “You say so”. This is an enigmatic statement. It may mean, “Can you prove it?’ Or, “Have you any evidence?” or, “it is as you say. I am but over Israel and not as a rival to Rome.”
Verse 16: If Jesus was innocent of the charges, Pilates’ offer to the crowd to chastise him before releasing him was motivated by political equivocation and personal enhancement of his career.
JOHN 18:28-19:16
Chapter 18
Verse 28: to avoid ritual defilement. By Jewish law, entering the house of a Gentile was a serious offense.
Verse 32: he indicated the kind of death he was to die, i.e., this fulfilled Jesus’ prediction concerning the crucifixion as the method of his execution (see 3.14; 8.28;12.32, 34; Mt. 20.19) Normal Jewish execution was by stoning (cf 8.5, Acts 7.58-59).
Verse 36: my kingdom. Christ is king, though is kingdom is not of this world system. His is a spiritual and eternal kingdom. A kingship implies three things: (1) The king must be sovereign (2) he must have a people to rule over, and (3) He must have a territory under his control. Spiritually, Christ has all of these now. He is seated at the right hand of the Father on this throne (Acts 2.34, Heb 1.3; Rev. 3.21), he has people in the church who are his subjects, and the Father has given him authority. He came to wrest the kingdoms of this world of darkness from their rulers and to present them to the Father at the end of time. He fights against Satan, ruler of this present world (12.31). His second coming will mark his visible glory and irresistible power as the King of kings and Lord of the whole universe (Phil. 2.10, 11; Rev. 19.16).
Chapter 19
Verse 1 had him flogged. Flogging was a dreadful punishment. The Romans normally used a weapon weighted by pieces of bone and metal. Some victims even died during flogging. Jesus was flogged, then forced to carry his cross, and at least fastened to the cross to die. His suffering for us is beyond human imagination.
Verse 10: Pilate was disturbed that Jesus refused to answer his question. It appeared as an affront to him who had great power and was accustomed to having people answer him quickly. Perhaps he was thinking that since he knew Jesus was innocent and wished to set him free (Lk 23.20), Jesus ought to speak in his own defense and thus help Pilate acquit him. But Jesus would not and could not do this, for he had come to die. Boastfully and arrogantly Pilate asked Jesus a question: “Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?” In reply, Jesus indicated that no one has authority or power except be given by God. Every ruler is under a higher power and rules only by divine consent (Rom 13.1-5).
Verse 11: The one. Some think Jesus meant Caiaphas the high priest, under whose direction the Jews handed Jesus over to Pilate. If so, Caiaphas gave the orders for Jesus’ arrest and condemnation. Other think Jesus meant Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus to the Jews.
Closing Prayer
Lord, you’ve told us that while on this earth we will know only in part and understand only in part, but in the end we will see all and be like you in our understanding. God we pray that you will fill us as completely as needed to share this information with our youth. We ask that you would fill us with what you want taught and how we can best relate to our youth. We also ask that you would help us to live out what we are teaching in our daily lives. Finally, Father, we thank you for our youth. We pray that they and their parents would find their way to Sunday school each week so that they can grow in the fulfillment of your plan for them. We pray that they would take the lessons learned and always apply them to the lives they are living for you.
We ask this all in your name, amen.
WORKSHOP SUMMARIES
How We are Sharing the Good News with Hope Kids
Opening Songs/Prayers/Activities:
Students will have the opportunity sing songs
Enforcing the ideas of the scripture, take part in enrichment activities regarding the story, and pray and praise as a group. Offerings will be taken, Birthdays recognized, and memory verse introduced and rehearsed. They will also receive their Sunday school dollars at this time in the morning.
Grades 1-6: Students will participate in the putting together of our Easter Pageant about Pilate. They will also engage in creating costumes, props, and other items for the event.
PreK/K:
Week 1—They will learn the story of Pilate and create the story in comic strip format.
Week 2—They will watch a video and discuss what being responsible means and determine if Pilate was acting responsibly.
Week 3—They will make their signs and props for their part in the pageant.
Week 4—They will take part in the pageant rehearsal.
REFERENCES/RESOURCES:
Halley, Dr. Henry H. Halley’s Bible Handbook. Twenty-Fourth Edition, Copyright 1965 by Halley’s Bible Handbook, Inc. Zondervan Publishing House 1415 Lake Dr. S.E. Grand Rapids, Michigan 49606.
NRSV Harper Study Bible. Copyright 1991 by Zondervan Corporation
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