level 4: grades 5 & 6 The Birth of Jesus, the Messiah

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1 Background Notes for Teacher Reflection and Preparation STRAND VALUES AND PURPOSES ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS. CHURCH: Body of Christ, Community of Disciples, Witness to Unity and Justice. Biblical and religious inquiry and literacy Growing to fullness of life Making connections Students will explore the importance of the story of the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew. Students will reflect on Jesus as the Messiah and how he reveals the saving love of God and gives hope to the world. Strand Core Doctrinal Concepts Catechism Reference Jesus Christ 2. In his life, death and resurrection, Jesus reveals the saving love of God and gives hope to the world. 653, 654 God Scripture 3. God s life and love are active in our world enabling us to live fully in the present and come to enjoy eternal life. 4. Enlivened by the Holy Spirit we are challenged to renew our world. 3. The Christian Scriptures teach us about Jesus and the early Christian communities. 4. The Gospel of God s saving love invites disciples to live Christian lives , Christian Life 1. One way we respond to God s love is through service to others Church 1. The Church is empowered by the Holy Spirit and founded on the living faith of the early Christians. 2 The Church honours Mary, Mother of God, who prays with us and for us. 1. The Church honours people from all ages who have been inspirational in carrying forward the mission of Jesus. 2. Our Local Church community, led by the Bishop, is committed to the mission of the universal Church

2 LINKING WITH OTHER RESOURCE BANKS Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Advent Christmas The Message of Joy and Peace Advent Preparing the Way of the Lord Feasts of the Christmas Season Jesus, Hope for the World 2 STUDENT CONTEXT Today it appears that the message of Christmas is often lost in the commercialism that surrounds Christmas. Students thoughts are occupied with presents and holidays. This is an opportunity for schools to encourage families to celebrate Christmas by attending Mass. All students know that Christmas is a special day because it celebrates Christ s birth, however few know of its religious significance. This resource bank focuses on the importance of the birth of Jesus for Christians, from the perspective of Matthew s Gospel At this level of their schooling students in upper primary should be introduced to literary forms such as myth, legend, history, poetry and narrative in the Bible. This is the time for the teacher to help children continue their journey of understanding the ways the Bible conveys truth. They are at an age when they want to know about the people, beliefs and rulers of their religious community. Story is a major way of identification and appropriation through which children in this age group can enter into the perspectives of others to gain meaning for life. (Liddy & Welbourne, 1999). In teaching this learning sequence, teachers can utilise the capacity of their students to critically reflect on Scripture. THEOLOGICAL BACKGROUND FOR TEACHERS The Jews of Jesus day were a people who staked their lives as individuals and their history as a nation on the experience of waiting waiting for the promises of their God to be fulfilled. The Jewish Scriptures record the tension and occasional trauma that all waiting seems to carry with it: the rising hopes and the shattering failures, the tremendous sense of expectations, and the seemingly endless disappointment. The Jews kept waiting, hoping for the Messiah who would set them free, who would fulfil all their dreams, who would end their long history of waiting and give them total peace and justice (Zanzig, 1988, p. 125). Early in their history the Jewish people recognised that their past as well as their future had significance. This sense of history made Judaism a religion shared best through the telling of great stories about the acts of God in their history. For example, the Jews yearly celebrated the feast of Passover as a memorial of their liberation from slavery in Egypt. What has been called salvation history is grounded on this new understanding of history. That is, both Jews and Christians share the conviction that God s plans for us are being worked out through the events of history (Zanzig, 1988, p. 119). The value of the Jewish Scriptures was not debated in the early Church. These Scriptures were the only ones available to the early Christian community. Consequently, the Church prized the Jewish Scriptures highly. In fact, Christians believed that the Jewish Scriptures helped to explain the meaning behind Jesus life, death, and Resurrection. Christians came to believe that Jesus fulfilled many of the passages and prophecies of these Scriptures and that he was the Messiah of whom so many key passages spoke. For example: We have heard about Adam, the first man in creation. Jesus was now understood as the New Adam, as the founder of a whole new age and a whole new people. The Law for the Jewish people were laid down with the Ten Commandments. Jesus was now seen as the giver of a New Law. In the Sinai Covenant, a special relationship between God and the Jewish people existed. Christians now recognise that in Jesus life, death and Resurrection a New Covenant had been established between God and all people. The Church today continues to recognise the Jewish Scriptures as the inspired word of God (Zanzig, 1988, p. 195). Messiah is the Hebrew term for Christ (The Anointed One). The Scriptures taught the Jews to expect salvation to come from God in the person of a kingly Messiah

3 The one to bring salvation is also called Saviour. Joseph was told that Jesus will save his people from their sins (Mt.1:21) and the angel announced to the shepherds the birth of a saviour who is Christ the Lord (Lk 2:12). Epiphany is the Church s solemn feast day on which Catholics celebrate liturgically the manifestation of the divinity in Jesus of Nazareth. The solemnity of the Epiphany was traditionally celebrated on 6 January. One of the key events in the life of Jesus especially commemorated on this day is the visit of the magi (or wise men) to the newborn Jesus and to Mary, his mother, and Joseph, her husband (Matthew 2:1-12). Epiphany has Greek and Middle English roots that connote an appearance, a manifestation, or to show forth. First celebrated in the 3 rd century, writings indicate that it pre-dates the current Western Church custom of observing Christmas. By the time of the Middle Ages it had become a common custom among Catholics in some places to have their households blessed in association with the Epiphany. A main part of the blessing ceremony of the time was the inscription (with chalk) of the names traditionally given to the wise men (magi) Melchior, Belthasar, and Caspar above the doors of Christian family homes (Ekstrom, 1995, p. 93). Epiphany A Christian festival (6 January or first Sunday in January) which commemorates the showing of the infant Jesus to the Magi (Matthew. 2), the manifestation of Jesus divinity at his baptism (Matthew 3), and his first miracle at Cana (John 2). Its eve is Twelfth Night. In some countries gifts are exchanged at Epiphany rather than at Christmas (Chambers, 1992, p. 162) The Word became flesh, he lived among us (Jn 1:14). Mary conceived Jesus, the Son of God. In the incarnation God becomes human. This doctrine is central to the whole theology of Christianity. With the coming of Jesus, it became possible for people to know and relate with God personally. They could also learn about God by listening to Jesus and observing him. In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, this is exactly what happened (The Word Dwells Among Us, 1990, p. 42). At the feast of the Nativity, the Church recalls the historical birth of Jesus. We recall the infancy narratives found in the gospels of Luke and Matthew. These are interpreted as the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies. We remember the presence of God-with-us in our world today. Christians realise that the Christ event in history signals that the reign of God is at hand and the Kingdom of God is among us. Evidence of this reality will be found where love, joy, peace and justice flourish. In the light of this, Christians work to promote truly human values in our world today: I come that they may have life and have it to the full (Jn 10:10). The Christmas season continues until the feast of the Epiphany, which was traditionally celebrated twelve days after Christmas, but in current Church practice is celebrated on the first Sunday in January. The Epiphany of the Lord Jesus celebrates the manifestation of Jesus as the Word of God to the world. Three celebrations of events are used to proclaim this: the Adoration of the Magi; the Baptism of Jesus; the Wedding Feast of Cana. This resource bank will focus on the revelation of Jesus to the Magi. The Davidic line was established around 1000 BC when David became King and conquered the city of the Jebusites, which he made his capital, Jerusalem. So in the political sphere Israel had a king like other nations. That raised a question for some believers: was not Yahweh the only king? The prophet Nathan then came to play a key role. To consecrate the king in Babylon or Egypt, the priest would proclaim an oracle from the national god over him, in these terms: You are my son: I am your father. Through Nathan, God declares that he will take responsibility for a formula of this kind; on the day of his consecration, the son of David that is, each of his legitimate successors becomes the son of God. (Charpentier, 1987, p. 34). When the promised Messiah King is called Son of God, it does not necessarily imply that he was more than human, according to the literal meaning of these texts. Those who called Jesus Son of God, as the Messiah of Israel, perhaps meant nothing more than this (CCC, # 441). The whole of Matthew 1:1-25 serves both to situate Jesus firmly within God s people and to call attention to his extraordinary status. On the one hand, he is the descendant of Abraham and David and the fulfilment of the promises and hopes attached to those great Old Testament figures. On the other hand, the mode of his birth is highly unusual, and the names given to him Jesus and Emmanuel suggest that he far surpasses any of his ancestors (The Collegeville Bible Commentary, 1986, p. 865).

4 4 Matthew s gospel begins with a genealogy this tells us who Jesus is: Christ, son of David, the beginning of the new creation. The announcement to Joseph tells us how Jesus is son of David despite the virgin birth. Being Just a man, Joseph does not want to pass this miraculous child off as his own; however, God asks Joseph to give the child his name and his social position by making him a part of his line. (Charpentier, E 1981, How to Read the New Testament, SCM Press London, p74) In Matthew, the episode of the Magi is used to show how Jesus would be rejected by the Jewish authorities and the civil power, but recognised by the Gentiles. (Charpentier, E 1981, How to Read the New Testament, SCM Press London, p74) The flight in Egypt shows in symbolic fashion how in Jesus the people achieve a successful exodus. The way to the kingdom of God is at last open. (Charpentier, E 1981, How to Read the New Testament, SCM Press London, p74) Matthew and Luke have used considerable literary skill and the most acute religious insight to portray the precise reason why Christians should celebrate Jesus birth. For Luke, Jesus is the prophet-messiah who leads a revitalised Jewish people, a people full of hope and purpose. For Matthew, Jesus is the New Moses who readies his people to set out once more on an Exodus seeking freedom. (Crotty, R in Ryan, M 2003 Reading the Bible Social Science Press, NSW p 174) Matthew has gathered together stories of Moses and Jewish expectations of the Messiah in his Christmas stories in order to show that Jesus was the new Moses and Messiah of Israel. Moses, had, at his birth, been threatened with death by the evil pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Jesus had been threatened too, but by Herod, the king of Israel. Moses had left Egypt in Exodus. Jesu had left Israel and gone to Egypt. Matthew has managed to fashion his prologue out of all this material and show that Jesus should be understood as the new Moses and the Messiah. This is how Matthew s prologue looks when it is laid out in order: 1. Birth of Jesus, which ends with a prophecy: Jesus is given the name of Immanuel. 1: Coming of the wise men, which ends with a prophecy: Jesus will be born in Bethlehem, like his ancestor David. 2: Flight into Egypt, which ends with a prophecy: God calls Jesus from Egypt. 2: Slaughter of the children of Bethlehem, which ends with a prophecy: Rachel weeps for her children. 2: Return from Egypt, which ends with a prophecy: Jesus is given the name of Nazorean. 2: (Goosen, G 1999 Studying the Gospels, Harper Collins Publishers pp ) SCRIPTURE Micah 5:2-5 A Promised Ruler Bethlehem Ephrath, you are one of the smallest towns in the nation of Judah. But the LORD will choose one of your people to rule the nation someone whose family goes back to ancient times. The LORD will abandon Israel only until this ruler is born, and the rest of his family returns to Israel. Like a shepherd taking care of his sheep, this ruler will lead and care for his people by the power and glorious name of the LORD his God. His people will live securely, and the whole earth will know his true greatness, because he will bring peace. Let Assyria attack our country and our palaces. We will counterattack, led by a number of rulers (This passage expresses the prophet s confidence that the Davidic line will not fail; but it must not forget its humble origins in Bethlehem. The Gospel according to Matthew, Michael Fallon 2005)

5 5 Matthew 1:1-17 The Ancestors of Jesus Jesus Christ came from the family of King David and also from the family of Abraham. And this is a list of his ancestors. From Abraham to King David, his ancestors were: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and his brothers (Judah s sons were Perez and Zerah, and their mother was Tamar), Hezron; Ram, Amminadab, Nahshon, Salmon, Boaz (his mother was Rahab), Obed (his mother was Ruth), Jesse, and King David. From David to the time of the exile in Babylonia, the ancestors of Jesus were: David, Solomon (his mother had been Uriah s wife), Rehoboam, Abijah, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram; Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon, Josiah, and Jehoiachin and his brothers. From the exile to the birth of Jesus, his ancestors were: Jehoiachin, Shealtiel, Zerubbabel, Abiud, Eliakim, Azor, Zadok, Achim; Eliud, Eleazar, Matthan, Jacob, and Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is called the Messiah. There were fourteen generations from Abraham to David. There were also fourteen from David to the exile in Babylonia and fourteen more to the birth of the Messiah. Matthew 2:1-12 The Wise Men When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem and said, Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him. When King Herod heard about this, he was worried, and so was everyone else in Jerusalem. Herod brought together the chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses and asked them, Where will the Messiah be born? They told him, He will be born in Bethlehem, just as the prophet wrote, Bethlehem in the land of Judea, you are very important among the towns of Judea. From your town will come a leader, who will be like a shepherd for my people Israel. Herod secretly called in the wise men and asked them when they had first seen the star. He told them, Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, let me know. I want to go and worship him too. The wise men listened to what the king said and then left. And the star they had seen in the east went on ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. They were thrilled and excited to see the star. When the men went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped him. They took out their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and gave them to him. Later they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and they went back home by another road. Luke 2:1-20 The Birth of Jesus About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David s hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David s family. Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, 6and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn. The Shepherds That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord s glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. But the angel said, Don t be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. This very day in King David s hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay. Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said: Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God. After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, Let s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about. They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay. When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him. Everyone listened and was surprised. But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant. As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.

6 6 Planning a Learning Sequence Level Focus Jesus is the Son of God, who offers hope to the world. Overarching Goal Example: That students will reflect on Jesus as the Messiah and how he reveals the saving love of God and gives hope to the world. Focus Question Example: What does the birth of Jesus mean for me today? Understanding Goals Matthew uses particular signs and symbols to tell how God s promise is fulfilled in spite of political and social obstacles. Matthew uses the symbols of King (contrast between Jesus and Herod), the Wise men, the star, travelling, the baby (power of the innocent/ helpless). Matthew used references to the Hebrew Scriptures, symbols and actions to show that Jesus was the Messiah. The birth of Christ two thousand years ago still has meaning and challenges us today. Indicators of Learning Demonstrated when students, Distinguish the Infancy Narratives as a particular genre within the Gospels. Articulate some of the symbolism within Matthew s Gospel. Explore the Infancy Narratives using Le Verdiere s 5 Ws strategy Teaching Strategies resource Book p97). Interpret Matthew s infancy narrative and articulate a meaning for themselves and the world. Engage in a reflection on the meaning of the infancy narrative at a personal level. Suggested Assessment Tasks Have the students participate in a Rally Table (Teaching Strategies Book p62) brainstorming ideas of what the Jewish people thought the coming of the Messiah would mean to them. Individually record what they think the main expectations would have been. After examining passages from the New Testament and how these link to the Old Testament, have the students outline why they think this was important for Matthew. Have the students write a newsletter article outlining the true meaning of Christmas. Complete a Y chart on how a world influenced by love, justice and compassion would look, how it would feel to live in and what sounds (how would people, communities, nations would talk to each other) they would hear. Suggested Learning and Teaching Experiences Focussing Activities: Read the story, Going for Oysters by Jeanie Adams. Explore the difficulties we experience when we do not understand cultural features, (e.g., customs). We therefore often need some background to appreciate a story from another culture. Examine how the Church celebrates Christmas, including the feast of the Epiphany. Look at days, dates, lectionary readings, the meaning of the words Christmas and Epiphany. Learning Activities: Read Matthew 1:1-17. (Refer to The Gospel According To St Matthew An Introductory Commentary Michael Fallon MSC, 2005). What is the significance of the names listed? Why begin with this information? Why was it important to establish a link between Jesus and his ancestors? What was the Davidic line? What does Messiah mean? Read Chapters 1&2 of Matthew s gospel to the class. Teacher to give some background to Matthew s gospel to act as signposts as students are listening to and exploring the story. For example the author, the audience, the time it was written, genre of an infancy narrative as compared with some of the other genres (Charpentier, E How to Read the New Testament pp 38, 74) also, see theological background.

7 7 As a class, create a storyboard for Matthew s infancy narrative. Can break into the five episodes of the infancy narrative (Goosen, Studying the Gospel pp 90-93) Using Eugene La Verdiere s method for unlocking Scripture, (See Teaching Strategies Resource Book P 97) discuss: Where does the action take place? When does the action take place? Who are the main characters? What happens? How is the story told? Why does Matthew share this story with us? Use a Scripture Probe, Into the Deep p60 to unpack Matthew s infancy narrative. Read Matthew 2:1-12, the story of the magi. Compare with Luke s account of Jesus birth (Luke 2:1-20). Use a commentary. Explore the symbolism used by Luke and Matthew to show who Jesus is. Compare the story in the carol We Three Kings to the story in Matthew s gospel. Research. What was significant about the gifts of gold (Jesus kingship), frankincense (his divinity) and myrrh (his redeeming passion) in Jesus time? Why do you think that these gifts were chosen? Through a guided meditation, students to reflect on: When are we like some of the people in the characters in the story? For example, when are we like Herod, Joseph, the wise men? The Jews hoped for a messianic kingdom. Consider what sort of world you hope for. What can be done to make the dream live? Is there something different you are called to do this Christmas? Write an article for your school newsletter or parish bulletin outlining their meaning of Christmas. Look through the readings from the liturgies for Christmas day from the Missal. Use these readings to choose favourite phrases to design and write Christmas cards. Prayer and Ritual Look at the solemn blessing from the Epiphany of the Lord (in Missal) to use during prayer. Prepare a prayer on the theme of journey. Include the simplified version of Matthew.2: 1-12 from Just Imagine 2 (p.66) prayers of intercession and a suitable hymn, eg Michael Mangan Follow the Christmas Star.

8 Resources Highly Recommended Resources Ryan, M. (2001). Teaching the Bible: A manual of teaching activities; commentary and blackline masters. Katoomba, NSW: Social Science Press Wintour, R. (2002) Just Imagine2. Mountjoy Enterprises, Brisbane Wintour, R. (2001, 2002, 2003) Sacred Celebrations for advent and Christmas (Year A, Year B, year C) Mountjoy Enterprises, Brisbane 8 Teacher Resources Boadt, L. (2002). Stations of the nativity. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press. Catholic Church (2000). Cathechism of the Catholic Church. Homebush, NSW: St Pauls. Charpentier, E. (1982). How to read the Old Testament. London: SCM Press. Charpentier, E. (1982). How to read the New Testament. London: SCM Press. Drane, J. (1986). Introducing the New Testament. Oxford: Lion Books. Ekstrom, R. (1995). The new concise Catholic dictionary. Mystic, Conn.: Twenty-third publications. Leunig, M. (1996). Short notes from the long history of happiness. Ringwood: Penguin Books. Liddy, S. & Welbourne, L. (1999) Strategies for teaching religious education. Katoomba, NSW: Social Science Press. Meeks, A. (Ed.). (1993). The Harper Collins study bible. New York: Harper Collins. National Gallery (Great Britain). (1992). The first Christmas. London: Frances Lincoln. Zanzig, T (1988). Understanding Catholic Christianity. Winona, Minne.: Saint Mary s College Press. Literature Adams, J. (1991). Going for oysters. Sydney: Omnibus Books. Doney, M. (1997). The greatest gift: The story of the other wise man. Bath: Barefoot. Habel, N. & Hart, P. (1990). Outback Christmas. Adelaide: Lutheran. Hoffman, M. (2002). Three wise women. London: Lincoln. Miller, C. (1997). My son, my saviour. Colorado Springs: Chariot Victor. Westall, R. (1994). The witness. London: Macmillan Children s. Music Cosgrove, J. (Composer). (2002). Come Lord Jesus [Compact disc]. In Songs of hope and harmony. Mirboo North: Jim Cosgrove. Cosgrove, J. (Composer). (2002). The empty crib [Compact disc]. In Songs of hope and harmony. Mirboo North: Jim Cosgrove. Mangan, M. (Composer). (2000) There is a child [Compact disc]. In Sing your joy. Albany Creek: Litmus Productions. Mangan, M. (Composer). (1999). O Emmanuel [Compact disc]. In Sing your joy. Albany Creek: Litmus Productions. Mangan, M. (Composer). (1998). Sing new songs of joy [Compact disc]. In As one voice for kids. Manly Vale, NSW: Willow Connections. Morehu, K. & Simmons, D. (Composers). (1997). Christ is born [Cassette recording]. In Let there be Christmas in your heart. Langwarrin: Eclipse Music. Newton, L. & Wittwer, T. (Composers). (1999). On this be really true? [Compact disc]. In As one voice for kids. Manly Vale, NSW: Willow Connections.

9 Audio-visual/video Resources Visual International (Producer). (n.d.). Matthew [Digital video disk]. Toronto, Canada :Producer. Visual International (Producer). (n.d.). Matthew: volume one, chapter 1:1 9:1 [Video tape]. Toronto, Canada: Producer. World Wide Web / Internet NRSV The Vatican: Includes a detailed index for the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Treasures, New and Old. 9