Jesus’ Obedience to His Parents and Understanding of Family for JSS 2

Class: JSS 2
Term: First Term
Week: 7
Age: 13 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Christian Religion Studies
Curriculum Theme: Family
Previous Lesson: Jesus and His Siblings
Topic: Jesus and his family
Subject Matter: Jesus obeyed his parents; Luke 2:51-52; Jesus understanding of family. Matthew 12:46-50; Qualification as members of Jesus family

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Explain Jesus’ obedience to His parents as recorded in Luke 2:51-52.
• Describe Jesus’ understanding of family based on Matthew 12:46-50.
• Identify the qualifications for being considered a member of Jesus’ family.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of obedience to parents and elders.
• Value spiritual family relationships over mere biological ties in certain contexts.
• Desire to fulfill the qualifications to be part of Jesus’ family.

Social Domain

• Demonstrate obedience and respect towards their parents and guardians.
• Show love and care for both their biological and spiritual family members.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 Revised 9 Years Basic Education Curriculum
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• The Holy Bible (Luke 2:51-52, Matthew 12:46-50)
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• The Holy Bible
• Pictures/posters of different professions
• Charts illustrating family structures

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson helps students understand the dual nature of Jesus’ family life: His human obedience and His divine perspective on family. It provides valuable moral lessons on respecting authority and highlights the spiritual requirements for belonging to God’s family, encouraging students to live righteously.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students have basic knowledge of Jesus’ early life and the concept of family from previous CRS lessons.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Jesus and his family

Jesus’ Obedience to His Parents (Luke 2:51-52)

After the incident in the Temple where Jesus, at twelve years old, was found discussing with the teachers, He returned with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth. The Bible records that Jesus was obedient to them. This shows that even though Jesus was divine, He submitted to the authority of His earthly parents.

1. Jesus went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them (Luke 2:51).
2. He grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man (Luke 2:52).

Jesus’ Understanding of Family (Matthew 12:46-50)

While Jesus was teaching a crowd, His mother and brothers came seeking to speak with Him. Jesus used this opportunity to teach about a deeper, spiritual understanding of family.

1. When told His mother and brothers were outside, Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?” (Matthew 12:48).
2. He then pointed to His disciples and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!” (Matthew 12:49).
3. Jesus declared, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50).

Qualifications as Members of Jesus’ Family

Jesus clearly taught that membership in His true family is not based on biological ties alone, but on spiritual obedience. The primary qualification is doing the will of God the Father.

1. Obedience to God’s will.
2. Faith in Jesus Christ.
3. Living a life that pleases God.

Memory Verse

“And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.” (Luke 2:51)

Bible Reading

Luke 2:51-52 and Matthew 12:46-50

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Bible Reading, Storytelling

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging/Activating prior knowledge

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads a brief discussion on the importance of work and different professions in society, linking it to parents’ roles in providing for the family. The teacher then asks students about the importance of obedience to parents.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils discuss the importance of work and share their understanding of obedience to parents.

Learning Point: Importance of obedience

Step 2: Jesus’ Obedience to His Parents

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Bible exposition/Explanation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains Jesus’ obedience to Mary and Joseph after the incident in the Temple, reading Luke 2:51-52. The teacher highlights that even Jesus, being divine, submitted to His earthly parents.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen attentively and follow the Bible reading.

Learning Point: Jesus’ obedience demonstrated

Step 3: Discussion on Growth and Favour

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher leads a discussion on how Jesus grew in “wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52), connecting it to the benefits of obedience and submission.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in the discussion, sharing their thoughts on growing in wisdom and favour.

Learning Point: Benefits of obedience

Step 4: Jesus’ Understanding of Family

Time: 8 minutes

Teaching Skill: Bible exposition/Interpretation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher introduces Matthew 12:46-50, explaining the context where Jesus’ biological family sought Him. The teacher then explains Jesus’ response, emphasizing His spiritual definition of family.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and read Matthew 12:46-50 from their Bibles.

Learning Point: Spiritual family definition

Step 5: Identifying Qualifications for Jesus’ Family

Time: 6 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided discovery

Teacher’s Activity: Based on Matthew 12:50, the teacher guides students to identify the key qualification for being a member of Jesus’ family: “whoever does the will of my Father in heaven.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils identify and discuss the qualification for being part of Jesus’ family.

Learning Point: Doing God’s will

Step 6: Moral Lessons and Application

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Application/Moral instruction

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher discusses the moral lessons from Jesus’ examples: the importance of obedience to parents and the significance of spiritual kinship through obedience to God.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils reflect on the moral lessons and how to apply them in their lives.

Learning Point: Practical moral lessons

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. According to Luke 2:51, what did Jesus do after returning to Nazareth with His parents?
2. What did Jesus say about who His true mother and brothers are in Matthew 12:50?
3. What is the main qualification for being a member of Jesus’ family?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding Jesus’ family

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 4 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on Jesus’ obedience and understanding of family into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson points

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute

Teaching Skill: Summarizing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly reminds students that Jesus set an example of obedience and taught that true family is built on doing God’s will. He encourages them to strive for both.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and acknowledge the summary.

Learning Point: Lesson consolidation

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your CRS notebook:

1. Write down two ways you can show obedience to your parents or guardians at home.
2. Explain in your own words what Jesus meant by “whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Lesson Keywords

• Obedience – Doing what you are told or commanded.
• Wisdom – The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment.
• Stature – A person’s natural height or level of development.
• Favour – Approval, support, or liking for someone or something.
• Will of God – What God desires or commands for people to do.
• Spiritual family – People united by faith in God and obedience to His will, rather than by biological ties.

Differentiation

For weaker learners, the teacher will provide simplified explanations of the Bible passages and focus on key terms like “obedience” and “God’s will.” Faster learners can be challenged to find other Bible verses that emphasize the importance of obedience to parents or the concept of spiritual family.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search on YouTube for: “Jesus obedience to parents JSS 2 CRS” or “Jesus’ family Matthew 12:46-50 explained”

Teacher Guide for Using This Lesson Plan

Before the lesson, ensure you have your Bible ready and any visual aids such as pictures of different professions or family charts, if you choose to use them to introduce the concept of work and family responsibility. Begin by engaging students with a discussion on obedience within their own families. Guide them through the biblical accounts of Jesus’ obedience to Mary and Joseph and His teaching on spiritual family. Emphasize that while biological family is important, Jesus placed a higher value on obedience to God’s will as the basis for true kinship with Him. Allow sufficient time for students to ask questions and discuss the moral implications. During Step 8, ensure students copy the Board Summary accurately. Check for understanding throughout the lesson by asking targeted questions and provide support to those struggling with the concepts of spiritual family and God’s will. Encourage faster learners to think critically about the practical application of these teachings in their daily lives.