Presentation of Jesus in the Temple Wise Men and Shepherds Christian Religious Studies JSS 2 First Term Lesson Notes Week 2

Subject: Christian Religious Studies
Class: JSS 2
Term: First Term
Week: 2
Age: 12-13 years
Topic: The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
Sub-topic:
I. Narrate the Prophecy of Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25–40)
II. State the Significance of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
Duration: 80 minutes

Behavioral Objectives

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

1. Narrate the prophecy of Simeon and Anna from Luke 2:25–40.
2. Explain the significance of presenting Jesus in the temple.
3. Understand the role of Simeon and Anna in recognizing Jesus as the Messiah.

Keywords

• Presentation
• Prophecy
• Messiah
• Simeon
• Anna

Set Induction

The teacher will begin by asking the students if they’ve ever attended a dedication ceremony or heard of one in their families. This will help the students connect to the practice of presenting a child in religious ceremonies.

Entry Behaviour

Students are familiar with the concept of child dedication or naming ceremonies.

Learning Resources and Materials

• Bible (New Testament: Luke 2:25-40)
• Pictures of the temple, Simeon, and Anna
• Chart showing the significance of Jesus’ presentation
• Writing board and markers

Building Background/Connection to Prior Knowledge

In the last lesson, students learned about the birth of Jesus. This lesson builds on that by showing how Jesus was brought to the temple as part of Jewish customs.

Embedded Core Skills

• Critical thinking
• Listening and comprehension
• Communication
• Interpretation of religious texts

Learning Materials

• Bible passages (Luke 2:25–40)
• Lagos State Scheme of Work
• Visual aids of the temple, Simeon, and Anna

Reference Books

• Lagos State Scheme of Work for Christian Religious Studies
• Holy Bible (New International Version)

Instructional Materials

• Bible
• Visual aids (pictures of the temple, Simeon, and Anna)
• Drawing charts
• Writing board and marker

Content Outline

1. Narrating the Prophecy of Simeon and Anna
   • Simeon: He was a righteous and devout man who was waiting for the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die before seeing the Messiah. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple, Simeon took Jesus in his arms, praised God, and prophesied that Jesus would bring salvation to all people.
   • Anna: Anna was a prophetess who had been widowed for many years and spent all her time in the temple worshiping and fasting. When she saw Jesus, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to those who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.
2. The Significance of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
   • The presentation of Jesus fulfilled the Jewish law that every firstborn male must be consecrated to God (Exodus 13:2).
   • Simeon’s prophecy showed that Jesus would be a light for revelation to the Gentiles and glory for Israel.
   • Anna’s recognition of Jesus confirmed that He was the awaited Messiah.
   • The presentation marked Jesus’ first public appearance and indicated His future role as Savior.

Examples Relevant to the Topic

1. Simeon holding baby Jesus and proclaiming He was the Messiah.
2. Simeon prophesying that Jesus would be a light to the Gentiles.
3. Anna’s recognition of Jesus as the Redeemer.
4. The fulfillment of Jewish law by presenting Jesus in the temple.
5. The role of the Holy Spirit in guiding Simeon and Anna.

Evaluation: Fill-in-the-blank Questions

1. Simeon was waiting for the ___ of Israel (a. consolation, b. restoration, c. freedom, d. redemption).
2. The Holy Spirit revealed to Simeon that he would see the ___ before he died (a. temple, b. Messiah, c. angel, d. priest).
3. Simeon took Jesus in his ___ (a. hands, b. arms, c. heart, d. mind) and praised God.
4. Anna was a ___ who lived in the temple (a. teacher, b. servant, c. prophetess, d. queen).
5. Jesus was presented in the ___ (a. temple, b. house, c. palace, d. synagogue).
6. Simeon called Jesus a ___ to the Gentiles (a. salvation, b. light, c. priest, d. ruler).
7. Jesus was consecrated in the temple according to ___ law (a. Roman, b. Egyptian, c. Jewish, d. Greek).
8. The firstborn male in Jewish law had to be ___ to God (a. brought, b. consecrated, c. given, d. anointed).
9. Anna was ___ years old when she saw Jesus (a. 60, b. 80, c. 84, d. 100).
10. Simeon said that Jesus would bring ___ to Israel (a. glory, b. punishment, c. wealth, d. destruction).
11. Simeon was guided by the ___ (a. Holy Spirit, b. priests, c. law, d. star).
12. Jesus’ presentation fulfilled the law of ___ (a. firstborn consecration, b. Passover, c. fasting, d. atonement).
13. Anna ___ God when she saw Jesus (a. thanked, b. praised, c. ignored, d. questioned).
14. Simeon prophesied that Jesus would reveal God to the ___ (a. Jews, b. Gentiles, c. Pharisees, d. disciples).
15. Simeon and Anna both recognized Jesus as the ___ (a. Messiah, b. king, c. prophet, d. teacher).

Class Activity Discussion: FAQs

1. Who was Simeon?
   Answer: A righteous and devout man who waited for the Messiah.
2. What was revealed to Simeon by the Holy Spirit?
   Answer: That he would not die until he saw the Messiah.
3. Who were Jesus’ parents?
   Answer: Mary and Joseph.
4. Who was Anna?
   Answer: A prophetess who lived in the temple.
5. What did Simeon do when he saw Jesus?
   Answer: He praised God and prophesied.
6. Why was Jesus presented in the temple?
   Answer: To fulfill the Jewish law of consecrating the firstborn male to God.
7. What did Anna say about Jesus?
   Answer: She gave thanks to God and spoke about Jesus as the Redeemer.
8. What did Simeon call Jesus?
   Answer: A light to the Gentiles and the glory of Israel.
9. What was the significance of the presentation of Jesus in the temple?
   Answer: It fulfilled Jewish law and marked Jesus’ first public appearance.
10. How did Simeon know about the Messiah?
    Answer: The Holy Spirit revealed it to him.
11. What role did Anna play in the story?
    Answer: She confirmed Jesus as the Redeemer and spoke about Him.
12. Why is the presentation of Jesus important?
    Answer: It showed His significance in Jewish law and prophecy.
13. What did Simeon say Jesus would bring to the Gentiles?
    Answer: A light of revelation.
14. How old was Anna when she saw Jesus?
    Answer: She was 84 years old.
15. What is the meaning of consecration?
    Answer: Setting someone apart for God’s work.

Presentation

1. Step 1: Revising the previous topic, which was “The Birth of Jesus.”
2. Step 2: Introducing the new topic: “The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple” by reading from Luke 2:25–40.
3. Step 3: Encouraging students to share what they know about child dedications and drawing connections to the story of Simeon and Anna.

Teacher’s Activities

• Read the relevant Bible passage (Luke 2:25-40).
• Display visual aids of Simeon, Anna, and the temple.
• Guide the class in understanding the prophecy and significance of the event.

Learners’ Activities

• Listen to the Bible reading.
• Participate in class discussions about child dedications.
• Ask and answer questions based on the lesson.

Evaluation Questions

1. Who was Simeon?
2. Why was Jesus presented in the temple?
3. Who was Anna?
4. What prophecy did Simeon give?
5. Why did Anna praise God when she saw Jesus?
6. What is the significance of the presentation of Jesus?
7. What law did Mary and Joseph follow by presenting Jesus?
8. How did Simeon recognize Jesus as the Messiah?
9. What did Simeon say Jesus would bring to the Gentiles?
10. How did Anna spread the news about Jesus?

Conclusion

The teacher will go around the class, mark the students’ work, and provide feedback. The lesson will end with a brief summary of Simeon and Anna’s roles in the presentation of Jesus.

Additional Components

Captivating Title: Jesus’ First Presentation: The Prophecy of Simeon and Anna
Focus Keyphrase: Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
SEO Title: Presentation of Jesus and the Prophecy of Simeon and Anna
Slug: presentation-jesus-temple-simeon-anna
Meta Description: Learn about the presentation of Jesus in the temple and the prophecies of Simeon and Anna

More Useful Links

• THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST

   

• The Passion: Jesus’ Triumphant Entry and Cleaning of the Temple
  
• Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem Manger