RELIGIOUS AND MORAL EDUCATION NOTES

THE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST

THE GOSPELS
-Jesus’ life and ministry is recorded in the first four books of the New Testament called Gospels.
-The four Gospels are:
1. Matthew – written by Matthew; one of the disciples
2. Mark – written by John Mark; a friend of Simon Peter
3. Luke – written by Dr Luke; a medical Doctor who also wrote the Acts of the Apostles
4. John – written by John, one of the disciples who also wrote the Revelations

JESUS’ BIRTH(Luke 1 – 2)
-Jesus was born in Bethlehem when His parents, Joseph and Mary, had gone to be registered in a
census. Joseph was to be registered in Bethlehem, the city of David, in Judea, because he was of the
house and lineage of David.
-Jesus was born in a stable and laid in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.
-The Greek name Jesus is the same as Joshua in Hebrew. Jesus means Saviour.
-The birth of Jesus was prophesized in the Old Testament.
-The other name of Jesus was Emmanuel meaning God with us. This was the name of the
prophesized Messiah.
-Some shepherds or wise menfrom the eastwere led by a star to Bethlehem where Jesus was born.
They gave Him gifts of gold, frankincense (a sticky substance obtained from certain trees which is
burnt to give a pleasant smell) and myrrh (a sticky substance with a sweet smell but a bitter taste
that is obtained from plants and used for making incense and perfumes).
-King Herod was jealous of baby Jesus and he tried to kill Him by ordering the killing of infant boys.
Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus fled to Egypt. They only returned to Palestine after King Herod’s death.

GROWING UP OF JESUS
-Jesus never sinned as He grew up.
-He grew up in His hometown of Nazareth in Galilee.
-As a young man, He was a carpenter just like His earthly father, Joseph.
-His brothers were James. Joses, Simon and Jude (Juda/Judas), the sons of Joseph and Mary after
Jesus was born.
-At twelve years of age, Jesus went to Jerusalem for His first Passover Feast. After the Passover, His
family returned to Nazareth, but Jesus remained behind. When His parents discovered that Jesus was
missing, they looked for Him until they returned to Jerusalem. They finally found Him, after three
days, in the temple in Jerusalem among the religious leadersasking and answering questions
intelligently. His mother said, “Son, why have you done this to us? Look, your father and I have
sought you anxiously.” He said to them, “Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be in
my Father’s House?” Jesus referred the temple as His Father (God)’s House. His parents did not
understand what He said, but He went with them to Nazareth.

JESUS’ BAPTISM(Matthew 3 v 13 – 17)

-Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth.
-He was baptised in Jordan River.
-When John saw Jesus he referred to Him as the Lamb of Godmeaning Jesus was to be sacrificed for
us like a lamb.
-Soon after Jesus was baptised, the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove. A voice from
heaven was heard saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
JESUS’ TEMPTATION(Matthew 4 v 1 –11)
-Jesus was led up by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil or Satan.
-After fasting for forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
-Jesus was tempted by Satan three times.

-First temptation: Seeing that Jesus was hungry, the devil asked Jesus to change stones into bread if
He was the Son of God. Jesus replied that, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word of God.’”

-Second temptation: Satan took Jesus up the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem and asked Jesus to
throw Himself down as it was written that God would send His angels to rescue Him. Using
scriptures again Jesus answered, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”

-Third temptation: Satan took Jesus up the highest mountain, showed Jesus all the kingdoms and
their glory. The devil asked Jesus to go and worship Satan for Him to be given all the things on
earth. Jesus said, “Go away Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him
only you shall serve.’”

-After the third temptation, the devil left Jesus and angels came and ministered Him.
NB 1) Jesus used the scriptures or verses to conquer or resist Jesus’ temptations. This teaches us that
we can conquer the devil’s temptations using Bible verses.
2) Even the Satan used the scriptures to tempt Jesus. This teaches us that Satan can tempt us
using scriptures.

JESUS’ DISCIPLES
-The word disciple means a pupil or learner. It is a name used to refer to the twelve and all followers
of Jesus.
-Jesus chose twelve disciples whom He called apostles. These lived with Jesus as he did God’s work.
-The twelve disciples/apostles were:
1. Simon Peter – the son of Jonah and brother of Andrew who denied Jesus. He was a fisherman
of Bethsaida. One of the inner circle of three who was with Jesus at special occasions such as
the transfiguration, raising of Jairus’ daughter and in the garden of Gethsemane. The Greek
name Peter (Cephas in Aramaic) means rock and was given to him by Jesus.
2. Andrew – the son of Jonah, brother of Simon Peterand had been a fisherman of Bethsaida. He
was once been the disciple of John the Baptist.
3. John – son of Zebedee, brother of James, once a fisherman, the beloved disciple (according
to his gospel), one of the Boanerges (meaning sons of thunder) a surname given to John and
James by Jesus. He was one of the Gospel writers and also wrote the Book of Revelations. He
was banished to Patmos. He was one of the inner circle with Jesus at special occasions.
4. James – son of Zebedee, brother of John, once a fisherman and one of the Boanerges. He was
one of the inner circle with Jesus at special occasions. His Greek name James is Jacob in
Hebrew. He was beheaded by Herod so he died a martyr.
5. Matthew (means Gift of God) – was known as Levi, the son of Alphaeus before being a
disciple. He was once been a tax collector or publican at Capernaum. He wrote one of the
Gospels.
6. Philip (means Lover of horses) – was a friend of Bartholomew.
7. Bartholomew – was a friend of Philip. He is believed to be Nathaniel according to the Gospel
of John.
8. Thomas (means a twin) – doubted Jesus’ resurrection.
9. James – son of Alphaeus, but not related to Matthew.
 10. Simon – the Zealot who was a Canaanite.
11. Judas - the son of James was Thaddaeus in some gospels
12. Judas Iscariot – betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. He committed suicide after he felt sinful
for betraying Jesus.

JESUS WAS THE SON OF GOD

-Some people witnessed that Jesus was the Son of God at Special occasions such as:
 At Jesus’ baptism, God said this about Jesus, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased.”
 At transfiguration (Matthew 17 v 1 – 9), Jesus took Simon Peter, James and John up a high
mountain. At the mountain Jesus’ face shone like the sun and his clothes became as light as
the light. Moses and Elijah appeared before the three disciples talking with Jesus. Peter then
asked to make three tabernacles for Jesus, Moses and Elijah. While Peter was still talking, a
bright cloud overshadowed them and they heard God’s voice saying, “This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him.”
 Jesus Himself said that He was the Son of God at many occasions.
 Peter said that Jesus was the Son of God (Matthew 16 v 13 – 18). When Jesus asked the
disciples who people thought Jesus was, they said some people thought He was John the
Baptist, Elijah and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Jesus then asked the disciples who
they said he was, and Peter saidHe was the Christ, the Son of the living God. After saying that,
Jesus said Peter was to be the rock upon His church would be built.Peter was promised to be
given the keys of the heaven of God.

MIRACLES PERFORMED BY JESUS

-Jesus performed recorded and unrecorded miracles.
-He performed the miracles, not for pride, but (i) to show God’s power, (ii) to serve God, (iii) for
God’s glory and (iv) to serve the community.
-Some of the miracles include the following:
 Jesus changed water into wine at a wedding at Cana (John 2 v 1 – 11). This was His first
miracle.
 Walking on water (Matthew 14 v 22 – 33)
 Feeding of 5 000 men, besides women and children with five loaves and two fish
(Matthew 14 v 13 – 21)
 Feeding of 4 000 men, besides women and children with seven loaves and a few little fish
(Matthew 15 v 29 – 39)
 Calming of the storm on the sea (Matthew 8 v 22 – 27)
 Drying of barren fig tree (Matthew 21 v 18 – 22)

Miracles of Healing
-Jesus healed many people such as:
 A leper (Matthew 8 v 1 – 4)
 The Roman centurion’s servant (Matthew 8 v 5 – 13). Jesus was at Capernaum when the
centurion asked Jesus to heal his paralyzed dreadfully tormented servant. Jesus said he would
go and heal im, but the centurion had faith that Jesus could heal the servant without going to
the centurion’s home. Because of the centurion’s faith Jesus healed the paralyzed servant in
absentia.
 Peter’s mother-in-law who had fever. (Matthew 8 v 14 – 17) After the healing, Peter’s
mother-in-law rose and served Jesus and His disciple food
 A paralytic man at Nazareth who was brought to Him. ((Matthew 9 v 1 – 8)
  A Syro-Phoenician or Canaanite’s daughter (Matthew 15 v 21 – 28 or Mark 7 v 24 - 30). In
the region of Tyre and Sidon, Jesus healed the daughter of a Canaanite woman who was
demon-possessed. When the woman pleaded for Jesus to heal her daughter, Jesus kept
quiet. Later his disciples asked Jesus to send her away. When the woman persisted, Jesus
tested her faith by saying, “It is not god to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little
dogs.” But the woman answered, “Yes Lord, even the little dogs eat the crumbs from the
master’s table.” Jesus was surprised by the woman’s faith and He healed her daughter
although she was not present. When the woman got home, she found her daughter healed.
 Bartimaeus, the blind beggarat Jerichowho was the son of Timaeus. (Matthew 10 v 46 – 52)
 Jesus healed Mary Magdalene from seven demons, Joanna – the wife of Chuza (Herod’s
steward) and Susanna from evil spirits and infirmity (ie Physical or mental weakness)
(Luke 8 v 2 – 4)
 A bleeding woman who had hemorrhage for 12 years (Luke 8 v 43 – 48). She only touched
Jesus’ and got healed. Jesus felt losing some of his power and asked if some touched her. The
woman confessed that she touched Him.
 The ten lepers at a certain village when Jesus was going to Jerusalem through Samaria and
Galilee. He healed the lepers and told them to go and show the priests. When they were
healed, the lepers felt so happy that they immediately went away. However one of the lepers,
a Samaritan, remembered that they had not thanked; he returned, fell down on Jesus’ feet
and glorified God.
NB. This miracle teaches us aboutgratitude or to be thankful.
 The high priest’s servant in the garden of Gethsemane when his ear was cut by one of Jesus’
disciples.

Miracles of Raising the Dead

-Jesus raised the following people from dead
 Lazarus who lived at Bethany, the brother of Mary and Martha (John 11 v 1 – 44). Lazarus
had died and was buried 4 days before Jesus came and raised him from the dead. Jesus raised
Lazarus to show God’s power in Him.
NB. Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Mary once anointed Jesus with fragrant oil and
wiped His feet with her hair.
 Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5 v 22 – 43). Jairus was one of the rulers of the synagogue. When he
saw Jesus, Jairus fell at His feet begging Him to go and heal his 12-year-old daughter who was
about to die. On the way to Jairus’s home, they were told that the daughter had died, but
Jesus told Jairus to be faithful. He then forbade all people to follow Him except Simon Peter,
James and his brother John. When they got home, He told the people there that the dead girl
was sleeping and some of the people laughed at Him. He entered the room where the girl was
with His three disciples, Jairus and his wife. He held the girl by hand and said, “Talitha,
cumi,” meaning, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” The girl woke up to everyone’s amazement.
Jesus asked them to tell no one but to give the girl food to eat.
 The son of a widow at Nain (Luke 7 v 11 – 17). Jesus, His disciples and many followers went
to a city called Nain. As they approached the gate, they met a crowd of people carrying the
coffin of a dead man. The dead man was the only son of a widow. When Jesus saw the widow
He felt sorry and touched the coffin and said to the dead man, “Young man, I say to you
arise.” The dead man sat up and began to speak. People felt afraid and glorified God.

JESUS’ TEACHINGS
-Jesus taught us that we must be righteous; free of sins.
-Some of His teachings are:
 The Beatitudes (Matthew 5 – 7)
  To be humble and to serve each other. He taught us this when he washed His disciples’ feet.
(John 13 v 1 – 17)
 The Golden Rule (Luke 6 v 31) which states that, “Do to others just what you want them to do
to you.”
 The Greatest Commandments (Matthew 22 v 34 – 40) which state that
(i) Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
(ii) Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
NB. You neighbor is any person created in the image of God.
 To repent through the story of Jesus and Nicodemus.
 The Lord’s Prayer which begin with, “Our Fatherin heaven, - - -.” (Luke 11 v 1 - 8)
 Jesus taught us that He, Jesus, is
(i) The Bread of Life (John 6 v 25-59)
(ii) The Good Shepherd (John 10 v 1-21)
(iii) The Way, the Truth and Life (John 14 v 6)
(iv) The Light of the World (John 8 v 12)
 Not to worry about the future as God cares for us and He will provide for us as He does to
birds and plants. (Luke 12 v 22-34)
 To worship God in Spirit and Truth (John 4 v 3-42). Jesus said this when He met a Samaritan
woman at Jacob’s Well in the city of Samaria called Sychar.
 God is forgiving through parables and the story of the adulterous woman. ((John 8 v 1-11)
 The love for money is the root of all evils.

JESUS’ PARABLES
-Jesus taught in parables.
-A parable is:
- a story with a deeper meaning
- an earthly story with a heavenly meaning
-Some of the parable Jesus told were:

1. Good Samaritan(Luke 10 v 30-37)

-It teaches about LOVE, ie, your neighbour is the one who helps you in times in times of need.

2. Lost Coin or Lost Sheep(Luke 15 v 1-10 and Matthew 18 v 12-14)

-It teaches us that God/Jesus rejoice with angels when one sinner repents/ it teaches us about God’s
love to the sinners.

3. The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Publican)(Luke 18 v 10-14)

-It teaches us to be sincere or about sincerity, ie, we must be truthful and to do things truthfully.

4. Persistent Friend (Luke 11 v 5-8)

-It teaches that God gives what we ask for since it is written, “Ask, and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.”

5. The Prodigal or Lost Son (Luke 15 v 11-32)

-It teaches about God’s love although we sin against Him.
-It teaches about forgiveness and reconciliation.

6. The Rich Fool (Luke 12 v 16-21)

-It teaches us to prepare for our souls after the death of the body
7. The Rich Man and Lazarus(Luke 16 v 19-31)
-It teaches us that:
 there is life after death
 death fixes our destiny, ie, heaven or hell
 dead people will never meet people who are alive
 we live in spirit after death

8. The Judgment Day (Matthew 25 v 31-46)

-It teaches us that:
 the righteous people will go to heaven and the sinners/wicked will go to hell
 we serve God by serving the people through giving them food, clothes, water and visiting
them in hospital and jail

9. The Sower (Matthew 13 v 1-8)

-It teaches us that the people receive and believe in the Word of God differently.
NB (a) The Sower represents Jesus and anyone who preaches the Word of God.
(b) The Seed represents the Word of God.
(c) The different places where the seed fell represent the people’s hearts.

10. The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25 v 14-30)

-It teaches
 about being faithful
 that people should use their talents/abilities
 that more will be given to those who have and those who haven’t will lose the little/few
they have
NB A talent is a special gift or ability from God.

11. The Ten Virgins/Bridesmaids (Matthew 25 v 1-13)

-It teaches us to be watchful or prepared for the Second Coming of Jesus.

12. The Tenants (Matthew 21 v 28-31)

-It teaches us that God created the earth and gave it to us to be in charge of it. God sent His
prophets and people did many bad things to them. Finally, he sent His only Son, Jesus, and the
people killed Him. Hence God will destroy those who will not believe in Jesus.

13. The Minas (Luke 19 v 11-27)

-It teaches us to use our talents or what we have.
NB The parable is like that of the Talents but in this parable 10 servants were given one mina
each.

14. The Two Sons (Matthew 21 v 28-31)

-It teaches about obedience, ie, a person who refuses, but does the work is obedient and a
person who agrees, but does nothing is disobedient.

15. The Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18 v 23-34)

-It teaches us to forgive others as God forgives us.

16. The Wedding Party (Matthew 2 v2-14)

-It teaches us that many people are called to Jesus and are refusing, but a few will be chosen.
17. The Weeds (Matthew 7 v 24-27)
-It teaches us that God lets the good and bad people live together in the world until the Second
Coming of Jesus when the bad are destroyed first and the good receive eternal life.
NB (a) Man who sows seeds represents Jesus.
(b) The field represents the world.
(c) Good seeds are righteous people.
(d) Tares/weeds are wicked people.
(e) Enemy who sows seeds is Satan.

18. Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20 v 1-16)

-It teaches us that people will enter the Kingdom of God regardless of when they repent and
receive Jesus.

JESUS’ TRIUMPHATIC ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM (Mark 11 v 1 -10)

-A Sunday before His death, Jesus entered Jerusalem as a KING, ie, he entered riding a
donkey/ass/colt. People honoured Him by laying their clothes and some palm leaves along the
way into Jerusalem saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in
heaven and glory in the highest!”

THE LAST SUPPER(22 v 7-37)

-Jesus and His disciples had their last supper with Jesus in an upper room is Jerusalem.
-Jesus took unleavened bread, broke it and gave it to His disciples saying it was His body.
-He took a cup after supper and gave it to the disciples saying it was the new covenant in His
blood which was going to be shed for them.

JESUS’ ARREST(Matthew 26 v 36-56)

-After the last supper, Jesus went into the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples.
-While in the garden, He took Peter, James and John for a prayer.
-He prayed three times but after each prayer he found His three disciples asleep.
-After the last prayer, Judas Iscariot arrived with the chief priests and the elders to arrest Him.
-Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus.
-Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.

JESUS’ TRIAL (Matthew 26 v 57-75, Matthew 27 v 11-26)

-Jesus was taken to Caiaphas, the High Priest, who also falsely accused Him of blasphemy.
-At the High Priest’s homestead, Simon Peter denied Jesus three times before the cock crowed.
-Jesus was taken to the Roman Governor called Pontius Pilate.
-Pilate found Him not guilty and showed that he had nothing to do with Jesus’ death by washing
his hands.
-The people asked Pilate to release Barabbas, the robber, and let Jesus be crucified.
NB. Judas Iscariot killed himself by hanging. The money he was paid for betraying Jesus was used
to buy a piece of land for burying strangers.

JESUS’ CRUCIFIXION(Matthew 27 v 27-54)

-Jesus was crucified on Fridayat Golgotha meaning Place of the Skull.
-He was taken there by some soldiers led by a centurion. The people beat, mocked and rebuked
Jesus as they took Him to Golgotha.
-Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus to carry His cross.
-At Golgotha, Jesus was crucified together with two thieves.
-When Jesus was crucified:
1. there was darkness for three hours
2. graves were opened and the dead were raised
3. the veil or curtain of the temple was torn into two
4. the earth quaked
-Some people who were there including the soldiers then believed that Jesus was the Son of
God.
-In the evening, Joseph of Arimathea asked for Jesus’ body and buried it in a tomb.

JESUS' RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION (Luke 24)

-On Sunday, after the Sabbath Day, Jesus resurrected so He rose from the dead after three days
as it was said by the prophets.
-The first person to meet Jesus after His resurrection was Mary Magdalene. When Mary
Magdalene found no body of Jesus that she, other Mary and Salome or Joanna had come to
anoint, she cried for the body of Jesus.
-Jesus later appeared before His disciples.
-Thomas doubted Jesus’ resurrection.
-Jesus met and walked with Cleopas and another man to Emmaus without them knowing. They
later knew Him and returned to Jerusalem to tell His disciples.
-Jesus stayed with His disciples for 40 days before he ascended to heaven.
-Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would descend and that was fulfilled at Pentecost.
 RELIGIOUS AND MORAL EDUCATION NOTES

THE WORLD RELIGIONS

-There are many religions in the world, but the five major religions are
1. Christianity
2. Islam
3. Judaism
4. Hinduism
5. Buddhism
6. African Traditional Religion

-Facts about these religions are:

Judaism Christianity Islam Hinduism Buddhism ATR
Founder Abraham Jesus Muhammad No founder Gautama/Buddha Ancestors
Holy Book Tenakh The Bible Quran Gita/Vedas Tipitaka/Tripitaka No book
Holy Day Sabbath Sunday/Saturday Friday Sunday Uposatha Chisi/Izilo
Place of Worship Synagogue Church Mosque Temple Temple Shrines
Supreme Being Yahweh God Allah Vishnu/ none Mwari/uTiqo
Brahma
Food not eaten pork pork beef alcohol Totem
Followers Jews Christians Moslems/ Hindus Buddhists African
Muslims Traditionalists

Other facts about the world religions are:

1.Islam
 Moslems’ holy city is Mecca which is found in Saudi Arabia.
 Moslems pray five times per day facing Mecca.
 Islam means submission to Allah
 Some of the Islamic festivals include
Festival Purpose
Ramadan Month of fasting
Eid-ul-Fitr Follows Ramadan and is time feasting and
giving presents

2.Judaism
 Jews’ holy city is Jerusalem which is found in Israel today.
 The Tenakh is divided into Torah, Ketuvim and Nevi’im.
 The Tenakh is also called the Hebrew Bible which is the Old Testament of the Bible.
 Some of the festivals celebrated by the Jews include:
Festival Purpose
Hanukkah/Chanukah Festival of Lights
Purim Remembers the deliverance of the Jews from
destructions from the Persians
Passover Remembers the freedom of Jews from Egypt