N a m e _________________________________D a t e _________________P e r i o d __________

CHRISTIAN BELIEFS AS TAUGHT BY JESUS OF NAZARETH

What began as Judaism, Christianity became a major religion based on the life, teachings, and death of Jesus of
Nazareth. His own faith was rooted in Judaism, but Jesus also preached new ideas. He called himself the Son of
God and he claimed his mission was to bring spiritual salvation to everyone. Jesus taught justice and compassion
for humanity. He often taught using parables. They are stories with a moral. In many of Jesus’ sermons, he asked
people not just to obey the law, but also to change in their hearts. He wanted people to love others, even their
enemies.
Because Jesus’ faith was rooted on Judaism, he followed and taught the Ten Commandments. The Ten
Commandments, according to the book of Exodus in the Jewish Torah were laws for life given by God to Moses
and the Hebrews of Israel. In the following primary source document, taken from the Christian Bible, Jesus is
asked which Commandment is the most important. His answer has become known as, “The Great Commandment”
or “Greatest Commandments.”
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he
had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered
him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all
thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:28-31

1. According to the primary source, what are the two most important Commandments according to Jesus?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Make a list of who you believe is your neighbor in a sense Jesus meant it. ______________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
In this next document, Jesus discusses how peoples’ behavior on earth affects their placement in the
afterlife. He compares the separation of people with the separation of goats and sheep.
31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on
His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from
one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on
His right, and the goats on the left.
34 “Then the King(Jesus) will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father;
take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was
hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I
was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you
looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty
and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing
clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and
sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:34-40
3. From sentence number 34, what is the “inheritance”? _______________________________________________
4. What group of people does Jesus see himself as, the helpers or those receiving the help?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
5. How does this document describe how people on earth should live their lives? ___________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

© 2017 All Rights Reserved.

 KEY
N a m e _________________________________D a t e _________________P e r i o d __________

CHRISTIAN BELIEFS AS TAUGHT BY JESUS OF NAZARETH

What began as Judaism, Christianity became a major religion based on the life, teachings, and death of Jesus of
Nazareth. His own faith was rooted in Judaism, but Jesus also preached new ideas. He called himself the Son of
God and he claimed his mission was to bring spiritual salvation to everyone. Jesus taught justice and compassion
for humanity. He often taught using parables. They are stories with a moral. In many of Jesus’ sermons, he asked
people not just to obey the law, but also to change in their hearts. He wanted people to love others, even their
enemies.
Because Jesus’ faith was rooted on Judaism, he followed and taught the Ten Commandments. The Ten
Commandments, according to the book of Exodus in the Jewish Torah were laws for life given by God to Moses
and the Hebrews of Israel. In the following primary source document, taken from the Christian Bible, Jesus is
asked which Commandment is the most important. His answer has become known as, “The Great Commandment”
or “Greatest Commandments.”
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he
had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered
him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all
thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
Mark 12:28-31

1. According to the primary source, what are the two most important Commandments according to Jesus?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
1. There is only one God and you should love that God
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Love your neighbor as you do yourself
2. Make a list of who you believe is your neighbor in a sense Jesus meant it. ______________________________
family, friends, neighbors, all people who you or more importantly, you don’t know
_________________________________________________________________________________________
In this next document, Jesus discusses how peoples’ behavior on earth affects their placement in the
afterlife. He compares the separation of people with the separation of goats and sheep.
31 “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on
His glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from
one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on
His right, and the goats on the left.
34 “Then the King(Jesus) will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father;
take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was
hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I
was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you
looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty
and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing
clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and
sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Matthew 25:34-40
3. From sentence number 34, what is the “inheritance”? _______________________________________________
heaven
4. What group of people does Jesus see himself as, the helpers or those receiving the help?
those receiving the help
_________________________________________________________________________________________
5. How does this document describe how people on earth should live their lives? ___________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
People should live their lives helping the unfortunate. Those unfortunate may be the poor,
_________________________________________________________________________________________
people in hospitals, or those who can’t afford to get medical care. Those who have committed
crimes or homelessness.

© 2017 All Rights Reserved.