Bible 3rd – 6th Grade
A telling of the biblical narrative of Christ’s Passion week using the traditional plastic Easter Eggs.
Bible Lesson
Materials:
- 12 Plastic colored Easter Eggs
- Black Marker
- 12 Bible Verse scrolls
- 11 small objects that represent the events of Passion Week and are small enough to finish inside a plastic egg. The 12th egg is left empty.
- Small green leaf
- Silver coins (can be either nickels, dimes, quarters)
- Unleavened bread/Matzo cracker
- Tiny flower
- Twisted thorny stem from a flower
- Small piece of purple fabric
- 2 small sticks
- 3 nails
- Dice from a game
- 1 toothpick
- Small rock
- Egg Carton to store eggs
- Download Free Bible Verse Scrolls
- Download Free Egg Carton Cover
Directions
Place one small object in each plastic Easter Egg with the accompanied Bible verse scroll. Leave the 12th egg empty, that will represent the empty tomb. After you place each item in an egg with the scroll, label the outside of the egg with a number 1 -12 using a black marker. Then, place them in the egg carton in chronological order. The earliest event is number 1 and the last event – (Resurrection Empty Tomb) is number 12.
Bible Easter Object Lesson
This lesson has been designed to be interactive. It can be used in either a small group, Sunday School class, children’s church, family Easter event, or school classroom.
- Leaf – The Passover Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a Colt
(Open egg #1 and read the Bible scroll)
“On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.” John 12:12
Jesus chose a time where all Israel would be gathered at Jerusalem for The Passover. The Passover is a once a year celebration remembering God delivering the Israelites from the land of Egypt. Christ rode on a donkey being welcomed by the crowds waving palm tree branches, joyously calling out, “Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.” The crowds were announcing him as their long awaited Messiah. We call it Christ’s Triumphal Entry.
- Silver Coins – Betrayal by Judas Iscariot
(Open egg #2 and read the Bible scroll)
“Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them. What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.” Matthew 26:14-15
Thirty pieces of silver was the price of a slave. Judas, like so many others thought that Jesus came to overthrow the Roman government and establish an earthly throne. That is not what Jesus was coming to do. Therefore, things weren’t going the way Judas hoped. This made Judas frustrated and angry. His greed for money led him to betray Jesus in exchange for money and favor with the religious leaders.
- Cracker- The Last Supper
(Open egg #3 and read the Bible scroll)
“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.” Matthew 26:26
Jesus took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave to his disciples. This took place at the Passover meal he was sharing with his disciples. It would be the last meal they had together. The bread is used to symbolize Christ’s body. He is telling his disciples that because of his death, he is providing for the forgiveness of sins and his coming again. Therefore, everyone can have access through faith to God because of Christ’s death.
- Flower – Gethsemane
(Open egg #4 and read the Bible scroll)
“Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, “Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder”… “fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Matthew 26:36, 39
Jesus was walking with his disciples. He was very sad and heavy hearted, and needed to pray. He was in great stress over the approaching physical pain he would have to endure, the brief separation from God in his humanity, and taking on the sins of the world. He went into the garden, fell on his face and prayed. He pleaded with God saying, “that if it was possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” The cup refers to his suffering. He was simply asking if the cup of suffering be taken away, but also reaffirming his commitment to do His Father’s will.
- Thorny stem twisted – Crown of Thorns
(Open egg #5 and read the Bible scroll)
“Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, and said, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him with their hands.” John 19:1-3
Scourging was whipping. He was severely beaten – whipped, mocked, and spat on. The Roman soldiers went a little farther by mocking Christ’s claim to royalty by placing a crown of thorns on his head, a royal robe, and a reed in his right hand. They would bow the knee and mock him saying, “Hail King of the Jews!”
- Piece of purple fabric – Purple Robe
(Open egg #6 and read the Bible scroll)
“And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, and began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews.”
Mark 15:17-18
The color purple is usually the color symbolizing royalty. The Roman soldiers tortured Jesus, and again mocked his claim to royalty by placing a purple robe over his shoulders. Then, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him.
- 2 small sticks to make a cross – The Cross
(Open egg #7 and read the Bible scroll)
“Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha.” John 19:16-17
Christ carried his cross to a place called “Golgotha.” Golgotha means “The Place of a Skull.” The rock formation looked like a skull, and was most likely located just outside of Jerusalem on the main road.
- 3 Nails -The Crucifixion
(Open egg #8 and read the Bible scroll)
“where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews.” John 19:18-19
Crucifixion was a form of Roman execution. Most often on the main road so those who were entering and exiting the city would know what happens if there is rebellion. It was the most humiliating and excruciatingly painful way to die. His hands and feet were nailed to the cross. He was crucified with 2 thieves, one on each side of him. Jesus chose to die this way for the sins of the world.
- Dice – Casting Lots
(Open egg #9 and read the Bible scroll)
“Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be”. John 19:23-24
It was a custom that the soldiers who performed crucifixions took the clothing belonging to the condemned person. In this case, they took Jesus’ garment and divided it into 4 parts. The soldiers cast lots to determine who would get his seamless garment – the moment valuable piece of clothing. This was prophecied in Psalm 22:18 that reads, “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my gesture.”
- Toothpick – Spear
(Open egg #10 and read the Bible scroll)
“But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.” (Vs.36) “For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture said, They shall look on him whom they pierced.” John 19:33-34,36
John, one of Jesus’ disciples, provided great detail of these events because he was an eye witness. Therefore, it is certified and authentic. Typically the soldiers would break the legs of those crucified to quicken their death. Hanging on a cross made it difficult to breathe, so having the legs broken wouldn’t allow them to hold up their body and keep breathing. Jesus’ legs were not broken, again a prophecy fulfilled in scripture, “that a bone of him shall not be broken.”
- Rock – Tomb Door
(Open egg #11 and read the Bible scroll)
“When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: he went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.” Matthew 27:57-61
Joseph of Arimathaea was a secret disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate, the Roman Governor, and asked for the body of Jesus. He was given the body. He wound it in linen clothes with spices. In the place he was crucified, there was a garden. In the garden, a new sepulchre or tomb where no man had yet been laid. The tomb in the garden where Jesus was placed was cut out of many of the limestone hills. Upon being placed in the tomb, he rolled a great stone in front of the tomb’s door and left.
- Empty – Christ is Risen
(Open egg #12 and read the Bible scroll)
“In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door,… And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” Matthew 28:1-2, 5
Mary Magdalene and Mary were on their way very early in the morning to Jesus’ tomb. It was Jewish custom to bring spices and perfumes to the tomb to anoint the body for preparation. When they got there, they found the tomb door removed, and an angel was sitting on the door. He is described looking like lightening and his clothing was as white as snow. He reminded them to not be afraid, and he knew they were looking for Jesus. He announced to these ladies that,”He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come see the place where the Lord lay.”
Because of Christ’s Resurrection, death has been conquered, and we too who believe on Him will live forever with the LORD. Jesus encourages us with these words, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” John 11:25