Note to the parent or teacher: Here is a 45- to 60-minute lesson plan to fill out the class “Cities of the Bible: The Town of Capernaum.” It goes with the lesson objectives “Learn the major stories of the New Testament” (Christian Life and Faith: Bible Knowledge: General Bible Knowledge-1e); and “Learn of the benefits that loving others brings both to oneself and to others” (Christian Life and Faith: Bible Knowledge: God’s Law of Love-1e).

Read “Cities of the Bible: The Town of Capernaum.”

Locate Capernaum on a map.

Read Matthew 9:1. Ask your child why he thinks Matthew referred to Capernaum as Jesus’ own town. (We can only presume since the Bible doesn’t tell us why.)

Listen to “A Bible Adventure: A Soldier’s Great Faith” or read Luke 7:1–10.

Discuss the faith that was shown by this centurion. Jesus answered the centurion’s request without even going to the man’s house. We too can believe like this centurion did; even though we don’t see Jesus physically with us, we can believe that He’s able and willing to answer our prayers.

Read Mark 1:16–20.

Read Mark 1:21–34.

Read Matthew 9:1–9.

Imagine with your child a person lying on a mattress on the floor, someone who is unable to walk. Next, imagine the person being told to pick up his mattress and start walking. Have your child consider how he or she would react to seeing Jesus perform this miracle.

Ask your child what the names are of the four fishermen and the one tax collector from Capernaum who became Jesus’ disciples. (Answer: Simon [Peter], Andrew, James, John, and Matthew.)

Read Matthew 11:20–23 or Luke 10:1–24.

Reflect with your child on ways the people in Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum saw Jesus manifest His great love for them through the many miracles He performed and through His teachings. (This map shows the close proximity of these towns.)

Read these excerpts from Matthew 5:1–16 and Matthew 5:38–48 of the Sermon on the Mount, teachings that Jesus gave to a large crowd of people at an area near Capernaum.

Discuss possible reasons why the people of these cities might have rejected Jesus and His teachings. (Possibility: Jesus didn’t stop the Romans from taxing the people, nor did He lead them in battle to chase out the Romans. Instead Jesus taught them to treat their enemies with loving kindness.)

Explain that approximately 70 years later, at the time when the Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem, they also destroyed Capernaum and the surrounding towns. Referring back to Matthew 5:38–48, ask your child how things might have turned out if the people in these towns had treated their enemies, the Romans, with loving kindness even though the Romans treated them roughly.

Consider with your child any situation they are aware of in their personal life where deeds of loving kindness could change things for the better.

Additional material:

• “Benjamin’s Secret”