The destruction of the temple is a story that comes up in the lectionary and yet is over skipped. However, in a world where unimaginable things crumble, this story shows Jesus lovingly preparing his disciples to put their trust in something more solid than man-made constructions.
This is such a gloomy passage, and it may seem like one you’d prefer to skip, but it’s a passage that covers one of the central themes of Jesus’s ministry and making God your foundation. While the parable of the wise and foolish builder may be more visually friendly, the prediction about the fall of the temple reminds children that no matter how huge and real and solid something is, God is always bigger. In a world where the unthinkable happens, where violence seems to win, where nature destroys and empires fall, this passage offers comfort.
This retold version of the Bible passage is supplied for inspiration, feel free to omit or embellish to give it your personal voice.
Main Passage : John 1: 1-10
Jesus and his followers left the temple. As they walked away, one of his friends looked back and stopped Jesus to ask him about it.
The temple was really impressive. They had built huge walls around the mountain top–as high as an 8 story building–to support a flat area the size of 30 football pitches. In the middle, the temple was built. It was huge too, made of white stone that was covered with large gold plates reflecting sunlight. Along the top of the temple walls, there were golden triangles so the whole place looked like a giant crown. It was supposed to be a temple for the world, but only the priests could get all the way inside. People came from all over the world to see the biggest place of worship ever built, to marvel at the size of the stones and tall arches, to spread their arms around the tall white columns and glimpse the beautiful coloured stones that made the floor.
One of Jesus’s disciples pointed and said to him, “Teacher, look! What massive stones! What impressive buildings!”
Jesus saw something different, though. He replied to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another—all will be thrown down.”
The disciples around him stopped walking, their faces shocked. How could something this huge be destroyed? The crowd carried on walking with sad faces. Behind them, the temple–the pride of their nation–shone brightly.
Later that evening, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Jesus privately, “Tell us, when will these things happen?”
Jesus looked at his friends’ sad faces. They had believed his words, and yet he could not tell them when the Roman army would destroy the temple. But he could warn them that many things would happen–people would come and lead men into foolish places, earthquakes and wars would shake the world, famine and illnesses would visit communities–but that they were not the end of the story. There was no need to trust in huge buildings or shiny gold plates because the kingdom of God was going to change everything.
That’s what Jesus had come to teach them. That’s why he, the king of all Heaven, had been born in a stable, not a palace. That’s why he had wandered, showing them how to love their neighbour, to heal the sick, to welcome everyone. He had been a living temple that didn’t have closed doors only priests could open. That’s why he would let himself die on a cross like a criminal because even death wouldn’t stop God’s truth. And that’s why he promised to return because the story wasn’t over yet.
These are the Character resources provided for: The Widow’s Gift (Mark 12)
For each passage, there is a collectable card alongside high-quality character images and a colouring page. All other graphics are extra’s!
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This story of the widow’s mite becomes all the more amazing when you learn about the coins and offering boxes. The Mites were roughly the circumference of a pencil and thin, the offering was tiny in every way. The offering boxes meanwhile sported bold trumpets of shiny bronze would direct any offerings into a large wooden box. 12 of these distinctive shapes were placed around the main courtyard edges, where the large column supported covers could keep they free from debris and rain. Financial gifting wasn’t a secret pursuit but a public display.
This retold version of the Bible passage is supplied for inspiration, feel free to omit or embellish to give it your personal voice.
Main Passage : Mark 12:38-44
In her hand, between the wrinkles, lay two tiny copper coins. She would have to wait until there was nobody near the offering box.
In the temple courtyard there were thirteen wooden boxes with trumpet-shaped bronze funnels for giving gifts. The coins would bounce off the funnels, ringing out the offering to show how much people had given. These two tiny coins might not even make a sound.
The old woman shuffled around the large open space. It was often busy in this courtyard; most people got to the temple through here. There were also groups of men discussing religion or gathered listening to a rabbi speak. As she passed one, she learnt it was the teacher Jesus they were listening to today.
Jesus had seen her too. He was watching her look for a quiet offering box. Jesus knew that she only held two tiny coins in her hands. Jesus didn’t want to embarrass her because he knew her truth; he knew her secret. Jesus knew those two coins were all the money she had left and she wanted to give it to God.
Into the courtyard came a group of scribes. Their long robes were bright, making them stand out from the other visitors. They walked over to one of the offering boxes and started to pour coins into the funnel. The coins made the air ring like bells. Everyone stopped and turned towards the sound. The scribes looked around, proud that they were being recognised for their gift.
Jesus wasn’t impressed. He knew the men would change the large value coins for many little ones to make themselves look generous. He knew that these men would have collected the money from those with so little. Their generosity was fake.
While everyone was staring at the men putting on a show, Jesus turned around and looked straight at the old woman. When she saw him staring, he looked across at an offering box that had nobody near it. He nodded, and she smiled back to him.
Then, Jesus did something amazing. As the old woman dropped her two coins, sure the whole crowd would be looking the other way, Jesus spoke to all the men around him and told them that her offering was the greatest. As she turned back into the courtyard, Jesus and the crowd around him stood up. They didn’t face the rich noisy scribes, oh no! They all faced the old woman. Her offering, her two tiny coins, had been recognised.
The gift of the widow was by every measure tiny. Two mite coins, both less than a centimetre across, would have made little dent in the temple finances, and yet here Jesus is choosing to ignore the show-offs and elevate the lowly.
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