For each passage, there is a collectable card alongside high-quality character images and a colouring page. All other graphics are extra’s!
Click on the images below to see a larger version. Save the images by right click + ‘save image as’ (computers) OR long press + ‘save image’ (mobile).
These images are NOT copyright free.
These resources are provided for personal/classroom use only. Use can use them for teaching, games, publicity, decorations, big screen presentations, flannel graphs, stickers, or any other non-commercial activity in your church, school, home, or organised group. You may not use them in products you are going to sell (both printed and digital). Nor may you upload the original images online, on websites, social media or in YouTube videos. Any questions, please reach out to me using the contact page link at the end of the page.
This passage is chock-full of symbolism, cultural norms and is a potential minefield to understand as a modern adult, let alone as a child. It’s also pure teaching instead of a person-based narrative, so to make it more identifiable, I’ve focused on how one Pharisee may have heard it. The word ‘Hypocrite’ is quite an adult term, and it’s worth spending a few minutes explaining the meaning to the kids. If you have a very young group, then simply omit that one reference in the retelling below.
This retold version of the Bible passage is supplied for inspiration, feel free to omit or embellish to give it your personal voice.
The Pharisee stood towards the back of the crowd, Jesus kind of fascinated him, but something about Jesus was dangerous. Now Jesus wasn’t happy and he wasn’t going to stay quiet.
“Just look at those men” said Jesus, staring at the small crowd of religious leaders. “Look at how they are dressed, with the tassels on their prayer shawls super long, as if that makes them holy?
The Pharisee looked at the long trailing threads that came from the four corners of his garment, they held the 5 religious knots. Pharisees would make the treads longer to show their importance, they didn’t need to be long, they got dirty easily, but it was sort of like a uniform, so people could see they were super religious.
Jesus was still talking, “They take the place of Moses in the community, making laws, reading scripture, telling you how God wants you to live your life. They share God’s truth but don’t act on it. Instead, they place the heavy load of keeping rules on God’s people and don’t do anything to help them. They love the place of honour at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, they demand to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.”
“Ha, Rabbi? — Don’t call these men ‘Rabbi’ or ‘teacher’ or even ‘instructor’ — you only have one teacher, the Messiah, you are all brothers and sisters the same. And you all have just one father, your Father in Heaven.”
The Pharisee felt like he’d been punched. God’s people needed religious leaders, his world had just been declared wrong. He’d spent years training to be something Jesus was against. How could he take this man seriously?
“Do you want to know who will be the greatest among you?” said Jesus, his voice calming. “The greatest will be the one who is a servant. Those who try to make themselves important will be made small, but those who are willing to serve even if it makes them look foolish, they will be praised and lifted high.”
The crowd quite liked that bit, but Jesus wasn’t finished with the religious leaders yet. Jesus wasn’t kind, he told them how they had got so many things wrong, he called them horrible names, he labelled them hypocrites. It was clear, whatever Jesus was planning, the Pharisees were going to lose if they didn’t stop it.
The question about taxes isn’t really asking Jesus’s opinion on economic systems, it’s trying to trap him. These games play with the idea of questions, the odd pairing of the Herodians and the Pharisees and even give a nudge to what taxes are because sometimes kids get confused on this passage simply by this unknown word.
Have two hoops or marked spaces and ask the kid(s) a question they may know the answer to and assign two possible answers, one to each marked area. Have the kids run to the answer they think was right. At the end, explain that Jesus managed to stand in both hoops in today’s story.
Unlikely pairs
All Ages
Small group
Requires setup time
Quiet game
Can be seated
Grab plenty of food types and lay them out for the kids. Get them to pick the most unlikely pairings and challenge them to see if they will taste test their combination — don’t forget the spit bucket!
Payday
Ages 7+
Any size group
Requires setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
Explain that each child must cross the room and touch the paper pinned to the wall. Some children must do so while sitting in a seat or otherwise hindered. Give each child three coins or tokens each time they do it, but say they must pay 1 token in tax. How did it feel to give your tokens away? What should we do with the tax tokens? How did it feel to be at a disadvantage?
Question treasure hunt
All Ages
Any size group
Requires setup time
Noisy game
Space needed
This is a lovely, simple activity, but it does take some time to set up. Children search and find a question whose answer tells them where to find the next piece of treasure. Alongside the piece of treasure (a jigsaw piece works well) is another question whose answer is the location of the next piece of treasure and so on. Link to questions leading to truths.
No right answer
Ages 7+
Any size group
No Setup time
Quiet game
Can be seated
Challenge your kids to find an answer to these questions. Let them mime out the encounter, starting with the question. Talk about how sometimes it’s better not to answer a question directly.
1. If lying is always wrong, is it OK to ruin a surprise if asked directly? 2. If a Cyclops were to close its eye, is it winking or blinking? 3. When did time begin? 4. If you punch yourself, and it hurts, are you weak or are you strong? 5. If you expect the unexpected, doesn’t that make the unexpected expected? 6. Is your answer to this question ‘no’? 7. Does this outfit make me look fat?
To make this craft you will need the 1 page template printout, scissors, and glue – you may also need thick card if you are doing the easy option.
If you want to decorate your coin do that first then cut out the coins and the edging strip.
(To make this craft easier: If you want to bypass the fiddly bit, use a coin as a template to cut a thick card circle and attach the two faces either side – make it pretty by trimming the coin edge strip and attaching it.)
Fold the sides of the coin edge inwards.
Use scissors to fringe each side of the coin edge by cutting along the lines.
Add glue to the end tab of the coin edge. (do not fold)
The coin edge probably will look an odd shape at this point, don’t worry!
Time to attach it all together! Add glue to the coin face
Glue the coin edge around the sides of the coin face
Attach the second side – this is the trickiest bit!
Your coin should stand.
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For each passage, there is a collectable card alongside high-quality character images and a colouring page. All other graphics are extra’s!
Click on the images below to see a larger version. Save the images by right click + ‘save image as’ (computers) OR long press + ‘save image’ (mobile).
These images are NOT copyright free.
These resources are provided for personal/classroom use only. Use can use them for teaching, games, publicity, decorations, big screen presentations, flannel graphs, stickers, or any other non-commercial activity in your church, school, home, or organised group. You may not use them in products you are going to sell (both printed and digital). Nor may you upload the original images online, on websites, social media or in YouTube videos. Any questions, please reach out to me using the contact page link at the end of the page.
