Prof. Amy-Jill Levine - Entering the Passion of Jesus Leader Guide: A Beginners Guide to Holy Week

ENTERING THE PASSION OF JESUS

A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO HOLY WEEK

LEADER GUIDE

Copyright 2018 Abingdon Press

All rights reserved.

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Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org/

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You are beginning a journey. As the leader of this study, you have the opportunity and responsibility to walk with a group of learners on a journey into the story at the heart of the Christian experiencethe story of Jesus Passion. You are not alone! You are going into this journey accompanied by a renowned biblical scholar who will help you and the group come to a deeper understanding of this biblical story. You also have this Leader Guide, which will give you all the ideas you need for six powerful learning sessions.

This Leader Guide is designed to be used with Amy-Jill Levines book Entering the Passion: A Beginners Guide to Holy Week. Dr. Levine is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies and Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School and College of Arts and Sciences in Nashville, Tennessee. Besides being an accomplished author and scholar, Dr. Levine is a sought-after speaker who has given hundreds of talks both in the United States and internationally. She brings her Jewish background and her historical expertise in first-century Judaism and Christian origins to her work with the New Testament, and she opens insights into the connections between the Old Testament as well as postbiblical Jewish literature and the Gospels. She is also committed to helping open the Gospels as good news for all people, with a particular interest in what the Gospels say about women.

In this book, Dr. Levine brings her expertise, her story-telling skills, and her own love of the Gospels to the last week of Jesus life. Looking at six different episodes in that dramatic period that Christians call Holy Week, she unearths deep connections between the Jewish traditions that formed Jesus and the events of the Passion. She also helps sets the stage, drawing out the political and religious tensions of Jerusalem in the early 30s of the first century. Dr. Levine also points out the distinctive emphases of each of the four Gospels as they tell the story. She regards the distinct versions of the various events not as contradictions to cast doubt on the story, but as variations on a theme, for the life of Jesus cannot and should not be reduced to a singular perspective.

This Leader Guide provides you with the resources you need to lead this group. Its likely that you have more than enough material. So, you can choose from the options in the Learning Together sections to fit the time you have for your group meetings.

There are six sessions in this study, and it makes use of the following components:

Amy-Jill Levines book Entering the Passion of Jesus: A Beginners Guide to Holy Week,

the DVD that accompanies the study, and

this Leader Guide.

Participants in the study should plan on bringing Bibles and the Entering the Passion of Jesus book to each session. If possible, notify those interested in the study in advance of the first session. Make arrangements for them to get copies of the book so they can read the introduction and before the first group meeting.

What will you find in this guide? A session format is below. It is designed to give you options and flexibility in planning your sessions with your group. You will want to develop your sessions with your group in mind. Choose any or all of the activities. Adapt. Reorder. Rearrange. Innovate. Here is the raw material for your lesson planning.

The session plans in this Leader Guide are designed to be completed in a session of about 6090 minutes in length, but you can use fewer activities to reduce the time to as little as 45 minutes. Depending on which activities you select, there may be special preparation needed. The leader is alerted in the session plan when advance preparation is needed.

Session Goals

Scriptural Foundation

Special Preparation

Opening Activity

Opening Prayer

Video Study and Discussion

Book and Bible Study and Discussion

Closing Activity

Closing Prayer

Journaling is a wonderful way to encourage more individual reflection and more extensive interaction outside the group sessions. You can promote the use of a journal by using one of your own as part of your preparation and class time. Group members can use any sort of book they would like for journaling, from a composition book to a bound, blank journal to a set of loose-leaf paper. Encourage those who take on this option to use the journal for reflecting on the reading, writing questions for future learning, and considering commitments they might make for their own spiritual growth. Some of the exercises suggested in the session plans can be done in the journal during class.

Entering the Passion of Jesus was created with Lenten practices in mind. Invite your group members to take full part in the Lenten activities in your community of faith. Coordinate with your church leaders to develop a list of opportunities during the Lenten season and consider going as a group to Holy Week activities.

1.Pray. You are on an important journey. Pray for Gods guidance as you discern and lead. Pray, as well, for the members of your group.

2.Before each session, familiarize yourself with the content. Read the book chapter again.

3.Depending on the length of time you have available for group meetings, you may or may not have time to do all the activities. Select the activities in advance that will work for your group time and interests.

4.Choose the session elements you will use during the group session, including the specific discussion questions you plan to cover. Be prepared, however, to adjust the session as group members interact and as questions arise.

5.Prepare the room where the group will meet so that the space will enhance the learning process. Ideally, group members should be seated around a table or in a circle or semi-circle so that all can see one another. Movable chairs are best because the group will sometimes be forming pairs or small groups for discussion. Special seating arrangements for some sessions are also suggested in the planning notes.