“Lesson 20: Parable of the Good Samaritan,” Primary 7: New Testament (1997), 66–68

“Lesson 20,” Primary 7: New Testament, 66–68

Lesson 20

Parable of the Good Samaritan

Purpose

To help each child have a desire to show love to all people.

Preparation

Prayerfully study Luke 10:25–37 and Matthew 22:34–40. Then study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account. (See “Preparing Your Lessons,” p. vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.)
Additional reading: John 14:15, 21; 1 John 4:20–21; and the entries “Priests” and “Levites” in the Bible Dictionary in the LDS edition of the Bible.
Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will involve the children and best help them achieve the purpose of the lesson.
Materials needed:
1. A Bible or a New Testament for each child.
2. Pictures 7-21, The Good Samaritan (Gospel Art Picture Kit 218; 62156), and 7-22, Map of the Holy Land.

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Call on a child and ask, “(Name), who is your neighbor?” Ask several children the same question. Explain that we usually think of our neighbor as someone who lives near us. This lesson helps us understand what Jesus taught about who our neighbors are and how we should treat them.

Have a child read Matthew 22:34–40. Discuss the importance of having love for others.

Scripture Account

Display the pictures The Good Samaritan and Map of the Holy Land. Teach the parable of the Good Samaritan as found in Luke 10:25–37. (For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.) Show the children Samaria and Judea on the map, and explain the situation between the Jews and the Samaritans. The Jews felt that they were better than the Samaritans. They disliked the Samaritans so much that when Jews traveled from Jerusalem to Galilee, they would take the longer way through the Jordan Valley rather than travel through Samaria. You may want to have the children dramatize this scripture account.

Discussion and Application Questions

Study the following questions and the scripture references as you prepare your lesson. Use the questions you feel will best help the children understand the scriptures and apply the principles in their lives. Reading the references with the children in class will help them gain insights into the scriptures.

What did Jesus say we need to do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 10:27–28.) Why do you think these commandments are so important? (Matthew 22:37–39.)
How can we show our love for Heavenly Father and Jesus? (John 13:34–35; 14:15, 21.)
Who is your neighbor? Do you think Jesus meant only the people who live close to you?
What question was Jesus answering when he told the parable of the Good Samaritan? (Luke 10:25, 29.)
Why do you think the Jewish priest and Levite did not help the wounded Jewish man? (Luke 10:31–32.)
What did the Samaritan do for the wounded Jewish man? (Luke 10:33–35.)
Why is it significant that it was a Samaritan who helped the Jewish man? What characteristics of a good neighbor did the Samaritan have? How does this story help us understand who our neighbor is? How can we become better neighbors?
Who do you think loved the Lord the most—the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan? Why?
How can we follow Jesus’ teachings and show love for other people? How should we treat someone who needs our help? someone who is different from us? someone who might have been unkind to us?

Ask the children to share experiences when they gave service to someone in need or when they or their family received help from others. Be careful that the children do not share stories that might embarrass any ward members.

When you show love for others by helping and serving them, how do you feel? Does it make you feel closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus? What great blessing will we inherit if we truly love Heavenly Father and our neighbors? (Luke 10:25–28.)

Enrichment Activities

You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.

Write the following activities on separate pieces of paper. Write parts A and B on the same piece of paper, and give one to each child. Ask the children to pretend that a new child has just moved into the neighborhood. Part A of their paper tells something they can do to be a neighbor and show love for this new child. Part B tells a similar way to show love for Heavenly Father. Ask the child with number 1 to read his or her activity, then number 2, and so on.
1. 1. Visit his or her home.
  2. Attend Primary and other Church meetings.
2. 1. Invite him or her to your home.
  2. Make your home a place where Heavenly Father’s Spirit can be.
3. 1. Learn something about the child.
  2. Read the scriptures.
4. 1. Talk with him or her.
  2. Pray.
5. 1. Do something for the child.
  2. Obey the commandments.
6. 1. Do something for his or her family.
  2. Serve others.
7. 1. Invite the child to join your activities.
  2. Pray for Heavenly Father’s Spirit to be with you.
Read the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8–17). Compare them to the two commandments Jesus gives in Matthew 22. Write Love Heavenly Father on one side of the chalkboard and Love Others on the other side. Ask the children to tell you which column each of the Ten Commandments would go under. Read John 14:15, 21 and help the children understand that keeping any commandment helps us show our love for Heavenly Father.
Have the children memorize Matthew 22:37–39.
Sing or read the words to “Have I Done Any Good?” (Hymns, no. 223) or “Love One Another” (Hymns, no. 308; or Children’s Songbook,p. 136).

Conclusion

Testimony

Express your love for Heavenly Father and Jesus and your gratitude for the gospel. Encourage the children to follow Jesus’ example of loving others.