Tuesday Bible Story for Children

Jesus went back to the Temple. He started doing what he did best, teaching and preaching. But the preachers (chief priests) wanted to trick him. They wanted him to say something that would be evidence in court to kill him. If not that, at least enough that all of the crowds around Jesus would turn away from him. They couldn't trick Jesus! He knew the Bible too well. Whenever they would ask him a question, he knew an answer, backed up by scripture, which they couldn't argue with. Then he would tell stories that would prove that even "tax collectors and prostitutes" would have a better chance of getting into heaven than the preachers.

You see, the preachers in that day had a thing for titles. They wore fancy clothes and demanded undue respect from the worshipers. He told his disciples not to call themselves "Rabbi", "Father", or "Teacher." He said that people who put themselves on a pedestal would get knocked off, and that people that acted humble would be lifted up. Jesus said we should all act like servants to those that needed us.

The more Jesus taught, the madder the preachers got. When they couldn't trick him, they sent others to try and trick him. They couldn't do it, either, and everyone was amazed at how smart Jesus was. The preachers knew they were licked, so they quit asking him questions. They went over to a guy's house (Caiaphas) and started discussing how they would kill Jesus.

That night Jesus went back to Bethany. He stayed at Simon's house. A woman brought over a bottle of very expensive perfume, opened it, and poured it on Jesus' head. The disciples were confused. They said, "That was dumb! She could have sold that perfume and given the money to the poor." They knew that Jesus' had a thing about giving to the poor. But Jesus surprised them by saying that she had done the right thing, she was getting him ready to be buried.

- Copyright 2000 by Gene Powell -