Yr 6 Scripture Commentaries BCE

The blue hyperlink takes you to Brisbane Catholic Education's Scripture Commentary.  The black hyperlink is to Bible Gateway.

1. Why is Eucharist central to Catholic Christianity?

Reflect on the scriptural basis of the Eucharist for believers (Luke 24:13-35; John 6:48-58).

The significance of Eucharist 

I Corinthians 11:23-26 – Institution of the Eucharist

The purpose of teaching the text:  These texts are foundational for how believers choose to live today.  By year six, it is important that students understand that it was not only the Gospel authors who wrote about Jesus.  Paul’s letter to the faith community at Corinth (where remnants of buildings can still be seen today), can assist students to realise that this text predates the Gospels. It also shows the importance of the Eucharist for early Christian communities.

Questions that may assist students create meaning from the text:   • Where would we find Corinth?   • What could we see if we visited Corinth today?  Why might people choose to celebrate the Eucharist today?   • Why has the celebration of Eucharist been central for the lives of believers for so long?  Have believers always celebrated Eucharist the same way?   • How do believers celebrate their faith in some parts of Australia where a Priest is not available every weekend?   • Why would the Church community have a liturgical calendar?   • What do the texts reveal about what believers consider to be essential for living faith today? 

2. What is the significance of Jewish Holy Days?

Recognise the commemoration of Holy Days (Leviticus 23:1-44) as an important aspect of Jewish faith life.

Explore the Scriptural foundations for the observance of Holy days including: Pesach/Passover (Exodus 12:21-51); Sukkot/Festival of the Booths (Leviticus: 23:33-36; 39-43); Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:29-34); Hanukkah/Festival of Lights (1 Maccabees 4:52-59; 2 Maccabees 10:5-8).

Significance of celebrations in the lives of Jewish believers 

Leviticus 23:1-44 - Significance of celebrations in the lives of believers

(additional:  Pesach/Passover –  Exodus 12:21-51;  Exodus 13:17-15:26;  Leviticus 22:26 -27:34  Rosh Hashanah –  Birth of Isaac - Genesis 21:1-7 The binding of Isaac - Genesis 22:1-18 Birth of Samuel - 1 Samuel 1:2-10  God's remembrance of His people - Jeremiah 31:1-19  1 Samuel 3:1-4:1a – The Call of Samuel Yom Kippur –  Leviticus 16:29-34 Feast of Trumpets –  Numbers 29:1  Passover in New Testament times –  John 2:13-25  Hanukkah –  1 Maccabees 4:52-59; 2 Maccabees 10:5-8)

The purpose of teaching the text:  Jewish Holy Days are recorded in Scripture, demonstrating that there is a still a strong connection for Jewish people today between Scripture and the way that people choose to live and celebrate their faith.  These significant Holy Days are calendarised and give structure to people’s lives. They provide opportunities for reflection and celebration of faith. 

Questions that may assist students create meaning from the text:  • What is the connection between each Scripture text and the way Jewish Holy Days are celebrated today?   • How do Jewish communities of faith draw meaning from these texts? 

3.   Why do Christians pray The Lord’s Prayer?

Use the worlds of the text interpretive framework to the Scriptural references of The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:5-15; Luke 11:1-13). 

 The significance of The Our Father 

Matthew 6:5-15 – The Lord’s Prayer Luke 11:1-13 – The Lord’s Prayer

The purpose of teaching the text:  The Our Father is central to the liturgical and prayer life of the Christian community.  However, it is important to explore what this text may have meant for people in first century Palestine.  Jewish interpretation of the text would have been influenced by a deep knowledge of the Old Testament.  As the letters of Paul were written prior to the Gospels, students could use the clues from the complementary texts to identify what Scripture Luke and Matthew had access to when they were writing their Gospels. 

Questions that may assist students create meaning from the text:  • What might these words have meant for a Jewish audience?   • If Luke and Matthew lived in our country today, how might they write these texts today, so that the prayer still had the same meaning?   • Why do believers today still pray this prayer? 

(additional scripture: Our Father who art in heaven - Acts 17:24 • Hallowed by your name - Psalm 103:1 • Your kingdom come -Psalm 103:19 • Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven - Romans 8:28 • Give us this day our daily bread –  Psalm 145:15-16 • Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us - Psalm 51:1-2 • And Lead us not into temptation - Mark 14:38 • But deliver us from evil -      2 Thessalonians 3:3 • Amen - Numbers 5:22)

4.  What titles for Jesus are found in the Gospels?

Identify titles of Jesus in scripture including the Lamb of God, Rabbi, Teacher, Son of God, King of Israel, Son of Man and Messiah (John 1:35-51).

Communicate how the ‘I am’ statements in the Gospel of John convey the author’s understanding of the person and mission of Jesus; Messiah “I am he/I am” (John 4:25-26) The Bread of Life (John 6:35, 48-51), The Light of the World  (John 8:12), The Gate of the sheepfold (John 10:1-10), The Good Shepherd (John 10:11-18), The Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25) and The Way the Truth and the Life (John 14:5-6).

Images and titles for Jesus

Matthew 25:31-46 – Works of Mercy John 1:35-51 -  The First Disciples of Jesus Acts 17:2-3 – Jesus as Messiah Acts 2:29-33, 36 – Jesus as Messiah Matthew 16:16-17 – Peter’s Declaration of Faith

The purpose of teaching the text:  Understanding Scripture requires students to learn that there is not one sole story about Jesus, but different portraits of Jesus, provided by different Gospel authors.  Various New Testament authors use many different titles and images for Jesus.  Exploring what each image and title might mean for believers can bring rich insights for faith, religious identity and meaning for individuals and faith communities today.

Questions that may assist students create meaning from the text:  • What does each different title for Jesus or image of Jesus represent for people of faith?   • Which images and titles for Jesus are most meaningful for you?   • Why might different biblical authors describe Jesus differently?   • If you were given the task of creating an image of Jesus for this parish and school community, what would your image be?

5. What can people learn about faith?

Identify some of Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels regarding the importance of faith for believers (Mark 11:20-24, Luke 17:5-6). 

Apply the worlds of the text interpretive framework to the story of The Woman of Faith and Jairus' Daughter (Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56).

6.  What is a prophet?

Use a range of Biblical tools to understand the social, cultural and historical contexts of the stories of Old Testament prophets including: Samuel (1 Samuel 3:1-4:1a; 1 Samuel 7:3-6, 15-17; 1 Samuel 16:1-13); Amos  (Amos 1:1-2; Amos 3:12-15; Amos 6:4-6); Isaiah (Isaiah 1:1-3, Isaiah 2:1-4; Isaiah 9:1-7, 11:1-9).

7.   Who has contributed to social justice in Australia?

8.    How can Jesus’ teaching be applied to contemporary issues?

Discuss how Jesus’ teaching (Matthew 22:36-40) challenges contemporary issues such as consumerism and individualism.

Jesus’ new law and the spiritual and corporal works of mercy 

Matthew 5:17 – What did Jesus come to do?

The purpose of teaching the text:  Students can make connections between the messages of the prophets and the way that Jesus chose to live.  Matthew 25:31-46 depicts Jewish understandings of God at the time, and links to numerous Old Testament references.  Covenant is central to the Jewish understanding of God. In the Christian understanding Jesus is the fulfillment of the covenant and becomes the way through which people can live the law.  

Questions that may assist students create meaning from the text:  • What would authentic Christian living look like?   • What do you think the prophets would have said about the way that Jesus chose to live? • How do these texts help believers understand more about Jesus?  

Brisbane Catholic Education

Additional BCE Scripture for Year 6

Living faith 

Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:40-49, Matthew 9:18-26 - Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman

The purpose of teaching the text:  These stories highlight some central challenges of living as a person of faith.  This text is particularly important to address at year six as students need to be able to dialogue about issues that affected people’s lives in biblical times. In first Century Palestine, the difference between being perceived as clean or unclean by the community could determine whether one was included or excluded by the community.  The text about the woman of faith provides no elaboration on why the woman was bleeding, so it is important that the text is read and interpreted without assuming we know what was causing the haemorrhaging, otherwise our ability to interpret the text can be compromised.  These stories also demonstrate the skill of the author in starting a story with a theme, then bringing in a new story before going back to complete the first story.  In this way, the whole theme is amplified.    

Questions that may assist students create meaning from the text:  • What is the author of Mark’s Gospel trying to make sure readers don’t miss, by placing the story of the woman of faith in the middle of the story of Jairus’ daughter?   • What can we learn about being a person of faith from these stories?   • What Jewish laws does the woman of faith break in this story?   • Why would the woman of faith deliberately break these laws?   • How might it feel to be the woman of faith in this story?   • How does the woman of faith challenge Jesus?   • When the woman of faith touches the fringes of Jesus’ clothing, what would she actually be touching?   • How is this a symbolic action in the story?   • Are there people in our community excluded today?   • Who are people in our community in need of healing today?  

The Communion of Saints

Ephesians 1:1 – Communion of Saints Ephesians 2:19 - Communion of Saints Ephesians 3:1-21 - Communion of Saints

The purpose of teaching the text:  Paul’s letters to the community at Ephesus uses the word saints or holy ones as a form of greeting. The use of the term saints is also found in the Old Testament. It is often used to describe groups of people committed to living a life according to God’s will. It invites the possibility that all people can live as saints. It highlights the connection between people of faith which unites them in God.  

Questions that may assist students create meaning from the text:  • What do these texts help people of faith to understand?   • What unites family members together, even if they live over the other side of the world?   • How could believers be united in faith, wherever they live in the world?   • What does the term ‘communion of saints’ assist us to understand about Christian belief in death not ending life, but changing life?   • How could the concept of the communion of saints offer hope and reassurance to believers? 

Brisbane Catholic Education