Easter Holy Week – Monday – Jesus Teaches at the Temple and Mary’s devotion

PART 1: Jesus Teaches at the Temple

Jesus continues teaching in the temple, offering wisdom that would shape the faith of generations to come. This is day ‘3’ of being in His Father’s house. Among the lessons Jesus taught in the temple, include:

• The Greatest Commandments (Mark 12:28-30)
• The Widow’s Mite (Mark 12:41-44)
• The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13)
• The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-29)
• The Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

As you recount the stories and moments of Holy Week, these scenes can serve as a powerful way to teach your children or grandchildren. Maybe choose one of the above stories to teach on this day. By incorporating visuals, tangible objects, and interactive elements, you can make the experience more engaging and meaningful.

With these 2 scenes, you could choose to teach in the morning and in the evening.

To Create this Monday Morning Scene of Jesus Teaching in the Temple:

Most links to the patterns are in the Introductory post (Link Here). Any extra links needed see below.  

• The Temple backdrop and the 2-temple gates.
• Three easels with pictures of the scripture stories you want to tell. (Link to easels) See photos for ideas. You can purchase a 2×3 inch wallet size card of these stories from Deseret Book. Or I found some of the artwork online and printed it on cardstock) The easels are 5 inches tall.
• and Peg-people

Video link re-telling the story of Easter week Day 3 part A and B see below

PART 2: Memorializing Mary’s Devotion and Jesus’ Anointing

That evening, an extraordinary act of devotion was remembered from the previous Friday. Mary, the sister of Lazarus who had been raised from the dead (also known as Simon the Leper), anointed Jesus with spikenard—an expensive fragrance worth an entire year’s wages. This act enraged Judas Iscariot, but Mary understood what few others did not: Messiah meant “The Anointed One”—a figure set apart for a divine role.

In the Old Testament, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil as a sign of their authority and consecration to be God’s representative in Israel. Mary’s act carried deep symbolism:

Anointing His feet signifying the crowning of a King. John 12:1-8

Anointing His head preparing Him for death. Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9

In honoring Jesus, Mary demonstrated faith beyond words. She understood what was coming, even when others did not.

“Again, Jesus announces that He shall die and in doing so lets us know that Mary at least fore knew and realized what her beloved Lord would soon face.” – McConkie

Mary’s faith and understanding set her apart, and Jesus honored her devotion by speaking about her and reminding His friends and apostles about her service and sacrifice. Matthew 26:13

Holy Week & The Power of Reflection

These events invite us into the heart of Holy Week—not just as observers, but as participants. Jesus cleansed the temple, reminding us to clear away distractions and make space for worship. He taught in love and truth, guiding us toward wisdom and faith. And through Mary’s anointing, we see what true devotion looks like—sacrificial, heartfelt, and rich in understanding.

Video link re-telling the story of Easter week Day 3 part A and B HERE

To Create this Monday Evening scene of Jesus memorializing Mary and her Anointing that took place on Friday:

Most links to the patterns are in the Introductory post (Link Here). Any extra links needed see below.  

• The Kitchen backdrop.

• The Table: It has 4-Large barrel spools (¼” hole, 3/16 inch by 7/8 inch) I found these at Hobby Lobby.  The top of the table is cut 8.5 inches by 4 inches, using a ¼ inch thick wood. The 4 spools are glued to the bottom and all is painted brown.  

• Peg-people: Have Jesus in brown, the apostles, and Mary and maybe some women (I do not have a Lazareth, but if you wanted to make an extra Martha and Lazareth, I’m sure they were witnesses to this event).

• Mary’s spikenard. (Look at pictures)
• Instructions: I used jewelry findings from Hobby Lobby, there are several shapes available. I chose a clear ball shaped plastic one. The ball is clear and I put some gold paint in it and swirled it around to coat the inside.  Then I placed a mini magnet inside and attached the top with clear gorilla glue. (Check polarization to make sure the ball attaches to Mary’s hand. Maybe glue Mary’s hand-magnet after you make the ‘spikenard’). I let the ball lay on its side so the magnet would dry with the paint, attaching it to the inside-side of the now gold ball. When I need to attach the spikenard to Mary, I let the ball roll to the heavy side/magnet side. I take the heavy side down and place it against Mary’s hand. And it magnetically attaches to Mary’s hand. Also at amazon.