home | teaching and learning center | the lesson

Teaching & Learning Center

The Lesson

I have always been amazed both as a student and as an instructor by some of the questions asked by students of their instructors. I felt that the vignette that follows, is an interesting take on some of those questions by using the framework of the life and work of Jesus Christ and the Sermon on the Mount.

Then Jesus took his disciples up the mountain and gathering them around him, he taught them saying,
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the meek.
Blessed are they that mourn.
Blessed are the merciful.
Blessed are they who thirst for justice.
Blessed are you when persecuted.
Blessed are you when you suffer.
Be glad and rejoice for your reward is great in heaven.

Then Simon Peter said, "Do we have to write this down?"
and Andrew said, "Are we supposed to know this?"
and James said, "Will we have a test on it?"
and Philip said, "What if we don't know it?"
and Bartholomew said, "Do we have to turn this in?"
and John said, "The other disciples didn't have to learn this!"
and Matthew said, "When do we get out of here?"
and Judas said, "What does this have to do with real life?"

Then one of the Pharisees present asked to see Jesus' lesson plans and inquired of Jesus his terminal objectives in the cognitive domain...

And Jesus wept.