New
New
Year 4

Jesus and the lepers

I can explain how Jesus treated outcasts.

New
New
Year 4

Jesus and the lepers

I can explain how Jesus treated outcasts.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Leprosy is an infectious disease. In Jesus' time, lepers had to live outside of society and were seen as unclean.
  2. In Luke’s gospel, Jesus touched lepers and healed them.
  3. People at the time would have been shocked that Jesus spoke with or touched people with leprosy.
  4. Many Christians draw attention to the fact that Jesus was always drawn to those on the very edge of society.

Keywords

  • Leper - someone with leprosy

  • Society - people living in the same place who share laws and traditions

  • Gospel - a book in the Bible about the life and teachings of Jesus

  • Kingdom of God - a society where God rules

Common misconception

Jesus always followed Jewish laws.

Jesus challenged some of the laws in Jewish society.


To help you plan your year 4 religious education lesson on: Jesus and the lepers, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Some sensitivity will be needed in this lesson. Focus on the way lepers were outcasts through no fault of their own and how this might have felt, rather than focusing on leprosy as a disease.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
Who was Zacchaeus?
a fisherman
a soldier
Correct answer: a tax collector who met Jesus
Q2.
Jesus shows that matters.
Correct Answer: everyone
Q3.
Where are prisoners kept?
in care homes
in schools
Correct answer: in prisons
Q4.
Prison help support people in prison.
Correct Answer: chaplains, Chaplains
Q5.
What might help with forgiveness?
ignoring problems
Correct answer: time and understanding
staying angry

Assessment exit quiz

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5 Questions

Q1.
Match each word to its correct meaning.
Correct Answer:leper,someone with leprosy

someone with leprosy

Correct Answer:society,people living in the same place who share laws and traditions

people living in the same place who share laws and traditions

Correct Answer:gospel,a book in the Bible about the life and teachings of Jesus

a book in the Bible about the life and teachings of Jesus

Q2.
Jesus and healed lepers.
Correct Answer: touched, Touched
Q3.
How did people feel when Jesus touched lepers?
happy
Correct answer: shocked
didn't care
Q4.
Helping people was more important to Jesus than ...
Correct Answer: law, Law
Q5.
Why did Jesus challenge the laws?
to anger people in power
Correct answer: to help people
for fun

Additional material

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