In Jesus’ Time Based on Alive-O 3: Term 1, Lesson 7 Refer to Teacher’s Book pp What am I trying to do? To introduce children to the historical Jesus who grew up, lived and eventually ministered within a Jewish culture. Why? So that the children may begin to learn about the historical and cultural context within which Jesus lived and so lay the foundation for an ongoing understanding of the Incarnation.

Jesus grew up in a town called Nazareth. In his day there was no electricity, no TV, no computers and no cars! People walked everywhere. Sometimes people had donkeys or if you were very well-off you might have a horse.

Life in Nazareth

The houses were different too. They had flat roofs with no chimney. Usually, the houses had one door and one room, which was often divided in half, with the people living on one side and their animals on the other!

People often kept their tools on the roof. A fisherman might keep his old nets. A carpenter might keep his saw, his hammer or adze.

The women used the roof to spread out their washing to dry. Sometimes men slept there at night. The stairs was on the outside of the house and it led up to the roof. The women cooked the family meals in an oven that was often outside the house.