Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual

Contents
Title Page
Introduction to the Teacher Manual
Lessons 1–2
Welcome to the Old Testament
- Lessons 1–2
  Welcome to the Old Testament
- Lessons 3–6
  Moses 1; Abraham 3
- Lessons 7–9
  Genesis 1–2; Moses 2–3; Abraham 4–5
- Lessons 10–12
  Genesis 3–4; Moses 4–5
- Lessons 13–15
  Genesis 5; Moses 6
- Lessons 16–18
  Moses 7
- Lessons 19–21
  Genesis 6–11; Moses 8
- Lessons 22–24
  Genesis 12–17; Abraham 1–2
- Lessons 25–28
  Genesis 18–23
- Lessons 29–32
  Genesis 24–33
- Lessons 33–34
  Genesis 37–41
- Lessons 35–37
  Genesis 42–50
- Lessons 38–40
  Exodus 1–6
- Easter
- Lessons 41–44
  Exodus 7–13
- Lessons 45–47
  Exodus 14–18
- Lessons 48–51
  Exodus 19–20; 24; 31–34
- Lessons 52–55
  Exodus 35–40; Leviticus 1; 4; 16; 19
- Lessons 56–57
  Numbers 11–14; 20–24; 27
- Lessons 58–60
  Deuteronomy 6–8; 15; 18; 29–30; 34
- Lessons 61–64
  Joshua 1–8; 23–24
- Lessons 65–67
  Judges 2–4; 6–8; 13–16
- Lessons 68–70
  Ruth; 1 Samuel 1–7
- Lessons 71–73
  1 Samuel 8–10; 13; 15–16
- Lessons 74–76
  1 Samuel 17–18; 24–26; 2 Samuel 5–7
- Lessons 77–80
  2 Samuel 11–12; 1 Kings 3; 6–9; 11
- Lessons 81–82
  1 Kings 12–13; 17–22
- Lessons 83–85
  2 Kings 2–7
- Lessons 86–89
  2 Kings 16–25
- Lessons 90–91
  2 Chronicles 14–20; 26; 30
- Lessons 92–93
  Ezra 1, 3–7; Nehemiah 2; 4–6; 8
- Lessons 94–96
  Esther
- Lessons 97–99
  Job 1–3; 12–14; 19; 21–24; 38–40; 42
- Lessons 100–103
  Psalms 1–2; 8; 19–33; 40; 46
- Lessons 104–106
  Psalms 49–51; 61–66; 69–72; 77–78; 85–86
- Lessons 107–108
  Psalms 102–103; 110; 116–119; 127–128; 135–139; 146–150
- Lessons 109–112
  Proverbs 1–4; 15–16; 22; 31; Ecclesiastes 1–3; 11–12
- Lessons 113–116
  Isaiah 1–12
- Lessons 117–118
  Isaiah 13–14; 22; 24–30; 35
- Lessons 119–122
  Isaiah 40–49
- Lessons 123–125
  Isaiah 50–57
- Lessons 126–129
  Isaiah 58–66
- Lessons 130–133
  Jeremiah 1–3; 7; 16–18; 20
- Lessons 134–137
  Jeremiah 31–33; 36–38; Lamentations 1; 3
- Lessons 138–141
  Ezekiel 1–3; 33–34; 36–37; 47
- Lessons 142–145
  Daniel 1–7
- Lessons 146–148
  Hosea; Joel
- Lessons 149–151
  Amos; Obadiah; Jonah
- Lessons 152–154
  Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah
- Lessons 155–157
  Haggai 1–2; Zechariah 1–4; 7–14
- Lessons 158–160
  Malachi
Lessons 166–170
Life Preparation Lessons
- Doctrinal Mastery: Finding Answers to My Questions
- Lessons 166–170
  Scripture Study Skills
- Lessons 171–176
  For the Strength of Youth Guide
- Lessons 177–180
  Building Self–Reliance
- Lessons 181–187
  Physical and Emotional Health
- Lessons 188–191
  Preparing for Future Education and Employment
- Lessons 192–195
  Succeed in School
- Lessons 196–200
  Missionary Preparation
- Lessons 201–204
  Temple Preparation
- Lessons 205–208
  Teachings of Church Leaders
Appendix

Isaiah 53: Jesus Christ has “borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows”

“Isaiah 53: Jesus Christ has ‘borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows,’” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual (2026)

“Isaiah 53: Jesus Christ has ‘borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows,’” Old Testament Seminary Teacher Manual

Isaiah 50–57: Lesson 124

Isaiah 53

Jesus Christ has “borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows”

Jesus Christ Carries His Cross through the streets on His way to be crucified on Calvary Hill. An angel shows this experience to Nephi after he inquires about Lehi's vision.

Our mortal difficulties may cause us to wonder if anyone understands what we’re experiencing and if anyone can help us. Through His atoning sacrifice, Jesus Christ felt everything we may experience in mortality. Because of His Atonement, Jesus Christ can help us in our suffering. This lesson can help students feel gratitude for what the Savior has done for them through His Atonement.

Student preparation: Invite students to work on memorizing the doctrinal mastery reference Isaiah 53:3–5 and the key scripture phrase “Surely [Jesus Christ] hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.”

Possible Learning Activities

Life experiences

To help students consider what Jesus Christ experienced for them as part of His Atonement, consider writing, “No one knows what it is like. No one understands,” on the board.

What are some experiences people may have that could cause them to think this way?

Consider writing students’ answers on the board. Allow time for several students to share.

Then, display the following prompt and questions.

Ponder your answers to the following questions:

What experiences have I had or might I have that could cause me to think this way?
What do I do when I feel this way? Why?

Encourage students to invite the Holy Ghost into their study as they learn about what the Savior has experienced and how He can help them.

The Savior’s Atonement

Through His Atonement, Jesus Christ perfectly knows and understands our life experiences. In Isaiah 53, the prophet Isaiah taught about Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice.

Isaiah 53:3–5 is a doctrinal mastery passage. Consider inviting students to mark doctrinal mastery passages in a distinctive way so they can locate them easily.

Students can receive comfort and deepen their relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through personal study of Isaiah 53. The following activity is one way you could have students study Isaiah 53.

Read Isaiah 53:1–12 and Alma 7:11–13, looking for:

What the Savior experienced as part of His Atonement, and
What the Savior can do for me because of His Atonement.

You might want to create two columns on a blank page in your study journal to record what you find.

What the Savior experienced	What the Savior can do for me

2026 Old Testament Seminary Teacher Materials

After giving students sufficient time to study, organize them into small groups. Invite them to discuss and summarize what they learned from their study. A few groups could share their summaries with the class. Students could identify truths such as:

As part of His Atonement, Jesus Christ took upon Himself our sorrows, pains, sicknesses, afflictions, and griefs, and suffered for our sins.
Through Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we can be forgiven and healed.

The Savior’s Atonement is for me

Reread Isaiah 53:3–6 silently to yourself, but this time, substitute your name, I, or my for the words our, we, and us.

What did you learn or what did you notice that you didn’t before by personalizing these verses?

If students could benefit from additional study about how the Savior personally experienced our suffering as part of His Atonement, you could also have students study the following statement from Elder Bednar. Consider displaying the statement from Elder Bednar and inviting students to look for words or phrases in the statement that help them understand the Savior and His Atonement.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about how deeply personal the Savior’s sacrifice was:

16:23

There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first. In a moment of weakness we may cry out, “No one knows what it is like. No one understands.” But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He has felt and borne our individual burdens. And because of His infinite and eternal sacrifice (see Alma 34:14), He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy. He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do relying only upon our own power. (“Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 90)

What would you say to someone who feels no one understands what they are going through? Try using words or phrases from Isaiah 53, Alma 7:11–13, and the statement from Elder Bednar.

Reflecting on the Savior’s Atonement

The following questions can help students reflect on their gratitude for the Savior’s Atonement. Help students respond to the questions by giving them a few minutes to ponder or write their answers.

Giving students time to ponder can help them reflect on their relationship with Jesus Christ. Consider playing quiet, sacred music as students ponder or write their thoughts.

Using what you learned today about the Savior and His Atonement, how would you respond to the following questions:

Why is Jesus Christ the best person to turn to when you experience sorrow, grief, or pain?
How have you or someone you know felt the Savior’s comfort while experiencing sorrow, grief, or pain?

Memorize

You may want to help students memorize the doctrinal mastery reference and key scripture phrase during this lesson and review them in future lessons. The key scripture phrase for Isaiah 53:3–5 is “Surely [Jesus Christ] hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.” Ideas for memorization activities are in the appendix materials under “Doctrinal Mastery Review Activities.”

Additional Resources

How can Jesus Christ help me?

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified:

11:9

The Savior offers us relief and comfort as we face our afflictions, temptations, and weaknesses of mortal life. …

I can assure you that Christ is ever aware of the adversities we experience in mortality. He understands all of the bitterness, agony, and physical pain as well as the emotional and spiritual challenges we face. The Savior’s bowels are filled with mercy, and He is always ready to succor us. This is possible because He personally experienced and took upon Himself in the flesh the pain of our weakness and infirmities.

With meekness and humility of heart, He descended below all things and accepted being despised, rejected, and humiliated by men, having been wounded for our transgressions and iniquities. He suffered these things for all, taking upon Himself the sins of the world. … (“Jesus Christ: The Caregiver of Our Soul,” Liahona, May 2021, 83–84)

What can I do when I wonder why life is so hard?

Sister Michelle D. Craig, former member of the Young Women General Presidency, explained:

11:15

When your faith, your family, or your future are challenged—when you wonder why life is so hard when you are doing your best to live the gospel—remember that the Lord told us to expect troubles. Troubles are part of the plan and do not mean you’ve been abandoned; they are part of what it means to be His. He was, after all, “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). (“Wholehearted,” Liahona, Nov. 2022, 60)

Isaiah 53:2. What can I learn about the Savior from the phrases “tender plant” and “no form or comeliness”?

President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) taught:

Did not Christ grow up as a tender plant? There was nothing about him to cause people to single him out. In appearance he was like men; and so it is expressed here by the prophet that he had no form or comeliness, that is, he was not so distinctive, so different from others that people would recognize him as the Son of God. He appeared as a mortal man. (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie [1954], 1:23)

Supplemental Learning Activities

Isaiah 53:10: “His seed”

Isaiah prophesied that Jesus Christ would “make his soul an offering for sin” and “shall see his seed” (Isaiah 53:10). To help students understand what it means to be His seed, explain that “seed” means “children.” You could divide up the following references among students and invite them to look for who the Savior’s seed is and what blessings await them:

Additional help to understanding Isaiah 53:3–5

To help students as they study Isaiah 53:3–5, you could invite them to look up the article “The Suffering Savior” in the April 2022 For the Strength of Youth magazine.

Testimonies that the Savior personally knows our difficulties

To help students understand that the Savior personally knows the difficulties we experience in mortality, you could share one of the following videos. These videos could be used in conjunction with, or as a replacement for, Elder Soares’ statement in the lesson. You might invite students to share one of these videos with someone they know who is going through a difficult time.

In the video “The Savior Understands Me” from time code 1:45 to 3:37, President Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve shares his testimony that the Savior understands us.

3:37

In the video “The Wounded Shall Be Healed” (5:46), Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve shares how the Savior heals our wounds.

5:45