Healing Malchus’s Ear Preschool Lesson
Preschool lesson (ages 3–6, 20 minutes)
1. Welcome (3 min)
Sit in a circle, greet every child by name and show one thing from the story to touch.
2. The little story (5 min)
Teach the refrain first: “He touched his ear and healed him.”
It was night. Jesus went with his friends across a little stream. On the other side was a garden. It was on the Mount of Olives – a hill with olive trees. Jesus often went there with his friends.
Jesus knelt down and prayed to his Father. “Not my will, but yours, be done,” he prayed. An angel from heaven came and made him strong.
His friends were very sad. They fell asleep. Jesus came and woke them up. “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray,” he said.
Then a crowd came into the garden. They had lanterns and torches. Flicker, flicker! Can you make your fingers flicker like little flames? They had swords and clubs too. Judas was leading them. Judas had been one of Jesus’ twelve friends. Judas knew the garden, because Jesus often met there with his friends. They had come to take Jesus away. Judas came near to kiss Jesus. Jesus said, “Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” To betray means to turn against a friend.
Jesus went out to them. “Who are you looking for?” he asked. “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said. Jesus said, “I am he.”
And what happened? They all went backward and fell to the ground! Can you take a big step backward?
Jesus asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they said again. Jesus said, “I told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these go their way.” Jesus wanted his friends to go free.
Jesus’ friends saw what was happening. “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” they asked.
Peter did not wait for an answer. He had a sword. He swung it at the high priest’s servant. And he cut off his right ear! The servant’s name was Malchus.
Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into its sheath.” A sheath is a cover for a sword. Jesus did not want his friends to fight.
Then Jesus said, “Let me at least do this.” And Jesus did something wonderful. He reached out to Malchus. He touched his ear and healed him. The ear was well again!
Then Jesus said to the leaders, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you in the temple daily, you didn’t stretch out your hands against me.” Jesus had done nothing wrong.
Malchus had come to take Jesus away. But Jesus was kind to him. Can you touch your own ear very gently? Let’s say it together: He touched his ear and healed him.
Then the crowd took Jesus away. Jesus let them take him. Peter followed far behind, in the dark. Even on that dark night, Jesus had helped Malchus. He touched his ear and healed him.
Jesus was kind and good, even to the people against him. And Jesus is kind to you, too. He touched his ear and healed him.
3. Talk together (3 min)
- How do you think Malchus felt when Jesus touched his ear?
- Why do you think Jesus was kind to a man who came to take him away?
4. Move (3 min)
Refrain Freeze: move around the room; when you say the refrain, everyone freezes and says it together.
5. Make (4 min)
Draw a line to who said it.
6. Verse and prayer (2 min)
“He touched his ear and healed him” — Luke 22:51 (he touched his ear → touch your ear softly; and healed him → open your hands and smile)
Dear Jesus, thank you that you are kind, even to people who are against you. Amen.
Lesson for older kids (ages 6–10)
Big idea: Kindness Is Stronger Than Anger
Memory verse: “He touched his ear and healed him.” — Luke 22:51 · WEB
The Bible story
On the darkest night, when angry men came to take Jesus away, one friend swung a sword and hurt a man's ear, and Jesus did something wonderfully kind.
Talk about it
- Where did Jesus go to pray on that night? — A garden of olive trees
- What did Jesus do in the garden? — He prayed to His Father
- What did the crowd carry as they came near? — Torches and lanterns
- Who led the crowd to Jesus? — Judas
- Which friend pulled out a sword? — Peter
- Which ear of Malchus was cut off? — His right ear
Where is Jesus in this story?
Jesus told Peter to put his sword away. He could have asked His Father for more than twelve legions of angels (Matthew 26:53), but He chose to heal an enemy instead. That is the heart of the cross. The Bible says God made peace with us “while we were God's enemies” through the death of His Son (Romans 5:10).
What God wants to tell us
Even when others came to hurt Him, Jesus chose to heal instead of fight back. God shows us that we do not need to answer meanness with meanness. We can be gentle and kind, even to people who are unkind to us. When we choose love, like Jesus did, we help make the world a warmer, safer place. God's healing love is always bigger than any hurt.
Prayer
Loving God, thank You that Jesus is so kind, even to people who were unkind to Him. Help me to be gentle like Jesus and to choose love instead of anger. Thank You that Your healing love is always near me. Amen.
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