Hello Reporters,

Reuben murdoch
My name is Reuben Murdoch, the owner
of all of your newspapers. It is Friday
morning and some interesting news has
broken.
This guy Jesus has just been sentenced to

Reuben murdoch
death, and Barabbas, a convicted criminal,
pardoned. I want our papers to be the first
to know EVERYTHING. It all started last
Sunday.
Create the title of your newspaper and

Reuben murdoch
answer all 12 of the questions I have given
you by following a trail of eyewitnesses.
The first team to get all answers gets the
scoop published.!
I have lined up an exclusive interview

Reuben murdoch
with Barabbas at the end, though you will
need to get into his cell to talk to him. He
has been pardoned but not yet released.
I have also given you a map with some

Reuben murdoch
key locations, and if you get ANY
information, store it. You never know
when you might need to know some more.
Our first lead is the gate guard on duty

Reuben murdoch
when Jesus entered the city. We don’t
know which gate he went through, all we
know is that he came on duty at 00:10.
1. How many people greeted Jesus on Palm Sunday?
2. Whose idea was it to bribe Judas?

Reuben murdoch
3. How much does a plum cake cost at the market?
4. How many pigeons did Jesus set free when he got angry in the
temple market?
5. What was the name of the woman who lives below the Upper Room
where Jesus ate his final meal?
6. What was Pilate wearing when he charged Jesus?
7. Which Roman General took control of Jerusalem?
8. What is Caiaphas’ Scribe called?
9. How many guards were there when Jesus was arrested in the
Garden?
10.Who was the grocer at the market?
11. What time will Jesus be crucified?
12.Where is Barabbas locked up?
 SOUTH EAST GATEKEEPER
“Hello, I work at the south-eastern
gate to the city. Jesus came through
here on a donkey to crowds of well
over 500 people. They were shouting
‘Hosanna’ because they thought he
was the Messiah coming to save
them.”
 SOUTH EAST GATEKEEPER
“I heard on the grapevine that Jesus’
friend Judas was instrumental in his
capture. You’d do well to chat to one
of the High Priests, they’d know. The
last one who walked through this gate
said he lived by a well, that’s all I can
say!”
“I’m way too busy to chat to you, how

HIGH PRIEST
did you even find this house?! My
friend set me this challenge with this
money. If you can solve it, I’ll tell you
all you need to know.”
I line up 15 coins so that they are all showing
heads.​
I go down the line turning over every coin.​
Then I go down the line turning over every second
coin.​
Then I go down the line turning over every third
coin.​
Then I go down the line turning over every fourth
coin.​
Then I go down the line turning over every fifth
“Alright, alright. We bribed Judas with

HIGH PRIEST
30 silver coins to tell us where Jesus
was. It was all Caiaphas’ idea in the
first place – he knew Judas was easily
bribed. Jesus headed to the temple
market after entering Jerusalem, I’d
head there next if I were you.”
“I’m Regus the Grocer. Yeah, that

REGUS - GROCER
Jesus came by and got real annoyed –
kicking over tables in the temple
because he said it was his father’s
house and it shouldn’t be used for
selling. I get his point, it’s become a
bit much but we need to make a
living! Put this price list in the paper
for us, will you?”
Butchers
Lamb (for four) – 12 Denarii
Beef (for two) – 10 Denarii
Goat (leg) – 8 Denarii
Chicken (whole) – 5 Denarii
Eggs – 3 Denarii
Goat’s Milk – 1 Denarii
Baker
Matzos Bread – 2 Denarii
Plum Cake – 4 Denarii
Grocer
Plums (talent) – 2 Denarii
Bitter Herbs – 1 Denarii
Apricots (talent) – 2 Denarii
Lettuce (one) – 1 Denarii
Luxuries
Bottle of wine – 5 Denarii
 REGUS - GROCER
“Anyway, Jesus set 60 pigeons free,
imagine the money lost! Later in the
week I know he definitely had a
Passover meal at my friend’s house -
show me your map? Hmm.. Yes! They
live at 2,3 - the tall building with the
canopy outside.”
 Felicity - homeowner
“I’d love to chat because the whole
week has been so interesting – but
we’re in a bit of a bother! We asked
our servant girl to go and buy the
food for 8 people for the Passover but
we think she’s swindled us and asked
for more money than it cost.”
“She says it cost 40 Denarii, but that

Felicity - homeowner
seems awfully expensive and I have no
time to even THINK about getting to
the market to see how much this stuff
cost. We needed lamb enough for all of
us. Two bottles of wine, some bitter
herbs, eggs, and matzos bread. Is 40
Denarii the right amount?”
Do not continue unless you have the correct answer.
 Felicity - homeowner
“That sounds like she was being
honest after all, goodness me – you’d
think Roman General Pompey taking
control would HELP with the prices!
Anyway, let me tell you what you
want to know. So Jesus and his
friends used our upper room for their
meal.”
“Apparently they broke bread and

Felicity - homeowner
drank wine, he said something about
him being broken and that they
should remember him – it’s like he
knew he’d be on trial today. They left
at dusk and headed to a garden in the
north east of the city, I bet it’s on your
map.”
“ ’Ello! Y’alright over there? I’ve had the
worst day tryin’ to get this flower bed
right. Oh… You want the scoop on

gardener
Jesus. Well he was here praying with his
friends, I’ll be honest he looked real
distraught, when about 20 guards came
along and trampled all over my hard
work. Can you help me replant this?”
The original gardener planted 18 red flowers in this bed. He made sure to
have an even number of flowers in each row and column. This must be
upheld. Apologies again for the damage caused.
“Thank you so much! You’re very good,
though I s’pose you ‘ave to be to be
journalists. I’ve told you all I know but if

gardener
you want to know where to look next, the
people you want to chat to are the
Sanhedrin, they’re at the trial that’s just
finished – I hope journalists are clever
enough to know where that is but if not,
the colour of the flowers will help you.”
 Scribe of the sanhedrin

“I’m just a scribe busy translating

these edicts. You want to talk to the
guy who bribed Judas, he’s the best
person to tell you more.”

DIRECTORY
Caiaphas: Proverbs 8:28:
the ______ of the deep
Ananias: Proverbs 18:10:
a fortified _________
“Journalists. That’s all I need. I’ve had a
very busy morning and my scribe, Chatan,
is a sheer fool – I have no time for

caiaphas
journalists! Rather than writing down the
things we brought as evidence against Jesus
my scribe has painted the crowds and added
the evidence in. Granted, it’s creative, but
it’s very unhelpful. Can you find all eight
pieces of evidence?”
 An angel like the one that announced Jesus’
birth​.

One person drinking water. Jesus said he was

the ‘water of life’ which would mean
people never got thirsty again.​

A woman with a bottle of wine in her hand,

reminding us of the time Jesus turned
water into wine.​

Someone with hair blowing in the wind,

reminding us that Jesus calmed a storm.​

Two people with binoculars because Jesus

healed those who could not see.​

A person wrapped up in cloth, reminding us

that Jesus brought people who had died back to
life again​.

The donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on

as a humble king.​

‘I am’ on a top which is what Jesus said when

asked if he was the Son of God​.
“Very good, surprisingly good.
You’ll probably want to chat to
Pilate’s team – he’ll be resting after

caiaphas
the trial - he did look hot and
bothered in that woollen toga. Their
offices are in the western tower of
the Praetorium.”
“Yes, of course, happy to help. It’s
been an interesting day eh? Barabbas

Pilate’s scribe
freed – there was so much evidence
against him too! I assume you’re
chatting to him next. While you’re
here, can you help me translate these
names?”
“Amazing. Thanks so much – for

Pilate’s scribe
being so helpful, I’ll tell you where
Barabbas is being held, though he’s
shellshocked mind. He’s being held in
the south-east tower ready to be
released. I bet he will tell you an
incredible story.”
“Hello, I assume you want to see
Barabbas right? The past hour has
been quite something. Jesus has been
sentenced to crucifixion at 9am, he’ll

guard
be about to carry the cross up to
Golgotha now. I hear you helped with
some of the legal papers so Barabbas
will probably be set free soon.”
“For now, he’s in this cell. I’d let
you in to chat to him quickly but I
don’t know the number code for

guard
the padlock. It’s 8 digit and the
only clues I have are these
words:”
 Pompey
9am
Felicity
4 Denarii
Regus
Chatan
“I’m a criminal, I deserved to die,
but, to be honest I’m quite relieved

barabbas
to be free. It’s a weird feeling, I’ll be
honest, knowing that Jesus will die
instead of me. I hope you write the
best story possible to tell people
about this.”
Well done reporters. Before I can let you
finish for the day, I need to know that you

Reuben murdoch
have got all the information needed to
publish your article. We should check that
you have answered every question.
1. How many people greeted Jesus on Palm Sunday?
2. Whose idea was it to bribe Judas?

Reuben murdoch
3. How much does a plum cake cost at the market?
4. How many pigeons did Jesus set free when he got angry in the
temple market?
5. What was the name of the woman who lives below the Upper Room
where Jesus ate his final meal?
6. What was Pilate wearing when he charged Jesus?
7. Which Roman General took control of Jerusalem?
8. What is Caiaphas’ Scribe called?
9. How many guards were there when Jesus was arrested in the
Garden?
10.Who was the grocer at the market?
11. What time will Jesus be crucified?
12.Where is Barabbas locked up?
 Reuben murdoch
As well as the questions, make sure you
create a snappy headline to share with the
group. It should be short and sharp, maybe
less than 10 words in total.
This story is still unfolding, next Friday

Reuben murdoch
we will publish another article on what
happens next, I hope you will join us to
interview more eyewitnesses.
Find more resources on
www.churchyouthministry.com

Created by:
Jack Percey
Monica Jones
Dave Thornton
Tim Robbins