The First Century: Christians, Romans, and Jews Quiz

Answer: John

John describes many things in this gospel which indicate the style of an eyewitness. The most graphic is his description of the Roman soldier piercing the side of Christ at the Crucifixion and the flow of blood and water from Christ's side. Besides, we are told he was the only male, of all the disciples, who was by the side of the faithful women during Jesus' suffering.

Answer: Peter and John

Peter and John ran to the tomb. John, being younger, arrived at the tomb first. When both men entered the tomb, they saw Jesus' grave cloths, lying exactly where the body had been lain. It was then that John realized that Jesus had risen from the dead.

Answer: False

John had gathered a large following which remained faithful to him after his death. Paul, many years later, encountered Apollos, an Alexandrian Jew, who was baptizing in the name of John. He had to be enlightened on the baptism by the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ.

Answer: The burial cloth of Jesus

The Shroud of Turin purports to be the burial cloth of Jesus. It contains the outline of a body which bears the marks and wounds of a crucified victim. The relic is controversial, many scholars thinking that it is a medieval forgery. In the last analysis, it remains in the realm of faith, and science has not satisfactorily determined how the markings were made on the cloth.

It remains, nevertheless, a tantalizing image of the risen Jesus returning to life.

Answer: Phillip

All of these men were in the Council of Seven appointed by the twelve disciples, but Phillip undertook a mission in Samaria and won many converts there. He is to be distinguished from Phillip, one of the original twelve disciples.

Answer: Eusebius

Eusebius, an eminent church historian writing in the fourth century relates that Pilate reported the trial, execution, and resurrection of Jesus. According to the account, Tiberius took an interest in the story and petitioned the Roman Senate to add a "new god" to the Roman pantheon.

It was the prerogative of the Senate to vote on the deification of mortals. The Senate, in this case, did not pass the measure.

Answer: Machaerus

John the Baptist was imprisoned in Machaerus, near the Dead Sea in the furthest reach of Herod's kingdom, Perea. Jerusalem was in Judea and outside his province. Both Tiberias and Sepphoris were in Galilee under Herod's authority, but Herod chose to isolate his prisoner in a less hospitable place.

Answer: To Rome on charges of abuse and corruption

Pilate fell in 36 AD when Tiberius had his fill of Pilate's corruption and maltreatment of the Jews. He had already ordered Lucius Vitellius, his new governor in Syria to monitor Pilate's activities. When a peaceful group of Jews and Samaritans were massacred at Mount Gerazim in Samaria, Vitellius ordered Pilate to return to Rome to face charges.

He is said to have been exiled to Helvetia (modern day Switzerland).

Answer: That he would tolerate no further disturbance

Claudius was extremely tolerant of various religions groups, but he did not tolerate civil strife, no matter what the source. He made a strong statement that the disturbances would cease otherwise he would exercise his power to bring them to a halt: "... I can tell you once and for all that unless you put a stop to his ruinous and obstinate behavior against each other, I shall be driven to show what a benevolent emperor can be when turned to righteous indignation ... "

Answer: He abolished the annual tax on households.

Herod Agrippa abolished the annual household tax, endearing himself to the common people. In increase in gladiatorial games would not have garnered favor with most Jews since they abhorred bloodshed in the arena. Agrippa, always balancing between Jewish and Roman favor, would never do anything to offend Rome or individual Romans. Claudius was his closest friend until Agrippa betrayed him.

Answer: Cyprus

Barnabas was a native of Cyprus, but he spent a great deal of time in Jerusalem and Antioch. He accompanied Paul on his first mission to Cyprus. He was also with Paul on the mission to Lystra in Galatia.

Answer: Her name is not mentioned in the gospels

I admit that this is a trick question. The young girl was Salome, but she is not mentioned by name in the gospels. She is only identified in the historical writings of Josephus.

Answer: Phaesalis

Herod Antipas sent Phaesalis, the daughter of King Aretas of Nabatea, back to her father. The insult enraged King Aretas, who was looking for an excuse in any case to go to war with Antipas, always wanting to wrest more territory from Rome.

Answer: They all bared their necks to his swords.

Pious Jews would rather die than to have their holy temple desecrated. Pilate was amazed when the group which confronted him all bared their necks to his soldiers' swords. They would have never agreed to allow the images to remain and they did not riot on this occasion.

There were later delegations sent to the Governor of Syria over Pilate's cruelty, but Tiberius surely was made aware of Pilate's poor administration of Judea and kept a careful watch over Pilate.

Answer: A financial scandal was perpetrated by four Jews.

Four Jews perpetrated a financial scandal whereby they collected funds from susceptible Roman women interested in Judaism. The money was wasted, however, in a less honorable manner. The perpetrators claimed that the money would be used for the holy temple in Jerusalem. Tiberius was building a huge treasury and was not prone to confiscate wealth as some other emperors did.

There does not seem to have Senatorial pressure to issue the edict; Tiberius was addressing a more personal complaint.

Answer: India

Nicholas Notovich, a Russian traveler, claimed that he found evidence that Jesus visited India during the "silent years" of Jesus' life, between the age of twelve and thirty. In his book "The Unknown Years of Jesus," he sets out his claim that he found ancient books containing the life of Issa (Jesus) and his travels in India and Tibet. Jesus is said to have visited both Hindu and Buddhist holy men.

Answer: Lucius Vitellius

Lucius Vitellius was Governor of Syria, authorized by Tiberius to keep a watch on Pontius Pilate. In 36 AD, Vitellius removed Pilate and Caiaphas from office. Publius Petronius and Vibius Marsus were governors of Syria, but at different times. In fact, all three men involved in one way or another with the condemnation of Jesus were removed from office within a short time of each other.

Answer: Antonia

Antonia was the mother of Claudius, and he and Herod Agrippa were friends from boyhood, therefore, Herod Agrippa was a very frequent guest in her home. Neither Lollia Paulina nor Quintilia had any known association with Herod Agrippa. Livia was the wife of Augustus, and although she undoubtedly knew Herod Agrippa since he was schooled in Augustus' palace as a boy, she does not seem to have associated much with him as an adult.

Answer: Nero simply singled them out as the group which burned Rome.

Although in name Christians became part of "religiones illicitae," there was no official decree banning Christianity. Nero merely used Christians as scapegoats to bear the responsibility for the fire in Rome. It was a delicate issue since there were precedents for punishing members of foreign cults and superstitions, the Druids, for example, were banished by Augustus because they practiced human sacrifice.

The Christians were viewed in the same light.

Answer: That they could kill him if he married again.

Claudius, most likely in jest, told the Guard that they could kill him if he married again. Claudius had already undergone three failed marriages, and his last and fourth marriage to Agrippina, would prove fatal to him. Narcissus was indeed appointed praetorian prefect, but only for one day when Messalina's activities were being investigated.

His skillful handling of the Messalina affair had a great deal to do with her downfall since Claudius seemed to be conflicted over the issue.

Answer: Seraphia

The compassionate woman's name, as revealed in other stories, was Seraphia. There are numerous legends associated with her. There is also another Saint Seraphia who was martyred in early part of the second century, but there is no apparent connection between the two women.

The Veronica legend even goes so far to say that Veronica took the veil with Christ's image to Rome to heal Tiberius of some disease. The name "Veronica" is actually a compound of two words "vera" which means "true" and "icon" which means image, hence the designation "true image."

Answer: Octavia

Nero's first wife was Octavia, the daughter of Claudius, all accomplished through the machinations of Agrippina the Younger. She hoped to clear Nero's path to the throne by marrying him to Claudius' daughter. Poppaea Sabina and Statilia Messalina were Nero's wives, respectively, the second and third.

Answer: Silas

Silas had been prominent in the Jerusalem church and when Paul and Barnabas had a disagreement over whether or not John Mark should accompany them, Silas asked to accompany Paul on future missionary journeys. Paul was still holding a resentment against John Mark because he left them earlier in Perga.

Answer: Gaius Cassius Longinus

Claudius appointed Gaius Cassius Longinus as governor of Syria, but Longinus' career as governor was short lived. Terrible rioting broke out in Jerusalem where Cumanus was prefect (procurator of Judea) and neither man could effectively manage things. Unfortunately, Claudius' experiment in granting virtual autonomy to Judea collapsed after the death of Herod Agrippa.

Answer: There were disturbances between Jews and Christians.

The proximate cause was disturbances between Jews and Christians, i.e., a possible Messianic ripple in Rome. Claudius never tolerated civil disturbance, regardless of religious conviction, and his advisors might have cautioned him against foreign cults and religions. Claudius did not actively persecute Christians, because at that time little distinctions were made between Jews and Christians. Claudius never made confiscatory moves towards any elements of society.

Herod Agrippa died a few years earlier, and the Senate passed no known measure against the Jews.