Biblical Characters At A Disadvantage Quiz

Answer: Mephibosheth - I was lame in both feet

I was Mephibosheth and I was lame in both of my feet because when my nursemaid heard the news of my father's and grandfather's deaths in battle, she got so upset that she dropped me!

It was the habit of new incoming kings to hunt out the descendants of previous kings and kill them off, in order to avoid problems with those who would desire to be king in their place. Imagine my initial horror when king David searched me out and sent people to take me to see him.

What a surprise lay in store for me!

Not only did he NOT have me killed, he made a place for me to eat at his table for the rest of my life! He was a merciful man who modeled his actions on those of his God.

(Read all about my story in 2 Samuel 9.)

Answer: Paul - I had a problem of which no one is really certain

I was born Saul, but later God changed my name to Paul, meaning "diminutive one". I was one of the last of the apostles; yet I managed to write much of the works that would later be incorporated into the New Testament of the Bible.

2nd Corinthians 12: 7-9 in the King James Version of the Bible says this:

"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

Paul's affliction is not clear, although some have speculated at its origins. Some think that since he was blinded for a time, as he traveled to Damascus, Syria to persecute Christians prior to his conversion, the problem may have had to do with his eyesight.
Others have opined that it might be some sort of bodily pain or sickness, while still others have thought that it might have to do with the opinions of the earlier apostles as they struggled to accept him as an authentic worker for Christ. Whatever the case, Paul definitely had some sort of problem, but he kept it to himself, choosing to glorify God instead.

Answer: Bartimaeus - I was blind

As a blind man, I was sitting, begging as usual, as a large crowd passed by me on its way our of the city of Jericho. I cried out for alms (gifts of money) until I heard that Jesus was in the crowd. I then began to cry out for Jesus to help my infirmity. While it may seem cruel to do such a thing to a blind man, Jesus commanded me, Bartimaeus, to approach and then Jesus asked what I would like for Him to do for me. I simply asked for my eyesight. Jesus then told me that my faith (through the action of making my way to Jesus, even though I was blind) had made me whole, and I left the encounter with my eyesight!

See the following account in Mark 10:46-52.

"And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way."

(My dad's name was "Timaeus" and since "bar" in Hebrew means "son of", then I, as Bartimeaus, had a name that would translate simply as "the son of Timaeus".)

Answer: Zacchaeus - I was a short person

I was Zacchaeus, and I literally got lost in the crowd. I couldn't even see the man whom I desired to see, so I climbed up a tree, so I could tower over the other folks and catch a glimpse of the man named Jesus.

In Luke 19 we see the details:

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."

(Luke 19:1-10 ~ King James Version)

Answer: Hannah

In the first chapter of Samuel you can find me, Hannah, a woman who trusted in God and prayed with all my heart for a child. He answered my prayer and our son, Samuel was born. When he was still a little tyke, barely weaned, we took him to the high priest and turned him over to God's service.

In chapter 1:18-20, the King James Version states that:
"Samuel ministered before the LORD, being a child, girded with a linen ephod. Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The LORD give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the LORD. And they went unto their own home."

In chapter 1, verse 21 we read where additional children were born:
"And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD."

Answer: Jacob

I was Jacob, the younger twin son of Isaac and Rebekkah, and I became known as Israel after I wrestled with the Lord, according to Genesis 32:24-30.

"And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray thee, thy name. And he said, Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? And he blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved."

Answer: Nicodemus

I believed that Jesus was sent from God, but I greatly feared the leadership of my fellow-countrymen who opposed His teachings, so I approached Jesus under cover of darkness to make my inquiries of Him. Later, after His death by crucifixion, Jospeh of Arimathea and I took His body to prepare it for burial.

Joseph obtained Pilate's permission to take the body of Christ for burial; and I came along, bringing a costly mixture of myrrh and aloes, of about a hundred pounds' weight, for His embalming. The most honored in all Jerusalem could not have been shown more respect in death. Imagine the astonishment that His disciples must have felt while we, as wealthy rulers of Israel, expressed as much interest as they themselves in the burial of their Lord!

Neither Joseph nor I had openly accepted the Saviour while He was living. We both knew that such a step would exclude us from the Sanhedrin, and we had hoped to protect Him by our influence in its councils. For a time we thought that we were succeeding but some of the priests caught onto our tactics and had thwarted our plans. Now that He was dead, though, we no longer hid away our attachment to Him. Now the shoe was on the other foot; while the disciples feared to show themselves openly as His followers at this point, now Joseph and I came boldly to their aid. The help of rich and honored men was greatly needed at this time, and we were both wealthy and respected. We could do for their dead Master what it was impossible for the poor disciples to do; and our wealth and influence protected us from the malice of the priests and other rulers.

(John 18:38-40)
"And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury."

Answer: Abram/Abraham

I was called Abram, but later God changed my name to Abraham, meaning "Father Of Many Nations." I was father to Ishmael, and later to Isaac. Later still, I had more children from my second wife, Keturah after my first wife, Sarai/Sarah died. Ishmael was my first-born, but his mother was the handmaid of my wife Sarah.

Nearly everyone in the Middle East can trace their lineage back to me, thus fulfilling God's promise to me that my offspring would be so numerous that no one could count them all.

Answer: John Mark

In Acts 15:36-41 you can read about just how little Paul respected me, after I bailed out on him during our first missionary journey together.

"And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do. And Barnabas determined to take with them John, whose surname was Mark. But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder one from the other: and so Barnabas took Mark, and sailed unto Cyprus; And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches."


Their is some good news to report, however. As I matured as a Christian, I was able to write one of the gospel accounts of Jesus; the book of Mark. Later still, Paul recognized my maturity and had this to say about me in his second letter to a young pastor named Timothy. In 2nd Timothy 4:11 he instructed Timothy bring me along with him.

"Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry."

Now, that certainly felt better! I'm glad that I eventually became the man that I was supposed to be, and left the "little boy" in me behind.

Answer: Naaman - Syrian

I, Naaman, was a leader in the king's army. I was reported to be brave and loyal to my king, but I suffered from leprosy, a usually incurable skin disease.

I was healed because I eventually obeyed the simple instructions that the man of God told me to do; bathing seven times in the Jordan River.

Read the entire chapter of 2 Kings 5 to gather much more information about this encounter and the later encounter between Naaman and the prophet Elishah's servant and what happened there!