Match These New Testament Characters -- #17 Quiz

Answer: Laughter at funeral

Jairus was the father of an unnamed twelve-year-old girl who was raised from the dead by Jesus, according to Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56.

As morbid as it sounds, there was laughter after the little girl's death. In the accounts in Mark and Luke, it tells of people weeping for the dead girl outside her home. However, when Jesus appeared and stated the girl was not dead but was simply sleeping, the 'mourners' laughed at him. (In the NKJV, it states they "ridiculed" Him.) In other words, they saw Jesus as someone who was demented with no concept of reality. A few moments later, however, their laughter turned to total amazement when Christ raised the girl from the dead.

According to Mark 5:41 in the NKJV, Jesus said, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." And she did just that! The account of Jairus' daughter being raised from the dead is one of the most popular in the New Testament.

Answer: Restored Paul's sight

According to Acts 9:11, it was at the house of Judas on Straight Street in Damascus where Saul, who would later become known as Paul, would take refuge after his dramatic encounter with Jesus Christ. As a result of his encounter with Christ, Scripture states Paul was blinded.

Acts 9:17-18, in the NKJV, tells of Ananias playing a role in Paul regaining his sight: "And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized."

According to the ninth chapter of Acts, Ananias was sent by the Lord to go to Paul to prepare him for his divine assignment as the apostle to the Gentiles.

Answer: Tanner

Not much is known about Simon as he is only mentioned in passing reference. His name is mentioned three times and in each reference he is referred to as a tanner. It was at Simon the Tanner's home that Peter was staying when Cornelius invited the disciple to visit him and his group of Gentile believers, as per Acts 10.

Incidentally, Simon is the only person listed in the entire Bible as someone working as a tanner.

Answer: Bleeding problem

No name is given for the woman who touched the hem of Jesus' gown and was cured of bleeding after suffering from the condition for twelve years, according to the fifth chapter of Mark. No further details are given in Scripture as to the type of bleeding she was suffering from. Mark 5:28 states the woman was convinced if she simply touched Jesus' clothes she would be healed.

The Bible isn't precise, but it's abundantly apparent the woman had seen a number of doctors. Mark 5:26 states she had spent all her money on "many" doctors, but the condition continued to worsen, instead of improve.

According to Mark 5:29, the woman was immediately healed after she touched the hem of Jesus' gown.

Answer: Ordered John beheaded

Although Herod gave the execution order, Scripture indicates he was outmaneuvered by his wife Herodias who left him with no choice but to have John the Baptist put to death.

Matthew 14:6-12 reports Herod hosted a lavish birthday party for himself and when the daughter of his wife Herodias danced at the reception, Herod was so pleased he told the unnamed girl he would give her whatever she asked for. Verse nine, in the NIV Bible, states: "Prompted by her mother, she said, 'Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist'."

Verse eleven goes on to tell of this macabre scene: "His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother."

Herodias was not only conniving, but extremely vindictive. When she left her first husband (Herod Phillip I) and married his half brother Herod Antipas, John the Baptist was disgusted and denounced the union, according to the fourteenth chapter of Matthew. As a result, Herod ordered the arrest of John the Baptist and from this point on, his fate was sealed as Herodias had him in her evil clutches.

Answer: Baptized Jesus

John's baptism of Jesus is reported in the third chapter of Matthew, the first chapter of Mark and the third chapter of Luke.

Mark 1:9-11 gives this account in the NKJV: "It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, 'You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'"

Answer: Two jailbreaks

According to Acts, Peter was freed from prison on two different occasions by angels.

The first jailbreak is reported in Acts 5:17-29 and the second one is in Acts 12:1-17. The fifth chapter of Acts tells of Peter being jailed with other apostles for preaching the news of a resurrected Jesus Christ. However, an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, enabling Peter and the other apostles to escape. As per instructions from the angel, the jail-breakers went back to the temple and continued to preach the Gospel message.

The twelfth chapter of Acts tells of Peter being imprisoned and bound with chains between two soldiers. However, once again, Peter was able to escape when an angel of the Lord struck him on his side with the chains falling from his hands. Scripture goes on to tell of Peter making his escape and visiting the home of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark.

Answer: Bitten by viper

Paul was bitten by a viper after he survived a shipwreck and ended up on the Mediterranean island of Malta.

According to Acts 28:2-6, once ashore the islanders built a fire and welcomed Paul's group. Verse three states Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.

Scripture states the snake bite had no impact on Paul, much to the amazement of the islanders. Verses 4-6 in the NIV Bible, state: "When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, 'This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.' But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god."

Answer: Troas

Eutychus is the young man who fell asleep in a third storey window while the apostle Paul preached on and on in Troas. According to Acts 20:7-12, Eutychus fell out of the window and plunged to his death only to be raised from the dead by Paul.

After breaking bread and eating, Paul proceeded to preach on until day break, according to verse eleven.

Troas was in Asia Minor, which is present day Turkey. The community is now in ruins and is referred to as Eski Stamboul, according to the Website Christiananswers.net.

Answer: Native of Alexandria

In addition to being a native of Alexandria, Apollos was a moving force in the early church.

Acts 18:24-26, in the NIV Bible, states: "Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately."

Verses 27 and 28 state Apollos later went to Achaia and he was "a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ."