The Apostolic Age II Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Way

The very earliest of Jesus' followers were referred to as teaching and spreading "The Way." Who assigned this designation is unknown, but these early followers continued to worship in the temple and the members of "The Way" were hounded by the Sanhedrin.

Answer: Seven

There were seven members, the Council of Seven, mostly Hellenized Jews. They were Stephen, Nicanor, Phillip (a different man from the apostle Phillip), Timon, Prochorus, Parmenas, and Nicholas.

Answer: Mark Antony granted citizenship to Cilicia and Tarsus.

It is thought that Mark Antony granted broad citizenship to Cilicia and the populace of Tarsus. The reason for this move is unclear, but it may have been a sudden impulse of drunken generosity. Nevertheless, there were thousands of Roman citizens in Tarsus. Antony obviously enjoyed the role of provincial ruler.

Answer: Gamaliel

Saul of Tarsus studied under the great rabbi, Gamaliel. Hillel was the grandfather of Gamaliel. Joseph is not known to have a teaching role within the Jewish hierarchy, and Annas was in the Sanhedrin.

Answer: Isis

The dominant cult in Tarsus was that of Isis, worshipped as an Earth Mother, mate of Osiris and mother of Horus. There were many other cults in the area, including a temple to Aphrodite. Cleopatra, when she visited Antony in Tarsus, expanded and beautified the temple of Isis.

Answer: Aeneas

Peter healed Aeneas, a man crippled from birth. Titus was a Christianized Greek from Asia Minor. Apollonius was a contemporary writer, but he had no known contact with Christians. Cornelius was a Roman officer who was converted in Joppa.

Answer: A vision allowing non-kosher foods

Peter was resting on a rooftop when he had a vision of a large sheet or sail coming down from the sky, filled with animals and reptiles which Jews were forbidden to eat. A voice told Peter that none of these foods were unclean.

Answer: Peter and James

Herod Agrippa struck out at the followers of Jesus of Nazareth, to ingratiate himself with the Jewish religious authorities. He imprisoned Peter, who was miraculously released, and James, whom he executed by beheading.

Answer: Longinus

The soldier in question was Longinus. When he pierced the side of Christ, the blood and water flowed into his eyes, supposedly healing his poor vision. A variety of legends are attached to Longinus, but, according to the story, he left the army and studied with the apostles. Later, he is said to have suffered martyrdom for his Christian beliefs.

Answer: Agbar

Thaddeus visitied King Agbar in Edessa. As the story goes, Agbar wrote to Jesus, asking him to come and heal him of a horrible disease, probably leprosy. Jesus declined because of his impending Passion, but he promised to send one of his apostles. Thaddeus went to Edessa and healed Agbar, who was grateful and accepted Christianity. Mithridates, Aretas, and Artabanus were kings in the east.

Answer: False

In Jesus' time, Golgotha was outside the city walls of Jerusalem. The city has grown outward since that time and the site is presently well within Jerusalem. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre enshrines the site, along with the tomb of Jesus.

Answer: Cyprus

It was decided that the first mission should be to Cyprus. This was logical, because it was a large island province of Rome, administered by the Roman Senate. The mission there was successful and Christian communities were established there.

Answer: Sergius Paulus

Sergius Paulus invited the trio of men to preach their doctrine. A Bar-Jesus, also called Elymus, a charlatan and magician was there on that occasion. Sergius Paulus wanted both Paul and Bar-Jesus to demonstrate their powers. Paul spoke a few words and Bar-Jesus was struck blind. Cassius Longinus and Vibius Marsus were governors of Syria under Claudius. Lucius Vitellius was appointed governor of Syria earlier, under Tiberius.

Answer: Perga

John Mark left Paul and Barnabas in Perga when the three men returned to begin a mission in Asia Minor. The exact reason is not known and we can only conjecture. Perhaps he was homesick for Jerusalem, or it is also thought that he had a personality conflict with Paul, perhaps considering Paul to be too demanding of him.

Answer: Timothy

Although Paul preached that those turning to Christ did not need to convert to Judaism to become a Christian, he did insist that Timothy be circumcised, perhaps to forestall criticism from those Jewish Christians who insisted on following Mosaic law. Timothy had mixed parentage: his mother was Jewish and d his father was Greek, therefore Timothy was never circumcised.

Answer: Troas

Paul was in Troas, on the coast of Asia Minor, directly across from the Greek coast when the dream/vision occurred. This was the first time Paul set foot on continental Europe and it was the beginning of a fruitful mission in the Greek cities.

Answer: Galatians

Paul had a very successful mission in Galatia, but later groups of Pharisees came to the cities in Galatia, claiming that no one could become a Christian without first becoming a Jew. Paul had insisted on the doctrine of salvation by faith alone without adherence to Mosaic law, thus making the new religion more appealing to Gentiles.

His comments were directed towards Galatian Christians who, Paul's estimation, "backslid."

Answer: True

Although it sounds contradictory, Christians were called atheists because they refused to worship the emperor and the gods of Rome. Atheism is lack of belief in gods of any kind.

Answer: The Trophy of Gaius

According to tradition, Peter was buried near the site of his martyrdom in the Vatican area. About 150 AD, a structure called The Trophy of Gaius, appeared on the spot directly over Peter's grave. Excavations in the 20th century revealed a vast cemetery, the so called "Red Wall," and the Trophy structure.

It is significant that no other place in the Roman world claims to have the burial place of Peter.

Answer: A footprint of Christ

This is the traditional site of Peter's encounter with Christ during the Neronian persecution of Christians. Peter was advised to leave Rome to avoid persecution, but when he met Christ, he turned with fresh courage and returned to Rome to face his martyrdom. Just inside the door of the chapel, there is a stone with the impression of a footprint, according to tradition, the footprint of Christ when he stopped to talk to Peter.

Answer: John

John traditionally lived to a ripe old age and died a natural death. Andrew and Bartholomew both died a martyr's death. Luke was not one of the origial twelve disciples, but a companion of Paul of some of his missionary journeys.

Answer: John the Elder

Polycard was born in 69 AD and lived to past the age of 80 in the second century, but he did not author the Book of Revelation. Linus was a Christian leader after the deaths of Peter and Paul. Timon was one the seven chosen by the apostles in Jerusalem to assist with food distribution to widows and the poor.

Some scholars point to a man called John the Elder who lived in Ephesus towards the end of the first century and into the second century. They refer to great stylistic differences between Revelation and the Gospel and Epistles of John.

Answer: The Mamertine

Tradition points to the Mamertine Prison, a dreaded prison, the structure of which was build over an old cistern. It was a terrible place, dark and damp, and filled with rats, where prisoners were lowered through a hole in the floor to the crypt below. Peter is said to have languished here before he was martyred.

Answer: Augustus and Tiberius

Jesus was born during the reign of Augustus and died during the reign of Tiberius.

Answer: False

For a period of time, persecution of Christians ceased after the death of Nero, during which time the new religion thrived and grew. Vespasian took no notice of Christians and left them alone. He was more concerned with mending the Roman Empire after a few years of strife following the reign of Nero.

He did, however, command Roman legions against the great Jewish rebellion and he destroyed Jerusalem.