New Testament People -- Have you met your match? Quiz

Answer: Theophilus

Luke, a medical doctor who served alongside Paul in the early church, is credited with writing two New Testament books -- the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Both books were addressed to Theophilus. However, no one knows for certain who Theophilus was. Some believe the recipient of Paul's two letters was a high ranking Roman individual while others point out 'Theophilus' basically means "loved by God" and the name could've been used as a general title for an individual.

According to Luke 1:4, the two letters were written to Theophilus so he could be certain about his faith in a resurrected Jesus Christ.

Answer: Martha

Mary and Martha were two sisters who lived in Bethany with their brother Lazarus. According to Scripture, Martha was industrious but failed to find time to listen to the teachings of Jesus while Mary was the opposite. (See Luke 10:21-24.(

Meanwhile, John 11:1-44 reports about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead while Mary and Martha looked on in amazement

It's in this passage Jesus makes His famous declaration in the NKJV: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die."

Answer: Syntyche

Eudoia and Syntyche were both members of the early church in Philippi. However, they were often at loggerheads. In fact, Paul makes mention of the two women and their bickering in Philippians 4:2, when he writes, "I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord."

It all brings to mind an excellent message I heard from a Salvation Army captain many years ago when he referred to the two women as 'So Touchy' and 'Your Phobia'.

Answer: Herodias

John the Baptist's life was was ended by the conniving and vindictive Herodias, as per Matthew 14:1-12 and Mark 6:14-29.

Herodias was infuriated when John the Baptist denounced her for leaving her husband Philip for her brother-in-law Herod.

Scripture tells of John being imprisoned and Herodias pulling strings behind the scenes to have him beheaded. This even though Herod didn't want to execute John.

Answer: James

John and James were two brothers who served as part of the original Twelve disciples of Jesus. They were known as the Sons of Thunder.

John is credited with writing five books in the New Testament -- the Gospel of John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and Revelation.

Meanwhile, James was the first of the original disciples to be put to death for his steadfast belief in a resurrected Christ. Acts 12:2 tells of Herod having James killed by the sword. In other words, James was beheaded.

Answer: Dorcas, also known as Tabitha

According to Scripture, Peter raised Dorcas, who was also known as Tabitha, from the dead at Joppa, a city on the Mediterranean Sea. The account can be found in Acts. 9:30-43. Verse 42 states a large number of people in the city believed in the Lord after the miraculous revival of Dorcas. Joppa is now known as Jaffa and it is 35-40 miles northwest of Jerusalem.

Answer: Eutychus

According to Acts 20:7-12, Paul raised Eutychcus from the dead at Troas, a seaport town in present day Turkey. The passage tells of Paul speaking to a large crowd in a third storey building with Eutychus falling asleep in an open window. During Paul's message, Eutychus tumbled out the window and plunged to his death.

Scripture tells of Paul rushing downstairs and miraculously bringing Eutychus back to life. After this spectacular event, Paul went back upstairs and after eating, preached until the early morning hours.

Answer: Philemon

Onesimus was a slave who ran away from his master Philemon, a friend of Paul's. In a small world event, Onesimus fled to Rome from Colossae, a city in present day Turkey, and met up with Paul who converted him to Christianity.

The book of Philemon is a heart felt-letter from Paul to Philemon asking him to take Onesimus back, not as a slave, but as an equal in Christ.

Answer: Sapphira

Ananias and his wife were both struck dead when they lied about donating all the proceeds from the sale of their property to the early church, according to Acts 5:11.

The passage tells of the husband-wife team keeping some of the proceeds for themselves.

The deaths had a profound impact on the early church. According to Verse 11 in the NKJV, "great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things."

Answer: Elizabeth

Zacharias and Elizabeth were an elderly couple without any children, as per Luke 1:5-25. The passage tells of the angel Gabriel announcing Elizabeth would conceive and give birth to a baby boy.

The boy was none other than John the Baptist, regarded by many Christians as the last of the Old Testament prophets.