An 'Alex Trebek' New Testament Quiz -- #11

Answer: Who is Joseph?

Joseph was a "rich man from Arimathea", as per Matthew 27:57 in the NKJV. Scripture tells of Joseph, a Pharisee, providing a tomb for Jesus' body after the crucifixion at Golgotha. Luke 23:51 points out Joseph did not agree with the high council's decision to execute Jesus and he "himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God." The same verse in the NIV states Arimathea was a community in Judea. (In the KJV and NKJV, Arimathea is simply identified as "a city of the Jews".)

Answer: Who is Pontius Pilate?

Pontius Pilate symbolically washed his hands clean after he gave in to the demands of a mob and sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. Matthew 27:24 explains things this way in the NKJV: "When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, 'I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it'." Scripture goes on to tell of Jesus being humiliated, beaten, scourged, tortured and crucified only to rise from the dead three days later.

Answer: What is an earthquake?

After Jesus died on the cross at Golgotha, a number of things happened, including an earthquake, as per Matthew 27:51-53. The passage in the NKJV states graves were opened and "many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised." On top of this, "the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom."

After the earthquake, an unnamed centurion at the crucifixion scene is quoted as proclaiming Jesus "truly" was the Son of God.

Answer: What is synagogue ruler?

Jairus was a synagogue ruler, as per Luke 8:41. According to Scripture, Jairus' unnamed daughter died and was miraculously brought back to life by Jesus. She was one of three people raised from the dead by Jesus. The two others were Lazarus and the unnamed son of a widow at Nain.

Answer: Who is Judas Iscariot?

Judas Iscariot was the son of Simon, as per John 6:71. However, little is known about Judas' father as he is mentioned in passing reference. Using the NKJV, Simon's name appears four times in the New Testament and in each occasion it simply states he was the father of Judas.

Answer: Who is Alphaeus?

Two members of the original Twelve Disciples were called James. The first disciple called James was the brother of John and the son of Zebedee. Meanwhile, the second disciple called James was the son of Alphaeus. (See Matthew 10:2-4 in the NKJV for details.)

To avoid confusion with James, the son of Zebedee, James, the son of Alphaeus, is sometimes referred to as James the Lesser. Little is known about Alphaeus as he is mentioned in passing reference.

It should be pointed out Alphaeus is also listed as the father of Matthew, also known as Levi, as per Mark 2:14. It appears there were two different men called Alphaeus who were fathers of disciples. To be fair, it should be pointed out some theologians believe Matthew and the second James were brothers while others strongly disagree with such a view. I am of the opinion there were two different men called Alpaheus and Matthew and James the Lesser were not brothers.

Answer: Who is Paul?

After Paul healed a man crippled from birth at Lystra, Acts 14:11-12 in the NKJV states the people called him Hermes, after the Greek god of commerce. At the same time, the people called Barnabas Zeus. The passage in the NKJV states: "Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, 'The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!' And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker."

No name is given for the man healed by Paul, but according to Verse 8 he had been crippled "from his mother's womb."

(In the KJV, it states the people called Paul, Mercurius, and Barnabas Jupiter.)

Answer: Who is Publius?

Publius was a "leading official" on the island of Malta and his unnamed father was cured of a fever and dysentery, as per Acts 28:7-9 in the NKJV. Scripture goes on to tell of Paul healing "the rest of those on the island who had diseases."

Paal and his entourage ended up in Malta when the ship they were on became shipwrecked off the coast of the Mediterranean island.

Answer: What is Acts?

The first book in the New Testament that is not a Gospel is the Book of Acts. Using Bible versions such as the KJV, NKJV and the NIV, Acts is the fifth book in order of appearance in the New Testament. It follows the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Acts is followed by the Book of Romans.

Luke, a physician and worker in the early church, was the writer of Acts. The book is actually a letter to Theophilus, and provides an account of the growth of the early church as the Gospel message was embraced by Gentiles in present day Turkey and Europe.

Answer: What is John?

Using Bible versions such as the KJV, NKJV and the NIV, the Gospel of John has twenty-one chapters. For the record, Matthew has twenty-eight chapters, Mark has sixteen chapters and Luke has twenty-four.

John, one of the original Twelve Disciples, is the author of the Gospel of John. It is the last of four Gospels in the New Testament.