A Common Link Between Biblical Characters [10] Quiz

Answer: Two fathers of disciples.

Zebedee and Alphaeus were both fathers of disciples. Zebedee was the father of John and James while Alphaeus was the father of another disciple also called James. (Matthew 10:2-4) Adding some confusion to the mix, Alphaeus is also listed as the father of Matthew, also known as Levi. (Mark 2:14) Some theologians believe Matthew and the second James were brothers while other theologians sharply disagree with such a view.

In other words, there could have been two different fathers of disciples with the name Alphaeus.

Answer: Both acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God before his resurrection.

Both Peter and Nathanael acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God. However, Nathanael may have made the pronouncement months, possibly a couple years, before Peter. In John 1:49, Nathanael tells Jesus "you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel" after accepting an invitation from Philip to meet with Christ. Peter's declaration can be found in Matthew 16:16 where he states to Jesus "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." This might be all fine and just.

However, when Christ was crucified all the disciples abandoned him except John and a handful of women.

Answer: They were Jewish women married to Gentiles.

The two were Jewish women married to Gentiles. Little is known about Drusilla and Lois as they are mentioned only in passing reference. We read about Drusilla being a Jewess in Acts 24:24. It's in this chapter Paul appears before Felix and makes a passionate case for a resurrected Jesus.

In Acts 16:1, it states Timothy's mother was a Jewess believer and his father was Greek and later in 2 Timothy 1:5, it states her name is Eunice.

Answer: Both were among the first to see Jesus after his resurrection.

Both were among the first to see Jesus after his resurrection. According to Mark 16:9, Mary Magdalene was the first person to see Jesus after the resurrection. The same verse also states Jesus had previously driven out seven demons from Mary. Meanwhile, Cleopas and an unnamed friend encountered Jesus while walking to the road to Emmaus, as per Luke 24:13-35.

However, they failed to recognize who was in their midst until they invited Jesus into their home and after breaking some bread, they realized his identity.

However, almost immediately after they realized his identity, Jesus disappeared from their sight. Emmaus, according to verse 13, was a village about seven miles from Jerusalem.

Answer: Both were workers in the early church and both were recipients of letters, or books, from Paul.

Both were workers in the early church and both were recipients of letters, or books, from Paul. Apart from Philemon, they are the only individual recipients of letters from Paul to have the contents named after them. As a result, we have 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus. Paul's other books, of course, were named after various collective bodies of recipients, such as 1 and 2 Corinthians for believers at Corinth and Philippians for believers at Philippi.

Answer: Five people listed in Paul's personal greetings in Romans 16.

Yes, Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas and Hermas are all listed in Romans 16, a chapter devoted to a long list of greetings by Paul. However, little is known about them as their names don't appear elsewhere in Scripture. Hermes is also a name for a Greek god and it's interesting to note, Paul was once called Hermes by a group of people. Acts 14:11-12 states they called Paul 'Hermes' in Lystra after he cured a man crippled from birth. Acts 14: 11-12, in the NIV Bible, states: "When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, 'The gods have come down to us in human form!' Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker."

Answer: Peter stayed with Simon the Tanner after raising Dorcas from the dead.

Peter stayed with Simon the Tanner after raising Dorcas from the dead, as per Acts 9:36-43. However, little is known about Simon the Tanner, although his name appears three different times in Scripture. In each case (Acts 9:43, 10:6 and 10:32) it states Peter was staying with Simon.

In both references in the 10th chapter, it states Simon the Tanner's house was by the sea. In that chapter, an unnamed angel of the Lord tells Cornelius he must summon Peter who was staying with Simon the Tanner. Cornelius, of course, was one of the first Gentile believers in a resurrected Christ with perhaps only the Ethiopian Eunuch coming before him.

Answer: Both were workers in the early church and both had worked as tent makers.

Both were workers in the early church and both had worked as tent makers is the correct answer. Not much is reported about their tent making activities, however. Nevertheless, with their belief in a resurrected Jesus Christ and their passion for tent making, it's apparent Paul and Aquila had much in common. Acts 18:1-3, in the NIV Bible, states "After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.

There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tent maker as they were, he stayed and worked with them."

Answer: The first believer in Africa and the first believer in Europe.

The Ethiopian Eunuch is the first recorded believer in Africa while Lydia is the first recorded convert in Europe. The conversion of the Ethiopian can be found in Acts 8:26-40, where he meets up with Philip, one of the seven Grecian disciples, while traveling from Jerusalem to Ethiopia. Meanwhile, the conversion of Lydia can be found in Acts 16:11-15.

She was persuaded to believe in a resurrected Christ while Paul was preaching in Philippi, according to Scripture. The Ethiopian and Lydia both had unusual occupations. Scripture reports the Ethiopian worked in the treasury for Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, while Lydia sold purple cloth.

In Biblical times, purple was a color of kingship and royalty.

Answer: Two people who are relatives of Paul and served time in prison with him.

Andronicus and Junia were both relatives of Paul and both served time in prison with him. Little in the way of details are given, but there is passing reference in Romans 16:7. Paul states that in addition to being his relatives and serving time in prison with him, "they are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was." As stated in the answer to Question 6, the chapter is largely a long list of personal greetings Paul sends to believers in Rome.

The chapter is seen by many today as a tribute to the common "Joe Christians" and "Jane Christians."