My 300th Bible Quiz -- A Tribute to the Editors

Answer: Blindness

Bartimaeus was blind and his life changed dramatically for the better after he met Jesus. Meanwhile, poor CellarDoor's life apparently changed dramatically for the worse the moment she looked at my first submission to FunTrivia.

In my excitement in producing my first Bible quiz, I wanted to dazzle the world with alliteration and wrote the headline 'A Quick Look at the Bible's Blind Bartimaeus'. Yes, not a bad headline at all, if I dare say. However, I ruined it all with my first question in which I asked players to name Bartimaeus' infirmity. Obviously, CellarDoor requested a fix-up. I was desperate to come up with ten different questions on Bartimaeus, so I took the easy way out. I changed the headline and removed the word 'blind.' It was much easier to do it that way then to come up with an entirely new question and answer.

How embarrassing. It was my first quiz for FunTrivia and I couldn't even get the very first thing right -- the headline!

There were other changes to make too. I wasn't aware of it until eagle-eyed CellarDoor pointed out that in a number of different cases, I had a period at the end of the correct answers. The incorrect answers did not have a period and it was as if I was giving a secret code to quiz players to help them get perfect scores. In my opinion, however, the perfect score goes to CellarDoor.

Answer: Quite a lot is known about Drusilla from other sources, including the ancient historian Josephus.

CellarDoor politely pointed out 'quite a lot is known about Drusilla from other sources, including the ancient historian Josephus.' (If only I had gotten off my duff and done some research before I filed the quiz, I would not have fallen into the trap of saying Drusilla is mentioned in passing reference.)

Yes, Drusilla is mentioned only once in the Bible -- Acts 24:24. But, of course, there is considerable information about her at various websites, including Wikipedia.

The website Christiananswers.net, for example, reports she was the third and youngest daughter of Herod Agrippa I. The website goes on to report: "Felix, the Roman procurator of Judea, induced her to leave her husband, Azizus, the king of Emesa, and become his wife. She was present with Felix when Paul reasoned of 'righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come' (Acts 24:24). She and her son perished in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, A.D. 79."

According to the website Biblical-Baby-Names.com, Drusilla means 'watered by the dew.' In my opinion, CellarDoor's name means there is no way out if one wants to file a 'watered-down quiz' to FunTrivia.

Answer: There are a number of variations for spelling many Biblical names.

Leo politely pointed out 'there are too many variations for spelling many Biblical names' and suggested I put a kibosh on my plans for a Biblical spelling bee. With many Biblical names coming from Hebrew and then translated into Greek before being translated into English, there are different ways to spell numerous names. To proceed with such a quiz would result in an endless series of correction notices, he added. Originally, I thought my idea for a series of quizzes about the spelling of Biblical names was excellent. However, I ended up being in agreement with Leo after he explained the shortcomings of my idea.

I guess you could say Leo's explanation took the 'sting' out of my 'bee' plans.

Nevertheless, I still think I had a great idea for the quiz headline. I proposed calling it 'A Bible Quiz To Try For a Short Spell.' With that said, I am delighted to know Leo aims to be with FunTrivia for a long spell.

Answer: Not every one of Jacob's sons became a founder of a tribe.

LeoDaVinci, just like CellarDoor, knows the Bible extremely well. As he pointed out, my generalized statement about Jacob's sons each becoming a founder of a tribe is incorrect. When Canaan was settled, no land was allocated to the Levites or to Joseph. However, land was allocated to Joseph's two sons -- Ephraim and Manesseh. The Levites were set aside to serve in the temple, according to Scripture. (Joshua 13 to 21.)

For land's sake, here's the dirt: When it comes to the allocation of land in Canaan, I am out in left field. Grateful, however, Leo is always on solid ground.

Answer: The order of books in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament is largely different.

Yes, CellarDoor pointed out the order of books in the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the English Bible is largely different. Making things even more complex is the fact a number of books in the Old Testament are divided into two parts -- like 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel and 1 Kings, 2 Kings. In the Hebrew Bible, the books are not divided and appear as one.

Although some of the books appear in the same order, careful thought has to be given to create a quiz in which readers of the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the English Bible can both answer and not be excluded, CellarDoor pointed out.

The quiz was returned to me several months ago for a major re-write and I intend to re-file it one of these days. However, in my re-write, I will definitely have to feature some general questions along the lines of what book appears immediately after Psalms? (The answer is Proverbs.)

I, must confess, I liked my headline for the quiz: 'Order! Order! Can I have Some Order!' However, after starting to write Bible quizzes for FunTrivia, I quickly learned there is always perfect order when CellarDoor is around.

Answer: Paul and Silas did not flee the prison after the eathquake.

Make no mistake about it. CellarDoor knows the Bible inside out and upside down. Re-reading of the passage in question clearly showed I was wrong and Paul and Silas did not flee the prison after the earthquake. In fact, they stayed in the prison after the earthquake and used the occasion to convert the jail keeper to Christianity.

The passage about the incident at the jail proves to me CellarDoor, along with LeoDaVinci, are the best, 'bar' none.

Answer: It was Mordecai who adopted Hadassah/Esther.

Wow, am I ever glad CellarDoor caught that colossal blunder. Haman, of course, was the bitter adversary of Mordecai and his adopted daughter Hadassah who later became known as Esther. According to Scripture, Haman had a diabolical plan to commit mass genocide against all the Jews in the vast area ruled by King Ahasuerus. (In the NIV he is known as Xerxes.)

Had that one slipped through, I am certain there would've been dozens and dozens of correction notices. On top of this, I would've been the most embarrassed quiz writer in the history of FunTrivia.

After CellarDoor caught my colossal blunder about Queen Esther, I profusely apologized to the 'Queen of the Religion Editors' for being a 'royal pain'.

Answer: It was Abraham who had prepared to sacrifice Isaac.

Yes, there would've been dozens and dozens of correction notices had that bone-headed blunder sneaked through. In fact, if it had gone through, I fear many quiz players would want me to be sacrificed for being the biggest dunderhead of all quiz writers.

I do find, however, a trick to getting so many quizzes filed on FunTrivia is to devote practically every spare moment to the task at hand. Even if it means getting up at 3 a.m. for a washroom break, I use the occasion to go to the computer and to type at least one sentence for a quiz. Unfortunately, if careful attention is not paid at such a dreadful time, the mind will play tricks. (That's my side of the story and I am sticking to it!)

Meanwhile, I am pleased I can count on CellarDoor to be on the top of her game when I strike out. On top of this, it can truly be said she doesn't become flushed when I mess up with copy written during a 3 a.m. washroom break.

Answer: Yes

Of course CellarDoor is correct. The King James uses the word charity rather than love. CellarDoor pointed out the quiz was an "OK start" (code for 'boy, did you ever come up short this time!') Much more information was needed she said. And don't forget to flesh out your answers. (Yes, CellarDoor, I will flesh out my answers. Sorry, you have had to remind me about the need for longer answers hundreds of times before.)

She gave me multiple ideas. I followed them and am pleased to report the quiz about the Love Chapter ranks in the top 100 of more than 100,000 quizzes in FunTrivia. Had I not followed CellarDoor's advice, the Love Chapter quiz would've likely been one of the most hated quizzes on FunTrivia rather than one of the most loved.

Meanwhile, I sincerely thank CellarDoor and LeoDaVinci for all the charity they have shown while editing my quizzes.

Answer: Queen Candace

Yes, Queen Candace is mentioned in Scripture. And yes, I was aware she was mentioned in the account of the Ethiopian eunuch, but was simply unable to recall the information when I compiled my quiz. Thankfully, CellarDoor saved the day for me once again by pointing out my error before the quiz was officially posted.

By incorporating CellarDoor's information, I was able to save my quiz by doing a bit of a rewrite in regards to the African named in Scripture. Here's how I re-worked the question for the quiz: "When it comes to Africans in the New Testament, there is a story involving the Ethiopian eunuch with passing reference to Queen Candace of Ethiopia. However, there is only one native of Africa who is NAMED and is an ACTIVE participant in an account in the New Testament. Who is that person?"

CellarDoor was pleased with the re-write and quiz players indicated they were pleased with my quiz based on the one-and-only theme in the Bible.

And on the 'one and only theme', let me state for the benefit of the entire FunTrivia family, CellarDoor and LeoDaVinci are in a league of their own. They are the best of the best and I am proud to serve in a minor capacity under their expert leadership. No offence to the editors in the other departments, but my editors are at the top of the FunTrivia totem. Or as I love to say, they are totally terrific.