Word Association -- New Testament Characters #2 Quiz

Answer: Paul

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, is the correct answer. According to the 18th chapter of Acts, Paul worked as a tentmaker with Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth.

Acts 18:1-3, in the NIV, 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 Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them."

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible have this to say about Paul's occupation: "All young rabbinacal students had to learn a trade. Tentmakers were leather workers. The province of Cilica, from which Paul came, was noted for its cloth made from goats' hair. It is likely Paul's skill involved making such cloth."

Answer: Alexander

Alexander was a metalworker but not much else is known about him. In 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul simply writes Alexander the metalworker had done "a great deal of harm" to him, and no further details are given. There is some speculation it could be the same Alexander that is mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:20.

In that verse, Paul tells of Hymenaeus and Alexander being "handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme."

Answer: Cornelius

Cornelius was among the first Gentile believers in the early church. His story is told in the tenth chapter of Acts. According to Scripture, Cornelius was a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. Although centurions were the elite of a ruthless Roman killing machine, they are portrayed in remarkably good light in the New Testament.

Answer: Simon

Simon is the correct answer. Matthew 27:32 tells of Simon being from Cyrene and being forced to carry the cross for Jesus to the Calvary. According to Wikipedia, Cyrene was a community in northern Africa, near the present day village of Shahhat in Libya. According to Mark 15:21, Simon was the the father of Alexander and Rufus. Cyrene is also mentioned in Acts 2:10 with the second chapter telling of the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Answer: Matthew

Matthew, of course, was the tax collector. He was also known as Levi in Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27. Matthew 9:9 in the NKJV gives this account of Matthew becoming a disciple just after Jesus enabled a paralytic man to walk: "As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So he arose and followed Him."

Incidentally, tax collectors were loathed in Israel and other occupied areas by the Romans in Biblical times. Tax collectors were seen as traitors as they were working for the Romans. On top of this, tax collectors were seen as dishonest as many of them overcharged the people and pocketed the difference.

Answer: Thomas

The 21st chapter of John records one of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances, when He told seven disciples to cast their net on the right side of the boat after a night of catching no fish. According to verse 11, the disciples caught 153 fish when they followed Christ's instructions. In addition to Thomas, the disciples were Peter, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee (James and John) as well as two others who are not named, as per verse 2.

Some people read significance into the number 153 and have their arguments for doing so. Others, however, see it as simply a number given by John to indicate the massiveness of the miraculous catch of fish, as they had been fishing all night without any success.

Answer: Peter

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: Tabitha

Dorcas was also known as Tabitha. According to Acts 9:36-42, she was raised from the dead by Peter, one of the original Twelve Disciples. She lived in Joppa. The community is now known as Jaffa and is part of Tel Aviv, on the Mediterranean Sea. Scripture states Dorcas/Tabitha was "always doing good and helping the poor." In different places in the Bible, helping the poor is pointed out as a strong virtue. In Acts 10:2, for example, Cornelius, a Roman centurion who was also a Christian believer, is described as "giving generously" to those in need.

Answer: Paul

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, is the correct answer. According to 2 Corinthians 11:25, he was shipwrecked three times. However, the details of only one of the shipwrecks is recorded in Scripture. According to the 27th and 28th chapters of Acts, Paul was shipwrecked off the coast of Malta. Incidentally, this is the only time Malta is mentioned in Scripture.

Answer: Mary Magdalene

Mary Magdalene is the correct answer. According to Scripture, there was an earthquake when she went to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body after the crucifixion.

Matthew 28:1-6, in the NKJV Bible, states: "Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said'."

The term 'earthquake' is also used in the KJV and the NIV.