25 Details, Gospel of Mark -- 'A' to 'Z' Quiz

Answer: True

True. In the KJV and the NKJV Bibles, amen is the final word in the Gospel of Mark as well as the three other Gospels -- Matthew, Luke and John. Meanwhile, the NIV does not contain the word 'amen' in any of the four Gospels.

Here's how Mark 26:19-20 concludes in Mark: "So then, after the Lord had spoken to them [the disciples], He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen."

Answer: Bartimaeus

Bartimaeus was a helpless blind beggar who regained his sight after he had an encounter with Jesus. His story appears in the 10th chapter of the Gospel of Mark. It's a heartwarming story and has always been one of my favorites. In fact, the first quiz I did for FunTrivia was about blind Bartimaeus. According to Scripture, Bartimaeus was the son of Timaeus but no other details are given about his family.

Answer: The crucifixion of Jesus

The centurion made the statement in Mark 15:39, just after the death of Jesus at Calvary.

To put the verse in context, here's how Mark 15:37-39 reads in the NKJV: "And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, 'Truly this Man was the Son of God!'"

Sometimes when I read about the centurion's statement, I am reminded of Hollywood actor John Wayne who was featured in the 1965 movie 'The Greatest Story Ever Told'. Just after Christ's death, Wayne, dressed like a noble Roman centurion, makes the proclamation 'Truly this Man was the Son of God' in his cowboy drawl.

Answer: Decapolis

Decapolis is the correct answer. The name means 'ten cities' in Greek and according to the Website Christiananswers.net, the district was east and southeast of the Sea of Galilee and was largely inhabited by Greeks.

According to Scripture, Jesus entered Decapolis after visiting the region of Tyre and Sidon.

Mark 7:32-35 in the NKJV gives this account: "Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, 'Ephphatha,' that is, 'Be opened.' Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, 'He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.'"

Answer: The rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer

Going strictly by what is published in Mark 13:3-11, Jesus did not say a sign of the end of the age was the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer. Jesus, in His conversation with James, John, Peter and Andrew, did say there would be wars and rumors of war and earthquakes as well as famines and troubles.

Here's how Mark 13:1-11 reads in the NKJV:

"Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, 'Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!'

"And Jesus answered and said to him, 'Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.' Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 'Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?'

"And Jesus, answering them, began to say: 'Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many. But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.

"'But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

The 13th Chapter of Mark goes on to tell of 'The Great Tribulation', 'The Coming of the Son of Man' and 'No One Knows the Day or Hour'.

Answer: fig

Fig is the correct answer.

Mark 11:12-14 gives this account in the NKJV: "Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, 'Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.' And His disciples heard it."

Verses 20 and 24 go on to tell of the disciples seeing the withered fig tree the next morning. The verses state: "Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, 'Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.' So Jesus answered and said to them, 'Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.'"

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible give this explanation about the withered fig tree: "The withering of the fig tree illustrates God's judgment on unbelieving Israel, but it also became a means for Jesus to teach His disciples that faith works miracles and is the basis for the answered prayer."

Answer: Possessed by demons

According to Mark 7:24-30, the Gentile woman came to Jesus seeking help for her daughter who was demon possessed. It appears she was determined not to leave until she received help. And sure enough, Scripture reports her daughter was made well.

Here's how Mark 7:24-30 explains things in the NKJV: "From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. But Jesus said to her, 'Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs.'

"And she answered and said to Him, 'Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children's crumbs.' Then He said to her, 'For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.' And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed."

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state the passage explains that Christ's main commitment was to the people of Israel, who He described as 'lost sheep'. "Jesus would always give the Jews the first opportunity to accept Him as their Messiah," the notes explain.

Another account of the incident involving Jesus and the Gentile woman can be found in Matthew 15:21-40.

Answer: His words

The correct answer is Christ's words. Jesus makes the statement, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" as part of a lengthy discourse about signs of the End of the Age as well as a coming 'Tribulation' followed by the 'Coming of the Son of Man'. In His discourse, Jesus stresses no one will know the day, or hour, of His second coming.

(See answer to Question 5 for more information.)

Answer: True

True. It's not really a contest with the word immediately appearing thirty-six times in the Gospel of Mark using the NKJV. The next closest is Matthew with nineteen incidents in which the word immediately is used, followed by Luke and Acts, each with eighteen cases. After that it's John with seven instances. Rounding out the New Testament are Galatians, James and Revelations with one each. In the entire Old Testament, there are only seven uses of the word immediately.

In general, the Gospel of Mark tells of a Jesus who is a Man of action, getting results immediately. The Gospel focuses on Christ's many miracles, rather than on His teachings.

Answer: True

True. Jesus actually calmed storms on the Sea of Galilee on two different occasions and fed large gatherings of people with a pittance of food on two different occasions. Accounts of the four miracles can all be found in the Gospel of Mark.

(The four miracles can also be found in Matthew while Luke provides details about three of the miracles and John about one of them.)

In regards to calming storms on the Sea of Galilee, details of the first miracle can be found in Mark 4 as well as Matthew 8 and Luke 8. Details of the second miracle can be found in Mark 6 and Matthew 14. In the first incident, Christ was sleeping in a boat rowed by the disciples when He calmed the storm. In the second incident, the disciples encountered Christ walking on the water of the Sea of Galilee during a storm. In both cases He rebuked the waves and all was placid, Scripture states.

In regards to feeding large gatherings of people with a pittance of food, details of the first miracle can be found in Mark 6 as well as Matthew 14, Luke 9 and John 6. Details of the second miracle can be found in Mark 8 and Matthew 15. In the first incident, Christ fed 5,000 men with five loaves and two fish. In the second incident, He fed 4,000 men with seven loaves and a "few small fish".

Although Scripture says Jesus fed 5,000 men on the first occasion and 4,000 men on the second, theologians believe He fed a substantially larger number as the figures do not include women and children. As per the custom of the day, woman and children were not included in census figures. As a result, many theologians believe He fed 15,000 people on the first occasion and 12,000 on the second occasion.

Answer: camel

Camel, of course, is the correct answer. The teaching by Jesus also appears in Matthew 19:24 and Luke 18:25. It is one of the best known teachings of Christ. Jesus made the statement about the camel after having a discussion with a rich, young ruler.

Mark 10:26 goes on to state the disciples were "greatly astonished", saying among themselves "who then can be saved?"

In Verse 27, Jesus is quoted as replying, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."

Answer: A scribe, or teacher of the law

Jesus made the statement to a scribe, according to the NKJV. (The NIV uses the term 'teacher of the law'.)

Here's how Mark 12:28-34 reads in the NKJV:

"Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, 'Which is the first commandment of all?'

"Jesus answered him, 'The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.

"So the scribe said to Him, 'Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.'

"Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, 'You are not far from the kingdom of God.' But after that no one dared question Him."

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible have this to say about Christ's statement: "'The first commandment' summarizes the first four of the Ten Commandments. The 'second' is the essence of commandments five through ten, which relate to the treatment of other people."

Answer: Healing of a blind paralytic at Bethsaida

The healing of a blind paralytic man at Bethsaida is the correct answer. Details of the miracle are found at Mark 8:22-26.

The three other miracles listed above -- Jesus walking on water, raising Jairus's daughter from the dead and healing Peter's mother-in-law -- are reported in Mark as well. However, accounts of the three miracles can be found in other Gospels too.

Here's how Mark 8:22-26, in the NKJV, tells of Jesus healing the blind paralytic at Bethsaida:

"Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

"And he looked up and said, 'I see men like trees, walking.'

"Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. Then He sent him away to his house, saying, 'Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.'"

Answer: No

No. Scripture does not provide any identification of the man.

However, there is a school of thought the naked man was actually Mark, the writer of the Gospel. While no one knows for certain the man's identity, notes in the New King James Version Study Bible suggest Mark could very well be the person.

Here's what the study notes have to say: "Jesus was abandoned. The 11 disciples were gone, but a certain young man followed Him. Only Mark tells of this incident, and many believe that this young man was Mark himself. How else would he have known this story, and why else should he have included it? If it was Mark, and if the Last Supper was at his home that evening, he could have easily risen from bed, pulled on a linen cloth and followed Jesus and His disciples."

For the record, here's how Mark 14:51-52 reads in the NKJV: "Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked."

Verse 53 goes on to tell of Jesus appearing before the Sanhedrin.

Answer: second

The Gospel of Mark is the second Gospel, appearing after Matthew, and before Luke and John. It is strongly believed, however, the Gospel of Mark was the first of four Gospels to be written. Theologians have come to this conclusion because a substantial amount of the accounts in Mark also appear in Matthew and Luke.

Answer: The Absent Householder

The parable of The Absent Householder is found in only the Gospel of Mark. It is found in Mark 13:32-37.

The three other parables -- Lamp Under a Basket, The Fig Tree and The Mustard Seed -- are also found in Mark. However, the three parables are also documented in Matthew and Luke.

Interestingly, the Gospels report about Jesus telling 39 different parables but not one of them is found in the Gospel of John.

Here's how the parable of 'The Absent Householder' appears in the Gospel of Mark:

"'But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!'"

Answer: True

True. In many instances Jesus told the people not to tell anyone who He was, but Scripture indicates His fame spread all the more. There are different instances of this in Scripture with the cleansing of a leper in Mark 1:40-45 being a classic example.

According to Scripture, Jesus healed the leper by touching him and saying "be cleansed." Verse 43 states Jesus "strictly warned" the cleansed leper "to say nothing to anyone." Then verse 45 goes on to state the man "went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction."

There are various theories as to why Jesus told people to remain quiet after He miraculously healed them. Many evangelical Christians, myself included, believe Jesus didn't want people following Him simply because of the miracles He performed. What He really wanted people to focus on was His message: He was the Son of God who was sent into the world to save the world and not condemn it. In other words, Christ wanted people to believe in Him and His message of love and forgiveness and not to be dazzled by mind-boggling miracles.

Answer: mother-in-law

The correct answer is mother-in-law as reported in Mark 1:29-31. The healing of Peter's mother-in-law, according to the Gospel of Mark, was one of the first miracles performed by Jesus.

Here's how Mark 1:29-31 reads in the NKJV: "Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them."

Answer: Mary Magdalene

The correct answer is Mary Magdalene. Mark 16:9, as well as Luke 8:2, state Jesus had driven seven demons out of Mary. However, no details are given with the verses simply stating the demons had been driven out previously.

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state only Mark 16:9 and Luke 8:2 make reference to Jesus driving seven demons out of Mary "which would explain her strong devotion to Him."

Answer: True

According to the Gospel of Mark, there were numerous occasions when people were healed by simply touching Jesus. In fact, there were so many people who were healed that it's impossible to come up with a number.

In the NKJV Bible, Mark 6:56 puts it this way: "Wherever He entered, into villages, cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well." There is a similar account in Matthew 14:34-36.

Answer: He commanded the unclean spirit to leave the man.

According to Scripture, Jesus simply told the unclean spirit to leave the man and he was miraculously cured. (The NIV uses the term impure spirit.) Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state unclean spirit is another term for demon.

Here's how Mark 1:21-28 reads in the NKJV: "Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, 'Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!' But Jesus rebuked him, saying, 'Be quiet, and come out of him!' And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, 'What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.' And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee."

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state Christ "constantly confronted demons and about 20 per cent of the approximately 35 miracles recorded about Jesus involved those troubled by demons."

Answer: Isaiah

The verses come from Isaiah 29:13. To [put the verses in context, here's how Mark 7:5-8 reads in the NKJV:

"Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, 'Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?' 6 He answered and said to them, 'Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
'This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'
For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men - the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do."

The washing of hands and pitchers was not done for sanitary purposes. Rather, Mark 7:2 explains they did it for traditional and ceremonial purposes.

Answer: Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath.

The Pharisees were absolutely livid Jesus would 'desecrate' the sacred Sabbath by healing the poor man. It's as if they wanted Jesus to ignore the man and allow him to continue to suffer.

Here's how the account is told in Mark 3:1-6 in the NKJV:

"And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, 'Step forward.' Then He said to them, 'Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?' But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him."

Answer: 12 years

Twelve years is the correct answer. The account of the woman who secretly touched Jesus and was healed is a heartwarming story. In addition to the Gospel of Mark, the account can be found in Matthew and Luke.

All three accounts tell of doctors being unable to heal the woman of her bleeding problem and by simply touching Jesus she is healed. Sandwiched around the account of the woman being healed by touching Jesus is the story of Christ raising Jairus' daughter from the dead.

Answer: Zebedee

Zebedee is the correct answer. Zebedee is also mentioned in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and John. However, not much is known about him apart from the fact he was a fishermen and the father of James and John. Theologians believe his wife's name was Salome.