An 'Alex Trebek' New Testament Quiz -- #16

Answer: Who is Peter?

Acts 10:9-16 in the NKJV tells of Peter having a vision in which he heard a voice telling him to "rise...kill and eat" and as a result became convinced the Gentiles needed to hear the Gospel message. In his vision, Peter saw "heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending" and in it were "all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air." After he saw the gigantic sheet descend, he heard a voice proclaiming "Rise, Peter; kill and eat."

While Peter was considering the vision, Acts 10:19-23 states three men approached him asking him to go to the house of a Roman centurion called Cornelius to provide instruction to Gentile believers. (Miraculously, Cornelius had his own vision in which he was told to seek out Peter to provide instruction.)

Peter's vision was interpreted as a sign from God that Jews were no longer to call Gentiles unclean. In other words, the two races were equal and the Gospel message was to be preached to both Jew and Gentile.

The chapter goes on to tell of Peter visiting the home of Cornelius and baptizing a number of Gentile believers.

Answer: Who is Herod?

The execution of James was ordered by Herod, as per Acts 12:1-2. The verses in the NKJV simply state Herod "killed James the brother of John with the sword." To be killed by sword is another way in saying James was beheaded. James was the first of the original Twelve Disciples to be executed. (For the record, Judas Iscariot was the first disciple to die, but he committed suicide, as per Matthew 27:3-9.)

Answer: What is beloved?

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, describes Luke as "the beloved physician" in Colossians 4:14 in the KJV and the NKJV. (For the record, the NIV quotes Paul as writing "my dear friend Luke, the physician" while The Easy to Read Version states "our dear friend, Luke the doctor".) The references to Luke are part of Paul's greetings to the people at Colosse.

In addition to being the writer of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, Luke was a physician who labored behind the scenes in the early church, often serving along side Paul.

Answer: What is Acts?

Acts 8:26-40 tells of Philip converting the Ethiopian eunuch while they were travelling in a chariot. Going strictly by Scripture, the eunuch would have been the first believer in Africa in a resurrected Jesus Christ. According to the passage in the NKJV, he was an "important official" under Queen Candace. Details of the eunuch's conversion are found in only Acts and no where else in the Bible.

Answer: Who is Paul?

Paul was one of four men selected to deliver what is known as the Jerusalem decree to Gentile believers in Antioch. The three other men selected to deliver the decree were Silas, Barnabas and Judas, who was also named Barsabas.

According to Acts 15:1 in the NKJV, the council deemed it necessary to draw up the decree because some teachers were providing incorrect information to believers, saying that to be be saved one had to be circumcised "according to the custom of Moses."

Details about the decree can be found in Acts 15:23-29.

Answer: Who is Martha?

Martha, the sister of Lazarus and Mary, is known for being busy and caught up in the issues of the moment. Meanwhile, Mary is known for being attentive to the teachings of Jesus. Luke 10:38-42 provides details about Martha being busy while Mary was listening to the teachings of Jesus.

Answer: Who is John the Baptist?

Tradition holds John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins. However, some modern day scholars dispute the belief they were cousins, although the scholars agree they were relatives. They point out that Luke 1:36 in the NKJV, as well as a number of other modern Bible versions, describes Jesus' mother, Mary, and John's mother, Elizabeth, as "relatives".

And while the King James Version of the Bible states John the Baptist and Jesus were cousins, some scholars point out the word 'cousin' was used to mean any relative in the 17th century when the KJV was written.

Answer: Who is Epaphras?

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, commends Epaphras in Colossians 4:12 in the NKJV for "always laboring fervently for you in prayers".

In Philemon 1:23, Epaphras is described by Paul as his "fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus". Tradition holds Paul wrote his letter to Philemon while he was imprisoned in Rome. Meanwhile, in Colossians 1:7-8 Paul describes Epaphras as "our dear fellow servant who is a faithful minister of Christ."

Answer: What is Galatians?

In order of appearance, Galatians is the ninth book in the New Testament using Bible versions such as the KJV, NKJV and the NIV. Galatians is preceded by Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians.

Galatians was written by Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, and addressed to members of the early church in Galatia.

Answer: What are 2 Corinthians and Hebrews?

Using Bible versions such as the KJV, NKJV and NIV, 2 Corinthians and Hebrews are the only two New Testament books with exactly thirteen chapters. 2 Corinthians was written by Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, and addressed to members of the early church in Corinth.

However, no one knows for certain who wrote Hebrews. Some scholars suspect Paul is the author but others strongly dispute such a belief.