BBB Bible Series: John "Ben-Regaz" Quiz

Answer: Zebedee

Zebedee, the father of James and John, had the Hebrew name of "Zabad-Yah", meaning "Yah (or God) has bestowed.) Their mother, in all likelihood was a woman who appeared at the crucifixion of Jesus and was named "Salome" (pronounced Sah-lo-may) meaning "peaceful one", a name derived from the Hebrew word "Shalom", meaning "peace".

John and his brother, James, were both disciples of Jesus, and in Mark 3:17, we see that Jesus himself gave them the nickname, "Boangeres", which meant "sons of thunder". So while their father may have been a loud, and boisterous man perhaps, their mother may have been quiet and calm, if their names are indicative of their respective personalities.

Answer: True

The name John traces back to the name Johanan, which in turn came from the name Yochanan, and this can be followed on back to the older name, Yehochanan.

Answer: True

The gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark and Luke are considered to be "synoptic gospels", as they share many of the same stories, accounts, and experiences during Jesus life.

John is NOT considered to be synoptic for the following reasons:

John DOES NOT include reference to a) the temptation of Jesus b) Jesus' transfiguration, and c) the institution of the Lord's supper is not mentioned by John. Furthermore, d) John does not mention Jesus act of casting out demons and neither e) The Sermon on the Mount, nor f) The Lord's Prayer can be found in it. There are also no parables in John's Gospel.

John DOES include a good amount of material that is not found in the synoptic gospels, however. a) John 2-4, (Jesus' early Galilean ministry), is not found in the synoptics. b) Earlier visits of Jesus to Jerusalem before the passion week are mentioned in John but are not found in the synoptics. c) The resurrection of Lazarus found in John 11 is not mentioned in the synoptics, and d) The rather lengthy "Farewell Discourse" of John 13-17 is not found in the synoptic Gospels.

Answer: True

John 5:22-27, in the King James Version reads this way:
"For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man."

This correlates directly with another work by the same author, John, as he relates a vision in the book of Revelation.

First of all, Revelation 1:5 shows us Christ's pre-eminence;
"... And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood..."

Next, Revelation 1:13-18 presents us with this vision and statement of Jesus to John:

"And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

Answer: "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep"

Jesus compared all of mankind to the lowly sheep. Some, however, He said do not belong to Him, and because of that, they do not recognize His voice.

"And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one."

(Now, it just seems to me that Jesus could not POSSIBLY have made His claim to being the Son of God any more clear, nor more obvious in this text. The Jewish leadership at this point grabbed up rocks with which to stone him, but Jesus merely escaped out of their hands.
Read the rest of the chapter for more insights.)

Answer: that they should love each other like Jesus loved them

Jesus told His disciples to love one another. The King James Version of the scripture in John 15:7-12 renders it this way:

7 "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you."

Answer: an unnamed woman from Sychar

Jesus encountered a woman whose name we are not given, as he waited by the ancient location of Jacob's well at Sychar, Samaria. His disciples had gone into town to purchase food, and this woman encountered Jesus as he awaited their return. She was amazed to hear him speak to her, as Samaritans were considered almost sub-human by their Jewish counterparts. They were of 1/2 Jewish stock and 1/2 Babylonian descent and were held in low esteem by the "pure" Jewish people.

The woman received other amazing revelations from Jesus, whereupon she stated that she believed him to be a prophet. Jesus wound up staying in the city of Sychar for two more days, and many other people also came to believe on him as Messiah as well.

Answer: The scribes and Pharisees

The scribes were the "law writers" and the Pharisees were a group of largely self-righteous believers in the law of Moses; a group to whom everything in the Jewish life was proscribed and dictated to the tiniest degree.

They had brought the woman to Jesus, not to see what should be done with her, (the law mandated stoning her to death), but rather to see by what manner they might be able to entrap Jesus with his own words.

His response to them, as seen in the King James Version of John 8:6-9 is recorded this way:

"This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, 'He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her'. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst."

It was at this juncture that Jesus spoke to her in the following manner:

"When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

(As an interesting aside, I personally find it remarkable that the MAN with whom the woman was accused of having an illicit relationship, is mentioned nowhere in the text. Since she wasn't engaged in adultery ALL BY HERSELF, why wasn't HE also accused? I think that this just shows the degree to which women were so little regarded in human history, even as recently as in Biblical times. Often viewed as "property" "slaves" or worse, women were NOT regarded as lowly creatures by Christ, because He voluntarily died on the cross for everyone, male and female alike.)

Answer: True

Well, yes, if you believe the account found in John 20:26.

"And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, AND STOOD IN THE MIDST, and said, Peace be unto you."

This story begins with the tale of the disciple, Thomas, as he expressed his disbelief of the resurrected Savior. Jesus promptly addressed Thomas in this setting, and the next two verses state:

"Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."

Answer: by presenting Peter opportunity to affirm his love for Jesus

After Jesus' resurrection, and after a meal He had prepared for His disciples, we read a most poignant example of forgiveness, encouragement, and instruction in John 21:15-18.

"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?
He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.

He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?
He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?
Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me?
And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep."

Peter had grieved Jesus with his denials, and Jesus now grieved Peter as he allowed Peter to respond with positive statements about his belief.

Peter later grew to be a major influence as a leader of the early church. The object lesson here seems to be this; even if we have failed Christ in the past, forgiveness and personal growth are always available through Him, if we follow Peter's example of expressing our desire for the love of Christ to live within us.