Bible Busses -- Try this Quiz and Kiss it Goodbye

Answer: Isaac and Jacob

The first mention of kissing in the Bible is Isaac calling on his son Jacob to kiss him, as per Genesis 27:26. However, Isaac mistakenly thought he was calling on Esau, Jacob's twin brother, to kiss him. Jacob's mother Rebekah had convinced Jacob to dupe Isaac into blessing him over Esau.

The chapter concludes with Esau finding out Jacob had fraudulently received his blessing and Jacob fleeing to be with Rebekah's brother Laban in Haran. According to Genesis 27:41, Esau was plotting to kill Jacob.

Answer: Jacob and Rachel

The correct answer is Jacob and Rachel with Genesis 29:11, in the NKJV, stating: "Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice and wept." The Biblical buss took place after Jacob had met Rachel and had explained to her they were relatives. (Jacob's mother Rebekah was the sister of Laban, the father of Rachel.)

Genesis 29:13, in the NKJV, also tells of Jacob being on the receiving end of a kiss from Rachel's father: "Then it came to pass, when Laban heard the report about Jacob his sister's son, that he ran to meet him, and embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house."

Jacob and Rachel would eventually marry, but not before he first married her sister Leah. According to Genesis 35:24, Jacob and Rachel were the parents of two boys, Joseph and Benjamin. According to the same chapter, Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin.

Answer: Jacob and Esau

The correct answer is Jacob and Esau. Genesis 33:1 tells of Esau, accompanied by 400 men, approaching Jacob and his family. For all Jacob knew, Esau was coming to destroy his family. After all, Jacob had tricked his elderly father into giving him his blessing over Esau, as per Genesis 27.

As stated in the answer to Question 1, Genesis 27:41 reports Esau was plotting to kill Jacob. Scripture states Jacob fled to be with his uncle Laban and this was the first meeting between the two brothers since Jacob fraudulently obtained the blessing intended for Esau. However, the meeting ended up being a classic case of brotherly love.

Genesis 33:1-4, in the NKJV, states: "Now Jacob lifted his eyes and looked, and there, Esau was coming, and with him were four hundred men. So he divided the children among Leah, Rachel, and the two maidservants. And he put the maidservants and their children in front, Leah and her children behind, and Rachel and Joseph last. Then he crossed over before them and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept."

Answer: Joseph

Joseph is the correct answer. In the 45th chapter of Genesis, he reveals his identity to his brothers who had traveled to Egypt to seek food as there was a severe famine in their land. According to the book of Genesis, Joseph was betrayed by his eleven brothers and was sold for twenty shekels of silver to a group of Midianite traders who in turn sold him into slavery in Egypt. And when in Egypt he was imprisoned on false charges of attempted rape. Despite all this, Joseph rose to become the second most powerful man in Egypt, only surpassed by the Pharaoh.

Genesis 45:14-15 tells of this tender scene after Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers: "Then he fell on his brother Benjamin's neck and wept, and Benjamin wept on his neck. Moreover he kissed all his brothers and wept over them, and after that his brothers talked with him."

Answer: Manasseh and Ephraim

Manasseh and Ephraim is the correct answer. According to Scripture, Joseph was betrayed by his eleven brothers and ended up being sold into slavery in Egypt. As explained in the answer to Question 4, Joseph was eventually tossed into an Egyptian prison on false charges of attempted rape. Despite his severe setbacks, he ascended to become the second most powerful man in Egypt, surpassed by only the Pharaoh.

Genesis 45 states Joseph was married to Asenath, the daughter of Potipherah, priest of On. They were the parents of two boys, Manasseh and Ephraim. While Joseph was enjoying his position of power, he was reunited with his devious brothers and his father Jacob.

Genesis 48:8-11 gives this account of Jacob, also known as Israel, seeing his grandchildren Manasseh and Ephraim for the first time: "Then Israel saw Joseph's sons, and said, 'Who are these?' And Joseph said to his father, 'They are my sons, whom God has given me in this place.' And he said, 'Please bring them to me, and I will bless them.' Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. Then Joseph brought them near him, and he kissed them and embraced them. And Israel said to Joseph, 'I had not thought to see your face; but in fact, God has also shown me your offspring!'"

Answer: Jonathan

Jonathan is the correct answer. It's a bit of a long story, but 1 Samuel 20 tells of David hiding in a field during a time when Saul, Jonathan's father, was attempting to kill him. Although Jonathan could have eventually replaced Saul as king, he was the best friend of David.

As part of an arranged plan, Jonathan, accompanied by a boy, fired arrows near the area David was hiding. The plan called for the boy to retrieve the arrows for Jonathan and when he was giving commands to the boy, a coded message would be given to David. Sounds a little confusing?

Well, here's how 1 Samuel 20:20-22, in the NKJV, quotes Jonathan as explaining things to David: "Then I will shoot three arrows to the side, as though I shot at a target; and there I will send a lad, saying, 'Go, find the arrows.' If I expressly say to the lad, 'Look, the arrows are on this side of you; get them and come' -- then, as the LORD lives, there is safety for you and no harm. But if I say thus to the young man, 'Look, the arrows are beyond you' -- go your way, for the LORD has sent you away.'"

After firing his arrows, Verse 37 goes on to tell of Jonathan crying out to the boy 'Is not the arrow beyond you?'

Verses 41-42 then tell of David and Jonathan embracing and kissing each other: "As soon as the lad had gone, David arose from a place toward the south, fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down three times. And they kissed one another; and they wept together, but David more so. Then Jonathan said to David, 'Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, 'May the Lord be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.' So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city."

Answer: Elisha

Elisha is the correct answer. Elijah and Elisha would combine to be a major force with Elijah initially being the teacher and Elisha the follower. Later Elisha would replace Elijah. The two prophets of God are credited with a number of miracles in the Hebrew Bible, or the Old Testament of the English Bible.

1 Kings 19:19-21, in the NKJV, tells of the first meeting of Elijah and Elisha: "So he [Elijah] departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, 'Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.' And he said to him, 'Go back again, for what have I done to you?' So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen's equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant."

Answer: Psalm

Psalm is the correct answer with the verse coming from Verse 10 of Chapter 85.

To put the verse in context, here's how Psalm 85:8-13 reads in the NKJV:
"I will hear what God the Lord will speak,
For He will speak peace
To His people and to His saints;
But let them not turn back to folly.
Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,
That glory may dwell in our land.
Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
And righteousness shall look down from heaven.
Yes, the Lord will give what is good;
And our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before Him,
And shall make His footsteps our pathway."

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state Psalm 85 "is a prayer for restoration that is deeply rooted in trust in God."

Answer: Judas

Judas, one of the original Twelve Disciples, is the correct answer. Matthew 26:14-16 tells of Judas meeting with the chief priests and agreeing to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

Matthew 26:47-49, in the NKJV, states: "And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, 'Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him.' Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, 'Greetings, Rabbi!' and kissed Him."

Scripture goes on to tell of Jesus being arrested, humiliated, tortured and crucified only to rise from the dead three days later.

Answer: Peter

Peter, one of the original Twelve Disciples, is the writer of the book in question with the the admonition found in 1 Peter 5:14.

Greeting each other with a kiss, rather than a handshake, was the custom in Biblical times. In fact, the custom is still followed in a number of countries in the Middle East.

As notes in the NKJV Study Bible explain, Peter, in this passage, "is encouraging believers to treat fellow believers as part of one large spiritual family of God."