Gumbo and Mumbo Jumbo Trivia Quiz

Answer: gold

The Jews had been waiting for Moses to come off the mountain, and in their impatience, many began to fear that he might never return. Aaron, Moses' brother and the Jews' high priest, gathered up all of their jewelry and made them a golden calf to quell their fears. When Moses did come with the ten commandments and saw his people engaged in idolatry and revelry, he destroyed the idol, ground it up and mixed it with water, and then forced the people to drink it.

"When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it." Exodus 32: 19-20 (NIV)

Gold was not eaten only in biblical times. Even today, people sometimes ingest gold foil as part of decadent meals. Gold isn't harmful to people, unless they are one of a small number who are allergic to it. Gold is not digestible by humans, however, so there is no nutritional value in adding it to a meals. Sounds more like mumbo jumbo than gumbo, if you ask me!

Answer: dill

"'Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices - mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law: justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.'" Matthew 23:23 (NIV)

Dill is still used commonly today. It isn't just an herb for flavoring, but also has significant health benefits as well. It has 3.5:1 protein to fat ratio. It also a good source of manganese, folate, iron, riboflavin, calcium, B6, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants.

Answer: meat, fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic

According to the Bible, the Israelites were dissatisfied with the miraculous food that God provided for them while they wandered the desert: manna, which they would gather daily and grind and mix with water to make loaves of bread that nourished them. All they could think of was the meat, fish, vegetables and fruit that they had while they were slaves in Egypt.

Poor Moses! He had to go before the Lord with his people's complaints. God satisfied their desire for something different to eat and gave them quail.

"The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, 'If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost - also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!'" Numbers 11:4-6 (NIV)

The diet that the Israelites missed from their time in captivity resembles what is today called the Mediterranean diet, with many health benefits due to its combination of fresh and simple foods, with good fats and proteins.

Answer: True

Cinnamon is mentioned in both sections of the Bible. Three examples are:

Exodus 30:23 (NIV): "Take the following fine spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much (that is, 250 shekels) of fragrant cinnamon, 250 shekels of fragrant calamus,..."

Proverbs 7:17 (NIV): "I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon."

Revelation 18:13 (NIV): "cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves."

Cinnamon has long been used to flavor dishes, as an herbal tea, in perfumes and oils, and as a natural remedy. Some swear that including a teaspoon of ground cinnamon in your daily diet helps burn fat. Doctors caution that too much cinnamon can be detrimental to your liver. Everything in moderation.

Answer: mustard

Jesus used the parable of the mustard seed to show that something that starts out very small can take root and grow into something very big.

"He told them another parable: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.'" Matthew 13:31-32 (NIV)

As a condiment, mustard is very good for you, better than mayonnaise or ketchup. The caloric content of mustard is very low (but not honey mustard, which usually has more high-fructose corn syrup than honey), and mustard has other health benefits as well. Mustard seeds are a good source of selenium and a very good source of omega-3 fatty acids and manganese, as well as of phosphorus, magnesium, copper and B1.

Answer: turned the water into wine

Changing the water into wine at the wedding at Cana was Jesus' first recorded miracle, which he performed at the insistence of his mother Mary, according to John 2:1-7 (NIV). The wedding festivities were in full swing, and the host discovered that they had run out of wine. Jesus told the servants to fill cisterns with water, which they did, and he changed it into wine, and then directed the servants to take it to the master of the house. He tasted it and was amazed that it was even better in quality than the wine that had originally been served.

Though he never provided caviar and matzoh, Jesus actually did feed a multitude with a small amount of fish and bread that the apostles gathered and Jesus miraculously multiplied, according to Matthew 14:15-21 (NIV).

Answer: a fig tree

"Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, 'May you never bear fruit again!' Immediately the tree withered." Matthew 21:19 (NIV)

Jesus disciples were amazed that the tree withered so quickly with just a word from him. Jesus told them that if their faith were like his, they could do the same as he had done and even make a mountain move if it were necessary.

We've covered the mumbo jumbo, now for the gumbo! Fig trees are mentioned an amazing 49 times in the NIV Bible. Nutritional highlights: figs are high in natural sugars, fiber, and minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper. Figs also have a lot of vitamins A, E and K.

Answer: False

There are actually several mentions of lentils in the NIV Bible. Here are three from the Old Testament:

2 Samuel 17:28 (NIV): ...[they] "brought bedding and bowls and articles of pottery. They also brought wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils,"...

2 Samuel 23:11 (NIV): "Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them."

Ezekiel 4:9 (NIV): "Take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them in a storage jar and use them to make bread for yourself. You are to eat it during the 390 days you lie on your side."

Lentils are good for you, and not just in a soup (like gumbo). Lentils are a low-fat, high-fiber source of protein and potassium that can aid digestion, promote heart health, assist in controlling diabetes, serve in cancer management, make it easier to lose weight and more.

Answer: yeast

Leavening is the rising agent used in most bread. Unleavened bread has no yeast, and doesn't rise.

"Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread." Exodus 12:20 (NIV)

Though the reason for eating bread without yeast was due to the Jews' particular situation prior to Passover, when they needed to be ready to leave very quickly, there are also health benefits to eating unleavened bread. This type of bread is often low in fat and calories for a carbohydrate source. A 1-ounce serving of whole-wheat matzo is fat-free and has only 98 calories, 22 grams of carbs and 4 grams of protein.

Answer: Nebuchadnezzar

All of the names mentioned were Biblical kings, but only Nebuchadnezzar was depicted as behaving more like an animal than a man, grazing on grass and removing himself from the company of people.

"Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird." Daniel 4:33 (NIV)

He was debased in this way because of his pride, but in the end, his sanity was restored and he once more ruled as before.

"At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride he is able to humble." Daniel 4:36-37 (NIV)

Can humans eat grass? Yes, but there are a couple of reasons why it isn't a good idea. Though grass is edible and isn't toxic to us (provided it hasn't been treated with insecticides and chemical herbicides), our stomachs and teeth are not the same as those of the ruminant animals who do get all their nutrition by grazing. Human stomachs have difficulty digesting raw leaves and grasses, and what little nutrition there is in them aren't easily absorbed. We would need to chew grasses a lot more than humans habitually chew food to process it, and the silica in grass is very abrasive and would wear out our teeth. Let's stick to salads made of easier to chew greens, like lettuce and spinach!