Hope This Bible Quiz Isn't Too Taxing

Answer: Joseph

Joseph is the correct answer. He made the recommendation for a twenty per cent tax after he interpreted two dreams of the Pharaoh, as per Genesis 41. In the first dream, the Pharaoh told Joseph he saw seven fat cows and seven emaciated cows. Then in the second dream, he said he saw seven good heads of grain and seven blighted heads. The Pharaoh was troubled because no one could apparently tell him what his dreams meant. The Pharaoh's chief butler had served time in prison with Joseph and told the Pharaoh Joseph had successfully interpreted a dream for him. As a result, Joseph was called upon to interpret the two dreams for the Pharaoh.

When he interpreted the dream, Joseph informed the Pharaoh Egypt would experience seven years of bountiful harvests, followed by seven years of famine. Scripture goes on to tell of Joseph advising the Pharaoh to collect one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt in the seven plentiful years with the food being kept in reserve for seven years of famine.

The Pharaoh responded by following Joseph's advice and promoting him to the second highest position in Egypt.

Details can be found in Genesis 41.

Answer: Samuel

Samuel, the last judge of Israel, is the correct answer. Scripture states the Israelites wanted to be governed by a king, similar to other nations, but Samuel was adamantly opposed to the idea. Samuel saw the establishment of a monarchy as an evil step, because it was doing away with God ruling over the people, through a judge. Rather than God ruling over the people, the king, or queen, would be doing so in the future, Samuel warned.

In 1 Samuel 8:10-20 in the NKJV he makes a passionate appeal not to have a king, citing, among other things, that a monarchy would lead to unwanted and unneeded taxation. The people, however, were not swayed and shortly afterwards, Israel would become a monarchy -- taxes and all.

Answer: Artaxerxes

Artaxerxes is the correct answer. Ezra 7:21-24 tells of Artaxerxes proclaiming an exemption from taxes for the the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers and servants of the house of God.

According to Scripture, Ezra led a company of the Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem during the king's reign. Nehemiah 2:1 and 5:14 state that Nehemiah was sent to Jerusalem as governor.

Answer: Hoshea

Hoshea, king of Israel, paid tribute money to King Shalmaneser of Assyria. Details can be found in 2 Kings 17:3-4. According to the verses, Shalmaneser had "uncovered a conspiracy" by Hoshea, but no further details are given. In addition, no details are given about the amount of tribute money paid.

Answer: Jehoshaphat

Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, became exceedingly wealthy due to Philistines and Arabians bringing tribute to him. Details about the tribute can be found in
2 Chronicles 17:10-13 with the verses stating the Philistines brought him silver while the Arabians gave him seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats.

According to 1 Kings 15:24, Jehoshaphat was the son of Asa and replaced his father as king. Scripture states Jehoshaphat was largely faithful in following the LORD during his twenty-five year reign.

Answer: To collect no more than what was appointed

John the Baptist, according to Scripture, told the tax collectors to collect no more than what was appointed, as per Luke 3:12-13 in the NKJV.

Tax collectors were despised in the New Testament because they were seen as traitors, working for the Romans. On top of this, the tax collectors were regarded as being as crooked as a barrel of fish hooks. While they were given a set amount of taxes by the Romans to collect from citizens, the tax collectors would often overcharge the people and pocket the difference. As a result, they quickly became wealthy.

Answer: A Pharisee

Although tax collectors were largely despised in Biblical times, Jesus painted a picture of a humble tax collector in stark contrast to a proud Pharisee. Details can be found in Luke 18:9-14, a passage known as the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

The passage tells of a Pharisee and a tax collector going to the temple to pray, with the Pharisee giving thanks to God he was not like other men such as tax collectors. Meanwhile, the passage tells of the tax collector beating his chest and saying, "God, be merciful to me a sinner!"

Answer: Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus, the chief tax collector of Jericho, is the correct answer. Zacchaeus was small in stature and climbed up a sycamore tree in Luke 19 to get a better look at Jesus passing through town. Zacchaeus oversaw all the tax collectors in Jericho, a community northeast of Jerusalem, near the Jordan River. According to Wikipedia, Jericho is believed to be one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.

When Jesus spotted the diminutive tax collector up in the tree, He invited him to come down, saying He wanted to stay at his house that night.

According the passage, Zacchaeus was determined to set things right with Jesus. The verse tells of him promising to give half of his goods to the poor and to restore fourfold to anyone he taken anything from.

Answer: Matthew, or Levi

One of the first things Matthew, also known as Levi, did after becoming a disciple of Christ was to host a gala banquet at his house with his friends and Jesus in attendance. Scripture states that Matthew was a tax collector and "many" of his tax collecting friends attended the dinner. Details about the feast are also recounted in Matthew 9:9-13.

Going by Scripture the dinner was a festive occasion for those in attendance. The Pharisees, however, were aghast that Jesus would dare associate with tax collectors and "sinners".

Answer: Peter

According to Matthew 17:24-27, Jesus instructed Peter to go fishing and, after he caught his first fish, to look in its mouth. Inside the mouth, he would find a coin to pay the obligatory temple tax. And apparently that's what happened.

The account of the temple tax found in the fish's mouth is found only in the Gospel of Matthew.