Match These New Testament Characters -- #19 Quiz

Answer: Gospel of Mark

The account of the unnamed naked man who fled after Jesus was arrested can be found in only the Gospel of Mark. Here's how the account reads in Mark 14:51-52 in the NKJV: "Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked."

While there is no smoking gun, a number of theologians believe the naked man was none other than John Mark, the writer of the Gospel of Mark.

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible explain things this way: "Only Mark tells of this incident, and many believe the young man was Mark himself. How else would have he known this story, and why else should he have included it? If it was Mark, and if the Last Supper was at his home that evening, he could have easily risen from bed, pulled on a linen cloth, and followed Jesus and the disciples."

Answer: Purple robe

According to Scripture, Jesus was forced to wear a purple robe as He carried the cross to Golgatha. John 19:1-3, in the NKJV, explains things this way: "So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' And they struck Him with their hands."

Verses 5 and 6 tell of Jesus, while dressed in the purple robe and a crown of thorns, appearing before the chief priests and their officials. They responded by crying out "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"

In Biblical days, the color purple was associated with royalty and kingship. However, in this case, Jesus was dressed in purple simply to mock and humiliate Him.

Answer: Household baptized

According to Scripture, Lydia and her household were baptized. Lydia was originally from Thyatira and according to Scripture, the apostle Paul encountered her while she was selling purple cloth in Philippi. Going by what is documented in the Book of Acts, Lydia was the first believer in Europe in a resurrected Jesus Christ. Lydia and her household were baptized by Paul.

Acts 16:14-15 explains things this way in the NKJV: "Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, 'If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.' So she persuaded us."

Answer: Denounced Herod's marriage

According to Scripture, Herodias had left her first husband and married his half brother Herod and John denounced the union, as per Mark 6:18. Verse 19 goes on to state Herodias "held it against" John the Baptist and "wanted to kill him."

Herodias was conniving and vindictive and she would be ultimately successful in bringing about the demise of John.

Answer: Angel

According to Scripture, Gabriel was an angel who announced the impending births of both John the Baptist and Jesus.

The announcement of the impending birth of John the Baptist is recorded in Luke 1:5-25 and the impending birth of Jesus in Luke 1:26-38.

In the passages, Gabriel makes the announcement of the impending birth of John the Baptist to Zecharias (known as Zechariah in the NIV) and the impending birth of Jesus to Mary.

Answer: Fish with coin

According to Scripture, Jesus instructed Peter to go fishing and after he caught his first fish to look in its mouth. Peter was told he would find a coin inside the fish's mouth and the money should be used to pay the obligatory temple tax.

Matthew 17:24-27 explains things this way: "When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, 'Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?' He said, 'Yes.' And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, 'What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?' Peter said to Him, 'From strangers.' Jesus said to him, 'Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.'"

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

Answer: Greek name

Philip is a Greek name and many theologians suspect he could have also spoken some Greek. John 12:20-22 tells of a delegation from Greece approaching Philip to request a meeting with Jesus. It is believed the Greeks met with Philip because they could converse with him in their own language. It's all speculation, of course, but interesting none the less. Philip, after meeting with the Greek delegation, contacted Andrew and Andrew proceeded to lead the Greek gathering to meet with Christ. Incidentally, Andrew also had a Greek name.

Out of the twelve disciples, only Philip and Andrew had Greek names.

Answer: Recruited by Philip

Scripture reports about Philip telling Nathanael he had found the One Moses wrote about in the Law, but Nathanael is not impressed because Jesus is from Nazareth.

John 1:46 states: "And Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see'."

Nathanael took up Philip on the offer and the rest, as they say, is history.

Answer: Involved in footrace

In John 20:4, it tells of John, "the disciple Jesus loved" winning the foot race.

John 20:1-4 in the NJKJV explains things this way: "Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!' So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first."

The passage has caused some theologians to speculate John was somewhat younger than Peter. They have also speculated Peter was big and burly, and wasn't anywhere near as nimble as John.

Some modern-day theologians question if John was really the "disciple Jesus loved." They're entitled to their views. However, I am of the belief John and the disciple Jesus loved are the same person.

Answer: Donated money

Barnabas it seems was a generous giver. Acts 4:37 states he sold a field he owned and "brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet". No further details are given about the transaction.

According to Acts 4:36 in the KKJV, Barnabas' original name was Joses (Joseph in the NIV) and he was a Levite from Cyprus. However, the apostles opted to call him Barnabas, which means 'son of encouragement'.