Match These New Testament Characters -- #4 Quiz

Answer: Tax collector

Matthew, according to Scripture, served as a tax collector before he accepted Christ's invitation to follow Him.

Matthew, also known as Levi, is identified as a tax collector in three different places in the Bible: Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:14 and Luke 5:27.

Answer: Profound declaration

No name is given of the centurion who made the profound statement "surely this man was the Son of God" after Jesus died at Calvary. The statement appears in Mark 15:39. This Scripture often evokes memories with me of John Wayne in the movie "The Greatest Story Ever Told." The movie is about the life of Jesus and Wayne portrays a centurion at the crucifixion scene.

Although Wayne is portraying a Roman centurion, his drawl is overly evident when he says "Surely, this is the Son of God." According to the Web, this was Wayne's smallest starring role of his long and illustrious career.

Answer: From Bethsaida

Peter, according to Scripture, hailed from Bethsaida, along with his brother Andrew. Bethsaida was a fishing community on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Without question, Peter was the shop foreman of the original Twelve Disciples as he appears front and center through the Gospels when it comes to accounts of the Twelve. Peter, of course, is the writer of 1 Peter and 2 Peter. Peter's message in the first book deals with, in part, enduring persecution while the second book addresses false teachers who had contaminated the early church.

Answer: Paul's secretary

It appears Tertius served as Paul's secretary when the book of Romans was written. Romans 16:22, states "I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord." There is no further mention of him in Scripture. According to Biblos.com, a Website that serves as a Bible encyclopedia, some theologians suspect Tertius was a friend of Silas while others believe he was a Roman Christian living in Corinth.

It's all speculation, of course.

Answer: Public works director

Not much is known about Erastus but in Romans 16:23, he is described by Paul as city's director of public works. (Paul was in Corinth when he wrote Romans.) The name Erastus also appears in Acts 19:22 and in 2 Timothy 4:20, but theologians suspect it might not be the same person because Erastus was a common name in Biblical times. Notes in the NIV Study Bible state "at Corinth, archaeologists have discovered a re-used block of stone in a paved square with the Latin inscription: 'Erastus, commissioner of public works, bore the expense of this pavement'." There is no smoking gun to prove it is the same Erastus, but the probabilities are high it's the same person.

Answer: Hellenistic disciple

Philip is one of the seven Hellenistic disciples referred to in Acts 6:1-5. (In other words, they were Greek speaking Jews.) The term Hellenistic Jews is used in both the NKJV an d the NIV. Meanwhile, the KJV used the term Grecian Jews.

When making reference to Philip, many people today call him Philip the Evangelist to avoid any confusion with Philip, one of the original Twelve Disciples. According to Scripture, Philip the Evangelist was responsible for converting the Ethiopian eunuch, the first believer in Africa in a resurrected Jesus Christ. That account can be found in Acts 8:26-40.

Answer: Straight Street

The account of Ananias getting divine instructions to meet Paul, who was known as Saul at the time, can be found in Acts 9:10-18. In Verse 11, Ananias is told to go to the house of Judas on "the street called Straight" in Damascus. Initially, Ananias was reluctant to follow the Lord's orders as he knew the notorious reputation Saul had for causing harm to believers in the early church. Nevertheless, he followed the orders. Acts 9:17-19 in the NKJV Bible states: "And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened.

Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus."

Answer: Writer of book

There is no smoking gun, but many evangelical theologians believe the writer of Jude was the brother of Jesus. The writer, for example, describes himself as the brother of James. Matthew 13:55 states Jesus had four brothers: James, Joseph, Simon and Judas. (Jude is another form of Judas.) However, it must be stressed Catholics do not believe Jesus had any siblings. Their view is the term 'brother' in this incident in Scripture is similar to using the word 'kin' or 'association'.

Information at Biblos.com, a Bible encyclopedia Website, states Jude wrote the book because he "had received very distressing knowledge of the serious state into which the Christian brotherhood was rapidly drifting, and he must as a faithful servant of Jesus Christ exhort them to steadfastness and warn them of their danger."

Answer: Earthquake

According to Scripture, an earthquake took place while the unnamed Philippian jailer was guarding Paul and Silas and a number of other prisoners. According to Acts 16:16-40, Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Philippi when a "violent" earthquake shook the prison and "at once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone's chains came loose." The chapter goes on to tell of Paul and Silas using the occasion to convert the jailer, and his household, to Christianity.

It should be noted, however, Paul and Silas did not flee from their cell, as did the other prisoners. They opted to stay behind and it appears their obedience impressed the jailer so much he opted to become a Christian.

Here's how the events unfold in Acts 16:27-31 in the NKJV Bible: "And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, 'Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.' Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. And he brought them out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.' Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household."

The passage goes on to tell of Paul and Silas being officially released from prison by the authorities.

Answer: Virgin birth

Mary, according to Scripture, gave birth to Jesus while still a virgin. Details about Mary giving birth to Jesus while a virgin can be found in the first chapter of Matthew and the first and second chapters of Luke. Her husband was Joseph. Scripture doesn't state her age, but many theologians believe she was fifteen years old or younger when she gave birth to Jesus, as it was the custom of the day for girls to marry extremely young.