Match These New Testament Characters -- #6 Quiz

Answer: Excitable servant girl

Rhoda will be always remembered as the highly excitable girl who let her mind wander from the task at hand. According to Scripture, she was the servant girl who went to answer the door after Peter's miraculous escape from prison and got so excited when she heard Peter's voice that she went to tell the other occupants he was at the door and left him knocking.

It's a good thing Peter was not being chased by would-be captors, as he would have been chopped liver having to stand at the door of the house trying to get in while Rhoda was busy telling everyone else the latest news.

The story in Acts 12:12-16 almost smacks of a scene from a Hollywood sitcom.

Answer: Divisions in church

According to 1 Corinthians 1:11, members of Chloe's household made the apostle Paul aware of divisions in the church at Corinth. However, little is known about Chloe, as she is mentioned in passing reference. In 1 Corinthians 1:11, Paul, in the NIV, writes: "My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you." (The verse in the NKJV reads this way: "For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.") Paul then goes on to exhort the believers at Corinth to end their bickering.

Answer: Coppersmith or metalworker

Alexander is described as a coppersmith in the NKJV and as a metalworker in the NIV. Not much is known about him, as he is mentioned in passing reference. However, it is known he was a bitter adversary of the early church. In 2 Timothy 4:14-15, Paul writes: "Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words."

Answer: Account of Onesimus

Apphia is mentioned in Philemon, a letter written by the apostle Paul to Philemon, urging him to accept Onesimus, his run-away slave, back as an equal in Christ. After running away from Philemon, Onesimus encountered Paul in Rome and converted to Christianity. (It is generally assumed Philemon lived in Colosse.) Making it a real 'small-world story', Paul was friends of Philemon.

No one knows exactly who Apphia was, as she is mentioned in passing reference. However, some people suspect she was Philemon's wife and they were the parents of Archippus. Philemon 1:1-2, in the NKJV sates: "Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, to Philemon our beloved friend and fellow laborer, to the beloved Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house."

The statement 'the church in your house' refers to a group of believers who gathered at Philemon's house for worship services.

Answer: Riot in Ephesus

According to the NKJV, Demetrius was a silversmith in Ephesus who made silver shrines dedicated to the goddess Diana. (The NIV uses the name Artemis, rather than Diana.)

According to Acts 19:23-41, Demetrius made things extremely interesting when he helped spark a riot at Ephesus. Demetrius gathered together workers of a similar occupation and infuriated them when he said their livelihoods were at risk because of the Apostle Paul who was converting people to Christianity. With people becoming Christians, Demetrius realized there would no longer be a demand for the silver shrines he made.

Scripture goes on to state the craftsmen were filled with wrath and "rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus", two of Paul's traveling companions.

Gaius and Aristarchus were then ushered into a theater and so great was the anger of the assembled people "all with one voice cried out for about two hours, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians!' According to Verse 35, the city clerk eventually quieted down the crowd and the riot came to an end. The city clerk had to be charismatic, wise and held in high respect by the people to bring a peaceful conclusion to the situation.

Answer: Relative of Mary

According to Luke 1:36, Elizabeth was a relative of Mary, the mother of Jesus, but no further details are given. It is generally perceived Elizabeth was Mary's aunt, which would make John and Jesus cousins. There are various Websites which offer different views on the relationship of Elizabeth and Mary.

Some suggest Elizabeth was a cousin of Mary, not an aunt. Other possibilities are also offered. However, tradition holds John and Jesus were cousins.

Answer: Twin

It is believed Thomas, one of the Twelve Disciples, was a twin. In John 11:16, 20:24 and 21:12, the disciple is described as "Thomas is called the Twin." In the KJV and the NIV, the same passages describe Thomas as also called Didymus. Notes in the NIV Study Bible state Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.

Thomas, of course, was skeptical when he heard reports about the resurrection of Jesus, saying he wouldn't believe "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." In John 20:24-29, Thomas had that opportunity and his life would never be the same again.

Answer: From Tarsus

Paul, also known as Saul, was from Tarsus, a city in present-day south-central Turkey. In much of the 22nd chapter of Acts, Paul tells of his life before he became a Christian and after he encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. In Verse 3, he proclaims he is from Tarsus.

In some circles today, the apostle to the Gentiles is known as 'Paul of Tarsus,' however, nowhere in the NKJV or the NIV Bible does it state Paul refers to himself as "Paul of Tarsus". In Acts 21:39, while addressing a crowd in Jerusalem, he states "I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia." In Acts 22:3, Paul makes much the same statement. However, a drama by George Barber Paley in 1855 titled "Saul of Tarsus" changed things somewhat, with his birthplace being linked to his name. There's also a popular song titled "Saul of Tarsus".

Answer: Prophetess

Luke 2:36 in the NKJV describes Anna as a prophetess. After Jesus was presented as an infant at the temple by his parents Mary and Joseph, Scripture states Anna "gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem." According to Luke 2:37, she was the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was of "great age" and a widow. Verse 37 also states Anna "did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day."

Answer: From Bethsaida

Philip, according to John 1:44, came from Bethsaida, a fishing community on the Sea of Galilee. The community was also home of Peter and his brother Andrew. All three were members of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus. While Scripture states Peter and Andrew were fishermen, no details are given about Philip's occupation. However, many people suspect he was also a fisherman.