Match These New Testament Characters -- #8 Quiz

Answer: Jordan River

According to Scripture, the Jordan River is where John the Baptist baptized a multitude of people, including Jesus. In today's vernacular, John the Baptist was a weird-looking guy and the Jordan was his office.

Matthew 3:4-6, in the NKJV, provides this information: "Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins."

According to Luke 1:13, John's parents were Zacharias and Elizabeth. (In the NIV, Zacharias is known as Zachariah.)

Answer: Parable by Jesus

Jesus is credited with telling thirty-nine different parables in the Gospels with one of the most famous being the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

Luke 15:25-31 explains things this way in the NKJV:
"Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.' But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. So he answered and said to his father, 'Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found'."

The parable also tells of the father running and kissing his prodigal son to welcome him home. Notes in the NKJV study Bible state the father's compassion "illustrates the immediate acceptance of a sinner who turns to God."

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is one of the most popular in the Bible. It is perhaps rivaled by only the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Answer: Sick in bed

According to Scripture, Peter's mother-in-law was sick in bed when she was miraculously healed by Jesus. Out of the Twelve Disciples, Peter, also called Simon, is the only one reported to be married. Luke 4:38-39, in the NKJV Bible, tells of Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law: "Now He arose from the synagogue and entered Simon's house. But Simon's wife's mother was sick with a high fever, and they made request of Him concerning her. So He stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. And immediately she arose and served them."

The healing of Peter's mother-in-law is also told in Mark 1:29-31. However, no name is given in Scripture for Peter's mother-in-law or his wife.

Answer: Hosted Peter

After raising Dorcas, also known as Tabitha from the dead, Peter stayed with Simon, a tanner, for "many days", according to Scripture. Little is known about Simon, however, as he is mentioned in passing reference. According to Acts 10:5-6, Simon lived at Joppa "by the sea". Obviously, his profession had to be a tanner.

Acts 10 tells of an angel appearing before Cornelius, a centurion who was a believer in a resurrected Jesus Christ. The angel informed Cornelius to get in contact with Peter at Simon's house to receive specific instructions from the disciple.

Answer: Simon of Cyrene

Rufus and Alexander were sons of Simon of Cyrene. However, little is known about the two as they are mentioned in passing reference. Simon of Cyrene, according to Scripture, was ordered to help carry the cross of Jesus to Calvary. Mark 15:41 states" "Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross."

It's interesting to note Paul extends greetings to a Rufus in Romans 16:13 and some people believe it was the son of Simon. However, there is no way to know for certain.

Answer: Stoned

Paul, according to Scripture, was stoned and left for dead. Acts 14:9, in the NKJV, tells of Paul's ordeal: "Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead. However, when the disciples gathered around him, he rose up and went into the city. And the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe."

In addition to being stoned, Paul was also whipped and survived three shipwrecks, according to 2 Corinthians 11:25. The chapter also states he was often cold, naked, hungry and living in constant danger.

Answer: Levite from Cyprus

Barnabas was a Levite from the island of Cyprus, according to Acts 4:36-37. His real name was Joses, but members of the early church called him Barnabas, which means Son of Encouragement. (The NIV says his real name was Joseph, rather than Joses.) Barnabas, it seems, was upbeat and constantly encouraged others.

The passage also states Barnabas owned land on Cyprus and after selling it, he laid the money at the apostles' feet.

Answer: Believer in Cenchrea

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, had nothing but praise for Phoebe. In Romans 16:1-2, he writes: "I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also."

According to Biblehub.com, Cenchrea was a port and part of Corinth.

Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state use of the word 'servant' by Paul in Romans 16:1 indicates the office of deacon. The fact Paul's use of the term 'servant of the church' seems to suggest an official position, the notes state.

Use of the word 'helper' in Verse 2 means 'patron' or 'benefactor', implying Pheobe was a person of wealth and position, the notes also state.

The notes go on to state many theologians have suggested it was Pheobe who carried Paul's letter to the Romans.

Answer: Writer of Gospel

There are four Gospels in the New Testament and in the order they appear they are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Although there is no conclusive proof, many theologians believe the writer of Mark was John Mark, a cousin of Barnabas. Similar to many people in the New Testament, John Mark often did not go by his full name and was simply referred to as Mark. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, and John Mark had a major falling out, according to Acts 15:36-41.

However, their fractured relationship was smoothed over as Paul states in 2 Timothy 4:11 he wanted Mark to come to him because he was helpful to him in his ministry.

Answer: Healed on Sabbath

According to Matthew 12, Jesus healed the man with a withered hand on the Sabbath and the Pharisees were outraged.

To the Pharisees, it was as if Jesus desecrated the day. Their twisted line of thinking went something like this: If He was a true follower of God, He should've ignored the poor, suffering man because it was the Sabbath.

Matthew 12:11-12 tells of Jesus rebuking the Pharisees: "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Scripture goes on to tell of Jesus asking a man with a withered hand to stretch it out and the hand "was restored as whole as the other." This miracle outraged the Pharisees so much the very next verse states they "went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him."

Jesus outraged the Pharisees for a number of reasons, not the least of which was that He claimed to be the Son of God. But His performing of miracles on the Sabbath was right up there. As John 5:18 states: "Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God."