New Testament Names Inside Words Quiz

Answer: Mark

Mark, also known as John Mark, is the correct answer. He served along side Paul and Barnabas, his cousin.

It's interesting to note Mark and Paul had a falling out as Mark apparently deserted Paul during a missionary trip. As a result, Paul refused to follow the advice of Barnabas and take Mark on a second missionary journey. No details are given in Scripture about Mark's desertion, but it's apparent Barnabas thought he deserved another chance to serve on a missionary journey and Paul felt differently. Acts 15:38 simply states Mark abandoned Paul in Pamphylia. Scripture reports Paul opted to take Silas with him and Barnabas and Mark headed off on their own to Cyprus. It's also interesting to note Mark would end up redeeming himself in Paul's eyes. In 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul tells Timothy to "get Mark and bring him with you, because he is useful to me for my ministry."

There is no smoking gun, but many theologians believe the Gospel of Mark was written by John Mark. Although his name was John Mark, he is often referred to in Scripture as simply Mark. The Gospel of Mark tells more about what Jesus did, rather than what He said. Notes in the NIV Study Bible sum up things this way: "Mark moves quickly from one episode in Jesus' life and ministry to another, using the word immediately."

Answer: Luke

Luke was a worker in the early church who often labored behind the scenes with Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles. He is credited with writing the Gospel of Luke and Acts. The Gospel of Luke contains a number of accounts which don't appear elsewhere. For example, details about the dying thief on the cross being assured he would enter paradise and the healing of the ten lepers are found in only Luke. Details about the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son are also found only in Luke. Meanwhile, the book of Acts is seen by many as a history of the beginning of the early church in Turkey and Europe.

Luke is one of my favorite Bible characters, this even though many simply regard him as a writer of two books and not as one of the men actively involved in working for the early church. Feel free to play a quiz I have posted at FunTrivia about Luke. The quiz is called 'Let's Look at Luke -- Historian, Church Worker.'

Answer: Pilate

Pilate, also known as Pontius Pilate was the governor of Judea and played a key role in the crucifixion of Jesus, according to Scripture.

Pilate's wife was troubled by a dream she had about Jesus and passed the information onto her husband. Matthew 27:19 in the NKJV states: "While he [Pilate] was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, 'Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.'" She made the request just prior to her husband giving into the crowd and ordering the execution of Jesus.

The world would never be the same.

Answer: Judas

According to Scripture, Judas Iscariot, one of the original Twelve Disciples, betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

Matthew 26:14-16, in the NKJV, states: "Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, 'What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?' And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him."

After Jesus was arrested, Judas was filled with remorse and hanged himself. Matthew 27:3-5, states: "Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, 'I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.' And they said, 'What is that to us? You see to it!' Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself."

According to John 6:71, Judas was the son of Simon. Whenever a list of names of the Twelve Disciples appears in Scripture, Judas is last. According to John 12:6, Judas was in charge of the money collected for Christ's ministry, "but because he was a thief... he used to help himself to what was put into it."

Answer: Timothy

Timothy was a young church worker who labored along side Paul. In addition to being young, Timothy was known for being timid. For example, in 1 Corinthians 16:10, Paul tells the believers in Corinth to make sure Timothy has nothing to fear, should he visit. Paul, on a number of occasions, describes, Timothy as his son. The last we read about Timothy is in Hebrews 13:23 and it tells of him being released from prison.

Feel free to play another quiz I have posted on FunTrivia about Timothy. It's titled: 'Timid Timothy -- Young Church Worker in Olden Days'.

Answer: Thomas

Thomas, of course, is remembered for having major doubts about initial reports from others about seeing the resurrected Christ after the crucifixion. His doubts, however, disappeared forever, when according to John 20:24-29, Jesus appeared before Thomas and the other disciples while they were meeting in a locked room.

John 20:26-29, in the NKJV Bible, states: "And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, 'Peace to you!' Then He said to Thomas, 'Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.' And Thomas answered and said to Him, 'My Lord and my God!' Jesus said to him, 'Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed'."

Answer: Herod

When it comes to diabolical leaders, one doesn't have to look beyond the Bible to find mind-boggling examples. One king in the New Testament of the English Bible was so determined to maintain his hold on power that he ordered all the male infants aged two and under killed. All this in an all-out effort to kill the Baby Jesus because Herod feared the Child would grow up and replace him as king.

Matthew 2:13-18, gives this account in the NKJV: "Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, 'Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.' When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 'Out of Egypt I called My Son.' Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
'A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more'."

There is considerable speculation about how many children were killed by Herod. According to Wikipedia, some claim as many as 14,000 boys were killed. However, a number of theologians have disputed this claim, speculating less than 20 boys were killed because Bethlehem was a "rather small town", Wikipedia reports. It's all speculation, of course. No one knows how many children were killed by heartless Herod.

Answer: Andrew

Andrew is the correct answer. He was a brother of Peter, another disciple of Jesus. According to John 1:44, Andrew and Peter, as well as another disciple, Philip, came from Bethsaida, a fishing community on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Although Peter and Andrew were both brothers, Peter played a much more dominant role among the disciples. While Peter was brash and bold, Andrew was subdued and quiet. If Peter was a five-star restaurant in Paris, Andrew would be a take-out diner in small-town Saskatchewan, it seems.

Feel free to play one of my other quizzes on Fun Trivia about Andrew. It's titled 'Oh Brother! Disciple Peter's Quiet Sibling Andrew'.

Answer: Mary

Mary, the mother of Jesus, is the correct answer. 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 15 or younger when she gave birth to Jesus, as it was the custom of the day for girls to marry extremely young. Many Christian theologians believe Mary's miraculous pregnancy and the birth of Christ was foretold in Isaiah 7:14, which in the NKJV, states: "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." Notes in the NKJV Study Bible state Immanuel literally means 'God With Us'.

Another well-known Mary in the New Testament is Mary Magdalene who had seven demons driven out of her by Christ, as per Mark 16:9 and Luke 8:2. Mary Magdalene plays a prominent role in the Gospels and is credited with being the first to see Jesus after His resurrection. (John 20:11-18 and Mark 16:9)Many theologians believe the name Magdalene suggests her home town is Magdala, a community on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, between Tiberias and Capernaum.

Feel free to play another quiz I have on Fun Trivia about Mary Magdalene. The quiz is titled 'Facts About Mary Magdalene: True or False?'

Answer: Levi

Levi, who was also known as Matthew, is the correct answer. In the order the books appear, Matthew wrote the first Gospel of the New Testament. The traditional belief is the writer is the same person who served as one of Jesus' 12 disciples. If this was the case, he was a Jewish tax collector. Matthew quotes more passages from the Old Testament than any New Testament writer, according to notes in the NKJV Study Bible.

There is another Levi in Scripture. He was the son of Jacob and Leah and the founder of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Levi is perhaps best known for going on a killing spree with his brother Simeon after Shechem defiled their sister Dinah, as per the 34th chapter of Genesis.