One and the Only -- As in the Bible #2 Quiz

Answer: Elisha

Elisha is the correct answer. One would think there would be considerable text devoted to such a feat, but there are only a couple lines in the Hebrew Bible, or the Old Testament of the English Bible.

2 Kings 13:20-21, in the NIV Bible, states: "Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once, while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet."

No other details are given.

Answer: Joshua

The account of the sun and moon standing still can be found in the 10th chapter of Joshua. While in the middle of an intensive battle with the Amorites, Joshua prayed to God the sun and moon would stay put, Scripture states. Some people believe Joshua asked for the extra daylight so the enemies would not overpower his forces at night.

Joshua 10:12-14, in the NIV Bible states: "On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: 'Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.' So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the LORD listened to a human being. Surely the LORD was fighting for Israel!"

It's interesting to note that Snopes.com reports there's a false rumor making the rounds that NASA scientists have discovered a "missing day" which corresponds with the sun standing still in the 10th chapter of Joshua. However, Snopes.com goes on to report there is no way of proving, or disproving, if the sun actually stood still some time ago.

Answer: Nebuchadnezzar

The fourth chapter of Daniel is largely devoted to Daniel the prophet telling Nebuchadnezzar about a dream he had about the dreadful fate that awaited him. Daniel 4:33, in the NKJV Bible reports: "...he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws."

According to Scripture, Nebuchadnezzar was a boastful king and gave God no credit for his success. The chapter concludes with Nebuchadnezzar regaining his senses, stating he "blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever."

Answer: Abiathar

Solomon deposed Abiathar as high priest because he took part in a failed attempt to make Adonijah king of Israel in place of David. In 1 Kings 2:26-27, Solomon is quoted as telling Adonijah what he had done was worthy of death. "But I will not put you to death at this time, because you carried the ark of the LORD God before my father David, and because you were afflicted every time my father was afflicted," Solomon told Adonijah, as per the NKJV. Scripture states Abiathar was banished to Anathoth, his hometown.

The removal of Abiathar is reported in the same chapter in which Solomon ordered the execution of Adonijah and Joab, another supporter of Adonijah as king.

According to the Web site Christiananswers.net, this is the only historical instance of the removal of a high priest.

Answer: Jairus

Jairus is the correct answer. He was the father of a twelve-year-old girl who was raised from the dead by Jesus, according to Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8:40-56.

As morbid as it sounds, there was laughter after the little girl's death. In the accounts in Mark and Luke, it tells of people weeping for the dead girl outside her home. However, when Jesus appeared and stated the girl was not dead but was simply sleeping, the 'mourners' laughed at him. In other words, they saw Jesus as someone who was demented with no concept of reality. A few moments later, however, their laughter turned to total amazement when Christ raised the girl from the dead.

According to Mark 5:41 in the NKJV, Jesus said, "Little girl, I say to you, arise." And she did just that! The account of Jairus' daughter being raised from the dead is one of the most popular in the New Testament.

Answer: Simon of Cyrene

The correct answer is Simon of Cyrene. He helped Jesus carry the cross to his crucifixion, as per Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21 and Luke 23:26. Little is known about Simon, but Mark 15:21 states he was the father of Alexander and Rufus.

According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Cyrene was a city of Libya in North Africa. It was separated from ancient Egypt by a portion of the Libyan desert.

Answer: Luke

The answer is Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. However, it must be stressed it is not known who wrote the book of Hebrews, although many believe it is a foregone conclusion it would have to have been written by a Jew as it is a book urging Jewish believers to not go back to the old way of doing things.

And another disclaimer to make: The authorship of a number of books is debated by various scholars. For example, Christian tradition holds that John the disciple wrote the Gospel of John as well as 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and Revelation. Some scholars are strongly opposed to such a belief. And yes, there are other examples of division among scholars as to who wrote particular books in the New Testament. However, going by tradition, Luke is the only Gentile author of New Testament Scripture.

Answer: Lazarus

The correct answer is Lazarus with the name found in the parable known as the Rich Man and Lazarus. The account is found in Luke 16:19-31. According to the parable, Lazarus lived outside the door of a rich man and he was so helpless the dogs would come to lick his sores. No name is given for the rich man.

Scripture tells of Lazarus and the rich man dying, with Lazarus ending up by the side of Abraham and the rich man in a place of torment. When the rich man requests that Lazarus come and dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue, Abraham tells him this is not possible because there is a "great chasm" and no one can cross over it.

It must be pointed out many evangelical Christians, including a number who are members of the Bible Believers Brigade, do not regard the story of the rich man and Lazarus as a parable, but as a real story due to the fact Lazarus is named. Their view is partly based on the thinking 'if there was no such person as Lazarus, why did Jesus use the name in the account.'?

Dean521, the founder and team leader of the Bible Believers Brigade, recently offered this point of view on the team message board: "The parable of Lazarus the beggar is not a parable, but a real story. It is the only what we call parable that uses actual names. It does not say a 'certain person and such'. The rich man in torment in a REAL HELL, could see Lazarus being comforted."

Answer: The Good Samaritan

Jerusalem and Jericho are both mentioned in the parable called The Good Samaritan.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is found in Luke 10:25-37. According to the passage, a man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was robbed, badly beaten and left by the roadside. Two men passed by without offering to help. One man was a priest and the other was a Levite. However, an unnamed Samaritan man came to the rescue of the victim. Notes in the NIV Study Bible provide interesting insight into the fact the man was neglected by a priest and a Levite and rescued by the anonymous Samaritan: "It is significant the person Jesus commended was neither the religious leader nor the lay associate, but a hated foreigner. Jews viewed Samaritans as half-breeds, both physically and spiritually. Samaritans and Jews practiced open hostility but Jesus asserted that love knows no national boundaries."

Answer: Elisha

Elisha is the correct answer. 2 Kings 2:22-24 gives this account of what transpired just after Elisha cleansed the water supply at Jericho: "Then he [Elisha] went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, 'Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!' So he turned around and looked at them, and pronounced a curse on them in the name of the LORD. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths."

No further details are given about the bear-mauling incident in which Scripture clearly states Elisha was bald.

Bear in mind, there are accounts in the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible of men shaving their heads bald. For example, the prophet Ezekiel was commanded to shave his beard and his hair and scatter it into the wind, as per Ezekiel 5:1-4. In the New Testament, Paul is reported in Acts 18:18 to have shaved his beard and his head. However, there is no indication they were permanently bald and the suggestion is their hair grew back.