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The Infancy Gospel of Thomas Trivia Quiz

This "lost gospel" recounts some entertaining (and potentially enlightening) stories about Jesus' childhood. Take this quiz to find out more!

A multiple-choice quiz by stuthehistoryguy. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
stuthehistoryguy

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
208,491

Updated
Jan 01 24

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
2112

Awards
Editor's Choice

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas is a classic "lost book" of the Bible which depicts a preadolescent Jesus in what can be called an unflattering light, with the young Son of Man using His divine powers in what appear to be capricious and, at times, homicidal ways. According to noted religious scholar Bart D. Ehrman (whose work provides the basis for this quiz), few scholars take the "Infancy Gospel of Thomas" very seriously as a biography of Jesus, believing it to be a largely speculative work composed around 125 CE. It does, however, shed light on the thought of Christians from that era, along with raising some intriguing questions about the nature of Jesus for believers and critics alike. That being said, on to the first question:

"The Infancy Gospel of Thomas" was lost to the world from the third century CE on, finally being rediscovered in a monastery in Ethiopia in the 1920s.

True

False

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Question 2 of 10

2. Probably the most well-known episode from this "gospel" is the one that opens the main narrative and constitutes Chapter 2 of Ehrman's translation. Jesus, then a five-year-old, is playing by the ford of a stream, gathering water into pools that he is miraculously purifying. He also is sculpting sparrows from the soft mud. A "certain Jew" goes to Jesus' (earthly) father Joseph to complain about this, since, this being the Sabbath, Jesus is committing the sin of making things. How does Jesus respond? Hint

He responds philosophically, saying that "the Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath"

He changes his mud sculptures into real sparrows and they fly away

He causes a mighty wind to come up and disintegrate the sparrows

He submits to his elders' authority and accepts punishment

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Question 3 of 10

3. Chapters 3 and 4 of this work concern how Jesus reacts to adversity. In Chapter 3, a child scatters the pools that Jesus has purified, and in Chapter 4, another child runs into Jesus' shoulder. How does Jesus react in both instances? Hint

He causes both children to die on the spot

He blesses his attackers

He makes a show of not resisting, offering the first child another pool to scatter and offering the second child his other shoulder to jostle

He allows both children to be swallowed by the pits of Hell

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Question 4 of 10

4. In Chapter 5, Joseph calls Jesus in for a private talk, admonishing him for his actions and warning him that their family is being persecuted because of Jesus' behavior. How does Jesus react? Hint

He miraculously blinds all His accusers

He causes His accusers to forget all that they have seen

He meekly accepts Joseph's admonition and ceases His miraculous works

He gestures, and all of Jesus' accusers turn into pigs

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Question 5 of 10

5. The quality of Jesus' rhetoric impresses a scholar named Zachaeus, who proposes to teach Jesus to read and write. What does Zachaeus hope to accomplish by this? Hint

He knows that Jesus has the wisdom of heaven within him, and through reading and writing Jesus will be able to express it more constructively

He thinks that Jesus will make a fine priest

He feels that Jesus will learn to respect and honor his elders, as well as love children his own age

He observes that his time has come to learn scripture, even though most of his students are older

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Question 6 of 10

6. After performing several miracles (both welcome and unwelcome in His community) and demonstrating tremendous intellectual capacity, in what particularly Christ-like way does Jesus solidify His relationship with the village in Chapter 8? Hint

He causes a freshwater spring to come up in the middle of town, solving the local water shortage

He hooks up all their homes to the Internet with a high-speed connection

He brings a gentle rain, ending a long drought

He heals all those He has cursed

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Question 7 of 10

7. In Chapter 9, one of Jesus' playmates, named, Zenon, falls from a roof and dies. Zenon's parents blame Jesus, saying he pushed the boy to his death. In His own defense, Jesus raises Zenon from the dead to tell the true story.

True

False

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Question 8 of 10

8. In Chapter 12, the now eight-year-old Jesus goes with Joseph to sow the field. Jesus sows a single seed, which produces a hundred large bushels. He distributes this excess to the poor of the village. With what crop does Jesus perform this miracle? Hint

Wheat

Mustard

Figs

Alfalfa

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Question 9 of 10

9. Chapter 13 finds Joseph making a costly error on a carpentry project for a "certain rich man". Jesus corrects the error by stretching the remaining wood out to the desired length, for which Joseph is very grateful. What project does Jesus save? Hint

A large plow

An elaborate doorway

An abnormally long yoke

A beautiful bed

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Question 10 of 10

10. Joseph again tries to have a scholar teach Jesus to read. Jesus' first teacher becomes frustrated with Jesus' advanced commentaries on the material and strikes the boy on the head; of course, this rash act is followed by Jesus' curse and the teacher's seeming death. Another instructor takes up the challenge, proposing to use flattery as an alternative instructional technique. What are the results of this strategy? Hint

Jesus realizes the wisdom of this scholar and studies attentively

Jesus rebukes the teacher for his flattery and strikes him mute

Jesus picks up a book, but instead of reading its words, his mouth pours out the Holy Spirit and teaches the Law to those standing there; impressed, the teacher sends Jesus home with Joseph

Jesus strikes the second teacher dead as well

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas is a classic "lost book" of the Bible which depicts a preadolescent Jesus in what can be called an unflattering light, with the young Son of Man using His divine powers in what appear to be capricious and, at times, homicidal ways. According to noted religious scholar Bart D. Ehrman (whose work provides the basis for this quiz), few scholars take the "Infancy Gospel of Thomas" very seriously as a biography of Jesus, believing it to be a largely speculative work composed around 125 CE. It does, however, shed light on the thought of Christians from that era, along with raising some intriguing questions about the nature of Jesus for believers and critics alike. That being said, on to the first question: "The Infancy Gospel of Thomas" was lost to the world from the third century CE on, finally being rediscovered in a monastery in Ethiopia in the 1920s.

Answer: False

"The Infancy Gospel of Thomas" should not be confused with the "Gnostic Gospel of Thomas", which was discovered in an Egyptian cave in 1945. This better-known gospel contains 114 sayings of Jesus, some of which can be found in the canonical New Testament.

The Gnostic Thomas is one of the most provocative discoveries of the twentieth century; the Infancy Gospel (which has been known since antiquity) is, at the risk of treating it too lightly, a good deal more innocuous and has not received nearly so much scholarly attention.

Answer: He changes his mud sculptures into real sparrows and they fly away

The quote about the Sabbath being made for the people and not vice versa is a paraphrase of Mark 2:27, on which, along with the fifth chapter of John, this chapter seems to be a commentary. Generally speaking, most of this gospel seems to tie in with the canonical gospels ideologically, even if the narratives seem deviant at times.

Answer: He causes both children to die on the spot

Out of character as this may seem, these acts do seem in keeping with the Jesus who withers a fig tree in an apparent fit of pique (Matthew 21:19 and Mark 11:14). As a side note, the concept of Hell was very problematic in the Early Church, and no extant scripture that I know of fixes it as the concrete place suggested by the "red herring" answer above.

4. In Chapter 5, Joseph calls Jesus in for a private talk, admonishing him for his actions and warning him that their family is being persecuted because of Jesus' behavior. How does Jesus react?

Answer: He miraculously blinds all His accusers

In response, Joseph grabs Jesus' ear and gives it a hard yank. Irritated, Jesus responds cryptically: "Is it not enough for you to seek and not find; you have not acted at all wisely. Do you not know that I am yours? Do not grieve me."

5. The quality of Jesus' rhetoric impresses a scholar named Zachaeus, who proposes to teach Jesus to read and write. What does Zachaeus hope to accomplish by this?

Answer: He feels that Jesus will learn to respect and honor his elders, as well as love children his own age

Of course, this attempt to teach Jesus does not go as planned. Jesus immediately launches into a detailed interpretation of the allegorical meaning of the pen strokes that constitute the letter "Alpha". Zachaeus gives up in frustration and sorrow, admitting that this mere child is already more knowledgeable than he.

It is intriguing, also, that the instruction given here seems to be in Greek, since the text repeatedly refers to the letters Alpha and Beta; "Zachaeus" is also a name of Greek derivation.

This preference for Greek is made even more explicit in Chapter 11, when a later teacher proposes to instruct Jesus "first in Greek, then in Hebrew".

Answer: He heals all those He has cursed

As Ehrman's translation says: "No one dared anger him from that time on, fearing that he might cripple them with a curse."

Answer: True

This apparently convinced the parents, as they then "glorified God for the sign that had occurred, and they worshipped Jesus."

Answer: Wheat

This may be an allegorical reference to the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:4-15, Mark 4:3-29, and Matthew 13:3-23. It also seems to evoke the patriarch Joseph's provisions for famine in Genesis 41:25-36.

Answer: A beautiful bed

Though Joseph is said to be a carpenter in the canonical gospels, this passage in the "Infancy Gospel" is more explicit about the details of his business than anything in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.

Answer: Jesus picks up a book, but instead of reading its words, his mouth pours out the Holy Spirit and teaches the Law to those standing there; impressed, the teacher sends Jesus home with Joseph

Seemingly impressed by the teacher's humility, Jesus heals the instructor he had earlier cursed and returns home with Joseph. The "Infancy Gospel" closes on a familiar point, retelling the story of Luke 2:41-52 almost verbatim as the now twelve-year-old Jesus astounds the scholars of the Jerusalem Temple with his insight.

Source: Author stuthehistoryguy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ArleneRimmer before going online.
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