Wake the Dead Trivia Quiz

Answer: Funeral rites are important.

There are a variety of reasons why a body may not be buried or cremated properly after death. In some religions and cultures, it is believed that a person's soul is negatively affected if the appropriate funeral rites are not performed. In some stories and folktales, another person assumes responsibility for the unburied body and performs death rites.

In return, the soul of the unburied body joins the person as a companion while travelling. The companion helps out or sometimes even saves the other's life as a reward for performing a proper burial.

This thankful spirit is the 'grateful dead' and the story of Tobit is an example of this kind of tale.

Answer: False

The Book of Tobit is included in the apocrypha in Catholic Bibles, but it is not usually included in Protestant versions of the Good Book. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Tobit probably wasn't written in Nineveh in the early 7th century BCE as the story claims it was.

It is more likely that it was written in the 2nd century BCE in the city of Antioch. Despite its historical and geographical inaccuracies, the story still encapsulates an important message about maintaining religious observances in the face of adversity.

Answer: The Law of Moses commanded it.

According to the Law of Moses, Jews had to visit Jerusalem to celebrate particular festivals and religious observances. Tobit's faithfulness to religious observances is a key feature of this book. As his story progresses, we see him fulfilling other Jewish obligations, even in the face of immense adversity.

He continued to abide by Jewish food restrictions, even though members of his family ate the local food regardless. Tobit earned the respect of Emperor Shalmaneser for sticking to his beliefs.

Answer: He buried the bodies of Jews who had been thrown outside the city walls.

Tobit believed that all Jews should receive a proper burial, so if he came across a body that had not been buried, he performed the funeral rites himself. At first, that wasn't a problem, but life became difficult for Tobit when Sennacherib became emperor.

The new emperor killed a number of Jews in a fit of rage and Tobit secretly went to bury their bodies. The emperor found out what Tobit had done. His possessions were seized and he was exiled.

Answer: He was an angel.

Raphael was one of the named angels in the apocrypha. According to 1 Enoch 1:20, the other six archangels were Uriel, Raguel, Michael, Sariel, Gabriel, and Remiel. Angels are not just winged people in long white robes, as depicted in many Nativity plays across the world.

In Tobit, Raphael was sent to provide practical help to Tobit and his family, as well as defeating a demon. In Tobit 12:12, he admitted that he brought Tobit's prayer to God's presence, just like he had each time Tobit had buried the dead.

Answer: He went to retrieve some of his father's money.

Tobit and his family had fallen on hard times. He remembered that he had left money with a family member called Gabael, who lived in Media. Tobit had been blinded, so his son Tobias set out to retrieve the money instead. Anna, Tobit's wife, was worried about sending their only son to Media, but Tobit assured her that he would be protected.

Answer: False

Raphael was a stranger to the family but claimed to be a distant relative called Azarias. He went with Tobias to keep him safe and to fulfil God's plan for the family. Tobit didn't realise that Raphael (disguised as Azarias) was an angel until he and Tobias returned home in 12:15.

Answer: Sarah

Tobit had been faithful to the Jewish religion, even when doing so put his life at risk. He went out of his way to bury Jews who hadn't received appropriate funeral rites. One of his rewards was the angel Raphael's help in pairing Tobias up with a woman from his tribe.

Not only did he find Tobias a wife, but he defeated a demon that had tormented her all her adult life: each of her previous husbands had died on the wedding night.

Answer: Yes

God sent Raphael to protect Tobias on his journey to Media. Along the way, Tobias married Sarah and his new father-in-law insisted that he stay to celebrate the wedding feast. Raphael continued on to Rages in Media without Tobias. He handed Tobit's contract to Gabael and collected the money in return. Tobit wanted to give some of the money (including a bonus) to Raphael to pay him for his help.

At that moment, Raphael revealed that he was an angel who had been sent by God to reward Tobit for his faithfulness and good deeds.

Answer: A fish's gall bladder

While Tobias and Raphael were on the way to Media, they caught a fish. After they had eaten, the angel told Tobias to keep some of the internal organs. On his wedding night, Tobias burned the heart and liver to scare away the demon that tormented Sarah.

The fish's gall bladder was kept until the two returned home. Raphael instructed Tobias to use the gall bladder on his father's eyes, and after he did so, the white film fell from Tobit's eyes and he could see again.