Taking this quiz is a fun activity that illustrates how tradition and culture affect our knowledge of the Bible. Try asking a your relatives or friends these questions and see how most of them respond.
1. Who told Joseph and Mary there was no room at the inn?
- The innkeeper
- The innkeeper and his wife
- The Bible doesn’t say
Answer: Though most pageants depict an innkeeper, the Bible doesn’t mention one. Inns in the ancient east were not staffed. They were a community building which provided minimal accommodations for travelers. This inn was either filled to capacity, or there was no suitable area for Mary to give birth.
2. How did Joseph and Mary get to Bethlehem?
- Colt
- Mary rode a donkey and Joseph walked
- wagon
- The Bible doesn’t say
Answer: The Bible doesn’t say. It was not the custom of men in that day to walk and allow women to ride an animal. Personally, I don’t think there would have been a “comfortable” way for a pregnant woman to travel in those days—I’m not sure there is one today. Would a donkey be better than walking?
3. After being born, Jesus was placed in a:
- Basket
- Manger
- Pile of hay
- On the back of a donkey
Answer: He was placed in a manger which was likely an animal trough. Other than in the birth story, the word translated manger is used only in Luke 13:15 where it is translated “stall.” In any event, it clearly refers to a place where animals are keep. Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes. This was a common practice of wrapping a newborn tightly to prevent too much movement of their limbs. In Europe, the process of swaddling was abused especially by wet nurses who were disinterested in the care of the child. The technique long fell out of favor. However newer research shows that newborns respond well to swaddling. The use of a tightly wrapped receiving blanket is common again, and promotes sleep which the baby needs.
4. Which animals does the Bible say were housed in the stable?
- cows, donkeys, sheep
- lions, tigers and bears
- goats, sheep and cows
- We don’t even know there was a stable
Answer: We don’t even know there was a stable. Some speculate that the animal keeping area was attached to the inn. Tradition holds that Jesus was born in a cave entrance which was used to house animals. Some even speculate that the courtyard of a house might have been used.
5. From what area were the three kings that visited Jesus?
- the west
- the east
- the orient
- none of the above
Answer: The east. The Bible says very little about the wise men. The names and nationality are unknown to us. It simply says they came from the east. Persia, Arabia, or Babylon would be a good guess. These Magi from which we get our word Magician were not illusionists or involved in spiritualism, rather they were learned men who studied the stars, religion, philosophy, and medicine. They were highly respected advisors in many areas of wisdom.
6. What sign were the shepherds told to look for by the angel?
- a lion and a sheep together in peace
- a tree with a star on top
- a star over Bethlehem
- a baby wrapped in clothes lying in a manger
Answer: A baby wrapped in cloths lying in a manger. While a sign may involve a miracle, this sign isn’t so obvious. The sign promised in Isaiah 7 was that a virgin would give birth, but the shepherds would not have known whether Mary was a virgin. Instead, this served as a sign because it was unusual to find a baby in a manger. Certainly these shepherds of Bethlehem knew the various locations where animals would be housed. The star was not sent for them it was sign for the wise men who where astronomers.
7. How many wise men came to see Jesus?
- One
- Two or more
- Three
Answer: two or more. There was a plurality of wise men. The number three is assumed from the three gifts that are named.
8. The wise men met Jesus in a:
- manger
- cave
- stable
- house
Answer: House. The wise men almost certainly did not arrive on the night of Jesus’ birth. Remember that Herod assumed a two year window as to the child’s age. It can be supposed that the star announced Jesus’ birth and then was followed; placing the wise men at a house several months after Jesus was born.
9. Who told Joseph and Mary to go to Bethlehem?
- an angel
- Caesar Augustus.
- Herod
- No one told them to go
Answer: Caesar Augustus. Historians had difficulty reconciling Luke’s account with historical records, but further research exonerated his accuracy. It is now readily accepted that Augustus demanded a census around 4BC. So while he never personally spoke to Joseph, he is the one responsible for their need to move.
10. The child Jesus went to Egypt:
- to meet pharaoh
- because Joseph was told in a dream to take him
- Joseph did not take Jesus to Egypt
- none of the above
Answer: Joseph was told in a dream. God chose the simplest, least intrusive way to keep Jesus safe.
11. In which books do we find the story of Jesus’ birth
- all four gospels
- Matthew, Mark, and Luke
- Matthew only
- Matthew and Luke
Answer Matthew and Luke. Unlike modern biographies, the ancients had less concern about the early events of someone’s life. Only Matthew mentions the visit of the wise men, and only Luke mentions the manger, shepherds, and angels. Beyond this, the gospels are silent about His childhood except for the temple incident when He was 12.
12. December 25th has been celebrated as Christmas because of the date set in the Bible.
- True
- False
Answer: False. There are almost no Biblical clues to the exact date Christ was born. Modern scholarship places the year around 4 BC. The time of year was likely in the spring. Christmas came to be celebrated on the 25th of December as a replacement of a Roman holiday which celebrated the solstice. It was called “The birthday of the unconquered sun.” Some early Christians felt it was appropriate because they considered Jesus the “unconquered Son.”
The Christmas story illustrates man’s ability to think he “knows” the truth. If we error in the simple story of Jesus’ birth, how do you think we are doing with other parts of the Bible? Go back and re-read the story of Jesus’ birth in Matthew and Luke. After this quiz it will be like reading it for the first time. The Biblical account is striking in its lack of pageantry. The most glorious part is the simple faith of the people involved, and the willingness of God to stoop to our level—that great event of the Word becoming flesh.
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Last Updated on Saturday, 12 December 2009 20:43
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