A Christmas Quiz Answers

Quiz

Here are some questions about Christmas for you to answer. Try to guess the answers, and then check your answers from the scriptures.

1. What was the father of John the Baptist? (Luke 1:5, 57-63)
1. A carpenter who worked with Joseph.
2. A soldier in the Roman army.
3. A priest in the temple.
4. We don't know.
John's father was a high priest who officiated in the temple. Once a year, a priest goes into the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice. It was Zecharias' time to perform this ritual.
2. Were Joseph and Mary wealthy or poor? (Luke 2:22-24, Lev. 12:6-8)
Mary and Joseph were poor at the time of Jesus' birth. The sacrifice they offered at the temple was acceptable only if the parents couldn't afford the more expensive offerings.
3. Who were Simeon and Anna, and where did they see Jesus? (Luke 2:25-39)
Both were devout people who saw Jesus in the temple.

Simeon had been promised by the Holy Ghost that he would see The Christ, or Messiah, before he died. He was summoned by the Spirit to go to the temple while the babe was there.

Anna was a widow who had spent most of her life in the temple. Her husband had been dead about 84 years, and they had been married for seven years, so Anna was very old.
4. How many wise men were there? (See Matt 2:1-12 for the story of the wise men)
1. Two
2. Three
3. Four
4. We don't know.
Regardless of all the traditions that have grown up concerning the birth of Jesus, there is no mention of how many wise men there were, nor are any of their names mentioned, nor is there any mention that they were kings. One possible reason for the belief that there were three wise men is that there are three gifts identified. They might have brought additional gifts.

Once the wise men arrived, Mary and Joseph no doubt had considerably more wealth than the previously had. No mention is made of what happened to any of that, but they did have to flee to Egypt and back, which might have used up some of it.
5. Where did the wise men find Jesus?
1. In a manger
2. In the inn
3. In a house
4. We don't know.
See note below
6. How old was Jesus when the wise men visited him?
1. A babe in swaddling clothes.
2. A young child.
3. A grown man.
4. We don't know.
See note below
7. What did the wise men bring for Jesus?
1. Gold, silver, and spices.
2. Frankincense, myrrh, and gold.
3. Camels, horses, and sheep.
4. We don't know.

After visiting the temple, according to Luke 2:39, they returned to their home in Nazareth. The star led the wise men to Jerusalem, where they were told to travel to Bethlehem. However, as they left Jerusalem, the star appeared and led them "to where the child was" (Matt 2:9). That would have been Nazareth, not Bethlehem.

Jesus is refered to as a young child. The Greek word can mean toddler up through pre-teen. Since Herod killed all children under two years old, Jesus was probably about one years old.

In Matt 2:11, it states that the wise men brought gifts, and then three specific gifts are mentioned: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. There may have been other gifts, and there is no mention of how much of each gift was given.

Sometimes, the scriptures don't tell us everything we would like to know about Jesus. For example, what did he look like? The scriptures don't tell us. Because of this, we all have our own thoughts about Jesus. This is important to help us feel closer to Jesus. We sometimes even imagine additional things that he might have done, or probably did. When trying to make a decision, we are often told to "think about what Jesus would do in this situation."

Remember to read the scriptures often and carefully, so that you know what is in them.