A CHRISTMAS I.Q. TEST

A CHRISTMAS I.Q. TEST
[Posted by The Daily Encourager [dlangerfeld@HarrisburgBaptist.org]]


1. Joseph was originally from... (Luke 2:3)
A. Bethlehem
B. Nazareth
C. Hebron
D. Jerusalem
E. None of the above


2. What does the Bible say that the Innkeeper said to Mary and Joseph? (Luke 2:7)
A. "There is no room in the inn."
B. "I have a stable you can use."
C. "Come back later and I should have some vacancies."
D. Both A and B
E. None of the above


3. A manger is a...
A. Stable for domestic animals
B. Wooden hay storage bin
C. Feeding trough
D. Barn


4. Which animals does the Bible say were present at Jesus' birth?
A. Cows, sheep, goats
B. Cows, Donkeys, goats
C. Sheep and goats only
D. Miscellaneous barnyard animals
E. None of the above


5. Who saw the star in the east?
A. Shepherds
B. Mary and Joseph
C. Three Kings
D. Both A and C
E. None of the above


6. According to the Bible, how did Mary and Joseph get to Bethlehem?
A. Camel
B. Donkey
C. Walked
D. Joseph walked, Mary rode a donkey
E. Horse-drawn chariot
F. The Bible doesn't say


7. How many angels spoke to the shepherds? (Luke 2:10)
A. One
B. Three
C. Multitude
D. None of the above


8. What did the angels say/sing? (Luke 2:14)
A. "Glory to God in the highest, etc."
B. "Alleluia"
C. "Unto us a child is born, Unto us a son is given"
D. "Joy the world, the Lord is come"
E. "Glory to the newborn King"


9. What is a heavenly host?
A. The angel at the gate of heaven
B. The angel who serves refreshments in heaven
C. An angel choir
D. An angel army
E. None of the above


10. There was snow that first Christmas...
A. Only in Bethlehem
B. All over Israel
C. Nowhere in Israel
D. Somewhere in Israel


11. What is Frankincense?
A. A precious metal
B. A precious fabric
C. A precious perfume
D. None of the above


12. In Matthew, what does "wise men" or "Magi" refer to?
A. Men of the educated class
B. Eastern Kings
C. Astronomers
D. Sages


13. What is Myrrh?
A. Middle Eastern Money
B. A drink
C. An easily shaped metal
D. A spice used for burying people
E. None of the above


14. How many wise men does the Bible say came to see Jesus? _____


15. Where did the wise men find Jesus? (Matthew 2:11)
A. In a manger
B. In a stable
C. In Nazareth
D. In Egypt
E. In a house
F. None of the above


16. When the "magi" found Jesus, he was... (Matthew 2:11)
A. A babe wrapped in swaddling clothes
B. A young child
C. A boy in the temple
D. A grown man


17. The "star in the east" that the "magi" followed... (Matthew 2:9)
A. Stayed in the same place their entire journey
B. Disappeared and reappeared
C. Moved ahead of them and stopped over the place where Jesus was
D. Was just a mirage
E. None of the above


18. The "magi" stopped in Jerusalem... (Matthew 2:2)
A. To inform Herod about Jesus
B. To find out where Jesus was
C. To ask about the star
D. To buy gifts for Jesus
E. None of the above


19. Where do we find the Christmas story?
A. Matthew
B. Mark
C. Luke
D. John
E. All of the above
F. Only A and B
G. Only A and C
H. Only A, B, and C


20. When Joseph found Mary was pregnant, what happened?
A. They got married
B. Joseph wanted to break the engagement
C. Mary left town for three months
D. A and B
E. B and C


21. Who told (made) Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem? (Luke 2:1-5)
A. The angel chorus
B. Mary's mother
C. Herod
D. The shepherds
E. Caesar Augustus


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THE ANSWERS: (read the scriptures beside the questions)

1. A. He worked and currently lived in Nazareth, but he was returning to Bethlehem - "his own city" (See Luke 2:3).

2. E. The Bible doesn't say that the innkeeper "said' anything (See Luke 2:7)

3. C. Feeding trough - Interestingly enough, most mangers in New Testament times were made of stone. Wood was too valuable to use for mangers. If you visit Israel today, you can see stone mangers used by Solomon to feed his horses at Megiddo.

4. E. The Bible doesn't say. We just "assume" that since Jesus was born in a stable that there were various barnyard animals present.

5. E. This is a "trick" question. The "magi" saw the star. However, the Bible doesn't say how many there were and they were not "kings", but astronomers or "star gazers" (see answer 15).

6. F. Although the modern "pictures" in my Bible show Mary on a donkey with Joseph beside her, the Bible doesn't say!

7. A. Luke 2:10

8. A. Luke 2:14

9. D. The word means "army". (Greek - "stratias") Now, since there was a "multitude" of the heavenly "army" (hosts), there could easily have been from 10,000 - 100,000 angels there that night! When the incarnate Son of God was born, heaven could not hold the angels back! No wonder the shepherds were "sore afraid"!

10. D. Another trick question. There is always snow on Mt. Hermon in northern Israel

11. C.

12. C. The word "Magi" literally means "star-gazers". Although there is no Biblical record of exactly who they were or their point of origin, I personally believe that they were descendants of the "wise men" ("star gazers") of Babylon. I believe that God, in His great providence, used Daniel (while he was in captivity in Babylon), to teach these men about future events - including the birth of the Savior of the world. Read Daniel 5:11 - Daniel was put in charge of these men!

13. D. Herod was buried with over 150 lbs. of Myrrh wrapped in his burial clothes.

14. They were "magi" (star-gazers), not necessarily "wise men" - but the Bible doesn't give the number. Many people assume that there were three because of the three gifts. However, in ancient times such men usually traveled in large caravans, along with a full entourage for provision and protection.

15. E. Read Matthew 2:11 (see next answer)

16. B. Read Matthew 2:11 When the Shepherds found Jesus (Luke 2), he was a "babe" in a manger. The Greek word used in Luke 2 is for a "newborn baby". However, by the time the Magi appeared, Jesus had been moved from the manger to a house (verse 11) and the Greek word used in Matthew is for "toddler or young child". He was probably somewhere between 12-24 months old.

17. C. Read Matthew 2:9 Most people miss this question. The star did not stay stationary over the manger or the house. This verse makes it clear that the star moved "in front" of the magi and guided them until it "stood over where the young child was".

18. B. Read Matthew 2:2

19. G. Isn't it amazing how God divinely inspired these two gospel writers to write His exact words, but, yet, He used their interests and professions to recall different aspects of Jesus' birth. Matthew, a tax collector, records the genealogy of Jesus (used for taxation) and the story of the "magi" - men of importance from a foreign country. Luke, a physician, records the pregnancy and birth.

20. E. Joseph wanted to "put her away" secretly and Mary left town to see her cousin Elizabeth. Matthew 1:19 and Luke 1:39, 56

21. E. "There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus... everyone into his own city... " (Luke 2:1-5)