Easter Quiz

1. Jesus prophesied that before before a rooster would crow how many times, Peter would three times deny knowing Jesus?
   1. one
      • "... Peter said to Him... Jesus said to him... this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times...." --Matthew 26:33-4
      • "... He said, 'I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.'" --Luke 22:34
      • "... Peter said to Him... Jesus answered... a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times..." --John 13:37-8
   2. two
      • "... Peter said to Him... Jesus said to him... this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times...." --Mark 14:29-30
        • KJV, NKJV, NASB, and NIV all include "twice" in Mark 14:30. But NIV has a footnote that says "Some early manuscripts do not have twice".
      • "... Simon Cephas answered... Jesus said... Thou shall to-day, during this night, before the cock crow twice, three times deny me..." --Diatessaron 45:25-7 (Tatian's Diatessaron (~175 AD) was an attempt to harmonize the Gospels and thereby minimize embarrassing scrutiny of the synoptic contradictions problem.)
   3. Rather than a prophecy, "before a rooster crows twice" was an idiom referring to the frequent crowing of roosters. The meaning is the same regardless of whether "twice" is in the phrase or not. Matthew, Luke, and John didn't want to confuse their audiences with a foreign idiom.
      • If the phrase wasn't meant literally, then why do none of the Gospel writers give any hint of that? They could have said "This story is a parable" or "I've changed some unimportant details to make the story more interesting." If part or all of this story isn't literally true, but the Gospel authors still felt that they could honestly report it as if it were, then is there any truly principled way (hermeneutic) to determine which parts of the Gospels were written literally versus metaphorically?
2. Peter three times denied knowing Jesus before a rooster crowed how many times? (Pick the smallest correct answer.)
   1. one
      • "... he denied it before them all... again he denied it with an oath... A little later... he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man!" And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." ..." --Matthew 26:70-74
      • "... he denied it... A little later... Peter said, "Man, I am not!" After about an hour had passed... Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, "Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times." ..." --Luke 22:57-61
      • "... He said, "I am not." ... [later] He denied it, and said, "I am not." ... Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed..." --John 18:17,25-27
   2. two
      • Mark 14:68-72
        • Versions that include "a rooster crowed" in Mark 14:68
          • "... he denied... the cock crew... he denied it again. And a little after... he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice..." --Mark 14:68-72 (KJV)
          • "... he denied it... a rooster crowed... he denied it again. And a little later... he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this Man of whom you speak!" A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, "Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." ..." --Mark 14:68-72 (NKJV) (There are no footnotes for verses 68 or 72.)
        • Versions that delete "a rooster crowed" from Mark 14:68
          • "... he denied it... [a footnote says "Later mss add and a rooster crowed"]... again he denied it And after a little while... he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this man you are talking about!" Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, "Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times." ..." --Mark 14:68-72 (NASB)
          • "... he denied it... [a footnote says "Some early manuscripts... the rooster crowed"] ... Again he denied it. After a little while... He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, "I don't know this man you're talking about." Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. [a footnote says "Some early manuscripts do not have the second time"] Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice [a footnote says "Some early manuscripts do not have twice"] you will disown me three times." ..." --Mark 14:68-72 (NIV)
      • "... he denied... he denied again with an oath, I know not the man... Then began Simon to curse, and to swear, I know not this man whom ye have mentioned. And immediately, while he was speaking, the cock crew twice. And in that hour Jesus turned, he being without, and looked stedfastly at Cephas. And Simon remembered the word of our Lord, which he said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice..." --Diatessaron 48:52,49:10,14-17
3. To whom did Peter deny knowing Jesus?
   1. first a servant-girl, then the same servant-girl again, and finally the bystanders
      • "... As Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant-girls of the high priest came, and seeing Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, "You also were with Jesus the Nazarene." But he denied it, saying, "I neither know nor understand what you are talking about." And he went out onto the porch. The servant-girl saw him, and began once more to say to the bystanders, "This is one of them!" But again he denied it And after a little while the bystanders were again saying to Peter, "Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean too." But he began to curse and swear, "I do not know this man you are talking about!" ..." --Mark 14:66-71
   2. first a servant-girl, then a different servant-girl, and finally the bystanders
      • "... Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about." When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." And again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man." A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away." Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man!" ..." --Matthew 26:69-74
   3. first a servant-girl, then "another" (servant-girl? man?), and finally "another man"
      • "... After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, "This man was with Him too." But he denied it, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him." A little later, another saw him and said, "You are one of them too!" But Peter said, "Man, I am not!" After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, "Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too." But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are talking about." ..." --Luke 22:55-60
   4. first the slave-girl at the door, then the slaves and officers standing by the fire, and finally one of the high priest's slaves
      • "... Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in. Then the slave-girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself... Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself So they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it, and said, "I am not." One of the slaves of the high priest, being a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?" Peter then denied it again..." --John 18:16-18,25-27
      • "... Simon was standing without at the door. And that other disciple, whom the chief priest knew, went out and spake unto her that kept the door, and she brought Simon in. And when the maid that kept the door saw Simon, she looked stedfastly at him, and said unto him, Art not thou also one of the disciples of this man, I mean Jesus the Nazarene? But he denied, and said, Woman, I know him not, neither know I even what thou sayest. And the servants and the soldiers rose, and made a fire in the middle of the court, that they might warm themselves; for it was cold. And when the fire burned up, they sat down around it. And Simon also came, and sat down with them to warm himself, that he might see the end of what should happen... Simon Cephas was standing in the outer court warming himself. And that maid saw him again, and began to say to those that stood by, This man also was there with Jesus the Nazarene. And those that stood by came forward and said to Cephas, Truly thou art one of his disciples. And he denied again with an oath, I know not the man. And after a little one of the servants of the chief priest, the kinsman of him whose ear Simon cut off, saw him; and he disputed and said, Truly this matt was with him: and he also is a Galilaean; and his speech resembles. And he said unto Simon, Did not I see thee with him in the garden? Then began Simon to curse, and to swear, I know not this man whom ye have mentioned..." --Diatessaron 48:49-55,49:7-14
4. Did Judas kiss Jesus?
   1. yes
      • "... Judas immediately went to Him, saying, "Rabbi!" and kissed Him... But one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear..." --Mark 14:45-7
      • "... Judas went to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed Him... one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear..." --Matthew 26:49-51
      • "... Judas the betrayer came to Jesus, and said, Peace, my Master; and kissed him... Simon Cephas had a sword, and he drew it, and struck the servant of the chief priest, and cut off his right ear..." --Diatessaron 48:25,35
   2. probably not
      • "... Judas... approached Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" ... And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear..." --Luke 22:47-48,50
      • "... Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" They answered Him, "Jesus the Nazarene." He said to them, "I am He." And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them... Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave's name was Malchus..." --John 18:3-5,10
5. After His arrest, where was Jesus first taken?
   1. the high priest
      1. anonymous
         • "They led Jesus away to the high priest; and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes gathered together." --Mark 14:53
         • "Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest..." --Luke 22:54
      2. Caiaphas
         • "Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together." --Matthew 26:57
   2. Annas
      • "... Roman cohort and the commander and the officers of the Jews, arrested Jesus and bound Him, and led Him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year... So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest..." --John 18:12-13,24
      • "... they took Jesus, and bound him, and brought him to Annas first; because he was the father in law of Caiaphas, who was chief priest that year... Annas sent Jesus bound unto Caiaphas the chief priest..." --Diatessaron 48:47,49:6
6. Who bought the field and how did Judas die? *
   1. The chief priests bought the potter's field. Judas died by hanging himself.
      • "... Judas, who had betrayed Him... went away and hanged himself. The chief priests... with the money bought the Potter's Field..." --Matthew 27:3-5
      • "... Judas the betrayer... went away and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the money... and bought with it the plain of the potter..." --Diatessaron 51:7,9-11
   2. Judas bought the field. Judas died when he fell down and "all his intestines gushed out".
      • "... Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus... Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out..." --Acts 1:16-18
7. Did Matthew confuse Jeremiah with Zechariah? * * * (Note: The Gospels, including "Matthew", are anonymous.)
   1. no
      • "Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "AND THEY TOOK THE THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER, THE PRICE OF THE ONE WHOSE PRICE HAD BEEN SET by the sons of Israel; AND THEY GAVE THEM FOR THE POTTER'S FIELD, AS THE LORD DIRECTED ME."" --Matthew 27:9-10
      • The Bible text may be corrupt.
        • Zechariah (518? BC) quoted from the original version of Jeremiah (628? BC), so Matthew was correct, but the Jews later deleted those verses from the Book of Jeremiah to make Christians look stupid.
          • "... they [the rabbis] have altogether taken away many Scriptures from the translations effected by those seventy elders who were with Ptolemy [referring to the Septuagint Old Testament]..." --Justin's Dialogue with Trypho 4:71 (~150 AD)
          • "He [Justin] also refers to certain prophetic declarations, and accuses Trypho on the ground that the Jews had cut them out of the Scripture." --Eusebius' Historia Ecclesiastica (Church History) 4:18:8 (~330 AD)
        • "... this passage is not found in the prophecy of Jeremiah, you must consider whether it is to be supposed that they have been removed through any evil intention, or whether there has been an error in copying, through the mistake of some careless transcriber..." --Origen's Demonstratio Evangelica (Proof of the Gospel) 10:4 (~225 AD)
      • Jeremiah was the first book in the Prophets section of the Old Testament, so the name "Jeremiah" may have been used as a general reference to that section rather than a specific reference to that book.
        • "Jeremiah... stood first in the volume of the prophets... When, therefore, Matthew produceth a text of Zechariah under the name of Jeremy, he only cites the words of the volume of the prophets under his name who stood first in the volume of the prophets... Luke 24:44; "All things must be fulfilled, which are written of me in the Law, and the Prophets, and the Psalms." "In the Psalms"; that is, in the Book of Hagiographa, in which the Psalms were placed first." --John Lightfoot's commentary on Matthew 27:9
   2. yes
      • Zechariah 11:12-13
        • "I said to them, "If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind!" So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. Then the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them." So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD." --Zechariah 11:12-13 (NASB)
        • "And I will say to them, If it be good in your eyes, give me my price, or refuse it. And they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, Drop them into the furnace, and I will see if it is good metal, as I was proved for their sakes. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them into the furnace in the house of the Lord." --Zacharias 11:12-13 (Brenton translation of the Septuagint)
        • "And I said unto them: 'If ye think good, give me my hire; and if not, forbear.' So they weighed for my hire thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said unto me: 'Cast it into the treasury, the goodly price that I was prized at of them.' And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them into the treasury, in the house of the LORD." --Zechariah 11:12-13 (New Jewish Publication Society of America version)
      • "Thus says the LORD, 'Go and buy a potter's earthenware jar...'" --Jeremiah 19:1
      • "Jeremiah said, "The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle is coming to you, saying, "Buy for yourself my field..."' ... I bought the field... and I weighed out the silver for him, seventeen shekels of silver." --Jeremiah 32:6-9
      • The Holy Spirit intentionally made Matthew "mis-write" this unimportant detail in order to remind us that the larger ideas of Jeremiah and Zechariah are in perfect harmony.
        • "... there subsists so perfect a unison of sentiment between the two parties..." --Augustine's De Consensu Evangelistarum (Consensus/Harmony of the Gospels) 3:7:30 (~420 AD)
      • This is typical of the way the Gospel of Matthew misunderstands and twists the Old Testament. *
        • Who was Zechariah's father? *
          • "... all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar." --Matthew 23:35
          • "... Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest... they stoned him [Zechariah] to death in the court of the house of the LORD. Thus Joash [Jehoash; 825? BC] the king did not remember the kindness which his father Jehoiada had shown him, but he murdered his son..." --2 Chronicles 24:20-22
          • "In the... second year of Darius [~520 BC]... Zechariah the prophet, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo..." --Zechariah 1:1
          • "... from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house of God..." --Luke 11:51
        • The Septuagint mistranslated Isaiah 7:14's Hebrew word 'almah' ('young woman') into the Greek word 'parqenos' ('virgin'), as if the Hebrew word had been 'bethulah' ('virgin'), and Matthew copied the Septuagint. *
          • "... THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD [quoting the Septuagint Isaiah 7:14]..." --Matthew 1:23
          • Isaiah 7:14 (Hebrew word 'almah' means 'young woman'.)
            • virgin
              • Brenton translation of the Septuagint: "... a virgin shall conceive..."
              • NASB: "... a virgin will be with child..."
                (Note: Most English translations, including KJV, NKJV, and NIV, use the word 'virgin' and do not have a footnote explaining the difference between Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 62:5, probably to avoid "teaching the controversy" of the Septuagint's (and Matthew's) mistake.)
            • young woman
              • RSV: "... a young woman shall conceive..."
              • NET: "... this young woman is about to conceive..."
                (A footnote says "... Much debate has taken place over the best way to translate this Hebrew term... Though the Hebrew word used here... can sometimes refer to a woman who is a virgin (Gen 24:43), it does not carry this meaning inherently... The word seems to pertain to age, not sexual experience, and would normally be translated "young woman." The LXX translator(s) who later translated the Book of Isaiah into Greek... rendered the Hebrew term by the more specific Greek word... (parqenos), which does mean "virgin" in a technical sense. This is the Greek term that also appears in the citation of Isa 7:14 in Matt 1:23...")
              • NJPS: "... the young woman is with child..."
          • Isaiah 62:5 (Hebrew word 'bethulah' means 'virgin'.)
            • Brenton translation of the Septuagint: "... as a young man lives with a virgin..."
            • NASB: "... as a young man marries a virgin..."
              (Note: Almost all English translations, including KJV and NKJV, use the word 'virgin' here.)
            • NIV: "... As a young man marries a maiden..."
            • NJPS: "... As a young man lives with a virgin..."
        • A colt is a young male horse (or donkey), but Matthew misinterpreted Zechariah 9:9 as referring to two separate animals.
          • "... Say to the daughter of Zion, "Lo, your salvation comes; Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him..." --Isaiah 62:11 (~700 BC)
          • "Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion!
            Shout in triumph, O Israel!
            Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
            O daughter of Jerusalem!" --Zephaniah 3:14 (~630 BC)
          • "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
            Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem!
            Behold, your king is coming to you;
            He is just and endowed with salvation,
            Humble, and mounted on a donkey,
            Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey." --Zechariah 9:9 (518? BC)
          • "... you will find a donkey tied there and a colt... This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
            SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION,
            'BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU,
            GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY,
            EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.'"
            The disciples... brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats." --Matthew 21:1-7 *
            • Unlike Matthew, the other Gospel writers interpreted Zechariah 9:9 as meaning "colt, a type of donkey" rather than "a donkey and and a colt".
              • "... you will find a colt... They brought the colt to Jesus..." --Mark 11:2,7
              • "... you will find a colt... They brought it to Jesus..." --Luke 19:30,35
              • "Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written, "FEAR NOT, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY'S COLT."" --John 12:14-15
   3. The Bible can't have mistakes, so let's edit that one out!
      • "Therein was fulfilled the saying in the prophet which said, I took thirty pieces of money, the price of the precious one, which was fixed by the children of Israel; and I paid them for the plain of the potter, as the Lord commanded me." --Diatessaron 51:13-14 (175? AD)
8. What day was Jesus crucified?
   1. the day before Passover began * * * *
      • "... Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour... Pilate... then handed Him over to them to be crucified... There they crucified Him..." --John 19:14-17
   2. the day after Passover ended
      • "... On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed... [the next day?] It was the third hour when they crucified Him..." --Mark 14:12,15:25
9. What did the sign above Jesus' head say?
   1. THE KING OF THE JEWS
      • "... The inscription of the charge against Him read, "THE KING OF THE JEWS." ..." --Mark 15:26
   2. THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS
      • "... above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS." ..." --Matthew 27:37
   3. THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS
      • Luke 23:38
        • "... a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS..." --Luke 23:38 (KJV)
        • "... an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: [a footnote says "NU-Text omits written and in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew"] THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS..." --Luke 23:38 (NKJV)
        • "... there was also an inscription above Him, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." ..." --Luke 23:38 (NASB) (no footnote)
        • "... There was a written notice above him, which read:|sc THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS..." --Luke 23:38 (NIV) (no footnote)
   4. JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS
      • "... Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, "JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS." ... it was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek. So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews'; but that He said, 'I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written." ..." --John 19:19-22
   5. This is Jesus the Nazarene the Nazarene, the King of the Jews (or THIS IS JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS)
      • "... Pilate wrote on a tablet the cause of his death, and put it on the wood of the cross above his head. And there was written upon it thus: This is Jesus the Nazarene the Nazarene, the King of the Jews... it was written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin. And the chief priests said unto Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but, He it is that said, I am the King of the Jews. Pilate said unto them, What hath been written hath been written..." --Diatessaron 51:31-34
      • This answer is a composite of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The idea is that none of the Gospel writers told us "the whole truth", but God wanted us to know "the whole truth", so that's why there are four Gospels. But this implies that God likes puzzles, Bible Code style, perhaps. Can you solve God's puzzles in time, or will you be damned to burn in Hell for all eternity?
   6. John says the inscription "was written in Hebrew, Latin and in Greek", and all four Gospels were originally written in Greek. So perhaps:
      • John wrote a Greek translation of the Latin inscription.
      • Matthew wrote a Greek translation of the Hebrew inscription.
      • Luke copied the Greek inscription verbatim.
      • Mark omitted part of the inscription.
10. Did both robbers insult Jesus?
    1. yes
       • "... They crucified two robbers with Him... Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him..." --Mark 15:27,32
       • "... two robbers were crucified with Him... The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him..." --Matthew 27:38,44
    2. no
       • "... they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left... One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him... But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God..."" --Luke 23:33,39-40
       • "... the two robbers also that were crucified with him reproached him. And one of those two malefactors who were crucified with him reviled him... But his comrade rebuked him, and said, Dost thou not even fear God..." --Diatessaron 51:43-45
       • Maybe Mark and Matthew were using synechdoche. That is, only one robber insulted Jesus, but Mark and Matthew were trying to tell "the short version" of the story, so they reported the collective actions of "the robbers" rather than the separate actions of each individual robber.
         • There were only two robbers, so if their individual opinions diverged instead of reaching consensus, it would NOT be accurate to imply that they agreed.
    3. At first, yes, but then one of the robbers changed his mind.
       • If so, then neither Mark nor Matthew nor Luke told "the whole truth", did they? Do you trust them to tell you "the whole truth" about how to avoid burning in Hell forever? Would you even buy a used car from them? They might say "It's in great shape" without mentioning that they're just describing how the car looks, not how it runs.
11. What were Jesus' last words on the cross?
    1. "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (or possibly some unreported words in his last yell)
       • "At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" which is translated, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" [quoting Psalm 22:1] ... Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last." --Mark 15:34,37
       • "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" ... Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit..." --Matthew 27:46-50
       • "My God, my God, why, O Lord, have you forsaken me?" --Gospel of Philip *
       • "And the Lord screamed out, saying: 'My power, O power, you have forsaken me.' And having said this, he was taken up." --Gospel of Peter 19 *
    2. "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."
       • "... Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." [quoting Psalm 31:5] Having said this, He breathed His last...." --Luke 23:46
       • "Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and said, My Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. He said that, and bowed his head, and gave up his spirit." --Diatessaron 52:7
    3. "It is finished!"
       • "... He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit...." --John 19:30
12. What did the centurion say about Jesus?
    1. "Truly this man was the Son of God!"
       • "... the centurion... said, "Truly this man was the Son of God!"" --Mark 15:39
       • "... the centurion... said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"" --Matthew 27:54
    2. "Certainly this man was innocent."
       • "... the centurion... began praising God, saying, "Certainly this man was innocent."" --Luke 23:47
    3. both of the above
       • "... the officer of the footsoldiers, and they that were with him who were guarding Jesus... praised God, and said, This man was righteous; and, Truly he was the Son of God." --Diatessaron 52:11-12
13. Which individual women went to Jesus' tomb?
    1. Mary Magdalene
       • "... Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb..." --John 20:1
    2. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
       • "... Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave..." --Matthew 28:1
    3. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome
       • "... Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome... came to the tomb..." --Mark 16:1-2
    4. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna, and probably others
       • "... the women who had come with Him out of Galilee... came to the tomb... they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things..." --Luke 23:55-56,24:1,24:10
    5. all of the above
       • "... Mary Magdalene and the other Mary and other women to see the tomb..." --Diatessaron 52:45
    
14. When did the women arrive at Jesus' tomb?
    1. before sunrise
       • "... Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark..." --John 20:1
       • "... on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb... they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things..." --Luke 24:1,10
       • "... as it began to dawn ["that time at which there is enough light for objects to be distinguishable and that outdoor activities can commence... should not be confused with sunrise, which is the moment when the leading edge of the sun itself appears above the horizon"]... Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave..." --Matthew 28:1
       • "... in the evening of the sabbath, which is the morning of the first day, and in the dawning while the darkness yet remained, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary and other women to see the tomb..." --Diatessaron 52:45
    2. after sunrise
       • "... Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome... came to the tomb when the sun had risen..." --Mark 16:2 (NASB)
         • KJV: "at the rising of the sun"
         • NKJV: "when the sun had risen"
         • NIV: "just after sunrise"
    3. Mary Magdalene arrived before dawn, "the other Mary" arrived between dawn and sunrise, and the other women arrived after sunrise.
       • Did God deliberately write these verses as a puzzle to be pieced together, like The Bible Code, so that He can save those who are good at puzzles and damn the rest to Hell? Or does the inconsistency of the Gospels mean they're not from God?
15. Why did the women go to Jesus' tomb?
    1. to anoint Jesus' body with spices
       • "... Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him... they came to the tomb..." --Mark 16:1-2
       • "... the women who had come with Him out of Galilee... came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared... they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James also the other women with them were telling these things..." --Luke 23:55-24:1,24:10
    2. just to look at the tomb
       • Joseph of Arimathea "rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave... along with the guard they set a seal on the stone... Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave..." --Matthew 27:57-61,28:1
       • "... Joseph of Arimathea... came and took away His body. Nicodemus... also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices... Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb..." --John 19:38-20:1
    3. both of the above purposes
       • "... came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary and other women to see the tomb. They brought with them the perfume which they had prepared..." --Diatessaron 52:45-46
16. When did the women buy and/or prepare the spices?
    1. before the Sabbath began
       • "... It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath ["from Friday's sunset to Saturday's sunset"] was about to begin. Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed... Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment... they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things..." --Luke 23:54-24:10
       • "... Mary Magdalene and Mary... they returned, and ointment and perfume, and prepared it... And on the day which was the sabbath day they desisted according to the command..." --Diatessaron 52:36-39
    2. after the Sabbath ended
       • "... When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him..." --Mark 16:1
17. Who did the women see at the tomb?
    1. an angel
       • "... Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave... an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it... The angel said to the women..." --Matthew 28:1-2,5
    2. a young man
       • "... Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome... Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right... And he said to them..." --Mark 16:1,5-6
    3. two men
       • "... they came to the tomb... two men suddenly stood near them... the men said to them... they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things..." --Luke 24:1,4-5,10
    4. at first, no one, then two angels
       • "... Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb... and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb... Simon Peter... entered the tomb... the disciples went away... she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they said to her..." --John 20:1-2,6,10-13
    5. at first, an angel (then he went away), then a young man, then a (different?) angel, then two men
       • "... they came and found the stone removed from the sepulchre, and the angel sitting upon the stone... when he went away, the women entered into the sepulchre... they saw there a young man sitting on the right... the angel answered and said... while they marvelled at that, behold, two men standing above them..." --Diatessaron 52:49-53:1
    6. The angel rolled the stone away, then the angel and Jesus left, then Mary Magdalene and Simon Peter arrived, then the angel returned.
18. Were the men and/or angels inside or outside the tomb when the women arrived?
    1. outside
       • "... Mary Magdalene and the other Mary.... an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it... The angel said to the women..." --Matthew 28:1-2,28:5
    2. inside
       • "... Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome... Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right... And he said to them..." --Mark 16:1,5-6
       • "... they came to the tomb... when they entered... two men suddenly stood near them... the men said to them... they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things..." --Luke 24:1,3-5,10
    3. an angel was outside; three men and two angels were inside
19. Did the women immediately tell anyone?
    1. yes
       • "... they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it..." --Matthew 28:8
       • "... they... returned from the tomb and reported all these things..." --Luke 24:8-9
       • "... she ran... and said to them..." --John 20:2
    2. no
       • "... They went out and fled from the tomb... and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid... [The following was added later.] Mary Magdalene... went and reported..." --Mark 16:8-10 (Note: Was this why an ending was added to Mark?)
       • "... they departed in haste from the tomb... and they told no man anything... And Mary hastened... and said unto them..." --Diatessaron 53:7-9
20. Who saw Jesus first?
    1. Mary Magdalene
       • "... Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene..." --Mark 16:9 (NASB) (A footnote says "Later mss add vv 9-20")
       • "... So the disciples went away again... But Mary was standing outside the tomb... she turned around and saw Jesus standing there... Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," ..." John 20:10-11,14,18
       • "... those two disciples went to their place. But Mary remained at the tomb... She... turned behind her, and saw Jesus standing... on the First-day on which he rose, he appeared first unto Mary Magdalene... announced to the disciples that she had seen our Lord..." --Diatessaron 53:17-31
    2. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary (or was it the 11 disciples?)
       • "... Mary Magdalene and the other Mary... The angel said to the women... they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them... Then Jesus said to them, "... go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee..." the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee..." Matthew 28:1,5,8-10,16
    3. Cleopas (or was it Peter?) and another disciple
       • "... two of them... Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them... One of them, named Cleopas... And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon [Peter]." ..." Luke 24:13,15,18,33-34
    4. Cephas (Peter)
       • "... Christ... was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve..." --1 Corinthians 15:3-5
         (Note: Paul never mentions any of Jesus' Gospel sayings or any of the pre-crucifixion events of Jesus' life. Since the Gospels were written after Paul's epistles, it seems likely that Jesus is a fictional character, and that the story of an earthly Jesus developed after Paul's time.)
    5. Mary Magdalene and Cleopas and Simon and Cephas and Peter are all different names for the same person.
21. Where did Jesus first appear?
    1. just outside the tomb (which was just outside the walls of Jerusalem?)
       • "... Mary was standing outside the tomb... she turned around and saw Jesus standing there..." --John 20:11,14
       • "... Mary remained at the tomb... She... turned behind her, and saw Jesus standing..." --Diatessaron 53:18,21
    2. somewhere between the tomb and Jerusalem
       • "... The angel said to the women, "... He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him..." And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them... Then Jesus said to them, "... go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me." ... the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him..." --Matthew 28:5-17
    3. on the road to Emmaus (west? of Jerusalem)
       • "... two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was [a footnote says "Lit 60 stadia; one stadion was about 600 ft"] about seven miles from Jerusalem... Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them... they approached the village... He had reclined at the table with them... Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him..." --Luke 24:13,15,28,30-31
    4. in Galilee (~130 km (80 miles) north of Jerusalem)
       • "... He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him..." --Mark 16:7
         • Mark 16:9 (NASB) contradicts this, saying "... He first appeared to Mary Magdalene..." without saying where, but also has a footnote saying "Later mss add vv 9-20". NIV has a bold-print warning between verses 8 and 9 saying "The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20." NKJV does not have any relevant footnotes or warning.
22. Where did Jesus tell his disciples to go?
    1. Galilee
       • "... they saw a young man sitting at the right... he said to them "... go, tell His disciples and Peter, "He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him..."" ... they said nothing to anyone... Afterward He appeared [apparently in Jerusalem] to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table..." --Mark 16:1,5,7-8,14
       • "... Jesus said to them, "... go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me." ... the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him..." --Matthew 28:10,16-17
    2. Jerusalem
       • "... I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until..." --Luke 24:49
       • "... the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days... Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait..." --Acts 1:2-4
23. When did the disciples receive the Holy Spirit?
    1. resurrection day evening
       • "... when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week... Jesus... breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."" --John 20:19,22
    2. on the day of Pentecost (50? days after the resurrection)
       • "... the day of Pentecost had come... they were all filled with the Holy Spirit..." --Acts 2:1,4
24. After His resurrection, was Jesus incarnate (in a human body) or a ghost?
    1. incarnate
       • "... they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him..." --Matthew 28:9
       • "... When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. Then... He vanished from their sight... He Himself stood in their midst... they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit... touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have... He showed them His hands and His feet... They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and He took it and ate it before them..." --Luke 24:30-43 (Note: This passage talks about Jesus first as a ghost, then as incarnate. So maybe verses 36-43 were not in the original version.)
       • "Then He said to Thomas, "Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing."" --John 20:27
       • "... us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead..." --Acts 10:41
    2. not clear
       • "...He first appeared to Mary Magdalene... After that, He appeared in a different form... Afterward He appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table..." --Mark 16:9,12,14
       • "... He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time... then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles... He appeared to me also..." --1 Corinthians 15:5-8
25. How many disciples did Jesus appear to?
    1. eleven
       • "... the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him..." --Matthew 28:16-17
       • "... the apostles... two of them... Cleopas... they... gathered together the eleven and those who were with them... He Himself stood in their midst..." --Luke 24:10,13,18,33,36
    2. twelve
       • "I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ... appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve... [then to] more than five hundred brethren at one time... [then to] James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also..." --1 Corinthians 15:3-8
         • (Note: If you read this passage carefully, you will see that Paul does not say or imply that any of Christ's "appearances" happened on the ground, or even that Christ was a human being who had recently lived on Earth. Rather, Paul says his knowledge of Christ comes from "the Scriptures" (the Old Testament), and Paul's theology seems to match the seven levels of heaven (sky) of Philo's Middle Platonic Gnosticism. All this seems very strange until you realize that Paul's epistles were written before the Gospels and Acts, and you ask yourself "What if Jesus never existed, and the Gospels and Acts were frauds written after Paul's death to defeat Gnostic Christology?")