1. means house (or place) of bread.
2. The word ADVENT means:
3. The Bible says that when Joseph learned that his betrothed wife Mary was pregnant, he determined to "put her away" (not consummate the marriage) because:
A. He was a just man. B. He was insanely jealous. C. He did not want to make Mary a public example. D. A and C.
4. T or F: Just as He instituted the Lord's Supper (Communion) in memory of His death, so Jesus Himself specifically commanded that His birth be celebrated on Earth until His return in glory.
TRUE FALSE
5. Which holiday or festival is of the most recent origin?
A. All Saint's Day (November 1) B. Saturnalia C. Boxing Day (December 26) D. Kwaanza
6. Previous to his activity connected with Jesus' birth, the angel Gabriel appeared in the book of .
7. After their announcement of Christ's birth to the shepherds, the angels:
A. Went away into heaven. B. Accompanied the shepherds on their visit to the Infant Christ. C. Remained quietly "behind the scenes" in Judea for the duration of Jesus' earthly life. D. Prepared the way for the flight to Egypt by Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.
8. The angel Gabriel told the virgin Mary three things about her Son Jesus Who soon would be conceived. Which of the following did Gabriel NOT say?
A. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. B. This Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel. C. He will be great. D. He will be called the Son of the Highest.
9. The prophet foretold the place of Jesus' birth.
10. T or F: There is Biblical evidence that Jesus observed Hanukkah.
11. The virgin birth of the Messiah:
A. Is a wonderful miracle but has no bearing on Jesus' fitness to be the Messiah. B. Establishes that He was not born covenantally "in Adam"; that is, born in sin. C. Demands the interpretation that Mary was physically descended from David, even though Luke 1:36 suggests that she was of the tribe of Levi like her kinswoman (relative) Elizabeth. D. Is not taught in the Old Testament.
12. The magi presented the Child Jesus with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Myrrh is a kind of:
13. When the days of Mary's purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought the Baby Jesus to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord"), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of or two young ." (Each blank is one word.)
14. T or F: Astronomers have demonstrated conclusively that the star of Bethlehem was a conjunction ("massing", or alignment) of planets.
15. A fourth century bishop of the city Myra in Asia Minor:
A. Was the first Church leader to seek the official recognition of the Feast of the Nativity on the liturgical calendar. B. Sought to remove the Feast of the Nativity from the liturgical calendar. C. Became the historical figure behind the Santa Claus legend. D. Wanted the observation of the Feast of the Nativity to fall on December 21, to coincide with the winter solstice.
16. Who asked, "...why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"
17. T or F: No animals are specifically mentioned in the nativity accounts.
18. The third century Church father Origen denounced the celebration of Christ's birth, contending that:
A. Only sinners, not saints, celebrate their birthdays. B. The way it was done had been become too commercialized. C. Jesus' baptism date was better, theologically, as a starting point for the history of His earthly work, as reflected in Mark's Gospel. D. All of the above considerations made the Church's continuing to observe it unwise.
19. Christmas was outlawed for a time by:
A. New England Puritans, in the city of Boston. B. The Church of England, in some parts of the British Empire. C. Pope Nicholas the IV, but only within Vatican city. D. The rulers of the Ottoman Empire, in the 11th century.
20. The Bible records the founding of this two day celebration, described as "...days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor."
A. The Feast of Trumpets. B. Purim. C. The Feast of Abigail. D. Rosh Hashanah.
21. T or F: Eastern Orthodox, Protestants, and Roman Catholics all observe the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25.
22. Crook shaped candy canes were invented:
A. In the 1950's by Gregory Keller, who invented a machine for bending straight canes. B. In the year 1670 by the choirmaster at Cologne Cathedral for his young singers. C. In 1875 by a shepherd in New Zealand who wanted a Christmas tradition that honored the shepherd's crooked staff. D. In the early 1700's by an unknown inventor, who made them with two crooks to symbolize the horns of a little lamb.
23. The census requiring Joseph to go to Bethlehem took place while this man governed Syria:
24. means "God with us." means "Jehovah saves". (Each blank is one word.)
25. Is the use of nativity scenes as art a wrong practice?
A. Yes, if they include an image of Christ, Who is God incarnate. In the Second Commandment and elsewhere, the Bible forbids the making of images of God. B. Yes, if they are historically inaccurate according to the Bible. The angels, the shepherds, and the magi were not all present at the manger in Bethlehem simultaneously. C. No! What a "Scrooge-like" question, so nitpicky and ridiculous! I am going to e-mail the quiz writer and give him a piece of my mind! D. I am willing to let each one be convinced in his own conscience about this, according to the precept of Romans 14:1-5.