12 Days of Christmas: Christmas quiz

Just how did Mary and Joseph make their famous trip to Bethlehem?

What did an innkeeper tell Mary and Joseph once they reached the crowded city?

The Rev. Joe Alsay, rector of St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal Church, asked his congregation these and other questions during Dec. 19 services at the Oklahoma City church, 14700 N May.

Instead of a traditional sermon, Alsay surprised the church with a “Christmas IQ Quiz.”

The quiz drew some good-natured consternation as folks tried to answer questions about the traditional Christmas story. The short test also drew lots of laughter as Alsay proceeded to answer the questions.

“It certianly caught their attention,” Alsay said.

“What it also did is make people wonder. They say ‘I go to church on Christmas I know the story. I hear it every year.’ Well, Scripture itself does not say a lot about these things.”

For instance, Alsay said Scripture does not mention an innkeeper although it may be safe to assume that there was one who spoke to Mary and Joseph about ‘no room in the inn.”

Did Mary ride to Bethlehem on a donkey? Alsay said people historically traveled in caravans during biblical times so it is just as likely that she traveled by caravan.

“You wouldn’t want to make that trip by yourself,” he said. “Maybe she and Joseph had to foot it. We don’t know that there was a donkey. We can hope.”

Alsay said he got the quiz questions from a a list of such questions compiled by a professor. He said it’s interesting to see how people have filled in the empty blanks over the years.

Alsay said most importantly he likes to introduce different things like the quiz because it may spur people to go home and read their Bibles.

Also he said looking at the Christmas story with new, fresh eyes may spark a new and fresh relationship with Jesus.

“I hope that Christ can be born again in our hearts.”

And he said we may never know the answers to some of the questions. And that’s OK.

“Somethings we don’t know and that’s probably the beauty of it,” Alsay said. “That’s when faith comes in.”

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OK, if you are curious, you can take the quiz here. The answers are posted below the quiz.

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Christmas I.Q. Test

As Long as Christmas has been celebrated, it has been on December 25. (True or False)
Joseph was from:

(A) Bethlehem (B) Jerusalem (C) Nazareth

(D) Egypt (E) Minnesota (F) None of the above

3.How did Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem?

(A) Camel (B) Donkey (C) Walked (D) Volkswagen (E) Joseph walked, Mary rode a donkey

(F) Who knows

4. Mary and Joseph were married when Mary became pregnant (True or False)

5. Mary and Joseph were married when Jesus was born (True or False)

6. Mary was a virgin when she delivered Jesus (True or False)

7. What did the innkeeper tell Mary and Joseph?

(A)“There is no room in the inn.” (B) “I have a stable you can use.” (C) “Come back after the Christmas rush and I should have some vacancies.”( D) Both A and B (E) None of the above

8. Jesus was born in a: (A) Stable (B) Manger (C) Cave (D) Barn (E) Unknown

9. A “manger” is a: (A) Stable for domestic animals (B) Wooden hay storage bin (C) Feeding trough (D) Barn

10. Which animals does the Bible say were present at Jesus’ birth? (A). Cows, sheep and goats (B). Cows, donkeys and sheep (C) Miscellaneous barnyard animals (D) Sheep and goats (E) Lions, tiger and bears (F) None of the above

11. Who saw the “star in the East.”(A) Shepherds (B) Mary and Joseph (C) The Magi (D) Both A and C (E) None of the above

12. What “sign” did the angels tell the shepherds to look for? (A) “This way to baby Jesus” (B) A star over Bethlehem (C) A baby that doesn’t cry (D) A house with a Christmas tree (E) A baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger (F) None of the above

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12 Days of Christmas: Christmas quiz

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