Who Said to Whom: Bible Quiz With Answers (Judaism & Christianity)
Judaism
"What sort of man was it," he asked them, "who came toward you and said these things to you?" — 2 Kings 1:7 (JPS Tanakh) 2 Kings 1:7
The Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) is rich with dramatic dialogues that form the backbone of any 'who said to whom' quiz. Several standout examples come from the prophetic and historical books.
In 2 Kings 1:7, King Ahaziah interrogates his messengers after they encountered a mysterious figure: 'What sort of man was it who came toward you and said these things to you?' 2 Kings 1:7 The answer, of course, was the prophet Elijah — a classic quiz question pairing a king with a prophet.
In Jeremiah 21:1, King Zedekiah dispatches two officials — Pashhur son of Malchiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah — to the prophet Jeremiah with a royal inquiry Jeremiah 21:1. This passage is a favorite in Bible trivia precisely because it names all parties explicitly, making the 'who said to whom' answer unambiguous.
Similarly, Zechariah 1:1 records that 'this word of GOD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo' Zechariah 1:1, establishing the divine-to-prophet communication pattern that runs throughout the Tanakh. Scholars like Joseph Blenkinsopp (in his 2000 commentary on Isaiah) have noted that these messenger formulas — 'the word of the LORD came to X' — are structurally central to prophetic literature and naturally lend themselves to quiz formats.
Common quiz answers in this category: God spoke to Zechariah Zechariah 1:1; Zedekiah sent messengers to Jeremiah Jeremiah 21:1; Ahaziah asked his servants about Elijah 2 Kings 1:7.
Christianity
He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. — Luke 9:20 (KJV) Luke 9:20
The New Testament is arguably the most-quizzed portion of the Bible when it comes to 'who said to whom' questions, and for good reason — its dialogues are pointed, dramatic, and theologically loaded.
One of the most famous exchanges appears in both Matthew 16:15 and Luke 9:20. Jesus asks his disciples, 'But whom say ye that I am?' Matthew 16:15 Luke 9:20, and it's Peter who answers. In Luke's account, the exchange is explicit:
Jesus asked his disciples the question Luke 9:20, and Peter answered, identifying Jesus as 'the Christ of God' Luke 9:20. This is a perennial favorite in Bible quizzes — the answer is: Jesus said it to his disciples; Peter responded.
Another classic quiz moment comes from John 1:22, where the priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem press John the Baptist: 'Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?' John 1:22 The 'who said to whom' answer here is: the Jewish religious authorities (sent from Jerusalem) said it to John the Baptist.
New Testament scholar N.T. Wright, in his 1996 work Jesus and the Victory of God, emphasized that these identity-question dialogues aren't merely biographical — they're confessional moments that define the theology of the Gospels. There's some scholarly disagreement about whether Matthew 16:15 and Luke 9:20 represent the same historical event or parallel traditions, but both texts agree on the core exchange.
Islam
"I am the nearest of all the people to the son of Mary, and all the prophets are paternal brothers, and there has been no prophet between me and him." — Sahih al-Bukhari 3442 Sahih al Bukhari 3442
This question is fundamentally about Bible quiz content — specifically the Hebrew scriptures and New Testament dialogues — and so it doesn't have a direct Islamic counterpart in the quiz tradition. However, Islam does speak directly to some of the figures involved in these biblical exchanges, particularly Jesus.
A relevant hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari 3442 records the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saying: 'I am the nearest of all the people to the son of Mary, and all the prophets are paternal brothers, and there has been no prophet between me and him' Sahih al Bukhari 3442. This affirms Jesus's prophetic status in Islam and contextualizes why Islamic tradition cares about who Jesus was — though the specific Gospel dialogues (like Peter's confession) aren't part of Islamic scripture or quiz tradition.
For a strictly Islamic 'who said to whom' quiz, one would turn to the Qur'an and hadith literature rather than the Bible.
Where they agree
All three traditions share a deep reverence for prophetic speech and divine communication. The Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur'an/hadith all preserve specific dialogues — naming speakers and recipients — as authoritative and sacred. The structural pattern of 'God speaks to a prophet, who then speaks to the people' is common to Judaism Zechariah 1:1, Christianity Luke 9:20, and Islam Sahih al Bukhari 3442. All three traditions also treat these recorded exchanges as more than historical trivia; they're understood as theologically binding moments.
Where they disagree
| Point of Difference | Judaism | Christianity | Islam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who is the central figure in key dialogues? | Prophets like Elijah, Jeremiah, Zechariah 2 Kings 1:7Jeremiah 21:1Zechariah 1:1 | Jesus and his disciples Luke 9:20Matthew 16:15 | Muhammad ﷺ and the prophetic chain including Jesus Sahih al Bukhari 3442 |
| Is Peter's confession ('the Christ of God') authoritative? | Not recognized as scripture | Yes — foundational to Christian identity Luke 9:20 | Jesus is a prophet, not 'the Christ' in the Christian theological sense Sahih al Bukhari 3442 |
| Primary quiz source | Tanakh (Torah, Prophets, Writings) | Old and New Testaments | Qur'an and hadith (not the Bible) |
Key takeaways
- Jesus asked his disciples 'whom say ye that I am?' — Peter answered 'The Christ of God' (Luke 9:20) Luke 9:20.
- John the Baptist was asked 'Who art thou?' by priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem (John 1:22) John 1:22.
- King Zedekiah sent named officials to the prophet Jeremiah, making it a precise 'who said to whom' quiz answer (Jeremiah 21:1) Jeremiah 21:1.
- King Ahaziah asked his servants to identify the mysterious man (Elijah) who spoke to them (2 Kings 1:7) 2 Kings 1:7.
- Islam affirms Jesus as a prophet in the same chain as Muhammad ﷺ, though Islamic quiz traditions use Qur'an and hadith, not the Bible Sahih al Bukhari 3442.
FAQs
Who asked 'But whom say ye that I am?' in the Bible?
Who said 'Who art thou?' to John the Baptist?
Who sent messengers to the prophet Jeremiah?
Who asked 'What sort of man was it who came toward you?' in the Old Testament?
Does Islam have a 'who said to whom' tradition similar to Bible quizzes?
Judaism
“What sort of man was it,” he asked them, “who came toward you and said these things to you?”
Hebrew Bible items:
- Who said, and to whom: “What sort of man was it … who came toward you and said these things to you?” Answer: The king said it to his messengers. 2 Kings 1:7
- Who sent a message to whom: “The word that came to Jeremiah from GOD—when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur … and the priest Zephaniah … to say,” Answer: King Zedekiah sent a message to the prophet Jeremiah via Pashhur and Zephaniah. Jeremiah 21:1
- Who spoke to whom in a prophetic heading: “In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, this word of GOD came to the prophet Zechariah …” Answer: The word of GOD came to the prophet Zechariah. Zechariah 1:1
Christianity
He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
New Testament items:
- Who said, and to whom: “But whom say ye that I am?” Answer: Jesus said this to his disciples. Matthew 16:15
- Who answered, and to whom: “The Christ of God.” Answer: Peter answered Jesus. Luke 9:20
- Who said, and to whom: “Who art thou? … What sayest thou of thyself?” Answer: A delegation (sent to question him) said this to John the Baptist. John 1:22
Islam
Not applicable. Concerns Bible scripture/practice; no direct counterpart.
Where they agree
Across the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, identity questions are prominent: kings and authorities pose inquiries, and prophets or disciples respond, often in concise exchanges. The king’s question to his messengers (Hebrew Bible) and Jesus’ question to his disciples (New Testament) both highlight discernment of identity and message. 2 Kings 1:7 Matthew 16:15 Luke 9:20 John 1:22
Where they disagree
| Theme | Judaism (Hebrew Bible) | Christianity (New Testament) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical speakers | Kings and royal courts often initiate questions (e.g., “he asked them”) 2 Kings 1:7 | Jesus and apostolic figures feature centrally in Q&A exchanges Matthew 16:15 Luke 9:20 |
| Focus of inquiry | Practical/prophetic investigation (royal verification, prophetic word) 2 Kings 1:7 Jeremiah 21:1 Zechariah 1:1 | Recognition of Jesus’ identity and mission Matthew 16:15 Luke 9:20 |
| Interlocutors | Kings, messengers, prophets 2 Kings 1:7 Jeremiah 21:1 | Jesus, disciples, John the Baptist, Jerusalem delegates Matthew 16:15 Luke 9:20 John 1:22 |
Key takeaways
- Identity-focused questions appear prominently in both Testaments. 2 Kings 1:7 Matthew 16:15 Luke 9:20
- Jesus’ question invites a confessional answer; Peter responds, “The Christ of God.” Matthew 16:15 Luke 9:20
- Royal and prophetic settings shape Hebrew Bible dialogues (kings, messengers, prophets). 2 Kings 1:7 Jeremiah 21:1 Zechariah 1:1
- Delegates question John the Baptist directly about his identity. John 1:22
FAQs
Who asked, “But whom say ye that I am?”
Who replied, “The Christ of God”?
Who said to John the Baptist, “Who art thou?”
Who asked his messengers, “What sort of man was it … who came toward you and said these things to you?”
Who sent a message to Jeremiah, and through whom?
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