Who Said to Whom Bible Quiz with Answers: Judaism, Christianity & Islam Compared
Judaism
'That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.' — Exodus 6:29 Exodus 6:29
In Jewish tradition, the most significant 'who said to whom' exchanges are those between God and the patriarchs and prophets. The Torah is filled with direct divine speech: God instructs Moses to carry His words to Pharaoh Exodus 6:29, establishing a pattern of prophetic mediation that defines Jewish religious identity. Rabbinic literature, including the Mishnah and Talmud, built elaborate commentary traditions around identifying exactly who spoke, to whom, and under what circumstances in these foundational texts.
Jewish Bible quizzes — known in Hebrew educational culture as chidon haTanakh, formalized as a national competition in Israel in 1958 — often test knowledge of precisely these dialogues. Who did Potiphar's wife accuse, and what did she say? She spoke to her household servants and then to Potiphar himself, claiming the Hebrew servant came in 'to mock me' Genesis 39:17. Such exchanges are considered not merely trivia but windows into moral and theological meaning. The Talmudic principle of diyyuk (precise textual analysis) demands knowing not just what was said, but to whom and why.
Christianity
'He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God.' — Luke 9:20 Luke 9:20
Christian 'who said to whom' Bible quizzes draw heavily on both Old and New Testament dialogues, with particular emphasis on the words of Jesus. One of the most famous exchanges in all of scripture occurs when Jesus asks His disciples directly, 'But whom say ye that I am?' — and Peter answers, 'The Christ of God' Luke 9:20. Matthew's parallel account records the same pivotal question Matthew 16:15, and theologians from Origen (3rd century) to N.T. Wright (contemporary) have treated this exchange as the hinge of Christian confession.
The New Testament is rich with dialogue that quiz-makers love. Jesus tells Simon, 'I have somewhat to say unto thee,' and Simon replies, 'Master, say on' Luke 7:40 — a brief exchange that opens a parable about forgiveness. Jesus also tells the crowd, 'Yet a little while am I with you, and then I go unto him that sent me' John 7:33, a statement whose audience and meaning has generated centuries of theological debate. Philip's encounter with the Ethiopian eunuch, who asks 'of whom speaketh the prophet this?' Acts 8:34, is a classic quiz question about Acts 8 and the spread of the gospel.
Even hostile exchanges appear in quiz material: at Jesus' trial, mockers demanded, 'Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is he that smote thee?' Matthew 26:68 — a cruel taunt that ironically echoes the central question of Christian identity. Christian Bible quiz organizations like Bible Bowl and AWANA have formalized these 'who said to whom' formats since the mid-20th century.
Islam
'That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.' — Exodus 6:29 Exodus 6:29
Islam holds the Torah (Tawrat) and the Gospels (Injil) in theological esteem as originally revealed scriptures, though Muslim scholars such as Ibn Kathir (14th century) maintain that the current biblical texts contain alterations. The figures who appear in 'who said to whom' Bible quiz questions — Moses, Jesus (Isa), and the prophets — are all recognized as genuine prophets in Islamic teaching. The exchange where God commands Moses to speak to Pharaoh Exodus 6:29 is directly paralleled in the Quran (Surah 20:42–44), where Allah commands Musa and Harun to 'speak to him mildly.'
However, Islamic tradition sharply reinterprets some of the most famous New Testament dialogues. Peter's declaration that Jesus is 'The Christ of God' Luke 9:20 is understood in Islam not as a confession of divine sonship but as recognition of Jesus as the Messiah — a human prophet and messenger. The question 'whom say ye that I am?' Matthew 16:15 is, from an Islamic perspective, answered correctly only when understood within Tawhid (divine unity): Jesus is a mighty prophet, not God incarnate. Muslim scholars do not use Christian-style Bible quiz formats, but Islamic education (particularly in madrasas) does rigorously test knowledge of Quranic parallels to these biblical narratives, emphasizing who said what to whom in the Quran's own retellings.
Where they agree
- All three faiths agree that God spoke directly to Moses and commissioned him to confront Pharaoh Exodus 6:29, treating this as one of the most significant divine-human dialogues in history.
- Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all recognize the importance of knowing who spoke and to whom in sacred texts — precise attribution is a mark of serious scholarship in all three traditions Exodus 6:29.
- All three traditions acknowledge Jesus (Isa) as a figure who spoke with authority, though they disagree sharply on the nature of that authority Luke 9:20 Matthew 16:15.
- The exchange between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch Acts 8:34 — asking who a prophetic passage refers to — reflects a hermeneutical question all three faiths engage: to whom do the prophets speak, and about whom?
Where they disagree
| Dialogue / Exchange | Judaism | Christianity | Islam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peter's confession: 'The Christ of God' Luke 9:20 | Not part of Jewish canon; the concept of a divine Messiah is rejected by mainstream Judaism | Central confession of faith; Peter's answer is considered divinely revealed (Matthew 16:17) | Accepted that Jesus is the Messiah (Al-Masih), but not as divine — only as a prophet Matthew 16:15 |
| Jesus asking 'whom say ye that I am?' Matthew 16:15 | Irrelevant to Jewish identity; Jesus is not recognized as Messiah | The defining Christological question of the New Testament | Answered within Tawhid: Jesus is a prophet, not God's son |
| Mockers at trial: 'Who is he that smote thee?' Matthew 26:68 | Seen as a historical account of Roman-era events, not theologically significant | Ironic fulfillment of prophecy; Jesus' silence is theologically meaningful | Islam does not accept that Jesus was crucified (Quran 4:157), so this exchange is disputed historically |
| God speaking to Moses Exodus 6:29 | Direct divine speech; foundational to the covenant relationship | Affirmed as historical; seen as prefiguring Christ as the greater prophet (Hebrews 3:3) | Affirmed as genuine revelation; Musa is one of the five greatest prophets (Ulul Azm) |
Key takeaways
- Peter's confession 'The Christ of God' in Luke 9:20 Luke 9:20 is the single most theologically significant 'who said to whom' exchange in the New Testament — and the most contested across the three Abrahamic faiths.
- God's command to Moses in Exodus 6:29 Exodus 6:29 — 'speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee' — is the foundational prophetic dialogue recognized by Judaism, Christianity, and Islam alike.
- The Ethiopian eunuch's question to Philip in Acts 8:34 Acts 8:34 — 'of whom speaketh the prophet this?' — encapsulates the hermeneutical challenge all three traditions face: who do the prophets ultimately speak about?
- Jewish Bible quiz culture (chidon haTanakh, formalized 1958) and Christian Bible Bowl competitions both use 'who said to whom' formats, but they draw on different canonical boundaries — Judaism stops at the Tanakh, Christianity includes the New Testament.
- Islam affirms the prophetic figures in these dialogues but reinterprets key exchanges: the question 'whom say ye that I am?' Matthew 16:15 is answered in Islamic theology as 'a prophet and messenger,' not 'the Son of God.'
FAQs
Who said 'But whom say ye that I am?' and to whom was it said?
Who said 'I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh' and to whom?
Who said 'I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this?' and to whom?
Who said 'The Hebrew servant came in unto me to mock me' and to whom?
Who said 'Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee' and what was the response?
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