Interesting Bible Persons and Intriguing Facts about them.
Truth, trivia, fact, and information about Bible characters.
Learn the facts about the people in the Bible.
Jesus the Son of God.
It's not Jesus Christ. The fact is, it's Jesus "The" Christ.
Christ is a title, not a name.
His other titles are Messiah, Anointed One, Lord, and Master.
His names are Jesus, Jesus of Nazareth, and Jesus Son of Joseph.
The title of Christ comes from the Greek text. χριστός translated as chrīstós, which means "anointed one".
The native language of Jesus was Aramaic with a Galilean accent.
Jesus would also have spoken Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, as they were popular languages in temples, synagogues, politics, and economic trade during His time.
Jesus would have been exposed to these languages and spoken them.
What language did Jesus speak?
Was Jesus always liked?
The fact is that Jesus was literally and bodily thrown out of town.
Jesus read a scroll and spoke at a synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth.
The members of the synagogue did not like what Jesus said.
They took Jesus by force up to the brow of a hill and were going to throw him over the cliff.
The truth is that before they could push him over, Jesus just turned and walked away through the crowd.
Luke 4:20-29
At a nearby graveyard, many bodies were resurrected at the moment of Jesus' death.
As Jesus died, the earth shook and cracked open many graves and tombs.
Those exposed immediately rose from the dead and went into Jerusalem to be seen by all.
Matthew 27
A bit of Bible trivia about Jesus raising a young girl from the dead.
Jairus was a synagogue leader and begged Jesus to heal his 12-year-old daughter.
Luke 8
A miracle happened at a funeral procession near the gate of the village of Nain.
Jesus and the disciples came upon a funeral procession at the gate.
They had compassion for a widow and raised her only son from the dead.
Luke 7
Jesus washed the feet of the disciples.
Jesus washed the feet of the disciples at the "Last Supper" as a symbolic gesture.
John 13:1-12
Jesus cast out seven demons from Mary Magdalene.
Mary was of Jewish culture and from the fishing village of Magdala on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
She became a devoted follower of Jesus and was present at his crucifixion and burial.
Mary traveled with Jesus and was wealthy enough to help support his ministry.
She was probably part of the "Inner Circle" of the closest disciples to Jesus.
Mary was the first one to see Jesus after His resurrection.
Mary most likely died in 100 AD.
Many historians and scholars suggest she may have had an intimate relationship with Jesus.
No, not sexual! Well, some think they may have been married. The Bible does not support that belief.
Luke 8
Jesus did not walk alone on the water at the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus sent the disciples ahead of him on a boat while he stayed a while and prayed.
The boat was a way out from the shore, so Jesus decided to walk to the boat on the water.
The disciples saw him in the distance and thought Jesus was a ghost.
Jesus called Peter, and Peter got out of the boat and started walking on water towards Jesus.
But Peter got scared and started to sink.Jesus had to save Peter and famously said, "You of little faith."
Matthew 14
It was quite an event!
Apart from Jesus, there are Bible facts about many other people who were also resurrected.
The most famous is probably Lazarus, who was Jesus' best friend.
The sight of Lazarus' mourning family moved Jesus to tears.
The shortest verse in the Bible. "Jesus Wept."
The family of Lazarus was angry at Jesus because Jesus showed up four days after Lazarus lay dead.
John 11:32-36
Other ancient sources of facts in the first century AD, besides the Bible, tell of the existence of Jesus.
Tacitus. A Roman historian wrote about Nero blaming Jesus's followers for burning down the city of Rome.
Pliny the Younger, a Roman, speaks of the followers of Jesus and their culture.
Josephus, the Jewish historian, wrote about Jesus and his brother James.
The Babylonian Talmud speaks of the crucifixion of Jesus.
Lucian of Samosata, a Greek satirist, wrote about the Christians and the crucifixion of their leader, Jesus.
Many others have written about "Christians" and can be found by those who wish to Google it.
Salvation through Jesus.
Jesus will save you from burning in Hell's eternal fire and allow you to enter the safety of Heaven.
The general theme of the Bible supports this over and over.
This message from Jesus is known as The Good News.
The Bible facts tell how to get to Heaven and stay out of Hell.
Admit that you are a sinner.
Romans 3:23; 10:9-10
Realize that sinners go to Hell.
Revelation 21:8
Believe Jesus Christ died on the cross to save you from sin and life in Hell.
Romans 5:8; John 3:16
Recognize your sin in prayer before God and ask for forgiveness.
Acts 3:19
Turn from your old life to a newer life of following God's instructions and commands.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Upon doing so, receive the graceful and free gift of God's salvation through your faith in Jesus.
Ephesians 2:8
Check out these facts and trivia about Moses.
Moses was Hebrew and a prophet, teacher, and leader.
He is among the most important prophets in Christianity.
He was born in the Land of Goshen and died on Mount Nebo in Jordon.
Zipporah, a Minianite, was his first wife.
The Bible also mentions that he was later married to an unnamed Cushite.
His children were Gershom and Eliezer.
He had a brother, Aaron, and an older sister, Miriam.
Jochebed was his mother and Amram was his father.
The Egyptian Pharoh's daughter adopted Moses when he was 3 months old.
Moses is called the lawgiver because God physically gave the Ten Commandments to him.
Moses was saved from certain death.
During the time that Moses was born, the Israelites were slaves in Egypt.
The Pharoh was concerned about the population growth of the Hebrews and feared that they might one day revolt and take over the country.
Pharoh ordered all newborn Hebrew boys to be killed to keep the population down.
Jochebed hid Moses for several months and then decided to put him in a floating basket and allow Moses to float down the river in hopes that the Royal Family would find him and take care of him.
The plan worked, as Pharoh's daughter was bathing in the Nile River when the basket floated by.
Moses was adopted by the daughter, and grew up and treated as royalty.
Moses committed murder.
One day Moses took a walk to where his people (Hebrews) were working to see what was going on.
He saw a taskmaster beat a slave and Moses got extremely angry.
A bad temper was one of Moses' bad traits.
Moses killed the Egyptian taskmaster and buried him in the sand.
Unfortunately, he was seen doing this.
Fearing for his life, Moses went on the lam and left Egpyt, ending up in Midian.
Upon arriving in Midian he met a group of young girls tending sheep.
The short story is that he ended up marrying Zipporah, one of the girls, and working for her father, Reuel.
Exodus 2:11-22
Moses talked to a burning bush.
Moses had a new life as a sheep herder for Reuel, the father of his wife.
Moses was tending his father-in-law's flock when God arrived to inform Moses of a job that God wanted Moses to do.
God appears as a burning bush at the base of Mount Horeb (the mountain of God) and lays out His plan for Moses.
Of course, Moses, being who he was, argued with God. HE ARGUED WITH GOD. Can you imagine?
Moses didn't want to do what God wanted.
He made up many excuses including the fact that he had a speech impediment.
God said that Aaron, his brother, would be Moses' spoke person.
Moses finally agrees after the conversation with God.
God probably already knew the type of man He was dealing with in Moses.
This plan was called The Great Exodus.
The plan was for Moses to lead the Israelite slaves out of Egypt to the promised land of milk and honey in Canaan.
Moses leads the Israelites out of Egypt and to the promised land of Canan.
Moses confronts Pharoh who refuses to "Let thy people go!).
Through Moses, God deals out 10 plagues to Egpyt. The last one is the death of all firstborn males.
Finally, the Egyptian people revolted against the Pharoh and he said "Let thy people go!".
The mass of slaves led by Moses reached the Red Sea and encamped there.
Pharaoh changes his mind and sends all of his chariots after the slaves to bring them back.
Moses spreads his arms, the Red Sea parts, and the slaves escape through the parted sea.
The slaves make it to the other side, the Egyptian chariots are inside the parted sea, and the water collapses on them and kills them all.
Some bad things happened during the trek to the promised land of milk and honey in Canan.
The people constantly complained; which ultimately upset God, and God made the Israelites walk around in the desert for 40 years until all the people who complained died off.
Korah rebelled against Moses and God caused the earth to open up and swallow up him and his followers.
Moses' sister, Miriam, challenged Moses for leadership and God gave her leprosy.
She healed after learning her lesson.
Moses lost his temper often because of the bad behavior of the Israelites he was leading.
Moses received the two tablets of the Ten Commandments that God gave him.
He brought them down from the mountain after talking with God.
When he arrived at the encampment he saw everyone worshipping a Golden Calf Idol.
Mose was infuriated and threw the Ten Commandments that God made to the ground and shattered them.
Very displeasing to God. Moses had to trek back up to the mountain for a second copy. Can you imagine?
On another occasion, the Israelites complained about being thirsty.
God told Moses to go to Hajar Musa. Moses was instructed to talk to a rock and it would pour forth water.
Again, Moses' anger got to him. When at the rock he said something like, "Here's your dang water you miserable unbelievers", and smacked the rock hard with his walking stick.
He was supposed to talk to it.
As a result, God forbade Moses from entering the promised land.
God allowed Moses to see Canan from atop Mount Nebo, but not to enter it.
Shortly after Moses died there.
Jonah
A popular belief in Bible trivia is that a big fish transported one of God's messengers.
God had a preaching job for Jonah.
Jonah did not want to do the job; so Jonah tried to run away from God in a boat to Tarshis in Spain.
God caused a great storm around the boat, forcing the sailors to toss Jonah overboard.
God sent a big fish after Jonah.
The fish swallowed Jonah and carried him to Nineveh.
Upon arrival, the fish threw Jonah up on the beach.
The fish most likely was a mammal, a whale.
Read about the story in the Book of Jonah in chapter one.
Take this Bible class on Jonah.
Balaam
In the Bible, an animal talked.
Balaam was riding his donkey, and the donkey stopped and spoke to Balaam.
The donkey saw a spiritual being in front of him.
The donkey wouldn't move, so Balaam beat the donkey.
The donkey turned his head and asked Balaam, "What have I done that you beat me?".
Numbers 22: 21-39
Here are the facts!
Steven
Here are the facts of the synagogue, which made false witnesses against a disciple they did not like.
He became the first Christian martyr.
Seven disciples of Jesus, having good faith, were chosen to minister "The Word" to the world.
The apostles chose them and laid hands upon them.
These seven were Stephen, Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas.
"Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people." So states the Bible.
As Stephen was very outspoken, more so than the other six, he was greatly disturbing to the powers that be.
The Bible facts show that elders and scribes approached him, seized him, and brought him to the council.
He was sentenced for "speaking blasphemous words" and then stoned to death in the public area.
Acts 6:1-15
Read the whole story.
Judas
Facts of a man "selling out" the Messiah for 30 pieces of silver.
Thirty pieces of silver were the usual amount of payment for the purchase of a slave.
This amount was an insult given by the "church authorities", based on what they thought about Jesus.
He was only worth the cost of a slave.
Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, betrayed Jesus by leading the riotous religious leaders to Him.
Judas was the treasurer of the small group of the Apostles and was possibly greedy.
Judas was also from the South and looked upon as an outsider, which he may have resented.
Jesus identified Judas as a betrayer at the Last Supper by dipping bread into a dish and passing it to Judas.
Judas led the hateful and vengeful religious "authorities" and identified Jesus by kissing Him on the cheek.
After everything took place, Judas regretted his actions and gave the money back to the church leaders.
The leaders refused the "blood money" (money they paid) and used it to purchase a potter's field.
Judas died afterward in that field. The Bible facts were not clear on how he died.
The tradition is that he was so upset that he hung himself.
Matthew 27:3-8.
Judas went into a field and exploded, with his guts gushing forth.
Acts 1:16-20
Perhaps he hung himself, the rope came loose, he fell to the ground, and God gushed his bowels.
An analysis of the situation.
Elijah
A prophet is whisked away into heaven in a fiery chariot.
God called Elijah to a pickup site on the other side of the Jordan and took him alive to Heaven.
It was a previous prophecy. All those present at the time knew of this prophecy except Elisha.
Elisha found out at the last minute and accompanied Elijah to the pickup.
Elijah, Elisha, and fifty other sons of the prophets gathered at the River Jordan.
Elijah parted the river.
Elijah and Elisha crossed over to the far side.
The fifty stayed on the near side, watching.
The chariot came, Elijah climbed aboard, and his robe dropped, and when it hit the water, it parted the river again.
Elisha picked up the coat and crossed back through the parted water to the near side, meeting with the fifty onlookers.
2 Kings 2:1-14
Was it a chariot?
The son of Zarephath, the widow, was raised by Elijah.
Elijah saw Zarephath at the gate and asked her for water.
He ended up boarding at her house.
Sometime later, her son got sick. Then he died.
Elijah raised the boy after he died.
1 King 17:17-24
Elisha
A little-known piece of Bible trivia about a prophet who caused bears to maul a group of young men.
A large group of undisciplined teenagers (brats) teased Elisha about his baldness.
Elisha could not hold his anger and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord.
Instantly, two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the boys.
Elisha was Elijah's apprentice and took over after Elijah was taken to heaven.
2 Kings 2.
Questions answered!
Elisha raised the son of a Shunammite woman.
Elisha had stayed at this woman's home years earlier and prayed for her to have a son.
Her son was born, and several years later, the son died.
The woman called upon Elisha, and he came and raised the boy from his death.
2 Kings 4
Here is an intriguing Bible trivia about an Israelite man who was resurrected during his funeral, by Elisha.
The gravediggers of a man they were burying became startled by invaders.
They were scared and wanted to get out of there.
They hastily threw the man's body into Elisha's nearby tomb.
If you didn't know, Elisha was lying in there dead.
The man's dead body touched Elisha's bones, and the man was instantly resurrected.
2 Kings 13:20-21
Paul
A fun Bible fact tells about Paul raising a young man during a sermon.
Paul was giving a long-winded sermon late into the night.
Eutychus was sitting on a windowsill, dozed off, and fell out of the window to his death below.
Paul had to go down and bring the young man back to life.
Acts 20:7
Peter
Dorcas, of Joppa, was resurrected by Peter.
Dorcas was a well-known social worker who helped everyone.
Peter was also well known and was nearby.
The family called Peter to the room where Dorcas lay.
He raised her from the dead.
Acts 9
Jacob
He wrestled with God, so he believed.
"Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak."
The unknown wrestler could not win the wrestling match, so he touched Jacob's hip and put it out of joint.
When Jacob asked for the stranger's name, the stranger responded, “Your name will no longer be Jacob.
You have struggled with God and men and won, so your name will be Israel.”
Genesis 32:22-31
Samson
The feats of Samson. He didn't like the Philistines.
He killed a lion that popped out of nowhere while he was traveling to visit his soon-to-be Philistine wife.
Judges 14:5–9
He killed 30 Philistines to celebrate his marriage, sort of.
Judges 14:19
He set the foxes' tails on fire, which burned up the Philistines' crops.
Judges 15:4-6
He killed the Philistines because they burned his wife and her father to death.
Judges 15:7-8
He killed 1,000 Philistines with the jaw of a jackass when they came for revenge for the above.
Judges 15:14-17
He tore up the gates of the city and their posts when he found out the good citizens were plotting to kill him.
Judges 16:1-3
Sampson snapped apart 16 bowstrings that Delilah bound him in.
Judges 16:6-8
Sampson snapped apart the strong rope that Delilah bound him to.
Judges 10:12
Was David the one who killed Goliath?
2 Samuel says, No.
Read these Bible facts to decide for yourself.
How long did the early Biblical forefathers live?
Here's the list of who lived over 100 years.
Adam The first man - 930 yrs.
Seth Adam's son - 912 yrs.
Enosh Seth's son - 905 yrs.
Methuselah Oldest Man - 969 yrs.
Noah Ark Builder - 950 yrs.
Shem Noah's son - 600 yrs.
Arphaxad Shem's son - 438 yrs.
Shelah Judah's son - 433 yrs.
Peleg Tower of Bable - 239 yrs.
Terah Abraham's father - 148 yrs.
Abraham First patriarch - 175 yrs.
Isaac Abrahams Son - 180 yrs.
Jacob Renamed Israel - 147 yrs.
Moses Freed the slaves - 120 yrs.
Joshua Entered Canan - 110 yrs.
There were twelve Apostles and the original 12 disciples of Jesus.
Andrew: He is Peter's brother. A fisherman with Peter. The first one Jesus called to service.
Peter: He was also called Simon or Simon Peter. He denied knowing Jesus three times during the passion.
James: The son of Zebedee, the brother of John, the first apostle martyred, was killed by the orders of Herod.
John: son of Zebedee. Jesus found John at the seashore. Possibly a fishermen. He died of natural causes.
Philip: The fifth one called. He was with Jesus during the feeding of the 5,000.
Bartholomew: He has also been called Nathanial. Tradition says he was flayed and then beheaded.
Matthew: He was a tax collector. He rebuked King Hirtacus for lusting over a young girl. The king had him killed.
Thomas: He was the one who saw the resurrected Jesus and doubted that it was Jesus.
James: son of Alphaeus. He is believed to have spread the Gospel to Persia and was martyred there.
Simon the Zealot: He is believed to have evangelized in Egypt and partnered with Judas, the brother of Jesus.
Thaddeus: The son of James, also called Judas. Tradition claims he was crucified in Edessa where he had a church.
Judas Iscariot: He betrayed Jesus to the Sanhedrin. He killed himself in remorse afterward.
Matthias: A disciple of Jesus from the beginning, but was called (decided by lot) to replace Judas.