Q 01/05

Which Roman governor sentenced Jesus to be scourged and crucified?

A) Valerius Gratus

B) Pontius Pilate

C) Herod Antipas

D) Quirinius

Answer · why

B) Pontius Pilate

A Roman historian independently records that Pilate ordered the execution, in a passage most scholars consider genuine.

Q 02/05

What is the name of the place outside Jerusalem's walls where the gospels say Jesus was crucified?

A) Gethsemane

B) Golgotha

C) Bethany

D) Mount of Olives

Answer · why

B) Golgotha

The Latin form is Calvary; Christian tradition has called it a hill only since about the 6th century.

Q 03/05

The name of the crucifixion site, in both its Aramaic and Latin forms, means what?

A) Hill of sorrows

B) Place of a skull

C) Garden of the dead

D) Gate of judgement

Answer · why

B) Place of a skull

The Aramaic Golgolta and Latin calvaria both refer to a skull; the Fathers of the Church argued over why the site got the name.

Q 04/05

Which man was compelled by the Roman soldiers to carry Jesus's cross?

A) Joseph of Arimathea

B) Simon of Cyrene

C) Nicodemus

D) Barabbas

Answer · why

B) Simon of Cyrene

Mark names his sons Alexander and Rufus, suggesting they were known to the gospel's first readers; the episode is the fifth Station of the Cross.

Q 05/05

Cyrene, Simon's home city, was in which modern country?

A) Egypt

B) Libya

C) Syria

D) Turkey

Answer · why

B) Libya

Cyrenian Jews had their own synagogue in Jerusalem, and an ossuary inscribed 'Alexander son of Simon' has been found there.