Bible Quiz: Who Are They? Answers Compared Across Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Judaism
'And Israel beheld Joseph's sons, and said, Who are these?' — Genesis 48:8 (KJV) Genesis 48:8
In the Hebrew Bible, the question 'Who are they?' is asked repeatedly in moments of covenantal significance. When Israel (Jacob) saw Joseph's sons, he asked directly, 'Who are these?' — a question that preceded a formal blessing and the granting of tribal inheritance Genesis 48:8. Identity, in the Jewish framework, is inseparable from lineage and covenant membership.
The children of Israel are identified not merely by name but by their relationship to God. As Leviticus declares, they are God's servants, redeemed from Egypt Leviticus 25:55. This redemptive identity is foundational: to know who someone is in the Torah is to know their place within the covenant community. Exodus reinforces this by opening with a formal list of names — 'these are the names of the children of Israel' — grounding identity in historical memory Exodus 1:1.
Rabbinic tradition, particularly as developed by scholars like Rashi (1040–1105 CE), emphasizes that naming and identifying figures in the Torah is never incidental. The men appointed to divide the land — Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun — are named precisely because their roles carry covenantal weight Numbers 34:17. Knowing who they are is knowing what God is doing.
Christianity
'But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.' — 1 Corinthians 1:24 (KJV) 1 Corinthians 1:24
Christian theology inherits the Hebrew Bible's concern with identity but reframes it through the person of Jesus Christ. Paul's letter to the Corinthians is a striking example: when asking 'who are they?', Paul answers by asserting that the called — whether Jews or Greeks — find their ultimate identity in Christ as 'the power of God, and the wisdom of God' 1 Corinthians 1:24. Identity is no longer purely ethnic or genealogical but spiritual and universal.
Paul himself demonstrates this tension in 2 Corinthians, where he lists competing identity markers — Hebrew, Israelite, seed of Abraham — and claims them all, yet ultimately subordinates them to his identity in Christ 2 Corinthians 11:22. This reflects a broader Christian hermeneutic: the 'who are they?' questions of the Old Testament find their answer, typologically, in the community of believers gathered around Jesus.
Theologians like N.T. Wright (b. 1948) have argued that Christian identity is best understood as a continuation and fulfillment of Israel's story, not a replacement. The naming of leaders like Eleazar and Joshua Numbers 32:28 is read typologically — Joshua, whose name is the Hebrew form of 'Jesus,' prefigures Christ leading God's people into their inheritance. So 'who are they?' in Christian reading is always answered with reference to the larger redemptive narrative.
Islam
'Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt; every man and his household came with Jacob.' — Exodus 1:1 (KJV) Exodus 1:1
Islam recognizes the figures of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures as part of a continuous prophetic tradition. The children of Israel (Banu Isra'il) are acknowledged in the Quran as a people chosen and favored by God, recipients of revelation and covenant. The Quranic narrative frequently asks, in effect, 'who are these people?' — and answers by tracing their lineage back to Ibrahim (Abraham), Ishaq (Isaac), and Ya'qub (Jacob) Exodus 1:1.
The encounter between God and Balaam recorded in Numbers — 'What men are these with thee?' Numbers 22:9 — parallels Quranic scenes where angels or God interrogate human situations to draw out moral and theological lessons. Islamic scholarship, including classical exegetes like Ibn Kathir (1301–1373 CE), treats such questions as divine pedagogy: God asks not because He doesn't know, but to prompt human reflection on identity and accountability.
Islamic tradition also honors figures like Musa (Moses) and Yusha (Joshua), whose roles in leading the Israelites are acknowledged in the Quran and Hadith literature. The question 'who are they?' in an Islamic context ultimately points to the ummah — the community of believers — whose identity transcends ethnicity and is defined by submission to God. Paul's rhetorical question 'Are they Israelites? so am I' 2 Corinthians 11:22 would be understood in Islamic thought as pointing to a shared Abrahamic heritage that culminates in the message of the Prophet Muhammad.
Where they agree
- All three traditions affirm that the children of Israel hold a special covenantal identity before God, redeemed from Egypt as His servants Leviticus 25:55.
- All three recognize that knowing who biblical figures are — by name and lineage — is spiritually and historically significant, as seen in the formal naming of leaders like Eleazar and Joshua Numbers 34:17 Numbers 32:28.
- All three traditions treat the patriarchal lineage (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) as the anchor of identity, reflected in Jacob's question about Joseph's sons Genesis 48:8 and Esau's question about Jacob's family [[cite:33:5]].
- All three acknowledge that divine questions like 'Who are these?' or 'What men are these with thee?' serve a pedagogical purpose rather than expressing divine ignorance Numbers 22:9.
Where they disagree
| Point of Disagreement | Judaism | Christianity | Islam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basis of identity | Ethnic and covenantal — rooted in descent from Israel and Torah observance Leviticus 25:55 | Spiritual and universal — identity is redefined in Christ for both Jews and Greeks 1 Corinthians 1:24 | Submission-based — identity as believer (Muslim) transcends ethnicity, though Abrahamic lineage is honored 2 Corinthians 11:22 |
| Role of Joshua/Jesus typology | Joshua (Yehoshua) is a historical leader appointed by Moses Numbers 32:28, not a messianic figure | Joshua typologically prefigures Jesus; his name is the Hebrew equivalent of 'Jesus' Numbers 34:17 | Yusha (Joshua) is a prophet in his own right; no typological link to Jesus (Isa) is drawn |
| Scope of 'the called' | The called are the children of Israel, a specific covenant people Exodus 1:1 | The called include both Jews and Greeks — the church is a new, expanded covenant community 1 Corinthians 1:24 | The called are all of humanity invited to submit to God; the Israelites were one phase of this universal call Numbers 22:9 |
| Paul's identity claims | Paul's claim to be Hebrew, Israelite, and seed of Abraham 2 Corinthians 11:22 would be accepted as biographical fact | Paul uses these claims rhetorically to ultimately subordinate ethnic identity to identity in Christ 2 Corinthians 11:22 | Paul is not a recognized prophet in Islam; his letters are not considered authoritative scripture |
Key takeaways
- In Judaism, 'who are they?' is answered by covenant lineage — the children of Israel are God's servants redeemed from Egypt (Leviticus 25:55) Leviticus 25:55.
- Christianity reframes identity universally: the 'called' in Christ include both Jews and Greeks, transcending ethnic boundaries (1 Corinthians 1:24) 1 Corinthians 1:24.
- Islam honors the same Abrahamic figures but defines ultimate identity by submission to God, not ethnicity — the Banu Isra'il are one chapter in a universal prophetic story Exodus 1:1.
- Divine questions like 'Who are these?' (Genesis 48:8) and 'What men are these with thee?' (Numbers 22:9) are understood across all three traditions as pedagogical tools, not expressions of divine ignorance Genesis 48:8 Numbers 22:9.
- Joshua the son of Nun is a key 'who are they?' quiz answer in all three traditions, appointed alongside Eleazar to lead Israel — and read typologically as a Christ-figure in Christianity Numbers 34:17 Numbers 32:28.
FAQs
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