![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Question-269x300.jpg\")
What gives? It\u2019s just a question, right?<\/p>\nby Matthew W. Bassford<\/p>\n
We often don\u2019t realize it, but one of the main themes of the gospels is the interaction between Jesus and people who ask Him questions. If we considered Jesus\u2019 replies to those questions in isolation, His replies would seem so divergent as to be irrational. In Matthew 13:16, He calls one set of questioners blessed. In Matthew 13:7, He condemns another set as a bunch of hypocrites.<\/p>\n
What gives? It\u2019s just a question, right?<\/p>\n
In reality, of course, Jesus\u2019 answers are so different because He is responding to different motivations and positions. The disciples of Matthew 13 get a commendation and a straight answer because they are seeking the truth. So does the woman at the well in John 4 (who is so deferential that she only hints at her questions).<\/p>\n
Nicodemus, interested in the truth but full of himself, gets an answer but also gets taken down a peg in John 3. The lawyer of Luke 10:25, who thought to set himself up as Jesus\u2019 schoolteacher, ended up getting schooled instead. Finally, of course, the parade of Pharisees with their trap questions uniformly found out that Jesus was smarter than they were.<\/p>\n
Today, the motivations of questioners are every bit as diverse. Some still want to know the truth. Others think they know it and hope to use their questions to lead you down the primrose path. Still, others ask questions not because they want an answer, but because they believe the question won\u2019t have an answer. They think this will embarrass you or perhaps justify their unbelief.<\/p>\nThis is important for us to remember as we consider both others and ourselves. Though we can\u2019t see hearts as Jesus could, it\u2019s still possible to discern someone\u2019s intent by considering their words. I\u2019m perfectly willing to answer questions for hours if the questioner is hungry for the gospel.
\nOn the other hand, I\u2019m not interested in patiently answering objection after objection, only to be met with a haughty \u201cThat\u2019s not good enough!\u201d One suspects that for some, an answer from the Lord Himself would not be good enough.\n
It\u2019s important too, though, to be honest about our own motivations when we ask questions. Wanting to learn more about spiritual things is wonderful! I think the same is true of using questions to teach. When somebody figures out the answer for themselves rather than the teacher figuring it out for them, the lesson tends to stick longer.<\/p>\n
However, we should be wary of questions that are designed to trap others or to justify a conclusion we already have reached. Jesus used the former tactic, but He only did it to embarrass hard-hearted religious elites who were trying to embarrass Him first. Unless we are sure that someone is acting in bad faith and needs to be humiliated for the benefit of third parties, it\u2019s not wise and probably not godly to make them the target of our Perry Mason impression.<\/p>\n
Similarly, it is better to own our convictions directly, whatever they may be, rather than hedging them around with disingenuous questions designed to make our conclusion seem reasonable. If there is no answer to a question that will satisfy us, we should save everyone time and not ask it. There is no value to the smugness that comes from winning a debate when we are the self-appointed judge.<\/p>\n
Truth only can be found in God, and questions are the means by which we seek it. However, as with everything else, the devil is capable of twisting questions to his ends. May the questions we ask always serve truth and not him!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Matthew W. Bassford We often don\u2019t realize it, but one of the main themes of the gospels is the interaction between Jesus and people who ask Him questions. If we considered Jesus\u2019 replies to those questions in isolation, His replies would seem so divergent as to be irrational. In Matthew 13:16, He calls one…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[1173,451],"class_list":["post-20383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-questions","tag-teaching"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5791,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/questions\/","url_meta":{"origin":20383,"position":0},"title":"Questions","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 13, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Text: II Timothy 2:14-18 \u00a0 I.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Many years ago, a set of false teaching was being promoted in the congregation. When the false teacher was asked by the congregation to explain himself, he gave a list of questions to one of the younger members, who passed it on the older members.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Audio"","block_context":{"text":"Audio","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/audio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":92542,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-jesus-taught-in-parables\/","url_meta":{"origin":20383,"position":1},"title":"Why Jesus Taught in Parables","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Roger D. Campbell No one ever taught as Jesus did (John 7:46)! When He taught people, He often employed parables. By doing so, He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy (Psalm 78:2; 49:4). Jesus was neither the first nor last person in history to teach via parables, but He used them\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":67317,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/jesus-the-master-teacher\/","url_meta":{"origin":20383,"position":2},"title":"Jesus, the Master Teacher","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Doy Moyer Teaching is hard work. Trying to determine the best approach to teaching a variety of people from diverse backgrounds brings many challenges. What appeals to one group might not appeal to another. Some will hear what others will not, and Scripture anticipates this (e.g., Isaiah 6:9-10). Add\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":22219,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-did-peter-follow-jesus-in-matthew-2628\/","url_meta":{"origin":20383,"position":3},"title":"Why did Peter follow Jesus in Matthew 26:28?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 17, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Why did Peter follow Jesus in Matthew 26:28? Is your understanding that the \"reason\" that he\u00a0followed Jesus was only because he wanted to see what was going to happen?\u00a0 Not to stand up for Jesus? Perhaps I\u00a0should have explained that I\u00a0am working on a lesson for Sunday morning and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3664,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/was-jesus-ever-long-winded\/","url_meta":{"origin":20383,"position":4},"title":"Was Jesus ever long winded?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 2, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am annoyed by the long-winded answers that are found here. The truth is far more simple than the answers on this website. Do you think Jesus talked in such a way? 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