Ever noticed how Jesus Christ didn’t ask “when” questions?
We ask a lot of “when” questions.
“When will I find a spouse?”
“When will we have a child?”
“When will I get my dream job?”
“When will the pandemic be over?”
“When will the Dallas Cowboys (who have at least been really consistent) win another Super Bowl?”
“When will Jesus come back?”
Of course, it appears obvious to reborn believers in the Bible that Jesus Christ will come to get his Church before his Second Coming to earth.
Life seems pretty busy here, so midst the incessant hum of daily existence and inquiries, there often arises a profound hunger for meaning, purpose, and understanding. People are hungry for God and for His answers.
We are, by nature, question-askers. Yet, in the divine narrative of the New Testament, we encounter a startling reality: the Master Teacher, Jesus Christ, Himself was the supreme question-asker. His inquiries were not born of ignorance but of perfect wisdom, designed to pierce through intellectual facades, dismantle comfortable assumptions, and ignite a transformative encounter with truth.
In the Bible, We Find Our Loving Divine Inquirer?
I See Some Human Interrogators in the scriptures as well.
Do their questions interest you any?
While many seek definitive pronouncements, Jesus offered probing inquiries. Consider the sheer volume: Jesus asked over 300 questions in the Gospels—far more than He directly answered. Why this divine pedagogy of interrogation? Because questions compel engagement. They demand a personal response. They force us to confront not just what we know, but who we are and who we believe God to be.
George Barna in his research found a challenging paradox: while a significant majority of individuals intellectually acknowledge the Bible's relevance for life's dilemmas, genuine, deep exploration of its truths remains tragically low. Could it be that the core issue isn't a scarcity of divine answers, but a profound lack of spiritual curiosity—a reluctance to truly grapple with the very questions God Himself poses? As the insightful author Henri Nouwen once wrote, "The great spiritual task is to find the question that has been hidden in your heart and to live in a way that allows it to emerge." And often, Jesus' questions serve as the gentle, yet firm, catalyst for this emergence.
Let's lean into a few more of these piercing questions from Jesus, allowing their eternal resonance to cut through the noise of our lives and land squarely in our souls.
Questions of Relationship and Belonging: Redefining Family
Imagine Jesus, surrounded by His disciples, the crowd pressing in, and someone announcing His mother and brothers are outside. His response? A profound, boundary-shattering question: “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?” (Matthew 12:48). This isn't a rejection of His earthly family, but a radical redefinition of kinship. He then extends His hand toward His disciples and declares, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother."
This question challenges our comfortable, often exclusive, definitions of family and community. It calls us to a higher allegiance, a spiritual bond forged in obedience to God's will. It resonates with the powerful truth in the hymn "Blest Be The Tie That Binds":
“Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love; The fellowship of kindred minds Is like to that above.”
Are our circles drawn by blood and convenience, or by the transformative power of God's Spirit and a shared commitment to His purpose?
Questions of Faith and Provision: Beyond the Obvious
Recall the overwhelming crowd, the disciples' anxiety, and Jesus' seemingly practical query to Philip: “How many loaves do you have?” (John 6:5). On the surface, it's a simple logistical question. Yet, John reveals Jesus asked this "to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do." This question, often repeated in our lives through various challenges, isn't about God's need for information, but about our capacity for faith.
Philip's immediate calculation of insufficiency ("Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them...") is a common human response. We tend to focus on our limited resources, on the "impossible" mathematics of our situations. But Jesus' question invites us to look beyond the natural, beyond our current supply, to the limitless power of God. It's the same spirit reflected in the famous line from the hymn "Great Is Thy Faithfulness":
“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.”
When facing overwhelming needs, are we asking "How many loaves do we have?" or are we asking,
"What can God do with what little we surrender to Him?"
This is a question that renowned philanthropist and missionary George Müller would have intimately understood. He famously ran orphanages entirely on prayer and faith, often facing days with no food, yet never letting a child go hungry.
His consistent, unyielding faith in God's provision, even when resources were utterly absent to the natural eye, was his answer to Jesus' question. He chose to reckon with God's power, not human limitation.
Questions of Impatience and Understanding: The Weariness of the Divine
Sometimes, Jesus' questions carry a note of divine weariness, a longing for deeper understanding from His followers. After a frustrating encounter with a demon-possessed boy and His disciples' inability to cast it out, Jesus laments,
“O faithless and perverse generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you?” Matthew 17:17
This isn't an outburst of anger, but a heartfelt plea. It's a question that cuts through our spiritual complacency. It asks us: How long will we cling to doubt and spiritual immaturity when such power is available through faith? How long will we resist the transformative work of the Spirit within us? It's a call to move beyond spiritual infancy and embrace the deeper truths of God's kingdom.
Questions of the Heart and the Head: Unveiling Inner Turmoil
Jesus, with His unparalleled insight into the human psyche, often pinpointed the source of our outward struggles in our inner turmoil. When He declared a paralytic's sins forgiven, sparking silent accusations from the scribes, He asked, “Why are you thinking such evil things in your hearts?” (Matthew 9:4). This question bypasses polite conversation and goes straight to the core of hidden judgment and doubt.
It reminds us that our thoughts, often unseen by others, are intimately known by God and profoundly shape our reality. The famed psychologist Carl Jung, though not a Christian, famously said, "Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." Jesus' question, though spiritually profound, echoes this truth: what we harbor in our hearts, whether good or evil, ultimately directs our lives. Are we allowing ungodly thoughts to fester, or are we bringing them to the light of Christ for transformation?
Similarly, in the midst of a terrifying storm on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus calms the winds and waves, then turns to His fear-stricken disciples and asks, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (Mark 4:40). This question isn't a scolding but an invitation to self-reflection. It prompts us to examine the root of our anxieties. Is our fear based on present circumstances, or on a deeper lack of trust in the sovereign power of God? It's a reminder that even in the most tumultuous moments, faith should be our anchor. This resonates with the powerful sentiment found in the classic hymn "Be Still My Soul":
“Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side. Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain. Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change, He faithful will remain.”
Questions of Spiritual Dullness: The Blinders We Wear
Sometimes, Jesus’ questions reveal a deep-seated spiritual dullness, a resistance to truth. After explaining a parable that confused His disciples, He asks them, almost in exasperation, “Are even you likewise without understanding?” (Mark 7:18). This isn't a rhetorical jab; it's a lament over a hardened heart, a mind unwilling to grasp spiritual truth. It forces us to ask: Are there truths in God's Word that we are intentionally, or unintentionally, ignoring or refusing to understand?
And as Jesus surveyed the magnificent Temple, knowing its impending destruction, He asked His disciples, “Do you see these great buildings?” (Mark 13:2). It seems like a simple observation. Yet, in context, it's a profound challenge to our misplaced allegiances. They saw grandeur and permanence; Jesus saw transient structures destined to fall. This question compels us to examine what we value, what we consider "great" and enduring. Are we fixated on earthly structures, achievements, or possessions that, though impressive, are ultimately destined to fade? Or are our eyes fixed on the eternal, the unseen kingdom of God? The contemporary Christian song "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" encapsulates this call to eternal focus:
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace.”
The Enduring Interrogation: Your Answer Matters
Jesus' questions are not meant to confuse us but to clarify our understanding of ourselves, of God, and of His kingdom. They are invitations to deeper intimacy, profound transformation, and genuine discipleship. They demand an answer, not merely an intellectual one, but a life-altering response of faith and obedience.
As you reflect on these piercing inquiries—questions about our relationships, our faith in provision, our spiritual maturity, the hidden thoughts of our hearts, our fears, and our true priorities—which one most profoundly resonates with you today? Which question cuts deepest into your soul, prompting a renewed commitment to the One who asks not to know, but to transform? For in the divine interrogation, we find not judgment, but the very pathway to life abundant and eternal.
I like God's Penetrating Questions.
The Bible, from its first pages to its last, is filled with questions—about God, about life, about us. Not because God is uncertain, but because we are. And God, like the masterful Teacher He is, often uses questions not to gather information, but to stir the soul. Jesus Himself asked over 300 questions in the Gospels—far more than He directly answered. Why? Because questions provoke reflection. They expose the heart. They awaken a longing for truth.
George Barna Research reveals that nearly 6 in 10 Americans still believe the Bible has answers for life’s problems, yet few spend time exploring it deeply. Perhaps the problem isn’t the absence of answers, but the absence of curiosity. As pastor and author A.W. Tozer once said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” And often, that discovery begins with a question.
Want to revisit a handful of the Bible’s most soul-piercing questions—and ask them afresh, as if they were directed right to us?
“Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1)
The serpent’s whispered question still echoes in every human heart tempted to compromise God’s Word. Doubting Scripture is the seedbed of sin. As Vance Havner said, “Satan is not fighting churches—he’s joining them. He does more harm by sowing tares than by pulling up wheat.”
“Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love…” (Come Thou Fount)
“Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9)
This isn’t a GPS question. It’s a soul-searching one. God wasn’t unaware of Adam’s location. He was asking, “Where are you—spiritually?” God still asks. If you’re hiding in shame, He seeks. Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9)
Cain’s deflection becomes today’s apathy. Are we responsible for one another? Yes. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens.” True love is not passive. It pays attention.
“Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25)
Abraham’s rhetorical question still comforts the faithful. When God’s ways confuse us, His character assures us. As Charles Spurgeon declared, “When you cannot trace His hand, trust His heart.”
“If a man dies, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14)
This is humanity’s oldest cry. The Gospel answers: Yes! Jesus said, “Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19). Eternity is not fiction—it’s your future.
“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow..”
“How can a young person stay pure?” (Psalm 119:9)
The answer isn’t found in culture—it’s found in Scripture. “By living according to Your Word.” God’s Word cleanses, corrects, and equips (2 Tim. 3:16–17).
“Whom shall I send?” (Isaiah 6:8)
God still asks. Missions isn’t only across oceans—it’s across the street. Will you answer like Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me”? Or like many today, “Here am I—send someone else”?
“How many times shall I forgive?” (Matthew 18:21)
Peter asked with limits. Jesus answered with grace: “Seventy times seven.” Forgiveness isn’t about what someone deserves, but what God already gave us.
“Amazing grace… that saved a wretch like me.”
“What shall I do with Jesus?” (Matthew 27:22)
Pilate asked, but everyone answers. The question is personal, eternal, and inescapable. You’ll either crown Him Lord or cast Him aside. There’s no neutral ground.
“Who do you say I am?” (Matthew 16:15)
The most important question of your life. Not what others say about Jesus—but what you say. Peter got it right: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Eternity hangs on your answer.
“Jesus is either Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.” — Hudson Taylor
“What good is it to gain the whole world and lose your soul?” (Mark 8:36)
Our culture idolizes gain, but Scripture asks: at what cost? The soul is eternal; success is not. C.S. Lewis wrote, “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” Don’t sell what’s eternal for what’s fading.
“What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30)
The most desperate and beautiful of all questions. And the answer is timeless: “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31) That’s the Gospel. Full stop.
“Shall we go on sinning so that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1)
Grace is not permission to sin—it’s power to overcome it. True salvation changes the heart. As Paul Washer said, “The evidence of justification by faith is a sanctified life.”
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
Life may hit hard—but heaven holds you. If God is for you, nothing can defeat you. Even death only ushers you home.
“No guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me…” (In Christ Alone)
Some More Thoughts: Prethink And Ask Your Questions Well, When Asked, Pray And Answer Wisely
God doesn't mind us asking him as long as I don't demand an answer. He doesn't really owe me anything. He answers when it's needed.
The Bible isn’t afraid of questions—and neither is God. But every question leads us somewhere. Are you asking in faith or in doubt? In search of truth or justifying your sin?
Jesus asked the deepest ones of all: “Do you love Me?” “Why do you doubt?” “What do you want Me to do for you?” (John 21:17, Matthew 14:31, Mark 10:51).
May we become a people who don’t just ask well—but respond well. Like Isaiah: “Here am I.” Like Peter: “You are the Christ.” And like the jailer: “I believe.”
For eternity hinges not on asking the right questions really—but on answering the One who calls you. What will you do with God the Father's sinless Son Jesus?
