Jesus was an asker of questions

JESUS WAS AN ASKER OF QUESTIONS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
10 Questions Jesus Asked(and Why They MatterToday)
Cindi McMenamin
Crosswalk.comContributing Writer
1. Who do you sayI am?
Slide 1 of 10
Many people were confusedabout Jesus’identity. Some people were saying
He was Elijah. Others said He was Jeremiahor a prophet. Some believed He
was a goodteacheror a greatmagician. Jesus askedthis question of His
followers in Matthew 16:15, not for His own affirmation, but because who
they believed He was would make all the difference in their lives. He wanted
them to be able to answerthe question accurately.
Who do you say that Jesus is? A good man? A greatteacher? One of many
ways to heaven? Or do you say He is the way, the truth, and the life (John
14:6), as Jesus describedHimself? I want my answerto be like Peter’s as
recordedin Matthew 16:16:“You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Or, may it be more personal, like Thomas’declarationin John 20:28 (but
without having to “feel” Jesus to know He is real): “My Lord and My God!”
2. Do you believe?
Slide 2 of 10
Many people came to Jesus asking for something:a miracle, a healing, a free
lunch. Jesus challengedthem with this question to expose their motives. Did
they want a hand-out or did they truly believe Who He was and what He
could do?
When we come to God with our shopping lists, the question that remains on
Jesus’heart is “Do you believe?” Jesus saidin Matthew 21:22: “If you believe,
you will receive whateveryou ask for in prayer.” Let’s not be like the double-
minded one in James 1:6-8 who doubts and is “like a wave of the sea blown
and tossedby the wind.” May our response to Him be like that of the demon-
possessedboy’s father who replied honestly in Mark 9:24: “I do believe; help
me overcome my unbelief!”
3. Do you want to get well?
Slide 3 of 10
This seemedlike an odd question for Jesus to ask a man who had been an
invalid for 38 years. The man had been lying by the pool of Bethesda waiting
to be cured by a Spirit that would occasionallystir up the waters. Jesus
wanted to know if the man knew what he wanted.
That man might have been so wrapped up in his unfortunate situation that he
identified himself as “the one who has been here the longest” or“the one who
was the worst off.” (John 5:1-15) If Jesus cured him, who would he be?
When we complain to God about our circumstances orgive Him excuses as to
why we are still in the same place, spiritually or emotionally, year after year,
perhaps the question He still aims at our hearts is Do you want to getwell? Do

you want to move forward, spiritually? Do you want to make progress
emotionally? Do you want to go to a new place where God can be your all-in-
all, not the situation that you have let define you?
May our response to His question be: Lord Jesus, Iwant You. Open my eyes
to see You for Who You are. Open my ears to hear Your voice. Heal my legs
so I can follow You. Heal my heart so I can love You more.
4. Why are you so afraid?
Slide 4 of 10
In Matthew 8:26, Jesus askedHis followers why they were so afraid their boat
would overturn on accountof some wind and waves, especiallysince He was
right there in the boat with them. Certainly, if the Son of God was in their
midst, they would safely getto the other side of the lake.
You and I have Jesus with us in every circumstance we encounter.
Furthermore, He has promised to never leave us or desertus. (Hebrews 13:5)
So, what are we so afraid of? I want my answerto be Forgive me, Lord, for
fearing that anything is strongerthan You or outside of Your control.
5. Why did you doubt?
Slide 5 of 10
It’s easyto believe in God when we’re asking for our daily bread and for God
to bless our jobs and keepour families safe, but what about when God asks
you to do the impossible?
When Jesus’disciples saw Jesus walking onthe waterin the midst of a storm,
they were terrified and thought he was a ghost. Then, Petersaid, “Lord, if it’s
you tell me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:26)
Jesus told him to “Come.” Scripture tells us “Then Petergot down out of the
boat, walkedon the water, and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind,

he was afraid, and beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately, Jesus reachedout his hand and caught him. “You of little
faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:29-31)
Are you still doubting Jesus after what You’ve seenHim accomplishin the
Scriptures and in your life? If Jesus canwalk on the water, turn waterinto
wine, and give you living water, surely He can keepyou from the waters that
threaten to rock your boat
6. Do you still not see or understand?
Slide 6 of 10
Jesus likelyaskedthis question in Mark 8:17 out of frustration. No matter
what they saw Him do, His disciples still didn’t getit. Jesus had just fed four
thousand people with sevenloaves of bread and a few fish.
Prior to that, he had fed another 5,000 withjust five loaves ofbread and two
fish, healed a deaf and mute man, casta demon out of a young girl just by
saying the words, and walkedon waterin front of them while they watched
from a storm-tossedboat! What more did they need to see to understand that
He was the Son of God?
What have you seenJesus do? How many coincidences do you have to
experience to know His hand is working in your life and circumstances?How
many times does He have to come through for you financially to make you
trust His provision?
May our answerto His question be: Open my eyes to see You for who You
really are and to never againdoubt Your presence, Your power, or Your
provision.
7. Are you also going to leave?
Slide 7 of 10

Jesus saidsome things that were pretty hard for people of His day to swallow.
He said things like “anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has
eternal life, and I will raise that person at the lastday. (John 6:54, NLT)
Scripture tells us, “At this point many of his disciples turned awayand
desertedhim. Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going
to leave?” (John6:66-67)
Jesus’words – and much of the New Testamentletters – are especially
difficult for people today. His words seemedintolerant, his ideas radical, His
statements, at times, seemedjudgmental. Wouldn’t you rather have a God
you canconform to your own image, one who goes along with everything you
believe is right today? Are you also going to leave? May our response be as
pure and undefiled as Simon Peter’s in verse 68: “Lord, to whom would we
go? You have the words that give eternal life.”
8. What does Scripture say?
Slide 8 of 10
Scripture tells us in Luke 10:23-28 that an expert in the law stood up to test
Jesus and askedHim what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus answered
the question by asking the religious leader a question, “Whatis written in the
Law? How do you read it?” When the man quoted the Greatest
Commandment, Jesus replied, “Do this and you will live.”
Scripture is our sole authority today. It is referred to as the living Word of
God and SecondTimothy 3:16-17 tells us “All Scripture is God-breathed and
is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so
that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every goodwork.”
When you’re in a predicament, when you have to choose betweenoffending
someone else oroffending God, when you have to draw a line in the sand,
instead of asking, “Whatwould Jesus do?” and taking your best guess, ask
instead, “What do the Scriptures say?” After all, that is what Jesus would say
if you askedHim what He would do.

9. Who touched me?
Slide 9 of 10
In a crowdedplace, where people were brushing up on all sides of Him, Jesus
askedthis question, not because He didn’t know who touched him, but
because He wanted everyone else to know. Jesus was wellaware of the woman
who had been hemorrhaging for 12 long years and had spent every last cent
she ownedtrying to getwell, but only got worse.
He knew she was desperate to be healed. He knew what she riskedby going
out in public and touching a Rabbi, which would, under Jewishlaw, make
Him ceremoniouslyunclean. Jesus askedthe question because He wanted her
to speak up. He wanted her story to be told.
In Mark 5:33, we read, “then the woman, knowing what had happened to her,
came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.”
She told her story—publicly. Everyone there suddenly knew who she was,
what her condition had been, and how she had been healedby simply
touching Jesus’garment.
Have you experiencedJesus’healing touch? Has He forgiven you and given
you a new lease onlife? Then tell your story so God will be glorified.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages
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9. Who touched me?
Slide 9 of 10
In a crowdedplace, where people were brushing up on all sides of Him, Jesus
askedthis question, not because He didn’t know who touched him, but
because He wanted everyone else to know. Jesus was wellaware of the woman
who had been hemorrhaging for 12 long years and had spent every last cent
she ownedtrying to getwell, but only got worse.
He knew she was desperate to be healed. He knew what she riskedby going
out in public and touching a Rabbi, which would, under Jewishlaw, make
Him ceremoniouslyunclean. Jesus askedthe question because He wanted her
to speak up. He wanted her story to be told.
In Mark 5:33, we read, “then the woman, knowing what had happened to her,
came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth.”
She told her story—publicly. Everyone there suddenly knew who she was,
what her condition had been, and how she had been healedby simply
touching Jesus’garment.
Have you experiencedJesus’healing touch? Has He forgiven you and given
you a new lease onlife? Then tell your story so God will be glorified.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Brooke Cagle
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10. Do you love me?
Slide 10 of 10
Jesus askedthis of Peter, not once, but three times, after his disciple–who
claimed to be the most loyal of the bunch–had three times publicly denied
knowing Jesus on the night of his arrest and crucifixion. Jesus askedthis
question three times as a gift to Peter. He giving him the chance to three times
reaffirm his love for his Lord, after having blown it a few days earlier. (John
21:15-17)
Have you blown it with Christ, too? It’s never too late to reaffirm your love
for Him. Jesus saidin Matthew 22:37 that the greatestcommandment is to
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with
all your mind.” His question to Peterpenetrates our hearts daily as we are
facedwith a choice:Will we follow Him or the world? Him or our money?
Him or another love? Do you love Me? How I long for my answerto be: Yes,
Lord, more than anything. “Whom have I in heaven but You and earth has
nothing I desire besides you.” (Psalm73:25)
Cindi McMenamin is a national speakerand award-winning writer who helps
women and couples strengthentheir relationship with God and with others.
She has authored more than a dozen books including When Women Walk
Alone (more than 130,000copies sold),
Why did Jesus ask so many questions?
By JoshHunt

When Jesus taught one of the most important things in the Bible, he chose to
ask a question first. Why?
All the greatSunday schoollessons,smallgroup discussions,and Bible study
meetings have something in common: they involve engaging questions. If
questions are so important to our ministry, we should take a look at how Jesus
used questions in His ministry.
We have about 100 examples of Jesus asking questions. Why did Jesus use so
many questions when He taught? Why are questions such a powerful wayto
teach?
One of the classicexamples of Jesus using a question to teachis found in Luke
9.18 where Jesus says, “Who do the crowds saythat I am?”
Jesus’warm-up questions
Why did Jesus ask this? Did he not know? That could be. When he became
human, he setaside some of his god-ness. In another context, he said he did
not know the day or the hour when he would return. I think it is more likely,
however, that it was a teaching moment for the disciples.
This is what I call a warm up question. It is a get-emtalking question. I write
small group curriculum for a living. I start nearly every lessonwith this kind
of question. It is a question to getthe group started talking.
People have saidto me, “I have tried using discussionquestions and my group
doesn’t want to talk.” Do what Jesus did. Get them talking about somebody
else. People love to talk about someone else. I think this is why Jesus asked
them about what other people thought. It is always easierto talk about what
other people think than to share our own convictions or feelings.
Jesus taught through people’s answers
Once Jesus gotthem talking, Jesus narrowedthe focus:“Who do you saythat
I am?”

Peterdeclaredone of the most profound statements in the entire Bible: “You
are the Christ, the Son of the living God!”
Stated a different way, Jesus led the disciples to hear one of the most profound
statements in the entire Bible. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Questions aren’t safe
Question:why did Jesus craftthis centrally important teaching in the form of
a question? Why not just say it to his disciples: “I am the Christ, the sonof the
living God!” It would have been a lot saferthat way.
A lot of teachers don’t like questions because they are into safety—and they
know that questions are not safe. You ask a question and you have no idea
what kind of answeryou might get. If you make a statement, you can carefully
craft it so you know exactly what you are going to say.
But on this occasionofteaching one of the most centrally important things in
all the Bible, Jesus chose to use the teaching method of a question.
Why?
Answers change lives
Jesus knew when Peterdeclaredhim to be “the Christ of God,” that Peter
would be changedby this declaration.
Jesus taught that we are changedas much by what we say as what we hear.
“Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him. Rather, it
is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean.’” Mark 7:15 (NIV)
“What comes out of a man”—whata man speaks is what makes him clean.
We are changedby the truth when we speak the truth. When Peterdeclared
Jesus to be the Christ, he believed ever more firmly that Jesus was the Christ.
This is why the Bible makes a big deal about “if you confess with your
mouth.” (Romans 10.9)It is not that God needs to hear. It is not even that
others need to hear. It is that you need to say. When you confess the truth
with your mouth, you are changedby that truth.

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7 Life-Changing Questions Jesus Asked
9:00AM EST 2/7/2015RonEdmondson
Jesus didn't ask many questions, but when he did, they were powerful. (Jesus
Film)
Years ago I became fascinatedwith the questions of Jesus. It occurredto me
that if Jesus was asking a question, it must be an important one.
In fact, depending on our response, theycould be life-changing questions.
I realize that in the culture in which Jesus lived, asking questions was a
method of learning, but Jesus always knew the answers. He didn't need to ask
them. He IS the answer. What does He need to know?
His questions were to cause His listeners to think. And, they do.
Considersome of these 7 questions of Jesus:
1. "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" (Matt. 9:28)
2. "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" (Matt. 8:26)
3. "Whatdo you think about the Christ?" (Matt. 22:42)

4. "Do you love Me?" (John 21:17)
5. "Why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord', and not do what I tell you?" (Luke
6:46)
6. "Whatdo you want Me to do for you?" (Luke 18:41)
7. "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice
the log that is in your own eye?" (Matt. 7:3)
To which of these do you most need to considerto answer?
Ron Edmondson is the seniorpastor at Immanuel BaptistChurch in
Lexington, Kentucky. For the original article, visit ronedmondson.com.
Book Review-The 307Questions Jesus Askedand the 3 He Answered
July 31, 2015 by SusannahDB 8 Comments
Jesus is the Question:The 307 Questions Jesus Askedand the 3 He Answered
Martin B. Copenhaver
Emotional Response-5
ScholarlyResponse-5
Mostdays, I am so thankful that my faith isn’t an easyanswerfaith. I don’t
believe that if a happens then I need to do b. In my life, when a happens, I
ponder and pray about the appropriate reaction, I consult my faith family, I
read the Scriptures, and then discernwhether b, c, or d are the correctcourse
of action. Sometimes it takes longerto make a decision. I am included in the
process ofpartnering with God and my faith community to see where God is
leading me. Now on really rough days for just a few minutes, I coveta faith
that has answers to every question. These times doesn’t last long. I am

grateful to understand that God welcomes ourquestions, our concerns, our
praises, our laments, and our anger.
“Easyanswers cangive us a sense of finality. By entertaining questions God
has a chance to change us. Answers can be offered as a conclusion. Questions
are an invitation to further reflection. For the most part, answers close and
questions open” (20).
This book is not a book of easyanswers becauseJesus didn’t give us easy
answers. Jesusasks307 different questions in the Gospels. He is asked183
questions (16). I’m thankful that someone else countedup these questions for
us to let us know that Jesus askedalmosttwice as many questions as he was
asked.
My sistersent me this picture recently. Her daughter has recently turned four
and questions everything. While parents and others may tire of constant
questions, questions are vital for learning. Maybe Jesus is asking us to channel
our inner four-year old and ask more questions.
How does Jesus teachus? Questions and parables are two of Jesus’favorite
methods of communication. Both of these methods have in common that they
are not direct answers. Theyare asking the listener to participate in this
process ofunderstanding. “The goalis not to communicate knowledge but to
elicit new understanding in the listener. Information is not the goal.
Transformationis” (20).
Jesus asksquestions about longing, compassion, identity, faith, doubt, worry,
the reachof love, and healing. And finally, in Chapter 9, we read about the
questions Jesus answers. The book says that Jesus only answers 3 questions
and that is because the author believes that Jesus directly answers only 3
questions. The following 8 are answers that Jesus gave, but they don’t always
directly answerthe question he was asked. Jesus tells us how many times we
must forgive (Matthew 18:21-22), whena husband may divorce his wife
(Matthew 19: 3-9), what we must do to have eternal life (Matthew 19: 16-22),
what is the greatestcommandment (Mark 12: 28-34), why the disciples are

unable to heal someone (Matthew 17:14-21), where they will eat the Last
Supper (Mark 14:12-16), who will betray him (John 13:21-30), andafter many
times not answering Jesus finally tells us who is (John 18:33-38).
Who is Jesus? Who do people saythat I am? Who do you say that I am?
These two questions are so similar and yet so different. The first one requires
no commitment. The secondone comes from the heart if we follow Jesus
(Chapter 10). A Questionfrom the Cross is a greatlook at what it means to
have a Savior who asked, “MyGod, My God why have you forsakenme?” is
the focus of Chapter 11. Chapter 12 finishes the questions with questions from
the RisenChrist.
The book ends with a long list of questions in Chapter 13. The author
encouragesyou to read them without thinking about the context or looking up
the context. What are these questions that Jesus asks?
This book was recommended to me by a dear friend. She readthis book and
enjoyed it so much that she used it as a book study at her church. After
reading the book, I would love to do the same. This book is easyto read and
challenging in the way it makes you think. I would highly recommend this
book to everyone who wants to grow a bit in their faith. I’d recommend it for
individual reading as well as part of a book study. You should read this book!
April 6, 2017Culture
Following Jesus:The Masterof the Question
Q Place founder encourages believers to ask more questions.
Mary Schaller

Image: Wikimedia
A
few years ago I found some relevant wisdom on evangelismand spiritual
transformation in an unlikely place:Forbes Magazine. The article was
entitled “The 3 MostPowerfulWays to Change People Who Don’t Want to
Change,” by therapist and life coachKathy Caprino.
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Over the years, she has studied the root causes ofbehavioral roadblocks and
why people have such a hard time changing, even if it is likely to improve the
quality of their life. Whether trying to lose 20 pounds, successfullyquit
smoking, or even just flossing eachday, most people fail to reach their goals.
In fact, dieters in the U.S. spend $40 billion a year to lose weight, but 19 out of
20 (95%) lose nothing but their money.
To show that there are ways to help people successfullymake changes,
Caprino cited an experiment documented in a YouTube video done a few
years ago by behavioral scientists David Maxfield and Joe Grenney.
In it, two 12-year-oldboys tried to persuade smokers they encounteredon the
streetto stop smoking. Their first approach was to hand out tracts on the
dangers of smoking to every personwith a cigarette in their hand and try to
explain to them why they should quit smoking. The researchersfollowedup
behind the boys, and found that 90% of the recipients had responded
negatively and resentfully. They calledthis the “lecture approach.”
Then, the two boys were sent out againwith what they calledthe “influential
question” approach. The boys had cigarettes in their own hand and asked
anyone they saw smoking if they would give them a light. Almost every time,
the smokers declinedto give them a light and told the boys why they shouldn’t
smoke.
The boys would follow up with another question: “If smoking is bad for us,
what about you? Why are you smoking?”
In this secondapproach, you see a receptivity and a dialogue unfold where the
smokers are open and more receptive to talk without defensiveness.Whenthe
researchersfollowedup with this secondgroup of smokers, 90%of these
smokers committed to try to stop smoking!What a difference in the two
approaches. Butwhy did the secondapproach work?
Caprino interviewed Maxfield to explore this question. Maxfield identified
common mistakes we often make when attempting to change behavior.

One of the biggestmistakes we make is ‘attacking’people with information
and lecturing them. We assume that if they knew more, they would change.
Instead, he says, “Whenyou’re trying to influence people who need
motivation, not information, don’t offer more information. Instead, work to
create a safe environment where they can explore motivations they already
have.”
The way to do this is not with speeches, but with goodquestions. The boys
allowedthe smokers to feelsafe and to acknowledgetheir ownambivalence
about their behavior. The premise is that if we stop forcing people to take the
wrong side of the argument by lecturing them (psychologists callthis
“reactance”), but insteaduse questions to explore their own motivations at
their own pace, we’re much more likely to see them open up to our point of
view.
How does this relate to evangelism?
Our tendency as Christians is to use a lecture approach. It’s not that a lecture
approachis bad or wrong. If 10% of the people who hear the information
about the gospelwill receive it, then when appropriate, we should continue
with that approachas God leads. The Apostle Paul reminds us in 1 Peter 3:15
that we should “always be prepared to give an answerto everyone who asks
you to give the reasonfor the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness
and respect.”
In church services onSunday, or when the Holy Spirit prompts you to
personally share the gospel, if someone is expectedto preach the gospelor
asks you to give a reasonfor the hope you have, the lecture or ‘telling’
approachis appropriate and effective. People are showing you they are ready
to receive that information.
But if the other 90% are more receptive to a question approach, then we
should also be ready to adjust our personal evangelismstyle by asking
influential questions. This enables people to safely explore what they believe in
respectfuldialogue.

While we see both approaches in Jesus’earthly ministry, He was a masterat
the question approach, asking more than 300 questions in the four Gospels.
For example, in Mark 10 we read a remarkable exchange betweenJesus and
Bartimaeus. Bartimaeus, a blind man, was sitting beside the road as Jesus
walkedby, shouting for his attention over the din of a crowd. Others told him
to be quiet. But when Jesus heard him, he stopped, told the people to bring the
blind man over, and askedhim, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark
10:51).
Jesus didn’t ask many questions, or even a particularly profound question.
His question was simple. Ratherthan assuming this man wantedto be able to
see, Jesus askeda question that allowedBartimaeus the dignity of
communicating what he most desired—to see.
And in that moment, Bartimaeus was given the chance to revealhis faith in
Jesus as He healed him.
How about you? Are you attentive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and prepared
to use a question versus a lecture approach some of the time? Like Jesus with
the blind man Bartimaeus, we may find that the influential question approach
often gives others a better chance to revealtheir deepestneed and make faith
decisions that will ultimately transform their entire lives.
Mary Schalleris president of Q Place, a ministry that empowers Christians to
engage in meaningful conversations aboutGod with people who believe
differently through small groups. She was an entrepreneurial marketer and
founder of three technology-relatedbusiness ventures and then minister of
small groups at Menlo Park PresbyterianChurch. She has an M.Div. from
Fuller TheologicalSeminary. She is the author of How to Start a Q Place, and
the co-authorof The 9 Arts of Spiritual Conversations.
Ask Questions Like the MasterTeacher
8 types of questions Jesus usedto produce change.

by Dave Arch
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"Do you not yet understand?"
—Jesus (Matthew 8:21)
Whether in a public gathering, a confrontation with his enemies, or a private
conversationwith his closestfriends, Jesus consistentlyused questions to
produce change and growth. In the eighth chapter of the Book ofMark, he
used eight types of questions.
1. Answering with Questions (Mark 8:5)
Rather than merely answering a question (and thereby stunting the question's
teaching potential), Jesus would often answera participant's question with a
question of his own.
In Mark 8, when his followers askedJesushow he planned to feed a crowd of
4,000 people, he responded with a question: "How many loaves do you have?"
That question kept his followers involved.

It takes confidence and wisdom to ask involving questions. Asking a question
as simple as "What do the restof you think?" can keeppeople engagedand
searching for truth. When we answerevery question, we rob the questioner of
the satisfactionfound in personaldiscovery.
2. Gathering Data (Mark 8:5, 19-21)
Jesus eventually askedsome personalquestions in this chapter. However, he
beganwith and interspersedthroughout the dialogue questions of a more
factual nature. "How many loaves do you have?" involved his followers on a
non-threatening level.
Using these types of questions helps maintain group involvement while gently
moving toward the more personalapplication questions. A factualquestion
such as "How many years have you workedin your current job?" doesn't
require much personaldisclosure but still reveals insights about the person.
3. Making Statements (Mark 8:12)
Jesus skillfully askedrhetoricalquestions to emphasize a point in a powerful
but non-combative manner. "Why does this generationseek fora sign?"
communicates much better than "You stubborn group of unbelieving
people!" Such diplomacy is a beneficialteaching skill.
4. Communicating Passion(Mark 8:17-18)
When rhetorical questions are linked together, they can transport tremendous
passion. In Mark 8:17-18, Jesus askedhis followers:"Why are you talking
about having no bread? Do you still not see orunderstand? Are your hearts
hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?"
As Jesus joined questions togetherwithout giving pause for an answer, his
listeners were rendered thoughtfully speechless.
This technique can be used effectively in discussiongroups to powerfully
reinforce a point.
5. Correcting (Mark 8:21)

When we need to correctsomeone, phrasing it as a question can allow the
person to make the necessarychangeswithout defensiveness orlosing face.
Instead of saying, "You are so stupid—you never understand anything,"
Jesus asked, "Do you not yet understand?" This question made the point
while maintaining the involvement of his participants.
6. Seeking Feedback(Mark 8:23)
While healing a man of blindness, Jesus asked, "Do yousee anything?" We
can ask the same kind of question throughout any teaching process. A
question such as "Do you understand what we're studying?" can revealthe
level of comprehensionand keeppeople on track.
7. Encouraging PersonalApplication (Mark 8:27-29)
Towardthe conclusionofMark 8, Jesus used two increasingly personal
questions to leadhis followers into content application.
He began with a more generalquestion—"Who do people say I am?" (Mark
8:27)—before leading into the directly personalquestion—"Who do you say I
am?" (Mark 8:29).
When we want to move our group to application, a goodapproach is to ask,
"What are some ways we could … ?" before transitioning to "What are some
ways you could … ?"
8. Soul Searching (Mark 8:36-37)
Mark 8:36-37 "What goodis it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit
his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?"
These types of questions reachto the heart of an issue and have no
comfortable reply. One example of such a question might be: "How cana
church survive if it isn't in touch with the needs of the congregation?"Closing
with this type of question or writing it at the bottom of a handout can make a
strong impact.

The MostSurprising Questionfrom Jesus
MichaelKelley
michaelkelley.co
2017
13 Jan
COMMENTS
0
There are, if you want to be super simplistic about it, maybe only two types of
questions that we ask eachother.
The first type of question is basedon the need for information. It is askedin
order for the askerto know something that he or she doesn’t alreadyknow.
This is the kind of question I ask most everyday about my keys, or my shoes,
or my wallet, or my whatever – “Jana, where is my whatever?” I ask because
I don’t know, and I assume the person I’m asking possesses the knowledge
that I need and might be willing to share it with me.
But there is another type of question – this one is not based in information,
but basedmore in revelation. You ask this type of question to another when
you know the answer, and maybe even the personyou’re asking knows the
answer, but through asking it reveals something else that the person you are
asking it to might now know. And God asks these kinds of questions all the
time.
Take, forinstance, the garden. The fall has happened. Man has rebelled.
Everything in creationhas been turned upside down. And the Lord asks a
question of Adam and Eve:
“Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).

This is not a question basedin information; God the Creatorknows very well
that his humans are hiding behind some trees over there. He’s not asking it
because He doesn’t know; He’s asking it because He wants to reveal
something to Adam and Eve, and to us. The revelation is both about
themselves (and ourselves)and about Him. Through these three words, God
brings us to a point of revealing that we are, as sinners, hiding from His
presence. And that He, because ofHis greatlove, is seeking us out to be in
right relationship with Him.
As parents, we do the same thing even if we don’t know it. We come in the
house and we see that the lamp is broken. We know that a child has done this,
and most of the time we know which child. But we ask anyway, “Who broke
the lamp?” It’s not because we needinformation; it’s because we desire
revelation. We want the child to own up to what they’ve done, and in so doing,
to take responsibility for that actionand ultimately for us to revealboth the
discipline and the grace we have for them.
Revelation. Notinformation.
When we come to Jesus, then, we find Him asking all kinds of questions. And
I would posit that when Jesus asksa question, it’s not a searchfor
information; it’s to the end of revelation. But there is one particular moment
in the gospels whenHe asks a very surprising question:
“Do you want to getwell?” (John 5:6).
Seems like a no-brainer, doesn’tit? If you read the context, you will find that
the man on the receiving end of this question who had been sick for 38 years.
For almost4 decades, he had been lying by this pool, putting his hope in some
old superstition about its magicalqualities when it startedto bubble.
Of course he wants to be healed. I mean, who wouldn’t, right? But let’s go
back to the reasons behind the questions. If we categorize those questions into

questions involving either information or revelation, and if we further assume
that Jesus knows the information, then He must be after some kind of
revelation in this answer. So what, then, does Jesus wantto reveal by asking
this question?
In the Book ofJohn, we know that Jesus is constantly about revelation. That’s
the reasonwhy all these miracles He performs as recordedin this book are
referred to as “signs;” it’s because they are all meant to revealthe divinity of
Jesus. But the revelation also has an introspective component for this man.
With the question, Jesus is forcing him to look inside himself, as if to say, “I
know that you might respond with an immediate yes, but think about it. Do
you really want to be healed?”
Is this the kind of question Jesus might still ask of us today? I think so.
It’s not that we don’t need to be healed; we do. We need to be healedfrom the
ongoing sin in our lives. We need to be healed from the wounds of our painful
circumstances. We needto be healedfrom our misshapen views of God that
have come about through decades ofbad examples and wrong beliefs. But
Jesus doesn’task us about our need. He asks us, along with this man,
something concerning our desire. We, like the man, are lying in a state of
ongoing sickness, andJesus asks us the same question: “Do you really want to
be made well?”
And in that moment, we like the man are forcedto look inside ourselves.
You can getaccustomedto a lot of things in 38 years. In fact, you can become
so accustomedto something that you develop an attachment to it. Even though
your circumstances are painful, at leastthey are something you know.
Something you’re comfortable with. Could things be better? Sure they could.
But at leastwith the way things are, you know what to expect everyday.

Healing is good, but healing is also uncomfortable. It means letting go of what
is familiar and comfortable. It means releasing ourselves totallyto His care. It
means trusting that He is better than whatever lifestyle we are currently
clinging to. But to answerthat question in the positive requires some measure
of risk on our part. And if we are willing to answeraffirmatively; if we see
inside ourselves and recognize that being healedmeans a departure from what
we once were and moving forward into the unknown with Jesus, then He is
willing. Though the process might be longer than it was with this particular
man, the healing will come.
When Jesus comes to you with this question, don’t be too quick to answer.
Recognize thatHe’s not after information, but revelation, and look inside
yourself. And when you do, what will you say?
This article originally appearedon michaelkelley.co. Usedwith permission.
MichaelKelley is the Directorof Groups Ministry for LifeWay Christian
Resourcesin Nashville, TN. He and his wife Jana have three children. You
can follow him on Twitter.
QUESTIONS OF JESUS THE MASTER-ASKER
LESSON 4: THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION
This includes: 1. LEADER PREPARATION 2. LESSON GUIDE
1. LEADER PREPARATION
LESSON OVERVIEW Sometimes we lose our way as Christians and canget
confusedabout what we’re really supposed to be doing. This has a lot to do
with vision—specifically, God’s vision for our lives. It is easyfor teenagers to
find themselves wondering if this is what life’s all about—just going to church,
or just going to youth group. Is there something more that they’re supposedto
do? Is there something that Jesus wants them to see? John9 is a beautiful

passageaboutJesus healing a man who was born blind and how it ruined his
life—for good.
LESSON OBJECTIVES1. WHAT: Jesus’miraculous work createda
measure of trouble for one young man as he was lookeddown upon by his
friends, abandoned by his family, and kickedout of his religious community—
all because his sight was restored. 2. WHY: A lot of things call out for our
teenagers’attention, but Jesus wants to remove those distractions so that he
can ask our teenagers a life-changing question. 3. HOW: Students will
examine Jesus’miraculous healing of a blind man and the events that
followedthat healing, and they’ll considerif there are any noises or
distractions in their lives keeping them from seeing Jesus clearly.
PRIMARY SCRIPTURE John9:1-38
SECONDARYSCRIPTURE Mark 8:22-26
TEACHING PREP Use this short overview to prepare for your lesson. While
you may not want to conveythis information word-for-word with your group,
you’ll want to absorbit as you prepare to lead.
ReadJohn 9:1-38.
This passagecanbe broken down into three main sections. In the first section
(verses 1-7)Jesus and his disciples encountereda man who was born blind. A
dialogue ensued as to why he was born that way. Was he born that way
because ofa generationalsin issue or something the man did? Jesus defeated
the idea of sin in this instance and focusedeveryone on the work of God in the
young man’s life. Jesus then healed the man so that God would receive glory.
Sectiontwo (verses 8-34)is all about the young man’s journey with his newly
found vision (literally). As he returned to the village after washing in the pool,
the miraculous healing was immediately questioned. This led to a formal
tribunal at which the Pharisees challengedthe man’s claims and questioned
the legalityof Jesus healing people on the Sabbath. The end of this section
shows the young man being kickedout of his religious community because he
couldn’t explain how he had been healed.

In the final section(verses 35-38), we find the young man alone—castout
from his family and community, and it is here in this lonely place that Jesus
found him. This short but sweetinteractionwith the young man begins with
an amazing question: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” (The Sonof Man is
a name that Jesus gave himself.) This question is so very important now, as it
was then, because our students have a lot of things calling out for their
attention. What if Jesus is attempting to remove them from some of that so
that he can ask them the most important question ever?
THE BEFORE & AFTER [OPTIONAL]
TEXTS OR TWEETSSendone or both of these messagesto your students
prior to your meeting. As with the rest of the curriculum, edit these questions
to fit the needs of your ministry.
• What was the most important question Jesus everasked? Come outthis
week and find out! • How do questions bring us to a place of relationship?
Come hear about a powerful question Jesus is asking you. See you tonight!
PARENT EMAIL Send this email to parents following the lessonto encourage
them to continue the conversationat home. Feelfree to edit and customize the
email to fit your ministry needs.
Dearparents,
We just finished our series focusing on four different questions Jesus askedin
the Gospels.In this final lesson, we explored John 9:1-38, where Jesus healed
a young man who was born blind. This miracle of Jesus actuallycreateda
measure of trouble for the young man as he was lookeddown upon by his
friends, abandoned by his family, and kickedout of his religious community—
all because his sight was restored!
The beautiful end of the story shows Jesus meeting him at a time of need and
bringing things back into focus with an on-targetquestion: “Do you believe in
the Sonof Man?” There’s a lot going on in this passage, but one truth is clear:
Despite what’s happening in the lives of our students, Jesus wants to know if
they believe in him.

This week, I encourage youto spend a few minutes talking with your teenager
about our lesson. Considerbuilding your conversationaround these
questions: • What has Jesus givenyou a vision to do or to be? • Do you ever
struggle with your identity as a followerof Jesus? • What are some similarities
betweenphysical blindness and spiritual blindness? What are some
differences?
• What can we do as a family to make sure we’re constantly answering the
question about whether we believe in Jesus?
Thanks for all your continued prayers for our students and our ministry.
Have a blessedweek!
QUESTIONS OF JESUS THE MASTER-ASKER
LESSON 4: THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION
2. LESSON GUIDE
GETTING THINGS STARTED[OPTIONAL]Prior to your gathering,
collecta bunch of household items that make noise when you operate them
(such as a stapler, scissors, eggtimer, electric razor, and so on). Make sure to
include some objects that are easyto guess—andsome that will be difficult to
guess. You may also want to include something that makes a particularly
funny sound!
Welcome your students and invite them into your meeting area. Open in
prayer, and then lead students in this opening activity.
Explain that you are going to play a guessing game. Everyone must close their
eyes and coverthem with their hands—no peeking!Then you as the leader
will pull out a box full of objects that make specific noises whenused. One by
one, “use” eachobjectso it makes its sound, and have students see if they can
guess whatthe objectis—purely by its sound.
VARIATIONS: If students are able to guess all of the objects right away, you
can make the game more challenging by asking defining questions. For
example, if the object in question is a stapler, ask how big it is, or how old it is,

or even what colorit is. You also could talk while making eachobject’s noise,
which will make it more difficult to guess.
Students likely won’t be able to identify some of the objects without seeing
them, but that will help drive home the idea of what it’s like to be blind.
ASK:
• What made this activity difficult? • What are some other things you might be
able to identify just by their sound? • OK, we only did this with a few items
and you knew you’d be able to open your eyes afterward. What would it have
been like if you were blind? • If you have a family member or a friend that is
blind, what truths or life lessons have you learned from them?
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: This activity called for us to experience temporary
sight loss, but many people are either born with blindness or develop
blindness over time. Todaywe’re going to talk about a young man’s encounter
with Jesus in which his blindness was cured, and his life took an amazing
turn.
TEACHING POINTS Use the Teaching Points to help students capture the
essenceofeachlessonwith more discussionand less lecture-style teaching.
Remember: All throughout these lessons,it’s up to you to choose (1)how
many questions you use and (2) the wording of the main points—keepours, or
change the wording to make it clearerfor your audience.
ReadJohn 9:1-38 togetheras a group. Considerdividing verses among your
students so severalpeople have a chance to read.
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: There’s a lot going on in this passage,let’s take a
look at the three main parts of the story.
1. JESUS WANTS TO HEAL OUR BLINDNESS
ASK:
• What’s your immediate reactionto the conversationbetweenJesus and his
disciples in the first few verses of this passage—particularlyif you’ve never
heard or read this Scripture before? • What do you find most remarkable

about verses 6-7? • If you had been born blind but experienced this kind of
healing, what’s the first thing you would have wanted to see, and why? • Most
of us haven’t been healed of physical blindness, so what might you compare
this healing to? What analogymight be accurate and appropriate here? •
What are some similarities betweenphysical blindness and spiritual
blindness? What are some differences?
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: This interactionwith Jesus accomplishedtwo
things: God had compassionon a blind man so Jesus healedhim, and God
receivedglory for the miracle. Jesus didn’t perform miracles simply because
he could—he was carrying out the will of God.
2. VISION CAN SOMETIMES SEPARATEUS FROM OTHERS
ASK:
• Look at the next section, verses 8-34. What’s your reactionto this man’s
receptionwhen he went back home? • When have you had to defend to people
that you were truly different because ofyour faith in Jesus, that Jesus had
truly changedyour life? Or phrased anotherway, when have you struggled
with your identity as a follower of Jesus? • Why were the Pharisees so upset
with the circumstances ofthis healing? • What does verse 34 reveal about the
Pharisees?• Is it possible that we sometimes act like these Pharisees? Whyor
why not?
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: This man’s day startedout like any other, until he
met Jesus. He was miraculously healed and headedhome to celebrate his
newfound vision. But things didn’t go like he planned. People doubted him,
and he was eventually punished for something he didn’t even do. As Christ-
followers we cansometimes feel like outsiders—Jesushas done something in
us that others might not understand. But that doesn’t change the reality of
what has happened in our lives.
3. REMEMBERTHE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO LOOK AT
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: In a beautiful display of love and compassion,
Jesus returned to this young man after hearing about his trial before the
Pharisees.Jesus found him alone and abandoned. The young man had vision

but nothing to look at. It was at this moment that Jesus askedhim the most
important question, involving a name Jesus calledhimself: “Do you believe in
the Sonof Man?” This question remains so important for us today, because
even though there is a lot going on in our lives, the one thing Jesus cares about
is if we believe in him.
ASK:
• Look at the final sectionof this passage, verses35-38. Whatis most
surprising about Jesus’interactionwith this young man? • Have you
experiencedJesus like this man did? Do you feel like Jesus has given you
something to see? Tellus about that.
EXTRA DISCUSSION [OPTIONAL]Ask students to form groups of two or
three to discuss these questions.
ASK: • Read Mark 8:22-26. How is this story similar to the John 9 passage?
How are these two events different? • What is significant about Jesus’words
to the man in verse 26?
Bring everyone back together, and ask for volunteers to share answers to the
previous questions, as time permits.
LIVING IT OUT
ASK:
• What is something that Jesus has askedyou to see? • Are any noises or
distractions in your life keeping you from seeing Jesus clearly? If so, what can
you do to remove them? • The John 9 passageends with the young man
worshipping Jesus. How might this Scripture change or challenge our attitude
about worship?
SAY SOMETHING LIKE: Another wayto think about receiving a vision
from Jesus is this: What do you think Jesus has specificallywired you to do?
Why do you care about helping the poor, or why do you want to go on a
mission trip, or why do you want to go into business? Those are just examples
of the way Jesus might be giving you vision.

Ask students to eachfind a quiet spot in your meeting area for a few minutes
of prayer and reflection. Considerpraying togetheras a group or asking if
any students would like prayer from the rest of the group.
SUMMARY Provide a quick summary or take-home challenge basedon (1)
this lesson’s content, (2) the dialogue that took place today, (3) your
understanding of the issues and struggles your teenagers are facing, and (4)
the big picture of your youth ministry and what your leadership team wants
accomplishedwith the teaching and discussiontime.
FOR KEEPS [MEMORYVERSE]Encourage and/orchallenge your
teenagers to memorize the Scripture below.
“When Jesus heardwhat had happened, he found the man and asked, ‘Do you
believe in the Son of Man?’ ” (John 9:35).
Answering Questions With Questions
By Randy Newman • August 8, 2006
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DecisionMagazine
July / August 2006
Answering Questions With Questions
We often want to have perfect answers to people’s questions about the Gospel.
But sometimes this can lead to conversations thatfeel more like sales pitches
than meaningful interaction. Veteran evangelistRandy Newmansays that
answering with a question insteadcan lead to meaningful conversations about
Christ. —The Editors

A rich man askedJesus,“GoodTeacher, whatmust I do to inherit eternal
life?” That question was a greatsetup for a clear, concise Gospelpresentation.
I can almosthear a disciple whispering in Jesus’ear, “Take outthe booklet.”
How could Jesus not launch into the most perfect model for every evangelistic
training seminar for all time? But how did He respond? He poseda question,
“Why do you callme good?” (Mark 10:17-18, NIV).
I once did a study of how Jesus answeredevery question that was askedof
Him in all four Gospels. Answering a question with a question was the norm.
At times I’ve answeredquestions with biblically accurate, logicallysound,
epistemologicallywatertightanswers, only to see questioners shrug their
shoulders. My answers, it seemed, only further confirmed their opinion that
Christians are simpletons.
So I started answering questions with questions.
Once a team of skeptics confrontedme. It was during a weeklyBible study for
freshman guys that we held in a student’s dorm room. The host of the study,
in whose room we were meeting, had been telling us for weeks abouthis
roommate’s antagonistic questions. This week, the roommate showedup–
along with a handful of like-minded friends.
The frequently askedquestion of exclusivity arose, more an attack than a
sincere inquiry:
“So, I suppose you think all those sincere followers ofother religions are going
to hell?”
“Do you believe in hell?” I asked.
He appeared as if he’d never seriously consideredthe possibility. He lookedso
puzzled, perhaps because he was being challengedwhen he thought he was
doing the challenging. After a long silence, he said, “No, I don’t believe in hell.
I think it’s ridiculous.”
Echoing his word choice, I said, “Well, then why are you asking me such a
ridiculous question?”

I wasn’t trying to be a wise guy. I simply wanted him to honestly examine the
assumptions behind his own question. His face indicated that I had a good
point and that he was considering the issues of judgment, eternal damnation
and God’s righteousness forthe first time in his life.
The silence was brokenby another questioner, who chimed in, “Well, I do
believe in hell. Do you think everyone who disagreeswith you is going there?”
I asked, “Do you think anyone goes there? Is Hitler in hell?”
“Of course, Hitler’s in hell.”
“How do you think God decides who goes to heaven and who goes to hell?
Does He grade on a curve?”
From there, the discussionbecame civil for the first time, and serious
interaction ensuedabout God’s holiness, people’s sinfulness and Jesus’
atoning work. Answering questions with questions turned out to be an
effective way to share the Gospel.
Questions Jesus Asks
Fr. Bryan Owen October10, 2018 Bible, Commentary, The Episcopal
Church
By Bryan Owen
T
he best leaders know how to ask the right questions. By this metric, Jesus
embodies great leadership. Taking all four Gospels into account, Jesus asks
well over 300 questions, many of which cut straight to the heart of the matter

at hand. And in keeping with the principle that the Bible is “a book uniquely
inspired by God and addressedto eachof the faithful personally,” it is
appropriate and challenging to receive those questions as though Jesus were
addressing them to eachone of us (Kallistos Ware, The Orthodox Way,
RevisedEdition [St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1995], p. 111).
I like the way MonsignorCharles Pope puts it:
One of the biggermistakes people make in reading Scripture is that they read
it as a spectator. Forthem Scripture is a collection ofstories and events that
took place thousands of years ago. True enough, we are reading historical
accounts.
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But, truth be told these ancient stories are our stories. We are in the narrative.
You are Abraham, Sarah, Moses, Deborah, Jeremiah, Ruth, Peter, Paul,
Magdalene, [and] Mother Mary …. As the narrative we read unfolds, we are
in the story. We cannot simply watch what others say or do or answer. For
what Peterand Magdalene and others did, we do. Peterdenied and ran. So do
we. Magdalene lovedand never gave up, [so] should we. Magdalene hada
sinful past and a promising future, so do we. Peter was passionateand had a
temper[,] so do we. But Peteralso loved the Lord and ultimately gave his life
for the Lord. So can we. Jesus suffered and died but rose againand ascended
to glory. So have we and so will we.
The scriptures are our ownstory. We are in it. To read scripture as a mere
spectatorlooking on is to miss the keynote. Scripture is our story.
In the light of this keynote there emerges anothervery important and
powerful key to unlocking the text. The key is simply this: Answer the
Question!Among the many things Jesus did, he askeda lot of questions! And
wheneveryou read the Gospels andJesus asks a question, answerit! Do not
wait to see what Peteror Magdalene, orthe Phariseesorthe crowdsay for an
answer. You answerthe question, in your own words. This brings Scripture

powerfully alive. (Msgr. Charles Pope, “100 Questions JesusAskedand You
Ought to Answer,” Community in Mission[Feb. 10, 2012])
PastorEric von Atzigen offers this insight into why Jesus askedso many
questions:
I have been amazed by how masterfully our Lord uses questions to teach vital
spiritual truths. Jesus never askeda question because he needed to know the
answer. He used questions the way a surgeonuses a scalpel, to delicatelycut
into a new level of understanding. … I find myself amazed at the powerof
these questions to cut into my soul. (“135 Questions Jesus Asked,”Monday
Morning Review [May 14, 2010])
I had never really thought about it in quite this way before, but PastorEric is
right: Jesus’questions are powerful! And they can open places in our hearts
and souls to receive the healing grace of God.
I share here a few of the questions Jesus asks. Use them for your prayerful
meditation and reflection. You can look eachone of them up for the context,
but perhaps it’s best to follow Msgr. Pope’s counsel:
Just let the question meet you where you are right now. The question may
mean something for you that is very different than its originalcontext. But
that is OK. Just pick a question, read it, considerit and answerit, by talking
to the Lord.
Questions Jesus Asks
“Why are you afraid?” (Mark 4:40)
“What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51)
“Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matt. 9:28)
“Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25)
“Why do you think evil in your hearts?” (Matt. 9:4)
“Why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31)
“Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (Matt. 16:13)

“Who do you saythat I am?” (Matt. 16:15)
“Is that your own idea, or did others talk to you about me?” (John 18:34)
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” (Matt. 19:17)
“Why do you involve me?” (John 2:4)
“If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you
believe if I tell you about heavenly things?” (John 3:12)
“Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6)
“Does this offend you?” (John 6:61)
“Did I not choose you?” (John6:70)
“Why do you not understand what I say?” (John 8:43)
“Do you understand what I have done for you?” (John 13:12)
“What shall we say the Kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use
to describe it?” (Mark 4:30)
“Are you so dull?” (Mark 7:18)
“Why do you callme ‘Lord, Lord’, and do not do what I tell you?” (Luke
6:46)
“What is written in the law? How do you read it?” (Luke 10:26)
“Canany of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?” (Luke
12:25)
“So if you have not been trustworthy with worldly wealth, who will trust you
with true riches?” (Luke 16:11)
“When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8)
“Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?” (Luke
24:38)
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” (John 6:67)

“Why are you trying to kill me?” (John 7:19)
“Are you asleep?”(Mark 14:37)
“Do you love me?” (John 21:17)
Why did Jesus ask Peter"Do youlove me?" three times?
Question:"Why did Jesus ask Peter'Do you love me?' three times?"
Answer: Jesus askedPeterthree times,“Do you love me?” as recordedin John
21:15–17.This occurredwhen Jesus was having breakfastwith His disciples
soonafter His resurrection. Jesus usedthis opportunity to encourage and
exhort Peterabout his upcoming responsibilities and even to prophesy the
manner in which Peterwill die. By asking Peter, “Do you love me?” three
times, Jesus was emphasizing the importance of Peter’s love and unswerving
obedience to his Lord as necessaryfor his future ministry.
Jesus begins by questioning Peterabout His love for Him, and eachtime Peter
answers in the affirmative, Jesus follows up with the command for Peterto
feed His sheep. His meaning is that, if Petertruly loves his Master, he is to
shepherd and care for those who belong to Christ. His words revealPeter’s
role as the leaderof the new Church, the Body of Christ there in Jerusalem
that will be responsible for spreading the gospelafter Jesus’ascensioninto
heaven.

It is possible that by His repeatedquestion Jesus is subtly reminding Peterof
his three denials. There’s no doubt those denials and how he felt when Jesus
turned to look at him at that moment were seareddeeply into Peter’s mind
(Luke 22:54–62). It wasn’tlost on Peter that Jesus repeatedHis question to
him three times, just as Peterpreviously denied Him three times.
There is also an interesting contrastwhen you look at the Greek words for
“love” usedin John 21:15–17. WhenJesus askedPeter, “Do youlove me?” in
John 21:15–16,He used the Greek word agape, whichrefers to unconditional
love. Both times, Peter respondedwith “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you,”
using the Greek wordphileo, which refers more to a brotherly/friendship type
of love. It seems that Jesus is trying to get Peterto understand that he must
love Jesus unconditionally in order to be the leader God is calling him to be.
The third time Jesus asks, “Do youlove me?” in John 21:17, He uses the word
phileo, and Peteragainresponds with “Lord, you know everything; you know
that I love you,” again using phileo. The point in the different Greek words
for “love” seems to be that Jesus was stretching Peterto move him from
phileo love to agape love.
Whateverthe reasonfor the three-fold “do you love me?” question, Jesus was
impressing on Peterhow important his new role of tending the flock of
Christ’s followers would be. When someone repeats instructions to us over
and over, we quickly understand that it’s extremely important for us to heed
them. Jesus wantedto make sure Peterunderstood this vital charge He was
tasking him with and the ultimate reasonfor it, to follow Him and glorify God
(John 21:19).
https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Peter-do-you-love-me.html

QUESTIONS JESUS ASKED:What do you want me to do for you? - Mark
10:46-52
By Ted Schroder,
February 19, 2017
Twice it is recordedin the Gospels thatJesus asked, "Whatdo you want?"
(John 1:38); "Whatdo you want me to do for you?" (Matt.20:32;Mk.10:51;
Lk.18:41)The first was when John and Andrew were directed to Jesus by
John the Baptistand they followedhim. They were curious about Jesus and
intrigued by John the Baptist calling him "the Lamb of God." The secondwas
outside Jericho when Bartimaeus and anotherblind man calledout to Jesus,
as the Son of God, to have mercy on them. They wanted to be healedand be
able to see. In a sense, onboth occasions the answerto the question, "What do
you want?" was being able to see -- see who Jesus was as the Revealerof God
and as the Lamb who would take awaythe sin of the world.
How would you answerthe question of Jesus? "Whatdo you want me to do
for you?" What insight do you need to know? What blind spot do you have?
What intrigues you about Jesus?Whatpressing need do you have in your life
now? If Jesus were passing by, what would you sayif he askedyou, "Whatdo
you want me to do for you?"
So many of us have questions, doubts, uncertainties, and fears, that we would
like to have resolved. We cannot see through the fog of life's daily challenges
to satisfactoryconclusions.We are confronted with declining health of
ourselves or our loved ones. We are having to deal with the problems of our
family members. We are troubled by the national mood and the turbulence of
politics. We face divided loyalties in our relationships. We worry about the
future. We despair when we see the hatred and cruelty of so many in the
world and the suffering they cause. We long for love to conquer loneliness, for
joy to overcome sorrow, andfor peace to calm conflict. We see so much
unhappiness, so many complaints, so much suffering, so much illness and
disability, so much darkness and so many self-inflicted wounds. How can
Jesus meetall these needs?

"What do you want me to do for you?" What would you say? As I reflect
upon that question for myself I am led to answer:"I want to be spiritually
mature in Christ. I want to be filled with the Spirit. Nurture in me the fruit of
the Spirit so that my life would be full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness,faithfulness, gentleness andself-control." I want to be more loving,
more joyful, more at peace, more patient, more kind, more good, more
faithful, more gentle, more self-controlled.
What about you? Bartimaeus wantedto be able to see -- to be healed of his
blindness. Jesus healedmany people but not all. Not everyone got what they
wanted even though they were encouragedto pray for healing and other
needs. Wanting something does not mean that we will always getit. This was
true for Jesus in his humanity.
In the Garden of Gethsemane he fell with his face to the ground and prayed,
"My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be takenfrom me. Yet not as I will,
but as you will." A secondtime he prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for
this cup to be takenawayunless I drink it, may your will be done." He prayed
a third time, saying the same thing (Matthew 26:39,42,44). As a man in the
prime of life he did not want to have to suffer a painful and horrible death
and bear the sins of the world. None of us would. Yet all of us have to suffer
pain and eventually all of us have to die. We all have to learn how to die. None
of us want to have to drink that cup of pain. Yet Jesus qualified this want by a
higher want -- to fulfill God's will for his life and purpose as Savior.
Sometimes our wants, our desires, are supersededby higher needs. Our
prayers are contingent upon God's higher will for our lives which we may not
know now.
St. Paul had a similar want. He was given a thorn in his flesh, a messengerof
Satan, to torment him. "Three times I pleadedwith the Lord to take it away
from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is
made perfect in weakness.'Therefore, Iwill boastall the more gladly about
my weaknesses, so thatChrist's power may reston me. That is why, for
Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses,in insults, in hardships, in persecutions,
in difficulties. Forwhen I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor. 12:7-10). His
want of deliverance from his tormenting affliction (whether it was physical,

emotional, mental, or something else we don't know)was denied him so that
he could experience Christ's power of grace. His presenting problem became
the means for a greaterneed.
Southern Gothic author, Flannery O'Connor(1925-1964), sufferedfrom the
incurable and painful disease oflupus, which would eventually kill her at age
39. A devout Roman Catholic in Milledgeville, Georgia, she was regularin
devotional reading, prayer and attendance at Mass. Despite heraffliction she
workedas hard as she could, often only two hours a day, on her writing and
correspondence.
"She described her condition as one of 'passive diminishment' -- a phrase
borrowedfrom the Catholic theologianTeilhard de Chardin. This referred to
'those afflictions that you can't getrid of and have to bear. Those that you can
get rid of he believes you must bend every effort to get rid of.' She always
appearedmore concernedabouther writing and her friends than about her
physical health. She reluctantly made a trip to Lourdes, the sanctuary famous
for the curative powers attributed to it, but quipped that the only miracle she
saw there was that despite all the sick people sharing the waters, no outbreak
of an epidemic occurred. She claimed that 'sickness before deathis a very
appropriate thing and I think those who don't have it miss one of God's
mercies.'" (Craddock and Goldsmith, Speaking of Dying, p.156)
"What do you want me to do for you?" The question is like that of the genie
who grants us three wishes. Be carefulwhat you wish for. If all our prayers
were answeredthe way we want them to we may be in trouble. John and
Andrew askedJesus where he was staying. Jesus said to John and Andrew,
"Come and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and
spent the day with him. They were never the same again. They became his
disciples, his apostles, and the foundation of his church. What we ask for, and
what we getdepends on our motivation, and our willingness to do God's will
in our lives -- to fulfill God's plan and purpose for our lives.
"What do you want me to do for you and for those you love?" What do you
ask for in your prayers? "Godis able to do far more than we would ever dare
to ask or even dream of -- infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires,

thoughts, or hopes" (Ephesians 3:20 TLB). What is God's will for your life?
Are you willing to trust that he will do it if you surrender your life to him?
You need to pray "God, help me to do what you want me to do in Christ's
power. May Christ's power reston me."
END
I am thrilled to announce the release ofmy newestresource: “339 Questions
Jesus Asked.”
Requestyour free downloadof this new eBook by clicking:
339QuestionsJesusAsked.com
How many questions did Jesus ask?
I have kind of given away the answer, haven’t I? – but please read on! Near
the time I started my blog in 2012 I read somewhere thatin the four Gospels
Jesus askedmore than 150 questions and I thought “Wow – that is a lot of
questions!” Then I found a website that shared “173 Questions JesusAsked”
and I thought that must be the exact amount.
Earlier this year I took time to do my own researchand to my amazement I
discoveredthat in the New International Version there are exactly 339
Questions Jesus Asked*:
Matthew – Jesus Asked109 Questions
Mark – Jesus Asked68 Questions
Luke – Jesus Asked107 Questions
John – Jesus Asked55 Questions
339 TotalQuestions Jesus Asked
I made a quick searchof the internet thinking someone before me has
certainly compiled this list. I could not find a compilation of 300 plus

questions that Jesus asked. Please keepin mind that, while I am a followerof
Jesus and faithfully read the Scriptures, I am not a Seminary Professorora
Pastoror a Seminary Student. I have really been quite amazed that no one
has previously compiled and posted all 339 Questions that Jesus Asked.
* Pleasenote that eachof the four Gospels documentedJesus’s questions
independently. In putting this compilation together – in order to provide you
with full context – you will find all the questions Jesus askedin eachGospel –
even though some questions are repeatedin more than one account.
Would you like to increase your communication skills by studying, who many
believe to be, the greatestcommunicatorin all of history?
If you desire to continuously increase your communication skills, would you
not be wise to study the one many believe to be the greatestcommunicatorin
all of history: Jesus ofNazareth? Evenif you are not a followerof Jesus,
would you not be wise to learn from his communication practices? Jesus did
two things exceedinglywell: He told greatstories and he askedgreat
questions.
Have you ever wonderedwhy Jesus askedso many questions?
You may have heard me share before that I ask a lot of questions because I
don’t know the answers. Jesus being God never askeda question to which he
did not already know the answer. Why did he ask so many questions?
Just recently this thought occurredto me: All of the Trinity (God the Father,
Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit) were involved in the Creation. Therefore
Jesus, who createdthe brain, understands exactly how it works. Whenhe
asks a question, he is actually leveraging the design of the brain he created!
He knew that asking questions was a far more effective way to connectwith
people, to engage people, to help them discovertruth, to help them come to
their own conclusions, andto make their own decisions than it ever would be
to tell them what to do!
You will have every question Jesus askedin the four Gospels whenyou
download my FREE e-book!

So why am I making this compilation of “339 Questions Jesus Asked”
available to you for free download?
Helping you win is my only goal!
There are no hidden motives!
Subscribing to my blog is free!
Downloading “339 Questions JesusAsked” is also free!
Increasing your Communication Skills and your Leadership Effectiveness x
10 is the only payment I desire!
Would you please considerdoing me a huge favor? Would you take a few
minutes to click on the links below to share this opportunity to download “339
Questions Jesus Asked” forfree with those you are connectedwith on
Facebook,Twitter, LinkedIn and or E-mail. I would be so grateful!
What Is That to You? You Follow Me!
Freedfrom Comparing by Blunt Words
Article by John Piper
Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org
After his resurrectionfrom the dead, Jesus askedPeterthree times if he loved
him. He answeredyes three times. Then Jesus told Peterhow he would die—
apparently by crucifixion. Peterwonderedabout how it would go with John.
So he askedJesus,“Whatabout this man?” Jesus brushed off the question

and said, “What is that to you? You follow me!” Here’s the whole
interchange.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself
and walk whereveryou wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out
your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want
to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.)
And after saying this he saidto him, “Follow me.” Peterturned and saw the
disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at
table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?”
When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus
said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?
You follow me!” (John 21:18-22)
Jesus’blunt words—“None ofyour business, follow me”—are sweetto my
ears. They are liberating from the depressing bondage of fatal comparing.
Sometimes when I scanthe ads in Christianity Today(all ten thousand of
them), I getdiscouraged. Notas much as I used to twenty-five years ago. But
still I find this avalanche of ministry suggestionsoppressing.
Book afterbook, conference afterconference,DVD after DVD—telling me
how to succeedin ministry. And all of them quietly delivering the message
that I am not making it. Worship could be better. Preaching could be better.
Evangelismcould be better. Pastoralcare couldbe better. Youth ministry
could be better. Missions couldbe better. And here is what works. Buy this.
Go here. Go there. Do it this way. And adding to the burden—some of these
books and conferencesare mine!
So I was refreshedby Jesus’blunt word to me (and you): “Whatis that to
you? You follow me!” Peter had just heard a very hard word. You will die—
painfully. His first thought was comparison. What about John? If I have to
suffer, will he have to suffer? If my ministry ends like that, will his end like
that? If I don’t get to live a long life of fruitful ministry, will he get to?
That’s the way we sinners are wired. Compare. Compare. Compare. We crave
to know how we stack up in comparisonto others. There is some kind of high
if we canjust find someone less effective than we are. Ouch. To this day, I

recallthe little note postedby my ResidentAssistant in Elliot Hall my senior
year at Wheaton: “To love is to stop comparing.” What is that to you, Piper?
Follow me.
What is it to you that David Wells has such a comprehensive graspof the
pervasive effects of postmodernism? You follow me.
What is it to you that Voddie Bauchamspeaks the gospelso powerfully
without notes? You follow me.
What is it to you that Tim Keller sees gospelconnectionswith professionallife
so clearly? You follow me.
What is it to you that Mark Driscollhas the language and the folly of pop
culture at his fingertips? You follow me.
What is it to you that Don Carsonreads five hundred books a year and
combines pastoralinsight with the scholar’s depth and comprehensiveness?
You follow me.
That word landed on me with greatjoy. Jesus will not judge me according to
my superiority or inferiority over anybody. No preacher. No church. No
ministry. These are not the standard. Jesus has a work for me to do (and a
different one for you). It is not what he has given anyone else to do. There is a
grace to do it. Will I trust him for that grace and do what he has given me to
do? That is the question. O the liberty that comes when Jesus gets tough!
I hope you find encouragementand freedom today when you hear Jesus sayto
all your fretting comparisons:“Whatis that to you? You follow me!”
Learning to walk in freedom with you,
PastorJohn
January 3, 2017 Bystevewiens

The First QuestionJesus AskedHis Followers
“Answers before questions,” Henri Nouwenwrote, “do damage to the soul.”
Think about that for a moment, especiallyas it relates to your religious
upbringing. How many times were you given the dignity of being askeda
question about God (or anything, for that matter) as a child? How many times
were you given answers before you even thought to ask? I’m not saying
answers are bad for us. But answers typically don’t help before the right
question is allowedto form within us.
In John’s gospel, nearthe end of the very first chapter, we find John the
Baptist teaching two of his own disciples, when Jesus walkedby. In a moment
of startling humility, John told his disciples that the “Lamb of God” was
passing by, implying (I suppose) that they should leave his side and follow
Jesus instead, which is exactly what they did.
I’m not sure exactly how this next part happened, but when Jesus saw that
these two men were following him, he turned to them. Were they just sort of
awkwardlylurking behind him a few steps? Were they nudging each other,
insisting the other one saysomething – anything? Regardless,the very first
thing Jesus does is ask they a question, and it’s a delicious one.
“When Jesus turned and saw them following him, he asked, “Whatare you
looking for?” (John 1:38).
If you are the kind of person who likes these kinds of statistics, Jesus
apparently asked307 different questions in the gospels. He was asked183
questions, and he only directly answeredthree of them.
That is very badass.
But it’s also illuminating as it relates to his teaching style. He was a master
teacher, and he seemedto excelby asking questions, telling ridiculous stories
(parables) that left his closestfriends scratching their heads in bewilderment,
while the religious establishment seemedto walk awayseething.

So, we canassume if you sidled up to Jesus today, he’d ask you a question,
maybe even that same delicious one:
What are you looking for?
Don’t answertoo quickly. Let it marinate until it sinks down to the soul level.
What do you really want? Not what should you want, but what do you really
want? This question could lead you on a perilous journey. But aren’t you tired
of answers without appropriate questions? Perhaps your whole life feels like
one big answerwithout the dignity of the right question.
There are some religious folks that will think this is dangerous, and they’re
right; it is. You might actually leave small answers in favor of bigger
questions (and bigger answers). If religion could be personified (ha!), my
experience is that most of religion unconsciouslytreats belief like a house of
cards, and it’s (unconsciously)afraid that if you pull the wrong card out at the
wrong time, the whole house will fall down. They may be right.
My contentionis that God isn’t a house of cards, but I guess that’s another
blog post.
Ask questions. Allow God to ask you questions. Let them leadyou on a
journey of discovery. But don’t try to answerthem too soon. Let them be
questions for long enough so that when you do find answers, theyare big
enough to hold you, and your precious story.
Krista Tippett is one of the voices I trust in these herky-jerky days of 140
characterrants and political whiplash. In her tremendous book Becoming
Wise, she writes this about questions:
If I’ve learned nothing else, I’ve learned this: a question is a powerful thing, a
mighty use of words. Questions elicitanswers in their likeness. Answers
mirror the questions they rise, or fall, to meet. So while a simple question can
be precisely what’s needed to drive to the heart of the matter, it’s hard to
meet a simplistic question with anything but a simplistic answer. It’s hard to
transcend a combative question. But it’s hard to resista generous question.
We all have it in us to formulate questions that invite honesty, dignity, and

revelation. There is something redemptive and life-giving about asking better
questions.
In it together, friends.
Questions Jesus Asked—1 (Matthew)
4 Votes
Another biblical exercise:here I’m gathering togetherin one place just those
passagesin which Jesus asksa question. Warning: Of necessity, this means
taking these verses out of their context. If any of these questions here listed
seemsurprising or confusing, the readeris urged to look at it in context, in
your favorite version. I’m going to do this for all four gospels, and then
eventually go to another series, namely, Questions Jesus Answered, and
perhaps yet another, Questions Jesus NeverAnswered. Let’s getstarted
(quotations from the NRSV, words of Jesus in red, emphasis added to
highlight just the questions.)
From The GospelAccording to Matthew:

Matthew 5:13: You are the saltof the earth; but if salt has lostits taste,
how can its saltiness be restored?
Matthew 5:46: For if you love those who love you, what reward do you
have? Do not even the tax collectorsdo the same?
Matthew 5:47: And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what
more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Matthew 6:25b: Is not life more than food, and the body more than
clothing?
Matthew 6:26: Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor
gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Fatherfeeds them. Are you not of
more value than they?
Matthew 6:27: And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your
span of life?
Matthew 6:28: And why do you worry about clothing?
Matthew 6:30: But if Godso clothes the grass ofthe field, which is alive
today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe
you—you of little faith?
Matthew 7:3: Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do
not notice the log in your own eye?
Matthew 7:4: Or how canyou say to your neighbor, “Let me take the
speck out of your eye,” while the log is in you own eye?
Matthew 7:9: Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for
bread, will give a stone?
Matthew 7:10: Or if the child asks fora fish, will give a snake?
Matthew 7:11: If you then, who are evil, know how to give goodgifts to
your children, how much more will your Fatherin heavengive goodthings to
those who ask him?

Matthew 7:16b: Are grapes gatheredfrom thorns, of figs from thistles?
Matthew 8:26: And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little
faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was
completely calm.
Matthew 9:4: But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, “Why do you
think evil thoughts in your hearts?”
Matthew 9:5: “Forwhich is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to
say, ‘Stand up and walk’?”
Matthew 9:15: And Jesus saidto them, “The wedding guests cannot
mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, canthey?”
Matthew 9:28a: When he entered the house, the blind men came to him,
and Jesus saidto them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”
Matthew 10:29: Are not two sparrows soldfor a penny? Yet not one of
them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
Matthew 11:7-9: As they went away, Jesus beganto speak to the crowds
about John: “Whatdid you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed
shakenby the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someonedressedin soft
robes? Look, those who wear softrobes are in royal palaces. Whatthen did
you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
Matthew 11:16: But to what will I compare this generation? Theyare like
children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:
Matthew 11:23a: And you, Ca·per´na·um, will you be exaltedto heaven?
No, you will be brought down to Hades.
Matthew 12:3: He said to them, ”Have you not read what David did when
he and his companions were hungry?
Matthew 12:5: Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath the
priests in the temple break the sabbath and yet are guiltless?

Matthew 12:11: He saidto them, “Suppose one of you has only one sheep
and it falls into a pit on the sabbath; will you not lay hold of it and lift it out?”
Matthew 12:26-27:If Satancasts out Satan, he is divided againsthimself; how
then will his kingdom stand? If I castout demons by Bē·el´ze·bul, by whom do
your own exorcists castthem out? Therefore they will be your judges.
Matthew 12:29: Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder
his property, without first tying up the strong man? Then indeed the house
can be plundered.
Matthew 12:34: You brood of vipers! How can you speak goodthings,
when you are evil? Forout of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Matthew 12:48: But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied,
“Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”
Matthew 13:51: “Have you understood all this?” they answered, “Yes.”
Matthew 14:31: Jesus immediately reachedout his hand and caught him,
saying to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Matthew 15:3: He answeredthem, “And why do you break the
commandment of God for the sake ofyour tradition?”
Matthew 15:16: Then he said, “Are you also still without
understanding?”
Matthew 15:34: Jesus askedthem, “How many loaves have you?” They
said, Seven, and a few small fish.“
Matthew 16:8-11: And becoming aware of it, Jesus said, ”You of little
faith, why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive?
Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many
baskets you gathered? Or the sevenloaves for the four thousand, and how
many baskets you gathered? How could you fail to perceive that I was not
speaking about bread? Beware ofthe yeastof the Pha´ri·sees and
Sad´dū·cees!“

Matthew 16:13: Now when Jesus came into the district of Caes·a·rē´a
Phi·llip´pī, he askedhis disciples, ”Who do people saythat the Sonof Man
is?“
Matthew 16:15: He saidto them, ”But who do you say that I am?“
Matthew 16:26: For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world
but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?
Matthew 17:17: Jesus answered, “Youfaithless and perverse generation,
how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with
you? Bring him here to me.”
Matthew 17:25: He [Peter]said, “Yes, he does.” And when he came home,
Jesus spoke ofit first, asking, “Whatdo you think, Simon? From whom do
kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?“
Matthew 18:12: What do you think? If a shepherd has a hundred sheep,
and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the
mountains and go in searchof the one that went astray?
Matthew 19:4: He answered, ”Have you not read that the one who made
them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’and said, ‘For this
reasona man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and
the two shall become one flesh’?“
Matthew 19:17: And he said to him, ”Why do you ask me about what is
good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keepthe
commandments.“
Matthew 20:21a: And he said to her, ”What do you want?“
Matthew 20:22a: But Jesus answered, ”Youdo not know what you are
asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?“
Matthew 20:32: Jesus stoodstill and calledthem, saying, ”What do you
want me to do for you?“

Matthew 21:16b: Jesus saidto them, ”Yes;have you never read, ‘Out of
the mouths of infants and nursing babies you have prepared praise for
yourself’?“
Matthew 21:25a: Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of
human origin?
Matthew 21:-31a: What do you think? A man had two sons;he went to
the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ He answered, ‘I
will not’; but later he changedhis mind and went. The father went to the
secondand said the same;and he answered, ‘I go, sir’; but he did not go.
Which of the two did the will of his father?
Matthew 21:40: Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, whatwill he
do to those tenants?
Matthew 21:42: Jesus saidto them, ”Have you never read in the
scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes’?
Matthew 22:18: But Jesus, aware oftheir malice, said, “Why are you
putting me to the test, you hypocrites?”
Matthew 22:20: Then he said to them, “Whose headis this, and whose
title?”
Matthew 22:31-32: And as for the resurrectionof the dead,have you not
read what was said to you by God, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob“? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.
Matthew 22:42-45: ”What do you think of the Messiah? Whosesonis
he?“ They said to him, ”The son of David.“ He saidto them, ”How is it then
that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
”Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet: ‘? If David
thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?“
Matthew 23:19: How blind you are! For which is greater, the gift or the
altar that makes the gift sacred?

Matthew 23:33: You snakes, youbrood of vipers! How canyou escape
being sentencedto hell?
Matthew 24:2: Then he askedthem, ”You see all these, do you not? Truly
I tell you, not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown
down.“
Matthew 26:10: But Jesus, aware ofthis, said to them, ”Why do you
trouble the woman? She has performed a goodservice for me.“
Matthew 26:40: Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping;
and he said to Peter, ”So, could you not stay awake withme one hour?“
Matthew 26:45: Then he came to the disciples and said to them, ”Are you
still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Sonof
Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.“
Matthew 26:53-54: Do you think that I cannotappeal to my Father, and
he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then
would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?
Matthew 26:55: At that hour Jesus saidto the crowds, “Have you come
out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after
day I satin the temple teaching, and you did not arrestme.”
Matthew 27:46: And about three o’clock Jesus criedwith a loud voice,
“Ē´lī, Ē´lī, le·ma´ sa·bach´tha·nī?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you
forsakenme?”
https://godnix.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/questions-jesus-asked/comment-
page-1/#comments
Bible Study - Questions Jesus Asked - Half-Hearted Interest or Total
Committment? - Luke 9:18-26, 57-62 - March10, 2013

Bible Study – Questions Jesus Asked– Half-Hearted Interest or Total
Commitment? – March10, 2013
Our scripture is Luke 9:18-26, 57-62.
When we acceptCHRIST as our Savior, we make a commitment to HIM. It is
often a moment we will remember for the rest of our lives. Salvation is the
launching pad for our Spiritual growth and maturity. We canmake a
commitment to read and study the Bible, pray, attend church and do many
things to show our commitment. The question is have we committed our lives
such that we are willing to tell CHRIST, “Here I am, as I am, help me to be all
that you want me to be.” JESUS makes it clearin our scripture what it means
to be totally committed to HIM. GOD’S desire is for HIS children to be totally
committed to HIM through their relationship with CHRIST. Revelation3:16 -
So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomitp
Or spit you out of My mouth. Half-hearted commitment to CHRIST makes
HIM sick.
Let’s considerthe Apostle Peter’s commitment to CHRIST before HIS
crucifixion, death and resurrection. Peterwas physically, totally committed to
CHRIST even unto death but he had to see Spiritual truth as revealedby the
Holy Spirit. The barrier of false notions had to be dealt with.
JESUS told Peterthat he would “deny” HIM. To deny means to separate or
disassociatefrom something or someone. Whenthe apostle Peterdenied
JESUS three times, his motive was to distance himself from JESUS because he
fearedfor his life when JESUS was arrested. Peterwas willing to fight to the
death as we see in John 3:37-38 - 37 “Lord,” Peter asked, “whycan’t I follow
You now? I will lay down my life for You!” 38 Jesus replied, “Will you lay

down your life for Me? I assure you: A roosterwill not crow until you have
denied Me three times.
We see in John 18:10-11, thatPeterwas willing to fight.
John 18:10-11 - 10 Then Simonj Peter,k ; who had a sword,l; drew it, struck
the high priest’sm •slave, and cut off his right ear. (The slave’s name was
Malchus.)
11 At that, Jesus saidto Peter, “Sheathe your sword!Am I not to drink the
cupn ; ; ; ,; ; the Fatherhas given Me?”
Peterwas ready to fight. He knew JESUS was the promised Messiahbut he
thought of HIM, as did most people, that JESUS was a political Messiahsent
to deliver Israelfrom Roman rule. Peter’s earthly conclusionhad to be
shatteredto make room for truth. When truth was revealedto him, his
Spiritual eyes were opened and the scales were removedfrom his earthly eyes
and understanding. Peter still had to face the traditions of his earthly life in
order to be fully used by GOD to minister to all people. Peter’s hearthad to
be changedtoward the Gentiles before he could minister to them. He had to
deal with his prejudice and learn to trust fully in the leadershipof the Holy
Spirit.
Christians are no different. We are on a Spiritual journey and as we live and
build our relationship with CHRIST, our Spiritual eyes continue to be opened
to more truth and false notions are dispelled.
Our scripture begins with Peter’s response to at leastone of the questions
JESUS asked. JESUS hadjust finished feeding over 5,000 people. Peterhad
just witnessedthis miracle, which was just one of the many manifestations of

the presence andpower of GOD through JESUS. GOD was revealing and
confirming Who JESUS was. JESUS wentto pray. Biblical prophecy had to
be fulfilled before CHRIST’S journey to the cross. We do not know what was
in the mind of CHRIST. Perhaps the questions JESUS were related to
checking a milestone of prophecy. CHRIST knew the answerbut were these
questions for HIS disciples and for all Christians to ponder regarding their
relationship with CHRIST? Let’s explore!
Let’s read Luke 9:18-23:
Peter’s Confessionof the Messiah
18 While He was praying in private and His disciples were with Him, He
askedthem, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 They answered, “John
the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others that one of the ancient prophets has
come back.”20“Butyou,” He askedthem, “who do you saythat I am?”Peter
answered, “God’s •Messiah!”
These are such important questions. These were questions regarding those
who had witnessedthe presence ofCHRIST. Does this question give us a clue
into what JESUS might be praying about? Was JESUS asking these questions
to get HIS disciples to ponder HIS questions? These questions are just as
relevant today as they were then. But the most important question is “Who do
you saythat I am?” JESUS used the name for GOD, “I AM.” Do we see
JESUS as a greatteacher, prophet, lunatic or the Son of GOD? How a person
answers that question is important. It is one thing to saywho JESUS is but
knowing who JESUS is through a personalexperience is another. The former
is head knowledge and the latter is heart knowledge. Peteruttered the words
but his false notions had to be dispelled so he could experience the Spiritual

purpose of JESUS in his life. A person’s notions can be serious barriers to
receiving and understanding truth.
Notice, it was Peterwho answeredthe question correctly. Yet, Peterwould
deny CHRIST not once, not twice but three times. Once he denied CHRIST it
resulted in him reconsidering the purpose of CHRIST. He placedhis faith on
the firm foundation of truth. Head knowledge is not the same as heart
knowledge.
Peterhad to go through the process ofdenying CHRIST before he was able to
see CHRIST in his heart. As statedearlier, the word “deny” meant he
disassociatedhimself from CHRIST. Peterknew that GOD’S power had been
manifested through CHRIST but was he disappointed that JESUS did not
come out swinging when HE was arrested? Peterwas blinded from Spiritual
truth until his Spiritual eyes were opened. Do you need to ask CHRIST to
open your Spiritual eyes so you can see truth? If so, ask HIM now to reveal
truth to you and dispel any false notions as you seek Spiritual truth through
the study of the Bible.
Luke 9:21-22 - His Deathand ResurrectionPredicted
21 But He strictly warned and instructed them to tell this to no one, 22 saying,
“The •Sonof Man must suffer many things and be rejectedby the elders,
•chief priests, and •scribes, be killed, and be raisedthe third day.”
Why did JESUS tell them not to tell anyone? Knowing about JESUS is one
thing but knowing JESUS as Savior is another. There are no short cuts to
salvation. JESUS did not want HIS disciples to give the impressionthat
salvationwas embodied in knowing about HIM being the Messiahversus

knowing HIM personally as their Savior. The faith of HIS disciples would be
testedwhen these things happened to HIM. The proof was in the fact that
GOD would raise HIM from the dead on the third day. The sin debt would be
paid and death would be conquered for all would place their faith in HIM.
Luke 9:23 - Take Up Your Cross
23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone wants to come with Me, he must deny
himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
JESUS made it clearthat following HIM was a daily commitment and not for
wimps. Following JESUS is not easyand only possible through the sustaining
powerof the Holy Spirit.
Let’s read Luke 9:24-26:
24 For whoeverwants to save his •life will lose it, but whoeverloses his life
because ofMe will save it. 25 What is a man benefited if he gains the whole
world, yet loses orforfeits himself? 26 For whoeveris ashamedof Me and My
words, the Sonof Man will be ashamedof him when He comes in His glory
and that of the Father and the holy angels.
No person can save his/her physical life because allhumans will die physically.
The question is, “Is there life after physical death?” The death of JESUS paid,
in full, the price GOD required to pay the debt for sin. Romans 6:23 - Forthe
wages ofsin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our
Lord.e

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