Have you ever wondered why Jesus asked so many questions? It wasn’t because he didn’t know the answers. He could have spit those out in a tempo that would make your head spin. But a question does something that a lecture doesn’t—it engages the listener and calls for a response.
We tend to approach Scripture as spectators, reading stories about other people at other places in other times. But when you read Jesus’ questions as if they were addressed directly to you, you get soul-deep in this-is-about me-and-Jesus-in-the-here-and-now mode.
He asks questions that put you in the game. Questions that home in on the real issues in your life. Questions that cut straight to the heart of what is most important.
He doesn’t ask questions because he needs to know the answers, but because you do.
Here are 35 of the many questions he asked in the Gospels. Imagine him looking you in the eye, speaking only to you. Don’t break eye contact until you have answered his questions.
- Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matt. 6:26)
- Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Matt. 6:27)
- Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? (Matt. 7:3)
- Why are you so afraid? (Matt. 8:26)
- Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your heart? (Matt. 9:4)
- Do you believe that I am able to do this? (Matt. 9:28)
- Why did you doubt? (Matt. 14:31)
- What about you? Who do you say I am? (Matt. 16:15)
- What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? (Matt. 16:26)
- What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he? (Matt. 22:42)
- Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? (Mk. 4:21)
- Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? (Mk. 8:12)
- Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? (Mk. 8:18)
- Do you still not understand? (Mk. 8:21)
- What do you want me to do for you? (Mk. 10:51)
- Could you not keep watch for one hour? (Mk. 14:37)
- Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? (Lk. 6:39)
- Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord,” and do not do what I say? (Lk. 6:46)
- Where is your faith? (Lk. 8:25)
- Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? (Lk. 14:34)
- If you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? (Lk. 16:11)
- Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? (Lk. 17:17)
- Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? (Lk. 18:7)
- When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth? (Lk. 18:8)
- Why are you sleeping? (Lk. 22:46)
- Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your mind? (Lk. 24:38)
- I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? (John 3:12)
- Do you want to get well? (John 5:6)
- How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God? (John 5:44)
- You do not want to leave too, do you? (John 6:67)
- Have I not chosen you? (John 6:70)
- Why is my language not clear to you? (John 8:43)
- If I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? (John 8:46)
- Don’t you know me, even after I have been among you such a long time? (John 14:9)
- Do you love me? (John 21:17)