Questions can provide both challenges and important lessons in life. Typical questions that we receive almost daily can be answered without much thought or reflection. However, sometimes questions come our way that we cannot answer, not because we intellectually do not know the answer, but rather the one posing the question has created a situation that requires our reflection before thoughtful responses can be provided.

Flippant answers to more serious questions only lead us to greater difficulties. When a young person is challenged by her parents with questions such as, “Why were you out so late?” or “Why did you fail to do what I asked of you?”, the response is often a pregnant silence. In many ways, the questioner probably already knows the answer but asks the question to make a point, challenge the individual or teach a lesson.

The New Testament, especially the Gospels, is filled with questions that Jesus poses to various individuals and groups. Many of these interrogatives are voiced by Our Lord with the specific purpose to challenge and/or teach a lesson of great significance. Some of the questions Jesus poses are answered, but some are so challenging, catching the individual off guard, that the Evangelists report no response. Reviewing some of the significant questions of Jesus poses both challenges and provides important lessons for life for all who bear the name Christian.

The questions posed by Jesus often created significant challenges for those to whom they were addressed, as well as to Christians throughout the common era. As narrated in Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus is in the region of Caesarea Philippi, the far north region of Israel. He asks his disciples two important questions. First, he asks, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” (16:13). Their response, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (v. 14), reflects an understanding of Jesus as a significant, yet human figure. Jesus presses the issue, however, by asking more directly, “But who do you say that I am?” (v. 15).

The biblical scholar James L. Mays commented on this question in “Harper’s Bible Commentary” (Harper and Row), “Jesus is saying to his disciples, ‘Given what you know about me, what you know of my calling, my activity in the course of my ministry thus far, what is your understanding of my identity?’”

Peter, in possibly his finest hour, responds, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:15). Peter’s twofold answer acknowledges the human messiahship of Jesus, but more importantly the divinity of Christ.

Jesus’ question requires all Christians to respond. The New Testament scholar Reginald Fuller has commented in “A New Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture” (Thomas Nelson and Sons, $39.99), “Jesus, as so often by questioning, forces his interlocutors to reflect and commit themselves.”

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Facing Complacency in Our Lives

Charismatic people like Jesus of Nazareth draw an attentive crowd. Disciples of such people seek something for their effort; people do not follow blindly or without purpose. Thus the question of Jesus is an important one for contemporary Christians. Too often people today are lulled into a state of complacency with respect to many aspects of life. We are complacent in our business; we simply go to work, do our job and come home. Others are complacent in their home life. The day-to-day activities and necessities are maintained, but there appears to be no direction for the family. We become too complacent as well with respect to our faith journey. We say our daily prayers, attend Mass and hopefully participate in the other sacraments. But why do we take the time and make an effort to be disciples of Jesus? Certainly we engage our faith in order to one day experience eternal life with God, but along the route should we not have goals that need to be accomplished? What are we looking for in our relationship with the Lord? It is a question that bears reflection, and a lesson that we must engage in daily life.

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Who is Jesus for you? For some the answer is Savior, for others teacher or miracle worker. Others still would answer Redeemer. The answer provided by the individual Christian may largely depend on a high or low Christology. Is Jesus one who resides in the heavens above and is unapproachable, or is the Lord one who walks the path of life with the individual, serving to carry the individual, as depicted in the famous “Footprints” poem, at the most stressful and painful times in one’s life? Does one see Jesus more as a person of faith or in a post-Enlightenment understanding of a Christ of history?

Jesus informs Peter that his insight is provided by God. In a similar way, Christians today must invite the Holy Spirit to aid us in understanding who Jesus is for us in the 21st century. Jesus’ fundamental question to the apostles necessitates an answer from all who bear his name.

Peter answers another significant question of Jesus in the Gospel of John. While John’s Gospel says nothing about the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper (presuming that the reader has read the synoptic Gospels and, therefore, is familiar with this important event), the fourth Evangelist presents extensive Eucharistic theology in 6:22-71. After proclaiming, “I am the bread of life … that comes down from heaven so that one may eat it and not die” (Jn 6:48-50), and telling his listeners that one must eat his body and drink his blood, many followers drift away, unable to accept Jesus’ teaching. This prompts Jesus to ask the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” (v. 67).

In a scene reminiscent of the events at Caesarea Philippi, Peter again shines by responding, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God” (vv. 68-69). Perhaps speaking on behalf of all the apostles, Peter demonstrates his commitment to Jesus and his mission. The apostles will stay the course; they will remain loyal.

Our Response

How should one answer Jesus’ question? Worldly allurements, personal desire and pride, as well as societal pressures, prompt us to take a route different from the direction of Christ. Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount that we must take the narrow gate, his route, for it is the only way that leads to eternal life (cf. Mt 7:13-14).

Jesus asks challenging questions to which he receives no answer. After the Last Supper and the institution of the Eucharist, he goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray prior to his arrest. Jesus asks his apostles to stay awake while he moves to another place in the garden to pray alone. He returns on three occasions, each time noticing that the apostles have fallen asleep. Understandably frustrated at the apparent lack of concern on behalf of his inner circle, he asks, “Are you still sleeping and taking a rest?” (Mt 26:45). The Evangelist reports no response on behalf of the apostles, due most probably to the fact that they are embarrassed at their failure to support Jesus in his hour of need.

Jesus’ question and his earlier reproaches for the apostles’ failure to remain awake and alert must be a warning for Christians today. All too often, we, as they say, “fall asleep at the wheel” with respect to our Christian duties.

The busyness of the world in which we live too often intrudes into our discipleship, and we then become derailed, or at least find ourselves on a detour or some circuitous path that takes us away from our basic vocation to live lives of holiness in imitation of Jesus. The manifestations of our slumber might be found in our failure to meet responsibilities we have toward others, our absentmindedness toward the needs of our brothers and sisters in our community, especially the marginalized, or our laziness toward personal prayer or attendance at the sacraments. We need to wake up and, when the opportunity presents itself, awaken others to get back on the proper road that honors Christ today and leads to eternal life tomorrow.

Challenge to Paul

Possibly the most challenging question of Jesus in the New Testament was asked of Saul of Tarsus. Acts 9:1-9 presents the famous story of the conversion of Saul, the great persecutor of Christians, into St. Paul, the famous Apostle to the Gentiles. Along the road to Damascus, Saul falls to the ground from a great light and hears a voice, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4). Saul does not answer the question, but only responds, “Who are you, sir?” (v. 5). Jesus then reveals himself and instructs him to proceed to Damascus where he will be given further instructions.

Biblical scholar Leander Keck suggests in “The New Interpreter’s Bible” (Abingdon Press, $79.99), “The Lord’s intent is evidently not to frighten him [Saul] into obedience, but to reveal a plan of action.”

Undoubtedly the surreal scene depicted in Acts was powerful in many ways. First, Saul was so dumbfounded that, like the apostles in the above question, he is reduced to silence. He has no answer, as he has been instantly transformed by seeing and hearing Jesus. Second, Saul, now Paul, has experienced his world turned upside down, literally in one moment.

I suspect that over the ensuing days and weeks Paul gave much thought to how he might have answered Jesus’ question. As a zealous Pharisaic Jew, he certainly believed that his persecution of those who followed “the way” was not only justified but appropriate. But his conversion experience allowed him to see the error of his ways. Clearly, he came to understand that his persecution of Christians was persecution of Christ himself.

Lessons as Answers

Jesus’ challenging questions are complemented by a series of queries and responses that teach important lessons. Undoubtedly Jesus’ chief method for teaching was his use of parables, but as will be demonstrated, the questions he posed were also important vehicles that proclaimed his message, teaching his listeners valuable lessons in the process.

John’s Gospel begins with his famous prologue (1:1-18), but immediately thereafter the Evangelist describes Jesus’ first encounter with his future apostles. John the Baptist observes Jesus walking by and proclaims, “Behold, the Lamb of God” (1:36). Andrew and another unnamed disciple of John the Baptist, struck by Jesus’ presence, follow him, prompting the Lord to ask, “What are you looking for?” (v. 38). They respond initially by acknowledging that Jesus is a respectable man, addressing him as “Rabbi,” and then asking, “Where are you staying?” Jesus’ query conveys an important lesson while posing a central question of the Gospel of John: What are people searching for when they follow Jesus?

Indeed, when one chooses to be a committed follower of Jesus Christ, what does one seek? The answers to this question are obviously varied and multiple. Some might say that they are seeking answers to questions or situations that have arisen in their lives. Others might say they are hoping to find a sense of peace and calm amidst the often-troubled waters of life. Still, others are looking for the proper path to follow in life, a road that will lead them one day home to God.

Arguably, the best-known and the favorite question of Jesus that teaches a significant lesson is found in the parable of the good Samaritan (cf. Lk 10:29-37). The original question of the lawyer, “Who is my neighbor?” (v. 29), is changed by Jesus to, through his proclamation of the parable, essentially, “Who proved to be my neighbor?”

Most of us, when reading this parable, initially conclude that the priest and Levite were insensitive, even cruel men by their failure to act to assist the one who had been beaten by robbers. However, one must remember that for the law-abiding Pharisaic Jewish religious elite of Jesus’ time, the law was central. Thus the question for the priest and Levite was, “Should we follow the law, remain ritually pure and meet our religious duties and responsibilities, or attend to the needs of the victim, thus breaking the law and becoming ritually impure?”

Undoubtedly, in telling this parable, Jesus intentionally chose a Samaritan, a member of the most hated of peoples during his time, to be the hero in the story. The lesson is clear: Compassion always trumps the law. A man’s neighbor is anyone who needs assistance. Jesus is teaching a new way of thinking, one highly contradictory to the prevailing Jewish religious and cultural norms of his day.

Keck commented in “The New Interpreter’s Bible”: “Jesus has turned the issue from the boundaries of required neighborliness to the essential nature of neighborliness. Neighbors are defined actively, not passively.”

Jesus’ teaching that the compassion of God trumps the law is illustrated in another context by proclaiming that the spiritual gifts of God always take precedence over the material things of the world. Encouraging his apostles to place their total dependence upon God, Jesus asks, “Can any of you by worrying add a moment to your life-span?” (Lk 12:25).

Mays, again in “HarperCollins Bible Commentary,” presents the lesson of Jesus: “Here the issue is preoccupation with material things that reflects a lack of trust in God, a lack of interest in the Kingdom and a lack of generosity toward those in need. Such anxiety is not productive.” Additionally, Jesus wants his disciples to know that if matters of the Kingdom are placed first, their needs will also be met. The spiritual realm of life must always take precedence over the temporal.

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Pope Francis Reflects on Mark’s Gospel

Pope Francis, reflecting on the day’s Gospel from Mark 8:27-33 in his meditation on Feb. 20, 2014, said: “Many times we hear within ourselves the same question that Jesus addressed to the apostles. Jesus ‘turns to us and asks us: Who am I for you? Who is Jesus Christ for each of us, for me? Who is Jesus Christ?’”

“Surely,” Pope Francis said, “we will respond as Peter did, as we learned in the catechism: You are the Son of the living God, you are the Redeemer, you are the Lord!”

Pope Francis added: “For in order to know him truly, ‘we need to travel the path that Peter traveled.’ Indeed, ‘after this humiliation, Peter continued on with Jesus, he saw the miracles that Jesus worked, he saw his power. Then he paid the taxes, as Jesus had told him, he caught the fish and took the coin from its mouth: He saw so many miracles of this kind!’”

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This lesson of Jesus is directly applicable in our fast-paced contemporary world. People across the globe, regardless of lifestyle or location, spend a good amount of time and energy concerned about the things of this world. Those who have responsibilities for others quite naturally feel tension when a conflict arises between caring for the spiritual activities of God and attending to the temporal activities of humanity. The latter stands before us, staring us in the face, almost demanding our immediate attention.

Thus, too often, the spiritual aspects of our life get short shrift. The lesson of Jesus to this particular question, however, is that if we place our priority in the spiritual realm of God, then all we need in the temporal realm of humanity will also be provided. Obviously, this necessitates the gift of faith, but isn’t this the glue that holds together all of our hopes and dreams? We constantly get carried away by concerning ourselves with the temporal, the here and now, but we lose sight of or give insufficient attention to the spiritual things of God. The lesson provided by Jesus in his question to the disciples is obvious.

Response Awaited

While the parables of Jesus are accepted by most as the primary vehicle by which Jesus presented his new law, articulated succinctly in the Golden Rule, love of God and love of neighbor as oneself, nonetheless the multiple questions of Jesus provide both challenges and lessons that are significant and formidable. Contemporary Christians are challenged to answer the Lord’s questions that prompt, even force, a response.

In some cases, those to whom the questions were initially presented had answers; in other cases, questions received a silent response. Other questions provide important lessons on how to be a devoted follower of Jesus while challenging disciples of his time and today, to follow the path that he strode. Quite obviously the challenges and lessons of Jesus’ questions are provided; our response is awaited.

FATHER RICHARD GRIBBLE, CSC, is a priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross.

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Jesus’ Questions Are Relevant to Us

Perhaps today, even more than in the recent past, Jesus’ questions, as they say, “hit us right between the eyes.” With so many competing ideas, ideologies and individuals vying for our attention and loyalty, there is a need, almost daily, to recommit ourselves to the Christian path we have chosen.

Many today either ignore the message of Jesus, find it to be inapplicable or reject it outright. Thus Jesus’ questions are highly relevant today and prompt our reflection. Who is Jesus for us? How would we answer the question? Do we wish to leave, and then spend our time and place our loyalty with another individual?

While the answer should be obvious, contemporary life throws us many curveballs that not only throw us off stride but challenge us to continue to live the Christian life to its fullest.

How would we answer Jesus’ challenging question to Saul? Fortunately, few people today persecute Christians as did Saul, but in more subtle, yet still damaging, ways, we persecute the followers of Jesus Christ. Since Christ is present in his members, when we persecute Christians, we are indeed persecuting Christ himself.

The manifestations of this form of denying Christ are multiple. When we denigrate or hold in contempt another person, we are labeling Christ in a similar way. If we deny freedom or access to others, we are restricting Jesus as well. If we hold opinions or promote policies that are discriminatory toward others, we do harm to Christ himself. Saul’s silence in response to Jesus’ question must not be replicated by us. Rather, if we find ourselves as participants with those who persecute Christ and his followers, a response must be the transformation of our life in word and action.

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