IN a careful reading of the Bible one must be struck by the questions addressed to individuals or to classes of men. Sometimes the questions are addressed by God Himself or by the Lord Jesus Christ. At other times they are put by the Lord’s prophets or by His Apostles. Let us refer to a number of these as recorded in the New Testament and in doing so let us keep in mind that they are as imperative to-day as when uttered about two thousand years ago.
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At Cæsarea Philippi, Jesus asked His disciples (a): “Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?” They replied: “Some say that thou art John the Baptist; some, Elias; and others, Jeremias or one of the prophets.” (b) He then asked them: “But whom say ye that I am?” To this question Peter gave the wonderful confession recorded in Matt. xvi. 16—a confession given to him from heaven. The questions put by the Saviour are as important to-day as when He first uttered them.
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On another occasion when addressing His disciples on self-denial he put a very solemn question to them: “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. xii. 26). Surely that is a question that not a few careless sinners had to face and feel its solemnity.
The Pharisees, Christ’s inveterate enemies, were on one occasion called upon to consider who Christ was in the searching question—”What think ye of Christ?” (Matt. xxii. 42). They, without hesitation, answered, “The Son of David.” Their answer was only part of the truth, and when Jesus further asked them: “How then doth David in Spirit call Him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call Him Lord, how is He his son?” This divine logic was too much for the Pharisees who probably came armed with an array of questions and answers which they were sure would baffle the Lord. The inspired historian, referring to this incident, says: “No man was able to answer Him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions” (Matt. xxii. 42-45). So shall it be at last for many a poor sinner who thinks he occupies an unassailable position will find one after another of his fancied impreachable positions go down before the searching questions of Him with whom he has to do. The word “durst” is significant—was it conscience that stepped in and silenced the questioner? or was it that he was unexpectedly confronted with the truth as it never had appeared to him before? and that he felt what he had considered solid rock was only drifting sand?
Jesus when He rose from the dead did not cease to put searching questions and as He is doing to this day through the Holy Spirit in the reading and preaching of His Word. In the record of the wonderful discourse with the two disciples on the way to Emmaus He put a number of questions that have a more than temporary interest: “What seek ye?” (John i. 38). The question addressed to the two disciples may be addressed to all who professedly follow Him: “What seek ye?” Thousands upon thousands throughout Christendom are by their outward action in the assemblies of public worship making an outward acknowledgment that they are seeking Jesus. But of these thousands, of how many of whom could it be said, as the angel said to the women: “I know that ye seek Jesus.”
These are a few of the questions put by Jesus that are still applicable to men. We have mentioned enough to set interested readers out on lines we have thus briefly indicated. The Old Testament is full of questions of a solemn nature such as: “What more could I have done to my vineyard that I have not done?” What more could the sinner ask for than that which God has done in setting up the means of grace and the appointment of the Sabbath? Then we have this solemn question: “Why will ye die, O house of Israel?” followed by the extraordinary assurance, “As I live, saith the Lord [Jehovah] God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezek. xxxiii. 11).
We conclude with two solemn questions from the New Testament: “If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and ungodly appear?” (I. Pet. iv. 18) and “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?” (Heb. ii. 3). If the Holy Spirit will make use of these questions to arouse any of our readers from a state of indifference, then this article will not have been written in vain. In the concluding verses of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans there are a number of unchallengable questions for the security of God’s people. Now turning back to the Old Testament, there is a solemn, solemn question which concerns us all—”What wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?”