Changing The Question
Under the cover of darkness, a prominent religious leader sought out the controversial Nazarene that was dividing opinion across the nation. Nicodemus was intrigued by the miracles that Jesus was performing, and wanted to hear more of his teaching. Jesus received him but immediately redirected him, showing Nicodemus that more teaching was not what he needed. What he needed was new life—new birth by God’s Spirit, into life that lasts forever. Nicodemus did not come to Jesus looking for new birth. Jesus did not answer the questions Nicodemus came to ask—he answered the question Nicodemus should have asked. All through the gospels Jesus redirects people’s questions in surprising ways, not only changing the answer from what they expected, but changing the question itself. For example:
A rich young ruler asked Jesus, “What do I need to do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus’ answer cut to the heart: What do you love most? God or your money? (Mark 10).An expert in the law asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbour?” Jesus answered with the parable of the good Samaritan, changing the question: Are you a good neighbour? (Luke 10).The woman at the well asked Jesus why he would cross cultural boundaries to ask her for a drink. Jesus prompted her to ask him for living water, welling up to eternal life (John 4).Throughout his ministry on earth, Jesus took the questions people asked him and redirected them to different answers that they needed far more than the questions they came with. In doing so, he fit the pattern of God’s work throughout history, as we see displayed in both the Old and New Testaments. For example:
Moses asked God at the burning bush, “Who am I that I should speak to Pharaoh? God redirected his focus away from himself and on to God: “I will be with you” (Exodus 3).Job brought God a host of questions about his own suffering. God overwhelmed those questions with a revelation of his own glory, power, and wisdom—teaching Job, and us, that knowing God will always be more important than knowing all his reasons (Job 38-42).Jonah asked why God didn’t judge his enemies. God asked why Jonah didn’t have compassion on them (Jonah 4).Paul pleaded with God three times: “Will you remove this thorn in my flesh?” God gave him strength instead, teaching Paul to boast in his weakness—and in the all-sufficient power of God (2 Corinthians 12).If this is the pattern of God’s dealings with people throughout scripture, then we ought to recognise that God may do the same with us, as well. When God doesn’t answer our prayers the way we think or expect, perhaps he’s answering a different question—a deeper question, a question we need to learn to ask, an answer we need to learn to receive. It’s always good to bring our questions to God. Will we also let him change them?
