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“NEVER HAS ANOTHER MAN SPOKEN LIKE THIS” 111
Bible truth touch his heart and move him to apply what
he has learned.—Romans 12:2.
Asking the Right Questions
8 Jesus made remarkable use of questions, even when it
would have taken less time just to tell his listener the
point. Why, then, did he ask questions? At times, he used
penetrating questions to expose the motives of his opposers,
thereby silencing them. (Matthew 21:23-27; 22:41-46)
In many cases, however, he used questions to get his disciples
to express what was on their minds and to stimulate
and train their thinking. Hence, he asked such questions
as, “What do you think?” and “Do you believe this?”
(Matthew 18:12; John 11:26) With his questions, Jesus
reached and touched the hearts of his disciples. Consider
an example.
9 On one occasion, tax collectors asked Peter if Jesus paid
thetempletax. Peter immediately answered, “Yes.” Later,
Jesus reasoned with him: “What do you think, Simon?
From whom do the kings of the earth receive duties or
head tax? From their sons or from the strangers?” Peter
responded: “From the strangers.” Jesus said: “Really,
then, the sons are tax-free.” (Matthew 17:24-27) The point
of the questions was no doubt obvious to Peter, for the
family members of kings were known to be tax-exempt.
Therefore, as the only-begotten Son of the heavenly King
The Jews were required to pay an annual temple tax of two
drachmas, which was about two days’ wages. One reference work
says: “This tax was chiefly utilized to defray the expenses of the daily
burnt-offering and of all the sacrifices in general made in the name
of the people.”
8, 9. (a) Why did Jesus ask questions? (b) How did Jesus use questions
to help Peter reach the right conclusion on the matter of paying
the temple tax?