Asking Good Questions

Asking Good Questions

Luke 10:25-28, NLT

One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” 26Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” 27The man answered, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28“Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

Setting the Scene

Luke reports that the man “stood up,” implying that his question came during a time that Jesus was teaching. As an “expert in religious law,” this man had studied the Scriptures (the Law, the Psalms, and the Prophets). He also knew all the traditions. Yet he asked Jesus, “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” Although Luke writes that he asked the question as a “test,” this doesn’t mean the man was asking with a pharisaical attitude, trying to trip up Jesus. He probably was asking out of curiosity, wondering what kind of answer Jesus would give. The man called Jesus “Teacher,” showing his respect. For this lawyer, “eternal life” would have meant life in God’s Kingdom, but he would not have understood it as a spiritual Kingdom. Obviously he thought he had to “do” something and would not have understood divine grace.

Jesus responded with a question, framing it in such a way that he accepted the man’s question as a valid one. Then, when the lawyer answered by quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 respectively, Jesus affirmed that the man had answered correctly, and Jesus urged the man to do exactly what he had just quoted.

To “love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind” means holding nothing back, being totally devoted to God. The Greek word for “love” used here (agape) means totally unselfish love. We can only love that way through the Holy Spirit working in us. But the law also said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” People tend to look out for themselves—to care about their safety, health, comfort, and security. God expects his people to do that for others.

“Do this and you will live” sounds simple—in reality, however, those commands are impossible to keep in our human strength alone. Kingdom people are saved and then enabled by the Holy Spirit to obey these impossible demands.

Getting Personal

If you could ask God one question, what would it be?

How do you love God with your mind? With your strength?

We don’t know much about this “expert in religious law,” except that he asked Jesus an important question. The man may already have had an idea of what Jesus should answer and was testing Jesus’ orthodoxy. Or the man may have asked out of a deep yearning to know the real answer, to be sure that he would gain eternal life. In either case, Jesus took the lawyer’s question seriously and answered him. One fact is clear from this story and from several other places in Scripture: God isn’t afraid of our questions and wants us to be totally honest with him. He’s not waiting to judge us for having doubts or making a wrong request. He loves us; he’s our Father.

Talking to God

Whatever questions or doubts you have been wrestling with, bring them all to God without reluctance. Ask him to give you understanding and an openness to learn from him.