Being questioned

“He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’” (John 20:15a)

I am something of an information junkie. I love discovering new facts and hearing different perspectives on things, so I tend to ask a lot of questions. When I was in leadership on the Japan Field, I often had occasion to listen to people who were struggling, and at times had to look into difficult situations.  One time, I was speaking with a short-term missionary about something that had happened, and she told me she had been warned by a senior missionary, “Lorna asks lots of questions!”

Asking questions is, of course, a good way to find out information and to understand a situation better. These days, if we want a quick answer, some of us might turn to AI—although its answers are not always reliable.

Last month, I was teaching the Sunday School children about the events of Easter Sunday following Jesus’ resurrection. As I read the accounts in Luke and John, I was struck by something I hadn’t noticed before: on each occasion where Jesus meets people after his resurrection, one of the first things he does is ask them a question. Let’s look at three of those encounters.

We find the first one in John 20:14–18, when Mary meets the risen Lord Jesus outside the tomb. The first thing he says to her is, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” These questions seem rather surprising. Mary is standing outside the tomb where Jesus’ body had been laid. She is not only grieving but is also confused, because his body is no longer there. Jesus, of course, understands exactly why Mary is weeping. He knows who she is looking for. So why does he ask her these questions?

The second encounter takes place later that same day, when Jesus meets two disciples on the road to Emmaus, as recorded in Luke 24:13–32. When Jesus joins them, the first thing he does is ask, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” When they express surprise that he does not seem to know what has happened, Jesus follows up with another question: “What things?” Of course, Jesus knows exactly what they are talking about. Indeed, he understands better than anyone what happened in Jerusalem. So why does he ask these questions of the two disciples?

The third occasion takes place later that evening, recorded in Luke 24:33–53. The two disciples have returned to Jerusalem to tell the eleven that they have seen the risen Jesus. While they are still talking, Jesus himself stands among them. After giving a greeting of peace, he asks, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your minds?” Once again, Jesus knows the answers better than the disciples themselves. In this case, they do not even respond—at least, not out loud.

What can we learn from these three encounters? It is clear that Jesus is not asking questions because he needs information, nor because he is trying to understand the situation better. Rather, on each of these occasions, he asks questions to help people reflect on what they have experienced and on what they are feeling. As he speaks with them, he does not simply accept their surface-level reactions. Instead, he invites them to go deeper, drawing out what is in their hearts and, at times, helping them to recognise their own misunderstanding or lack of faith. His questions are designed to help them be honest about what they are thinking and feeling, before gently redirecting them from a place of doubt and confusion towards faith and hope in him.

What are you going through at the moment? How are you feeling? Perhaps some of you are passing through a trial. Maybe some of you are feeling disappointed, frustrated, or even angry. We often think that we have questions for God, things we would like him to answer to help us to understand things better. But what if we paused and imagined Jesus drawing alongside, as he did in those Easter day encounters? What questions might he ask us? “Why are you sad?” “What has made you angry?” “What were you hoping for?”

If we allow Jesus to question us, we may find that he is helping us to be honest—not only with him, but also with ourselves. We may not get immediate answers, but as we spend time with him, as we take time to listen, we can trust that he is gently guiding us towards a deeper faith in him.

Perhaps this week, we might take time to sit with one of Jesus’ questions. What might he be asking you? And how will you answer?

By Lorna Ferguson