Let’s begin with a question: how much have you carefully thought about being a good asker of questions? This is a worthwhile matter to ponder, considering that being a good question asker is evidence of wisdom and spiritual strength. The Lord makes it very clear that the wise young man or woman is “quick to hear, slow to speak” (Jam. 1:19). What encourages both attentive listening and wise communication is being conscious of asking thoughtful questions.

Why do we ask questions? On the surface, the purpose may seem obvious: to gain information that is unknown. In our everyday lives, this is often the case. A student who does not grasp the material well asks their teacher questions in order to understand better. An employee on a job site who does not know the next step in a construction project asks the foreman questions in order to learn. Questions serve the basic function of gathering unknown information. But that only scratches the surface of the purpose of asking good questions. Viewing this subject through the lens of Scripture, in connection with our relationship to fellow believers, non-Christians, and God, reveals the wisdom that goes hand in hand with being a good question asker.

One has only to think of Jesus Himself to demonstrate this point. According to His divine nature as the Son of God come in the flesh, He knew all things, even the hearts of men and what they were thinking (Matt. 9:4; 12:25). He did not need to ask about things He did not know. Yet in the Gospel accounts, we find the Lord Jesus repeatedly asking questions. Some 300 questions of Jesus—the very wisdom of God come in the flesh— are recorded in the Gospels. At the very least, this demonstrates a much deeper purpose to asking questions.

Let us consider, in the first place, the wisdom of asking good questions in connection with our walk with fellow believers. On the one hand, asking thoughtful questions is a wonderful way to express selfless and Christ-like love for others in the body of Christ. Questions take the focus off self. Questions show interest in others. Questions reveal that you genuinely care about the other person—who they are and how they are doing. What is striking is that this never truly ceases as we walk together as believers. Will godly parents ever really stop showing genuine interest in the lives of their children whom they love? Will husbands and wives ever stop growing in their knowledge of one another? Will fellow believers and friends ever exhaust understanding each other in this lifetime? To live together in covenant homes and in a covenant community means that we must always seek to show genuine love and care for one another, and this is often done through thoughtful questions.

A brief caution is in order at this point: Not all questions are good questions. Some can unnecessarily make another believer uncomfortable due to the subject asked about or the manner in which it is asked. Certainly, the wisdom of Christ is needed to guide us.

On the other hand, asking questions as we live among fellow believers is evidence of humility. We do not want to be that person in the room who pontificates with authority on every subject that comes up in conversation. Such a person gives the impression of never needing help or never needing to learn from others. A humble heart recognizes the truth of 1 Corinthians 8:2: “And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.” With that recognition, one should never be afraid to say among fellow Christians, “I don’t know. Will you help me understand?”

A biblical example that illustrates this point is the response of the Ethiopian eunuch to Philip as they were reading together from the scroll of Isaiah 53. The eunuch had a zeal for the Word of God. He had purchased a copy for himself and was reading and meditating upon it when Philip approached him. But that was not enough. He needed help and, in humility, was not afraid to ask for it in response to Philip’s question regarding whether or not he understood. Luke records the eunuch’s humble response in verse 31: “And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.”

This question of the eunuch is the lifelong question of the Christian, recognizing both the depth of Scripture and the need for the guidance of the Holy Spirit through the church and fellow believers. In humility, we should always be asking, “Help me understand,” or, “Help me understand better.” May this mentality govern times of family worship, gatherings for Bible study, conversations among married couples, and all of life together in the church as we seek to grow in our understanding of the Scriptures and in our walk with the Lord.

In the second place, let us consider the wisdom of asking good questions in connection with those who are outside the church. The focus here is our personal witness to the truth of God’s Word and the gospel. From a general point of view, the same principle applies: showing genuine interest in others. Effective personal witness must arise from a heart that reflects the love of Christ—a love that truly seeks the spiritual well-being of others. Those to whom we bring the gospel must know that we genuinely care for them, and this is shown, in part, by asking thoughtful questions.

More specifically, asking questions is an effective way to engage others concerning the truth. We must be careful not to think there is a single most effective method of personal witness. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. Nevertheless, it is certainly true that asking thoughtful questions is a powerful way to engage in personal witness. The encounter between Philip the evangelist and the Ethiopian eunuch is instructive here. Earlier, we noted the eunuch’s question. Now consider Philip’s question. When Philip heard the eunuch reading from Isaiah, his first words were not a declaration such as, “This is what Isaiah means, and this is what you must believe.” Instead, he asked a question: “Understandest thou what thou readest?” (Acts 8:30) What a wise way to engage the eunuch in conversation about truth and Christ. Questions in personal witness prompt reflection, help clarify thoughts, and draw out what may be in the heart. They are effective tools for beginning the process of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Finally, let us consider the use of questions in our relationship with God. Here we only scratch the surface, for Scripture reveals many ways in which questions are used in our walk with Him. Many of these are rhetorical questions. They are asked not to seek information, but to declare truth.

First, questions beautifully express worship and praise. One needs only to turn to Isaiah 40 to see several examples. In order to exalt God as the almighty Creator, we read in verse 12, “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?” In order to praise God for His great wisdom, we read in verses 13-14, “Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counseller hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?” In order to extol God for His incomprehensibility, the prophet says in Isaiah 40:18, “To whom then will ye liken God? Or what likeness will ye compare unto him?” Search the Scriptures for questions to express praise and one will find them throughout.

Second, questions express the believer’s faith and trust in the Lord. Psalm 27:1 declares, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” The question confidently proclaims fearless trust in God.

And third, questions can express sorrow over sin and a deep understanding of its depth. The psalmist says, “Who can understand his errors?” (Ps. 19:12) in order to express that even he himself does not fully grasp of depth of his sinfulness. Similarly, Paul cries out in Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” And making clear that he understands what sin deserves before God, David writes in Psalm 130:3, “If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” This is just a beginning in unfolding the many ways in which questions can be used to express manifold truths in our walk with God.

As we began, so we end: How much have you thought carefully about asking good questions? May the thoughts expressed in this article stimulate careful thought about being good questioners. And that to the end that we grow in wisdom and spiritual maturity in our life with fellow believers, our witness to those outside the church, and in our personal walk with Jehovah God.