Already Knows the Answer

“A rhetorical question [is] a question mark at the end, but you are not meant to answer it because the person who is asking it already knows the answer.”
(Mark Haddon, author of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time)

 A rhetorical question is asked to make a point rather than to elicit an answer, which isn’t expected (or might not be available). The question may be asked to make a certain point, or to persuade someone towards a particular opinion. 

 Some modern-day rhetorical questions (that have no answers) are as follows:

Ø  What is the meaning of life?

Ø  What's the matter with today’s teenagers?

Ø  Is there any hope?

Ø  Why me?

Ø  Who cares?

Ø  How should I know?

Even the Bible does rhetorical questioning. Look at the verses below, and see if answers can be provided.

Ø “And still, you will not change.  Can the Ethiopian change his skin? Can a leopard change its spots? It seems just as unlikely that you will change your ways and do good, when you are so used to doing evil. It has become such a part of you.” (Jeremiah 13:23, VOICE)

 

Ø “What shall we say, then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?”  (Romans 6:1, DRA)

Ø “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.”  (Job 38:4, TLB)

 

Ø  “Think of it this way: if your [child] asked you for bread, would you give him a stone? Of course not, you would give him a loaf of bread. If your son asked for a fish, would you give him a snake? No, to be sure, you would give him a fish, the best fish you could find.” (Matthew 7:9-10, VOICE)

 

Ø What good is it to mouth the words, “Lord, Lord.” if you don’t live by My teachings? (Luke 6:46, VOICE)

That last phrase was by Jesus Christ. Why is it crucial that we obey Him in every aspect of our world for complete happiness. When this action is done…

Ø It shows you know Jesus.Him.

ØHim.Him.

 

“If you love me, obey me.” (John 14:15, TLB)

“Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord.”   (J.I. Packer)

Ø Ø  It shows you’re eternal destination is secured by Jesus.Him.

Ø  Him.Him.

Ø   

“It was through His sacrificial death that our sins were atoned. But He did not stop there; He died for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2, VOICE)

“I marvel to think that the Son of God would condescend to save us, as imperfect, impure, mistake-prone, and ungrateful as we often are. I have tried to understand the Savior's atonement with my finite mind, and the only explanation I can come up with is this: God loves us deeply, perfectly, and everlastingly.” (Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

Ø It shows you know Jesus’ way is best.

“God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true.  He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.” (Psalm 18:30, NLT)

“If God called us to a task, He will then qualify us for the job.” (Jack Hyles)

Him.

Ø Him.Him.

Ø  

Ø It shows you know what will be eternal.

“Flowers and grass fade away, but what our God has said will never change.” (Isaiah 40:8, CEV)

“Legalism says God will love us if we change. The gospel says God will change us because He loves us.” (Tullian Tchividjian)

 “Religious speech is extreme, emotional, and motivational. It is anti-literal, relying on metaphor, allusion, and other rhetorical devices, and it assumes knowledge within a community of believers.” (Amy Waldman)[i]

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[i] Inspired by the sermon Questions Jesus Asked: Why Call Me Lord? (Installment five) Sunday, April 2, 2017 Dave Jansen CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH

 Sources Used: 

ü Wikipedia

ü “Rhetorical Questions In the Word of God” by Charles V. Turner

ü What Are Some Examples of Rhetorical Questions from the Bible? by George C.  

 

ü “Ask Questions like the Master Teacher” by Dave Arch

ü “How to Quickly Find Every Rhetorical Question in the New Testament” by Mark Ward

 

ü “Rhetorical Question Examples”   (examples.yourdictionary.com)