Meditations

Open Line on January 18, 2025 Hour 2 @2:20

Question: When I read Jesus’s answers to people’s questions in the bible, it seemed like they don’t match the question, is this because of the translation?

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=629035&hour=2

Summary of Answer:

Dr Michael Rydelnik says the reason Jesus does that is because He is omniscient. He knows what is in a man (end of John 2) and Jesus answers their questions in an unpredictable way. Open Line producer, Tricia Mcmillan, gave an example of the rich young ruler in Mark 10. The rich young ruler asked: “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life” Jesus replied by asking another question: “Why do you call me good?” Dr Rydelnik explains that Jesus is trying to diagnose, not just for himself but helping the person think why is he asking that question, he is kind of probing what that he knows about the person. Another example that Dr Rydelnik gave is Luke 13. It is sort of an upside down view of the problem of evil. In Luke 13, some Galileans told Jesus about Pilate mixing the blood of Galileans with their sacrifices. Jesus knew their real question was whether those Galileans whose blood were mixed with the sacrifices were worst sinners? Jesus raised the question of another example of natural evil in the case of the eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam collapsed on them, were they more sinful? Jesus says unless you repent, you will perish as well and Jesus went on to tell the parable of the Barren Fig Tree which illustrates God’s patience and mercy on man and not wanting man to perish. It is an upside down answer from Jesus.