The right question can light the way to profound answers. Take the game “20 Questions” as an example. The game has at least two players – an answerer and a questioner. The answerer chooses a subject that the questioner must discover and identify by asking a series of questions that can be answered with either a “yes” or “no.” If the questioner can identify the subject with 20 questions or less, they win the game. The key to winning the game is to ask carefully planned questions that when answered reveal key information that narrows the list of possible subjects. A skillful player molds his or her questions with intention and purpose. A simple “yes” or “no” answer may seem insignificant yet with the right question can reveal the next right next question which in turn leads to more questions until the subject becomes clear and the game is won.
The right question asked of the Bible can light the way to profound and life-altering answers. A skillful Bible studier learns the art of asking good questions because questions open the way for new ideas, possibilities, wonderment, exploration and synthesis. Questions move a person forward in their understanding of a passage. This is why questions are so important to inductive method.
I haven’t always been good at asking questions. I’ve asked plenty of questions that have led nowhere. I’ve struggled to come up with any question at all or had so many questions I didn’t know where to start. But along the way, with practice and some trial and error, I’ve learned a few things about the art of asking good questions of the Bible. Here’s what I’ve discovered:
A good interpretation question is based on good observation.
An interpretation question is one that gets to the heart of what is said. It looks at the motivation and the why of what the author wrote. But to get there you have to have a good understanding of what it is the author wrote. You have to notice the details, context, progression, words, images, etc. of the passage. Check out the blog post “Take a Closer Look” for more on Observation. The step of noticing and examining what you see is essential to preparing you to ask a good interpretation question. In the words of Arthur Conan Doyle, “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts.” (A Scandal in Bohemia). Gather data by observing before theorizing its interpretation.
The things you notice when observing become the basis for your interpretation question. For example, in Philippians 2, Paul mentions a guy by the name of Epaphroditus. You could go straight to the question “why did Paul mention Epaphroditus?” The question is based on the fact that you noticed a name – Epaphroditus. But without further observation clarifying what was said about Epaphroditus you’ll probably have a hard time answering that question. You need more information before you can suggest a reason why Paul mentioned him. You need to find out what Paul says about Epaphroditus, in what context he speaks of him, the relationship between Epaphroditus, the church in Philippi and Paul. All this information is gathered in the step of Observation. Observation provides the basis for not only the question but also the answer.
A good interpretation question is open-ended yet specific.
Unlike the game “20 Questions”, a “yes” or “no” answer is not particularly helpful for interpretation which means a good interpretation question will be open-ended allowing for further explanation. Usually “why?” or “how?” are good places to start. But the more specific you can make your question to what you’ve noticed in the text the more focused and specific your answer will be. Consider the question, “why does Paul mention Epaphroditus?” It is specific to what I noticed in the letter to the Philippians. I used the author’s name in order to bring to mind Paul’s particular background. And I used the name of the person he mentioned in order to bring to mind all I know about Epaphroditus. An even better question would be, “Why did Paul commend Ephaphroditus to the Philippian church?” This brings to mind the intended reader and their background plus it considers the nature of what Paul said about Epaphroditus. It directs my thoughts to the specific concerns of Paul and brings him to life in my mind. By contrast, a less specific question such as “why did the author mention him?” leaves me with very little to spur on understanding and does nothing to quench the dryness of my thirst for answers.
A good interpretation question is one you don’t know the answer to (yet).
If the answer is right there in the passage then I haven’t asked the right question and probably need to ask another “why” question. Don’t get me wrong. If the answer is right there in the passage then that is information you need to know but it is not interpretation – it is observation. To spur further understanding use that information to ask another question. It’s not easy asking a question you don’t know the answer to because it opens up the possibility of getting the answer wrong and it can feel like you are just making up answers. However, asking a question that you don’t know the answer to forces you to stop, think and wonder. It allows your brain the time to draw connections, hypothesize, sort and come up with new questions. This could take you down new paths that you would never have discovered if you had been running full speed ahead. Consider again the mention of Epaphroditus in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. In the letter Paul mentions that Epaphroditus became sick and almost died. An interesting question to ask might be, “What would have happened had Epaphroditus died?” and “How would Paul’s letter to the Philippians have been different had Epaphroditus died?” These questions may or may not lead you to some great new truth but they will force you to put yourself in the shoes of Paul and the church in Philippi which helps you understand them better and subsequently the letter that Paul wrote to them.
These are just three things I’ve learned about asking good questions of the Bible. The right question lights the path to profound answers. Master the art of asking good questions and you’ll discover new depths of understanding and insight into the lives of people such as Paul, Peter, Jesus, David, Abraham, Moses, the Philippians, Philemon, Luke and so many more.