Jesus talked to vast numbers of people, singly, in small groups and in front of huge crowds. He dealt with hundreds of questions. In the gospels we likely only have a small fraction of what he was asked.
A novice speaker avoids the Q and A., question and answer session. He does not want to take questions. But Jesus was open to them. He was however very aware of the situation.
The person who is making the formal speech ‘has the floor’, is the invited guest, has the audience. The questioner is asking for the group’s attention away from the speaker to themselves, in ways that some call ‘hogging the mike’ – wanting to get their own moment in the sun.
Adept speakers are aware of such strategies and have many ways to deal with trick questions, trap questions or just ego-focused questions.
It is clear that some questions of his audience were innocent, admiring, seeking information. Some were however not genuinely seeking information but were trying to trap him. We know that he had in front of him several critics who wanted to trap him up. To some listeners, his ideas seemed dangerous, about destroying the temple or eating with the unclean. They wanted to protect their own traditions and often their own status. They were apparently nervous about how much of a danger he posed to them and whether he was in fact trying to upend tradition. He said he was there to uphold tradition and the commandments so that made them wonder.
Some of his critics were the most educated people in the community. The scribes and Pharisees were known as the authorities. To not just adore them was a shock to listeners. Some scribes and Pharisees became a hostile audience, aiming to ask the tricky questions that might make him look illogical or inconsistent. This was, for that day, the same as a celebrity going before a hostile press, or a courtroom drama where one lawyer is trying hard to direct the inquiry one way only. In the face of this type of question, one can look closely at the approach Jesus took. He did not run away from the questions. He did not swear in anger or throw things. He did not rally the observers to act with violence.
His approach has been studied for centuries. It is a model of how to deal with such circumstance. If we look at it closely we see the brilliance of the responses. We know that the love he showed to those who were trying to humiliate of stump him, surprised everyone watching.
The power of his repartee, of his logic, of his gentle confidence scared his critics. When they realized they were not able to respond on the same level, they went to the plan that B critics often have – they wanted to get rid of him. There is a saying that when your opponent gets personal, it means they realized their logical arguments failed
Let’s look at some of the ways he answered such questions:
Answer confirms the previous answer or assumption
Sometimes a speaker will answer so simply that the listener is stunned. They may have expected something vague. They may have also wanted the thrill of having posed a difficult question and be shocked that he found it easy.
Eg. The answer to the question is no.
(art thou the king of the Jews?) Thou sayest it
(art thou then the Son of God” Ye say that I am
(who art thou?) Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning
Thou hast said
thou sayest
Whom seek ye ?( Jesus) I have told you that I am he Questions the words used by the questioner
who is my mother? Who are my brethren?
Question the motives of the questioner
One strategy is to make a joke of the situation
Eg. I didn’t realize I was on trial here
Eg. Well I can see that I should have drunk more coffee before coming .
One strategy is to make a jab at the questioner.
Eg. Well, I did not realize that there were some inmates from asylums here.
Eg. Could you say that again please? I think a speech therapist could help.
Sometimes the speaker will play games with the question. The speaker might ask why he is being asked. The speaker may examine the motives of the one asking and see an illogic to it, see through to a bad motivation, as trap and may even point that out.
(are thou the king of the Jews?) sayest though this thing of thyself or did others tell it thee of me?
can ye drink of the cup that I drink of ?
Where is your faith?
wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith?
why doth this generation seek after a sign?
why tempt ye me?
Question the fairness of the question
Occasionally a person realizes that no possible answer will satisfy.
eg. Have you stopped beating your wife? (whether you say yes or no will condemn you)
Eg. Did you in the ship’s log, note that on that particular day the captain was sober? (whatever you answer it sounds like the captain is not usually sober)
Jesus noticed such trap questions and pointed out he had noticed.
If I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
If I tell you, ye will not believe. If I also ask you, ye will not answer me nor let me go
Addresses the illogic of the question
Jesus gently questioned how they defined words, what they considered proof. He could catch them up on their own illogic -and he did. This is a verbal and logic genius.
Did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
How can Satan cast out Satan?
if David call him Lord, then how is he his son?
if salt have lost his saltness, wherewith wil ye season it?
is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?
ought not this woman be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
The pre-question- before I answer that, tell me this
Sometimes a speaker may respond with a question. Jesus did that a few times and it was fascinating as a speech strategy. A person can turn the tables and ask a question back.
Eg. Before I answer that, I have to ask you this
Eg. I won’t answer that until you answer me this
I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me I will tell you
I say unto you, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
I will also ask of you one question and answer me and I will tell you
I will ask you one thing: Is it lawful on the sabbath days to save life or to destroy it?
Questions the illogic of the situation
A speaker may catch the questioner up in their own illogic.
if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others?
If ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you your own?
if you love them which love you, what reward have ye?Do not the publicans do the same?
What is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?
Questions the expertise of the questioner
The speaker may also examine the questioner.
eg. Who are you to ask me that?
have ye not read what was spoken unto you by God?
which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
Who made me a judge or a divider over you?
So when we study how Jesus handled questions, we see how divine logic is superior to what mere humans can do. He is the expert tennis player and they are beginners.
However, he is kind, patient with them, even sometimes funny. It is not a surprise that Jesus’ words were recalled decades after he said them in order for others to write them down. People were aware that they were in the presence of something amazing. The way that he stick-handled difficult questions, turned around the trick onto the questioner is a real study. It is strength without defiance. It is so confident that it is playful and oddly, it does not usually even give up on the questioner. This is the art of the real peacemaker .
Silence
He did however have one other response which is stunning. It has been used historically by Martin Luther. It has been used by heroes, martyrs, and the very brave. The response is silence. The person faced with huge opposition, with overwhelming and unfair oppression does not give up but they stop objecting. They move to a new level.
They endure the unfairness, endure the bombardments of insult, and in a way make the oppressor face the horror of their own actions.
Jesus’ response of silence, absolutely shocked and even angered some of his critics. It meant they could not play their taunting game and get him upset. Their strategy had failed.
We do not read what Jesus said in such circumstance. We read about what he did. It is powerful.
He had been arrested, falsely accused of treason and blasphemy, was being taken from one trial to another as a specimen and was mocked before a likely handpicked crowd of nonsupporters. What did he do? All four gospels recorded the same events. The silence stunned observers.
-Matthew: Answerest thou nothing? But Jesus held his peace
_Mark- Pilate asked him again saying “Answerest thou nothing? Behold how many things they witness against thee. But Jesus answered nothing, so that Pilate marvelled.
-Luke. Herod . questioned with him in many words but he answered him nothing.
-John. Pilate.. was the more afraid. And saith unto Jesus Whence art thou? But Jesus gave no answer.
Silence . It is an unusual but powerful answer to extreme bullying. It is not however caving, giving in, or begging for mercy. It has its dignity.
There have been observations about silence from others over the years
Euripides said “Silence is true wisdom’s reply”
Martin Luther did not run away. He said “Here I stand. I can do no other”
Charles de Gaulle said “Silence is the ultimate weapon of power”
G.K. Chesterton said “Silence is the unbearable repartee”
In the end we learn so much from what Jesus told us, and how he told us, and even at the end what he did without even speaking.
Speech Style of Jesus 