What the Bible says
“And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”
Genesis 3:9 (KJV)
“When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?”
John 5:6 (KJV)
“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?”
Matthew 16:15 (KJV)
God's oldest question
The first question in the Bible is God calling to Adam: Where art thou? God knew where Adam was hiding. The question was for Adam — an invitation to come out and be honest. Jesus asked questions in the same spirit.
Questions that heal
At the pool of Bethesda Jesus asked a man who had been ill for thirty-eight years whether he wanted to be made whole. In the crowd he asked who touched his clothes, so a frightened woman could come forward, tell her story and hear him call her daughter (Mark 5:30–34). The question gave her a face and a name, not just a cure.
Questions that reveal
'Whom say ye that I am?' was not a quiz. It moved the disciples from repeating what others thought to confessing what they believed. Jesus still asks questions like that, and the answer is meant to come from us.
Common questions
Did Jesus know everything?
The Gospels show Jesus knowing people's thoughts (Mark 2:8) and what was in their hearts (John 2:25). His questions were for their sake, not his.
Why does God ask us questions in the Bible?
To invite honesty and relationship, as with Adam in Genesis 3:9 and the man at the pool in John 5:6.