DAD'S RAMBLINGS --

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – THE MASTER TEACHER

"Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, 'By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?' But Jesus answered and said to them, 'I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things." (Matthew 21:23-24)

These religious leaders questioned Jesus' authority to do and teach as He did. Jesus was a Master teacher. He discerned the motivation behind the question was not sincere. They had no real desire to know where Jesus got His authority. So, Jesus deflected their question and asked them a question instead. Jesus said, "What do you think about John the Baptist?" They were afraid to answer truthfully, so they said, "We do not know." They were lying.

Even then, He did not answer the question directly, but instead He told a couple of parables about people who rejected God-sent ministry and authority. Parables are picture stories to illustrate a truth. Picture stories draw people in emotionally. Even though the parables were not a direct answer, the chief priests and Pharisees "perceived that He was speaking of them" (vs. 45). They got the message.

I have not mastered this technique, but I know it is a good approach to teaching, especially when answering confrontational questions. Asking a question places the onus on the other person. It places them on the defensive. So if someone asks a combative question that is not really intended to be a legitimate quest for truth, asking the person, "What do you think about it?" or "What do you mean?" will deflect the discussion back to the other person. This is what Jesus did to the priests who confronted Him.

Rather than rebutting an attack, it is often better to avoid an argument. If the question is insincere and not really seeking an honest answer, he or she will probably not be receptive to what we say. But we can pull down the defenses by asking questions and giving picture stories. It is a technique from the Master Teacher that I would do well to learn.

Love, Dad