WISDOM OF RESPONDING TO QUESTIONS

  Bishop Zachary Kakobe

Today, we are studying the Bible from MATTHEW 21: 23-46. Although our subject is “WISDOM TO ANSWER QUESTIONS”, there is still much to learn in these verses. In these verses, we find four different things to learn: -

(1) WISDOM TO ANSWER QUESTIONS (vv. 23-27);

(2) BAPTISM COMES FROM HEAVEN (vv. 25-27);

(3) GRACE ACCOMPANIED BY REPENTANCE (vv. 28-32);

(4) THE EXAMPLE OF A HOME PERSON (vv. 35-46).

(1) WISDOM TO ANSWER QUESTIONS (vv. 23-27)

Jesus Christ was so wise in answering the questions he was asked that people did not dare to ask him questions (MATTHEW 22:46). We do not have to answer every question we are asked, in the same system. Some questions do not require our answers at all (JOHN 19: 8-9; MATTHEW 27: 12-14), and the answers to other questions are to ask those who asked us (MATTHEW 21: 23-27). Before we know what to do when faced with a question, it is important to first understand the NIA of the question we were asked, as well as the nature of the question. The questions we are asked are in the following six ways: -

a. TRAP QUESTIONS (MATTHEW 22: 15-17) - It is important to be careful in answering questions like this, so that our answers do not cause us to fall into the trap set by the questioner.

b. QUESTIONS INTENT TO TRY US (MATTHEW 19: 3; LUKE 10:25) - These questions are intended to test our understanding, to test how we will respond, so that the questioner may have the opportunity to blame us, accuse us or send bad information somewhere. Caution is needed in answering these questions.

c. QUESTIONS INTENTIONALLY HARMFUL (MATTHEW 2: 3-8) - By giving a complete answer to questions like these, we can give the person who asked us the opportunity to do the harm he or she intended in his or her heart. A thief may ask, Does this person return in the evening from work every day? When I come in the morning is it hard to find him? There is no one left in his house? Caution is needed in answering such questions. Evil questions, too, should not be answered.

d. QUESTIONS INTENTIONAL (LUKE 10:29) - some people, not that they ask for education, no, not at all. They pretend to be more educated than we are and so they ask questions to find fault with us, and then they show us their knowledge. We have to be careful. Let us not answer questions with the intention of seeking the “Who knows more” contest, let us seek more answers to make the person stop being evil. To answer the question of the meaning of the locks, seals and trumpets of the Revelation of John from a person who is not saved or who does not live according to the principles of holiness, is a waste of our free time (2 TIMOTHY 2:14, 16-18).

e. FOOLISH AND IGNORANT QUESTIONS, UNKNOWN As we witness to people about salvation, we should avoid their questions related to internal teachings - the Trinity, the Sonship of God, the Atonement of Marriage, the Attire of a Saved Person, Baptism, etc. Let's just tell them how to overcome sin and avoid other questions. They will know it AFTER being saved. A person does not start seventh grade, he starts first grade. Nonsense questions like "Where did God come from", etc., we must reject. Before a person knows where God came from, let him know where he came from!

f. STUDY QUESTIONS (MATTHEW 19: 25-29; LUKE 20: 27-37) - These questions are well-intentioned, however, we must first look at a person's spiritual level. When a five-year-old child asks "Where do children come from?", You can't answer that they come from a sexual act! To do so would be to alienate him from pure values. Likewise, spiritual babes, we answer questions that only build them up in their infancy. Give it to them milk, and let us not give them bones (HEBREWS 5: 12-14; 1 PETER 2: 2).

HOW TO GET WISDOM TO ANSWER QUESTIONS - God's wisdom is needed in answering questions. With this wisdom in mind, we can better understand the purpose of the question and know how to respond to it immediately. This wisdom is obtained by praying to God in faith that He will give it to us, that we may serve Him well (JAMES 1: 5-7).

(2) BAPTISM COMES FROM HEAVEN (vv. 25-27)

In these verses, we clearly learn that John's baptism came from heaven, not from men. That is why the chief priests and the elders of the people were afraid to answer him, because they did not believe John, even though all the people considered him to be a prophet. If John's Baptism came from heaven, it is clear that the baptism of Jesus, who was greater than John (JOHN 1: 28-30), CAME FROM HEAVEN AND NOT TO HUMAN BEINGS (JOHN 3: 26-27). Since this water baptism we are commanded to be baptized by the one who gave us that command is Jesus Himself (MATTHEW 28:19; MARK 16: 15-16), and not man, we should not agree with human teachings on Baptism. Jesus never commanded that infants be baptized. He was not baptized as a child, but blessed, and in his ministry he blessed the children, and did not baptize them (LUKE 2: 27-35; MARK 10: 13-16), Jesus was baptized as an adult (LUKE 3: 21-23). How is this baptism from heaven done? The word "baptize", in the original Greek language, is called "BAPTISM", which comes from the Greek word "BAPTO" meaning "Dip" or "soak", such as dipping a lump of porridge in a sauce or dipping clothes in water or blood. , or dip your finger in water (LUKE 16:24; REVELATION 19:13; JOHN 13:26). Thus, baptism from heaven is done by immersing the person in the WATER that covers the person (JOHN 3:23) and not by sprinkling water on the face. Likewise, the baptism from heaven takes place AFTER (not before) a person hears the preaching of the Gospel and believes in it, and repents of his sins by means of forsaking them, and decides to be saved (ROMANS 10: 13-14; ACTS 8:12, 36-39). Only in abundant water can one come down from the water and climb into the water (MATTHEW 3:16; JOHN 4: 1-2; LUKE 2: 27-35; MARK 10: 13-16).

(3) GRACE ACCOMPANIED BY REPENTANCE (vv. 28-32)

God is pleased with people who are willing to repent or confess and STOP what they were doing, and start doing what they did not want to do. Such people receive mercy or grace to enable them to overcome sin, and to gain the right to enter heaven (PROVERBS 28:13). There are some people who are unwilling to repent, who are proud, and who think that they are righteous, because they do not drink alcohol, do not smoke, do not commit adultery, do not steal, and do all religious acts. These will go to the river, overwhelmed by tax collectors and prostitutes who are ready to repent and give up. Any form of self-condemnation is an abomination to God, for by nature everyone is a sinner, and repentance is necessary in order to avoid judgment (JEREMIAH 2:35; 1 JOHN 1: 8-10; ROMANS 3:12, 22-23). No matter how sinful a person is as a prostitute, repenting in the sense of giving up, he is forgiven and saved (ISAIAH 1:18; 55: 6-7). Likewise, it is important to be ready to repent even after being saved. After we are saved and even after being sanctified, we will still be subject to the SINS OF IMMORALITY THAT WE MUST COMMIT (JAMES 4:17). We must always be ready to repent like David (1 CHRONICLES 21: 1, 7-8; 1 JOHN 2: 1-2)

(4) THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE HOUSEHOLDER (vv. 33-46)

The landowner planted a vineyard and put a fence around it. The vineyards were surrounded by enclosures or stone walls (PROVERBS 24: 30-31). He dug a pressure hole in it. The pressure hole, is a juice extractor from grapes. The grapes are placed on one side of the plant, the pods fall into the ditch and the juice passes to the other side. He hired tenants and set out. Farmers were given these lands for rent for a year or a lifetime and were also given by inheritance. The person who owns the house here, is God Himself (1 CORINTHIANS 3: 9; HEBREWS 3: 2,6). This vineyard, is a desert church that was inherited only by the Jews and had a wall, no non-Jew was allowed to enter that church. God sent His servants, the PROPHETS, to ask for fruit from the Jews. The Jews arrested them, stoned them to death (MATTHEW 23: 34-37). Finally, God decided to send his Son, Jesus, to say that they would honor him. And they tortured him outside the gate and killed him. As a result, the Church will now be inherited or will be given to the Gentiles and a wall that will not allow them to enter, will not exist (ACTS 13: 46-49; 15: 13-18). Jesus is the chief cornerstone. Whoever falls on it will be shattered. His grace will cause him to have a broken and contrite heart, and thus be saved (PSALM 34:18; 51:17; 147: 3). But those who reject him; they will fall by the Stone and will be crushed to pieces and destroyed (ISAIAH 8: 9; ACTS 7:38).

milk, and let us not give them bones (HEBREWS 5: 12-14; 1 PETER 2: 2).

HOW TO GET WISDOM TO ANSWER QUESTIONS - God's wisdom is needed in answering questions. With this wisdom in mind, we can better understand the purpose of the question and know how to respond to it immediately. This wisdom is obtained by praying to God in faith that He will give it to us, that we may serve Him well (JAMES 1: 5-7).

(2) BAPTISM COMES FROM HEAVEN (vv. 25-27)

In these verses, we clearly learn that John's baptism came from heaven, not from men. That is why the chief priests and the elders of the people were afraid to answer him, because they did not believe John, even though all the people considered him to be a prophet. If John's Baptism came from heaven, it is clear that the baptism of Jesus, who was greater than John (JOHN 1: 28-30), CAME FROM HEAVEN AND NOT TO HUMAN BEINGS (JOHN 3: 26-27). Since this water baptism we are commanded to be baptized by the one who gave us that command is Jesus Himself (MATTHEW 28:19; MARK 16: 15-16), and not man, we should not agree with human teachings on Baptism. Jesus never commanded that infants be baptized. He was not baptized as a child, but blessed, and in his ministry he blessed the children, and did not baptize them (LUKE 2: 27-35; MARK 10: 13-16), Jesus was baptized as an adult (LUKE 3: 21-23). How is this baptism from heaven done? The word "baptize", in the original Greek language, is called "BAPTISM", which comes from the Greek word "BAPTO" meaning "Dip" or "soak", such as dipping a lump of porridge in a sauce or dipping clothes in water or blood. , or dip your finger in water (LUKE 16:24; REVELATION 19:13; JOHN 13:26). Thus, baptism from heaven is done by immersing the person in the WATER that covers the person (JOHN 3:23) and not by sprinkling water on the face. Likewise, the baptism from heaven takes place AFTER (not before) a person hears the preaching of the Gospel and believes in it, and repents of his sins by means of forsaking them, and decides to be saved (ROMANS 10: 13-14; ACTS 8:12, 36-39). Only in abundant water can one come down from the water and climb into the water (MATTHEW 3:16; JOHN 4: 1-2; LUKE 2: 27-35; MARK 10: 13-16).

(3) GRACE ACCOMPANIED BY REPENTANCE (vv. 28-32)

God is pleased with people who are willing to repent or confess and STOP what they were doing, and start doing what they did not want to do. Such people receive mercy or grace to enable them to overcome sin, and to gain the right to enter heaven (PROVERBS 28:13). There are some people who are unwilling to repent, who are proud, and who think that they are righteous, because they do not drink alcohol, do not smoke, do not commit adultery, do not steal, and do all religious acts. These will go to the river, overwhelmed by tax collectors and prostitutes who are ready to repent and give up. Any form of self-condemnation is an abomination to God, for by nature everyone is a sinner, and repentance is necessary in order to avoid judgment (JEREMIAH 2:35; 1 JOHN 1: 8-10; ROMANS 3:12, 22-23). No matter how sinful a person is as a prostitute, repenting in the sense of giving up, he is forgiven and saved (ISAIAH 1:18; 55: 6-7). Likewise, it is important to be ready to repent even after being saved. After we are saved and even after being sanctified, we will still be subject to the SINS OF IMMORALITY THAT WE MUST COMMIT (JAMES 4:17). We must always be ready to repent like David (1 CHRONICLES 21: 1, 7-8; 1 JOHN 2: 1-2)

(4) THE ILLUSTRATION OF THE HOUSEHOLDER (vv. 33-46)

The landowner planted a vineyard and put a fence around it. The vineyards were surrounded by enclosures or stone walls (PROVERBS 24: 30-31). He dug a pressure hole in it. The pressure hole, is a juice extractor from grapes. The grapes are placed on one side of the plant, the pods fall into the ditch and the juice passes to the other side. He hired tenants and set out. Farmers were given these lands for rent for a year or a lifetime and were also given by inheritance. The person who owns the house here, is God Himself (1 CORINTHIANS 3: 9; HEBREWS 3: 2,6). This vineyard, is a desert church that was inherited only by the Jews and had a wall, no non-Jew was allowed to enter that church. God sent His servants, the PROPHETS, to ask for fruit from the Jews. The Jews arrested them, stoned them to death (MATTHEW 23: 34-37). Finally, God decided to send his Son, Jesus, to say that they would honor him. And they tortured him outside the gate and killed him. As a result, the Church will now be inherited or will be given to the Gentiles and a wall that will not allow them to enter, will not exist (ACTS 13: 46-49; 15: 13-18). Jesus is the chief cornerstone. Whoever falls on it will be shattered. His grace will cause him to have a broken and contrite heart, and thus be saved (PSALM 34:18; 51:17; 147: 3). But those who reject him; they will fall by the Stone and will be crushed to pieces and destroyed (ISAIAH 8: 9; ACTS 7:38).