If I answer your question directly, do you really know the answer? This is one of the great quandaries that haunt the dedicated Teacher. You’ve known someone like that in your life: A person that is wise, that is patient, that – you know – loves to teach; probably always ready with encouragement and an answer. But have you ever thought how much trepidation there may be behind that answer?

Yes, the subject seems to be the same as the one last time. But the scenario is completely different. Last time it was one of Jesus’ enemies asking the question, trying to trap him. This time it is one of Jesus’ closest friends pleading for some way to make sense of it all.

Today we continue the series about Jesus replying to questions with unexpected answers. In this series we have seen that, often, there is an unspoken motivating question behind the spoken one. In this case it is: Why is this fair?

I am still going through the gospels and looking at instances where people came to Jesus with a question or a request, and the answer they got was not what they were expecting.

I am going through the gospels and looking at instances where people came to Jesus with a question or a request, and the answer they got was not what they were expecting. Makes me wonder if, when I think I haven’t received the answer to my prayer, the reality is I did. And I just did not recognize it.

Throughout the gospels we find several instances where someone comes to Jesus with a direct request or question and His answer is, to say the least, indirect. A lot of times, as the saying goes, “it comes out of left field.” Why was that?