This article is on Bible Questions that Makes People Think. Have you ever encountered biblical questions that made you think? We’ve compiled a collection of more than 50 thought-provoking biblical questions to get you thinking critically and putting your biblical knowledge to the test.

Asking questions is the most effective technique to delve deeper into a field of study, discipline, idea, or even religion. If you’re weary of living on the surface or don’t feel at ease there, asking questions is the only way to break free and go into far deeper investigation.

Questions are posed all over the place, and the Bible is no different; in fact, it is the most popular book with the most questions. Philosophers, scientists, and theologians regularly discuss it, generating more and more concerns about the bible and, in most cases, casting doubt on its legitimacy.

So, questions aren’t simply restricted to the Bible if you want to apply your knowledge to anything, whether it’s a relationship, marriage, company, or anything else. Otherwise, you’ll be locked in one position unless you ask questions to proceed to the next level.

I’ve noticed that asking great questions can reveal important details in a section, cut through the haze to get to the heart of a problem, and change your perspective and life. Thought-provoking questions have been shown to be more effective in uncovering questions within questions, providing you with deeper depth.

I’m merely writing about thought-provoking biblical questions in this post to make you think that not everyone can come up with fantastic questions; this article will help you with that. It’s also for individuals who have hit a brick wall with biblical queries or are having a hard time coming up with questions.

This essay will open your mind and allow you to examine a wide number of biblical questions that are meant to provoke your ideas. If you’re looking for biblical questions to ask during bible study, bible discussion groups, ice breaker discussion points, or other situations where a topic is required, you can use this article as a resource.

The truth is that the more you read the bible, the more questions you’ll have, and there’s nothing wrong with seeking answers to these concerns; you shouldn’t be frightened or embarrassed to do so.

The bible questions that make you think if maybe, by chance, you can get answers to them.

1. In the bible, the law of God wasn’t given until the time of Moses, how then did Noah know what is clean/unclean and how did Cain and Abel learn about sacrifices?
2. Why did God put the tree of knowledge in the garden of Eden if he knew what was going to happen?
3. Why will God send anyone to an eternal burning flame? Isn’t he, after all, the all-loving God?
4. Why did God allow Satan, the devil, to exist?
5. Is it safe to say God created evil, since he created Lucifer, the Satan?
6. In Hosea chapter 13 verses 16 and Revelation 13 verses 15-18, God commanded his chosen people to kill babies and children.
7. Why would an all-loving God command that?
   God is all-knowing and all-powerful how could Satan think he could have a revolt against someone like that?
8. How could there be war in heaven when God already knows about it and could make it stop or not to happen at all?
9. Why did God try to kill Moses right after sending him to free the Israelites from Egypt?
10. God sent Moses to free the Israelites then hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the Israelites leave, making it necessary for God to send the plagues on Egyptians.
11. Why did God choose to go through all that stress? Doesn’t that pretty much negate Pharaohs free will in the matter and punish the Egyptians because of it?
12. Is everything truly in God’s power?
13. Why did God not just forgive humans instead of sending his own son to be tormented and
14. killed for the same people he wants to forgive?
15. “God is everywhere” where was he when the serpent was tormenting Eve?
16. God is all-knowing why then is he angered by any sin we commit since he supposedly knows
17. How can I trust that the people who wrote the or translated the bible got it right?
18. What evidence is there that the plagues, flood, and other miracles really happened?
19. Why are some books included in the bible and others aren’t?
20. How did God part and entire sea for the Israelites?
21. Does Jesus possess the nature of Adam after the fall or before the fall?
22. Did Christ experience God’s wrath on the cross?
23. Who resurrected Jesus? Did he resurrect himself?
24. What put Jesus on the cross? Was it sin or God?
25. What is this mystery of which the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians and Colossians?
26. In the old testament, did the practice of animal sacrifices, circumcision, and feasts offer salvation?
27. What is the seal of God vs the Mark of the beast?
28. Can you sin and still make it to heaven?
29. What is the best bible interpretation to use?
30. Is there some role we have in impacting the timeline of Jesus’ return?
31. How should be wait for the second coming of Jesus?
32. In what year was the bible recorded?
33. Did Jesus come to the world to deal with God’s wrath on man because of their sin or he come to take away sin?
34. Where is Jesus now and what is he doing?
35. Was there a time Jesus didn’t exist?
36. As Christians, should we fight the fight of faith or fight the fight?
37. What is the importance of tithes and offering?
38. What is the importance of baptism when I’m still going to sin anyway?
39. Does God remember forgiven sins?
40. Is the bible full of errors and contradictions?
41. What can we learn about politics from the bible?
42. How did the Virgin Mary conceive by the Holy Spirit?
43. Why is God so mean in the old testament?
44. Why does Jesus need disciples?
45. Can a wealthy person go to heaven?
46. Was Adam’s sin the original or Satan’s?
47. Aside Adam and Eve, did God create other people?
48. When did Joseph, the father of Jesus, die?
49. Did Jesus have any sibling?
50. Is God male or female?
51. Is Jesus really God?
52. When did Mary, the mother of Jesus, die?
53. Does God have a physical body?
    These are the biblical questions that make you think, you might have already thought of some of them and find the others completely new. If you don’t have biblical questions to ask in a bible study discussion group, here you go. You now have over a forty of them at your disposal which you can use at various bible study meetings.

These biblical questions are provocative and if you asked them to over sensitive Christians they might pick offence or get embarrassed but the facts still remain that they are questions and deserve answers. So, don’t stop asking, don’t stop exploring or looking for the answers.

A huge amount of satisfaction comes with finding answers to provocative questions and this satisfaction isn’t just limited to biblical questions alone. It stretches to philosophical, scientific, and other field that is shrouded in mystery.

Important Questions About Faith.

My first trip to Israel included a lot of destinations that, to me before the trip, were just names in the pages of the Bible. I was thrilled because this trip offered the promise that over the course of 10 days, we would learn a lot, see a lot, and experience a lot.

The pastor who was in charge of the tour asked me if I would be interested in preaching from one of the spots before we left. I leaped at the possibility to lecture from a location where my Lord and Savior taught the disciples more than two thousand years ago as a rising theologian with a passion for everything about Jesus. I looked through the schedule when the pastor asked where I would like to teach and saw that we were going to Caesarea Philippi.

The Gospel of Matthew (16:13–20) contains Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ, which is where I learned what I knew about this location. One of my favorite Scripture verses is found here. I knew what I needed to teach because of this text, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I started to craft a lesson that would have an effect on our group.

Let us now fast forward…

Understanding the Question

The Bible raises a ton of queries! In actuality, the Bible contains about 3,294 questions. There is so much to learn and think about! I’m thankful to God and the men in my small group for their assistance in providing me with some of the answers to these queries and for holding me responsible for clinging to the Bible’s redemptive power. My men’s study group stumbled to what is possibly the most crucial question in the Bible while reading the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 8:27-30 states,

And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?”And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.”

After we completed reading this passage, I couldn’t help but think of Matthew 16 and said that these lines answer the most crucial question in the entire Bible.

Can you appreciate how crucial it is for everyone to accurately respond to this question?

Jesus poses the most significant query in the entire Bible, and it is a fairly straightforward one: “But who do you say that I am?” “You are the Christ,” Peter says in response to the query.

Caesarea Philippi, the place where this conversation took place, was a Gentile town, a heathen community that did not revere the one true God. The northernmost point of Jesus’ career was the city of Caesarea Philippi, which was located on the southwest side of Mount Hermon. On their way to distant destinations, tourists would pass through this location.

Aside from the village, there were grottos carved into the mountainside that once housed statues of several “gods.” These fake deities, however, were only significant at the time and primarily served to divert worshipers from the one true God. Jesus was interested in learning how the disciples perceived him in relation to other gods in this situation. But who do you say that I am? was the most significant question ever asked in the ideal context.

Mad, Bad, or God?

No matter your circumstances or level of religious belief, you must respond to this question. So how do we respond to the query? Jesus, is he the Lord? Is he merely a decent man with a worthwhile message? Is he simply insane? He is what?

The question of Jesus has to be addressed in the following way, according to author C.S. Lewis, who makes this point in his book Mere Christianity: “Jesus was either Mad, Bad, or God” (or, to put it another way, “Liar, Lunatic, or Lord”).

He wrote,

I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.

Grasping the Gospel

Even though I did not follow Jesus, I have always believed that he was the Son of God. But I didn’t know anything about him. For instance, I was unaware that Jesus and God are one and that he has an unwavering love for me. Along the road, I’ve discovered that he is much more than I had anticipated:

• God loved the world so much that he sent Jesus into it. (John 3:16-17)
• Jesus Christ came to earth to seek and save the lost. (Luke 19:10)
• He came so that we could have life eternal with him in heaven. (1 John 5:11-13)
• He dwelled amongst us to bear witness about himself. (John 8:18)
• He lived a sinless life so that he could be our substitute on the cross. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• He went willingly to the cross to die for the forgiveness of our sins and the sins of all mankind. (1 John 2:2)
• He was crucified and he suffered and died so that we could be redeemed. (Galatians 3:13)
• And on the third day he rose from the dead to ascend to the right hand of the Father in heaven. (Luke 9:22)
• He’s coming back soon to claim those who are his. (Matthew 24:30-32)

Do you wish to get to know him better? Because you will be saved if you believe that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9). You can be saved if you sincerely believe in the Son of God. The gospel, or the good news of Jesus Christ, is this.

What would you answer if Jesus Christ were to question you, “But who do you say that I am?” while seated across from you right now? How might you react?

Asking the Question

For those who have already responded in the affirmative and acknowledge Jesus as Lord, your greatest problem may be persuading your agnostic relatives, friends, or coworkers to consider Jesus’ question. Christians face rising hostility from the outside world and, in some cases, family members. Just mentioning Jesus will elicit a wide range of reactions, from uncomfortable silence to open denial of his existence and rightful throne.

I still remember my parents’ surprise and perplexity when I revealed to them for the first time that I was a believer of Jesus Christ. I was quite awkward when I advised them to decide who Jesus was as soon as possible because those who do not confess him as Lord will spend eternity in hell.

The time is running out for people who don’t know him, and this is the most crucial query in the entire Bible. Therefore, I would like to encourage you, my fellow believer, to gently integrate Jesus into your daily talks with others in order to aid them in understanding Jesus’ identity. Find a means to explain to them that they will be required to respond to Jesus’ inquiry “But who do you say that I am?” when they stand before Him on Judgment Day.

“The key to wisdom is this – constant and frequent questioning, for by doubting we are led to question, by questioning we arrive at the truth.” – Peter Abelard

I really believe that asking thoughtful questions is the greatest way to learn. We learn to think critically and reach sound conclusions by conducting our own research by asking questions. Asking questions throughout our Bible study can help us learn a lot.

Consider asking extra questions as you read if you want to dig further or are stuck in your Bible study. Study as though you were conducting research. It’s worthwhile and satisfying. Those who choose to explore—and we search by asking questions—discover God’s hidden knowledge.

Here are five crucial queries you should ask yourself when you study the Bible to get you started.

5 Important Questions to Ask As You Study the Bible

1. What is the passage saying?

Before attempting to analyze the paragraph, it’s critical to fully comprehend what it is stating. Even on the surface, some passages, particularly those found in prophetic writings, can be very challenging to comprehend. There are so many names, locations, and symbols that it’s simple to get confused. Start by asking yourself the 5Ws and H questions whenever you encounter a passage that you are having trouble understanding.

• Who is involved
• What is happening?
• When is it happening?
• Where is it happening?
• Why is it happening?
• How is it happening?

You can also paraphrase sections that aren’t clear by restating in your own words.

If you need to, read the passages before and after to get a better understanding of the context.

Let’s look at Luke 14:1-6 as an example. Try answering the 5Ws and H to get a better understanding of what the passage is saying.

Once you feel comfortable understanding what the passage is actually saying, you can go on to the next question.

2. What does this passage mean?

Then, consider the passage’s meaning by asking yourself, “What?” You will start your interpretation of the passage here.

You need to be certain of the meaning of this verse before you can comprehend how God is trying to communicate with you via it. We must be careful not to extrapolate from the Bible and attempt to apply it to the circumstances of our own lives. By determining the passage’s intended meaning before making an application, we should study the other way around.

The passage should be read once more. Ask yourself more in-depth questions about the specifics as you read. Take note of anything that catches your eye. Anything you don’t understand, note it down. Anything that surprises you should be noted. Ask everything that comes to mind without hesitation. Remember that asking lots of questions is the greatest way to learn.

You should also review these points as you interpret scripture:

• Type of literature
• Historical Context
• Cultural Context
• Intended Audience
• Author
• Date of writing

A poetry book won’t be interpreted the same way as a book of prophecy, for instance. An Old Testament Historical work will not be understood in the same way as a New Testament Epistle to Christians of the Gentiles.

Is the book addressed to a certain individual or audience? What details about the audience do you know? Who wrote this? What is his background? When was it written? What was taking place at the date of writing?

Pay close attention to the text’s characters. They, who? What makes them important? The same questions should be asked of countries, cities, and famous sites.

These factors will all have an impact on how we read the paragraph. A meaning that God did not intend could be inferred if we interpret outside of context.

To better understand the meaning of passages you don’t understand, look for cross-references. Understanding how modern English language compares to the original languages used when the Bible was written can also be accomplished through Greek and Hebrew word study.

 

However, I advise reading them after you have posed your own inquiries and done all of the other strategies I listed above. Commentaries and sermons are also helpful.

We ought to take good care of God’s word. He has gifted us with a priceless gem. Even while it does take a little more time to interpret the Bible, it is worthwhile because we learn what God said to his people in the past and what he is trying to say to us today.

20 Most Frequently Asked Bible Questions (Topics)

Truth assertions are constantly being thrown to us. You must evaluate everything in the context of the one and only source of absolute truth—Word—in God’s order to truly distinguish between what is true and what is untrue.

Truth assertions are constantly being thrown to us. You are encouraged to trust what you are told by the news you hear, the blogs you read, and the television programs you watch. You must evaluate everything in the context of the one and only source of absolute truth—Word—in God’s order to truly distinguish between what is true and what is untrue.

How do you tell if the most recent fossil discovery actually matches the lofty aspirations of the headline? How would you rate the historical claims made at the public library lecture? How do you teach your kids to recognize the fallacious reasoning in that adorable dinosaur cartoon? Also, keep in mind that you should always be questioning the teachings of other Christians, whether it be in Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, the newest book, or even this essay.

The answer is to ASK the right critical thinking questions with the Bible as our foundation.

A Solid Foundation

By what standard do we test all things? The Bible. But what if the Bible doesn’t directly address the issue?

According to 2 Timothy 3:16–17, the Bible can be used for doctrine, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness so that we are fully prepared for every good deed. Paul warned the Colossian church and every believer not to be duped by ideas that are based on human tradition and worldly ideals. Instead, we ought to seek to place our reliance in Christ, in whom are all the riches of knowledge and wisdom (Colossians 2:1–10).

Paul also exhorts us as Christians to scrutinize everything and cling to what is right (1 Thessalonians 5:21). What criteria do we use to evaluate everything? The Bible What if the Bible doesn’t specifically deal with the matter? In these situations, we can use the knowledge we have learned from experience and the Spirit to apply the truths and principles of the canon of Scripture to the issue at hand, putting biblical discernment to use. But we must never lose sight of the fact that genuine wisdom only manifests itself after we acknowledge God as the origin of all knowledge (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10).

When we use the Bible as our guide for determining what is true, we have a strong foundation upon which to base our use of critical reasoning when evaluating claims that are made. God also doesn’t abandon us in this attempt. He has also given us fellow believers to encourage us and the Holy Spirit to lead us. By asking the appropriate critical thinking questions, you can separate fact from fiction even in fields in which you may not be an authority, when working alongside the body of Christ inside a biblical framework and led by the Holy Spirit.

ASK

Whenever a truth claim is presented, you have to determine whether you will accept it as true or reject it as false. Here is a framework that you can use, as well as teach to others, to evaluate those claims. When you hear a claim, stop and ASK some questions:

• What is this person’s Authority to make such a claim?
• From what Starting point is this person looking at the world?
• How do they Know what they claim to know?

Let’s expand on each of these ideas, and then we can turn to some examples of critical thinking.

Authority: Is the Person Credible?

When asking the authority question, you are evaluating whether the person making the claim has studied the issue and can speak with credibility. We often look for credentials in a teacher to establish authority, but it doesn’t take a PhD to be an authority on a topic. An earned degree from an accredited institution can help establish authority, but diligent study on a topic or extended experience can also provide the authority needed in various situations.1

Authority often comes from studying a topic thoroughly or extensively, whether formally or informally. You can become an expert on many topics through reading, practical application, or experience. The access to information and teaching through electronic forms has made it much easier to learn about many topics, but also much easier to be deceived by people presenting false ideas.

“I am not a doctor, but I play one on TV. When I have chapped elbows, I reach for Flarinex.” You may have heard similar claims or seen celebrities promoting the newest health fad on television, but this is a demonstration of a false authority—being an actor gives you no expertise in exercise, nutrition, or skin creams. You have to learn to be aware of false authorities—just because someone is an expert in one area does not mean they are an expert in another area. When addressing the issue of authority, you must decide the threshold you require based on the way you intend to use the information. Look for the appropriate level of authority for the situation, acknowledging that you must ultimately trust others to some extent when evaluating a truth claim. We must not blindly accept someone’s authority, especially if they are speaking outside of areas where they have studied or have extensive experience. However, we must acknowledge that it is often impossible to know just how much experience or study someone has in a given area. In these situations, we should focus on the other two questions—starting points and knowledge. Use critical thinking to analyze their worldview in light of Scripture and consider how they claim to know what they know.

Sometimes, people will appeal to some other expert when they don’t have much expertise of their own. In this case we have to evaluate the expert’s claims to get to the heart of the matter. Some people abuse their authority or expect other people to believe their authority based on deceit. It is our responsibility to think critically and evaluate their credibility, and we can never divorce their authority from what they look to as their authority—their starting point.

Starting Points: Is the Foundation Biblical?

Once the authority question is answered, you need to try to discern the starting point of the person making the claim: Does this person base their thinking on human philosophy or God’s Word? In other words, do they have a biblical, Christian worldview or a humanistic worldview? Ultimately, these are the only two options—you either trust God or you trust man. Although humanistic philosophy must borrow ideas from a Christian worldview in order to make logical arguments, it is very dangerous to make human reasoning the absolute standard.2

You may have heard the saying “the facts speak for themselves.” But stop and think for a moment: do they really? If you walk along a creek and notice some fossils in the rocks, do the fossils tell you how old they are or how they came to be buried in a rock? No. And that is why starting points are so important. Evidence does not speak for itself; it must be interpreted! When examining the fossils found in rocks, many scientists begin with the assumption that the Flood recorded in Genesis never happened. If they begin their examination of the evidence by rejecting the true biblical account of history, they can never come to the proper interpretation of the formation of fossils in the past (2 Peter 3:3–6).

While it may be difficult to examine the worldview of someone making a truth claim, there are many buzz words and clues you can listen for as they talk. If the idea of millions-of-years or evolution is introduced, you know you are dealing with an unbiblical worldview. If the complexity of the eye is attributed to a master designer, you may be dealing with someone who believes in a “higher power” or a Muslim, but not necessarily someone who believes Jesus is the Creator and Savior. If you hear someone talking about “traditional marriage,” they are appealing to tradition rather than approaching the topic from a distinctly Christian worldview by speaking of “biblical marriage” and calling people to look to the Bible as the defining source rather than a tradition in Western culture. Look for clues in areas where God or the Bible should be credited or referenced as an authority, but are not. Knowing that a person trusts the Bible as the ultimate source of authority can offer us more confidence that their claims are true.3

Knowledge: Is the Claim Confirmable?

The final aspect of this critical thinking framework takes a closer look at the evidence presented in light of the conclusions to answer “how do they know what they claim to know.” There are different levels of certainty when we begin to analyze knowledge claims. “We know the fossil clams in this rock are 127 million years old” is a different claim than “there are fossils in the rock that resemble clams living today.” The first assumes many things to make its claim while the second is a simple observation. To claim to know that the fossils are a certain age requires an interpretation of observations, known as data, not just direct observations. If you claim there is a jack in the trunk of your car, that claim can be examined by opening the trunk. If you make a claim about how the jack came to be in the trunk, a different type of inquiry is needed to evaluate your claim.

As described above, this interpretive process is based in a person’s worldview. Is the claim being made an interpretation of data or the data itself? Most often, the claim is an explanation or interpretation of the data. Evaluating whether the interpretation is correct is the goal of this framework.

Another thing to consider is the certainty with which a claim is made. It may be appropriate to frame a knowledge claim with words like “probably,” “most likely,” “from this perspective.” Look for these “squishy” words to help evaluate the claim in light of the evidence that is available and think critically about how certainly the claim is being made.

Ultimately, the knowledge claim must be compared to the truth of God’s Word. If the truth claim disagrees with a clear meaning of Scripture, it must be rejected. For example, if someone were to claim that all the languages spoken today developed from a common language as ape-like human ancestors spread across the globe, we know that is a false claim because it contradicts Genesis 10–11.

Summary

Using this ASK framework, you can equip yourself and others to stop and think critically, carefully, and biblically about ideas presented as truth. Admittedly, this is a simplistic critical thinking tool—hopefully simple enough for a child to use. But it is also flexible enough to allow for extensive study within each area so that it can be used on complex truth claims. If you will stop and ASK about the ideas you are receiving, you will be able to discern whether they are true or not.

In the following articles, we will look at several examples of critical thinking and put this framework to the test—with the goal of helping you to put it into practice the next time you scan your favorite news site or sit down to watch an educational program with your children.