Questions to Ask About the Bible: What Three Faiths Say About Scriptural Inquiry

Judaism has one of the richest traditions of scriptural questioning in world religion. The Talmudic method — developed by rabbis like Hillel and Shammai in the first century BCE and codified through centuries of debate — is essentially a structured practice of asking hard questions about sacred texts. Far from being seen as irreverent, questioning is treated as an act of devotion.

Deuteronomy 13:14 makes this explicit in a legal context: the community is commanded to inquire, search, and ask diligently before acting on any claim about what God requires Deuteronomy 13:14. This isn't optional — the Hebrew verb darash (inquire) is the same root that gives us midrash, the entire genre of rabbinic scriptural interpretation. Questioning is built into the DNA of Jewish textual engagement.

King Josiah's command in 2 Chronicles 34:21 models another key type of question: asking what a newly discovered scroll actually means and demands of the community 2 Chronicles 34:21. Similarly, 2 Kings 22:13 records the same king urging his officials to "go, inquire of God" about the scroll's implications 2 Kings 22:13. These royal examples show that even leaders were expected to approach scripture with humility and curiosity rather than assumption.

Jeremiah 23:37 adds a prophetic dimension, urging people to ask directly: "What did God answer you? What did God speak?" Jeremiah 23:37 — a reminder that questions about scripture are ultimately questions about divine communication itself. Scholar Abraham Joshua Heschel (20th century) argued that Judaism's genius lies precisely in this: treating every generation's questions as legitimate and necessary for keeping the tradition alive.

Christianity inherited Judaism's culture of scriptural inquiry and developed it further through the lens of the New Testament. Jesus himself is frequently depicted asking and answering questions about scripture — and encouraging others to do the same. Mark 9:16 shows him asking the scribes directly: "What question ye with them?" Mark 9:16 — a simple but telling moment where Jesus invites open dialogue rather than shutting it down.

Christian theologians across history have championed rigorous biblical questioning. Augustine of Hippo (354–430 CE) argued in De Doctrina Christiana that careful, humble inquiry into scripture's meaning is essential to Christian formation. Thomas Aquinas (13th century) built his entire Summa Theologica on the method of raising objections and questions before offering answers — a model drawn directly from engagement with biblical and patristic texts.

The Protestant Reformation of the 16th century made personal questioning of the Bible even more central. Martin Luther's insistence on sola scriptura meant that every believer was, in principle, responsible for engaging scripture directly — which necessarily involves asking questions about its meaning, context, and application.

Good questions to ask about the Bible from a Christian perspective include: What does this passage mean in its original context? How does it relate to the life and teachings of Jesus? What does it demand of me ethically? How have the church fathers and reformers interpreted this text? These aren't just academic exercises — they're seen as spiritual disciplines. Jeremiah 23:37, shared with the Hebrew Bible, also informs Christian practice: asking "What has the LORD spoken?" remains a live question in Christian preaching and devotion Jeremiah 23:37.

Islam's relationship to the Bible is complex but genuinely engaged. The Quran acknowledges the Torah and the Gospels as earlier divine revelations, and it actually instructs the Prophet Muhammad — and by extension believers — to consult those earlier scriptures when in doubt. Quran 10:94 states plainly: "So if you are in doubt about that which We have revealed to you, then ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you." Quran 10:94 This is a remarkable verse: it frames questioning the Bible not as forbidden but as a legitimate route to confirming truth, provided one recognizes the Quran as the final, authoritative word.

Quran 68:37 poses a rhetorical challenge — "Or do you have a scripture in which you learn" Quran 68:37 — which classical commentators like Ibn Kathir (14th century) read as a challenge to those who make claims without scriptural grounding. The implication is that serious engagement with any scripture requires asking what it actually teaches, not assuming.

Quran 15:92 adds an eschatological dimension: "Them, by thy Lord, We shall question, every one" Quran 15:92 — a reminder that all people will ultimately be questioned about how they engaged with divine guidance. This creates a strong incentive for sincere, careful inquiry rather than superficial reading.

Islamic scholars like Al-Ghazali (11th century) and Ibn Rushd (Averroes, 12th century) both wrote extensively about the proper method of questioning sacred texts — emphasizing that questions must be sincere, methodical, and oriented toward truth rather than toward undermining faith. In the Islamic framework, asking good questions about the Bible is acceptable and even encouraged, as long as one understands that the Quran supersedes and corrects earlier scriptures where they differ.

Tanakh passages model how to question sacred texts: seek truth diligently, ask what God has spoken, and respond obediently to what’s in the scroll. Deuteronomy 13:14Jeremiah 23:372 Kings 22:13

• “What did GOD answer you? What did GOD speak?”—questions directed to prophets, centering divine message over personal opinion. Jeremiah 23:37
• “Is this report true?”—investigate carefully and verify facts before acting. Deuteronomy 13:14
• “Have we obeyed all that is written?”—treat the found text as binding and ask how to respond. 2 Kings 22:13
• “What consequences follow if we ignore the written word?”—leaders feared wrath for neglecting the scroll’s commands, prompting inquiry. 2 Chronicles 34:21

Disagreement is expected but handled by inquiry and appeal to the text’s authority. Deuteronomy 13:14

The New Testament shows Jesus entering disputes by asking clarifying questions, while the Old Testament (part of the Christian Bible) models diligent inquiry and obedience to what’s written. Mark 9:16Deuteronomy 13:142 Kings 22:13

• “What are you disputing, and why?”—clarify context, claims, and sources when disagreements arise. Mark 9:16
• “Is this report true? Have we examined it diligently?”—test claims before drawing conclusions. Deuteronomy 13:14
• “What has the Lord spoken here?”—center the divine message rather than partisan positions. Jeremiah 23:37
• “How should we respond to the words of this scroll?”—move from hearing to obedience. 2 Kings 22:13

Christian inquiry, like Jesus’s approach, doesn’t dodge conflict; it interrogates it to reveal what God has actually said. Mark 9:16Jeremiah 23:37

The Qur’an directs a truth-seeking posture toward earlier scripture: consult those who read it if you are in doubt, learn from scripture, and remember all will be questioned. Quran 10:94Quran 68:37Quran 15:92

• “If in doubt, who among the People of the Book can clarify what they read?”—seek informed readers of earlier scripture. Quran 10:94
• “What does your scripture actually teach on this point?”—appeal to the text itself as the source of learning. Quran 68:37
• “Given that we will all be questioned by God, are we approaching this text honestly?”—read with accountability. Quran 15:92

Thus, Muslims can frame respectful questions about the Bible by asking recognized readers what the text says and how they understand it. Quran 10:94