What Is a Good Question to Ask About the Bible?

Jewish tradition has always prized rigorous questioning of scripture — it's essentially the engine of Talmudic reasoning. The rabbis didn't just permit hard questions; they institutionalized them. A good question to ask about the Bible, from a Jewish perspective, might be: What does this command actually require of me? or How do I reconcile two seemingly contradictory passages?

The Tanakh itself models this. When the Danites set out on a military mission, they paused to ask something profoundly practical: will this endeavor succeed? Judges 18:5 That kind of mission-oriented inquiry — bringing real-life stakes to the text — is considered legitimate and even pious. Deuteronomy pushes further, demanding not just a question but a thorough investigation: enquire, and make search, and ask diligently Deuteronomy 13:14, suggesting that a good question is one you're willing to pursue relentlessly.

Perhaps the most philosophically daring question in the Hebrew Bible appears in Psalms 73:11, where skeptics challenge divine omniscience head-on Psalms 73:11. Scholars like Jon Levenson (Harvard Divinity, 1988) have noted that the Psalter doesn't silence such doubts — it wrestles with them publicly. So a genuinely good question to ask about the Bible, in the Jewish framework, is one that takes the text seriously enough to push back on it.

Jeremiah 23:37 models another excellent question type — asking the prophet directly: What did GOD answer you? Jeremiah 23:37 This is accountability-oriented inquiry: not just what does the text say, but what authority stands behind it?

Christianity inherits the Jewish tradition of scriptural questioning and deepens it through the New Testament's own examples. Jesus himself is frequently shown asking questions rather than simply delivering answers — a Socratic quality that Christian educators like N.T. Wright have emphasized as central to his teaching method.

In Mark 9:16, Jesus turns to the scribes and asks directly: What question ye with them? Mark 9:16 It's a short verse, but it's striking — the Son of God opens with a question. This suggests that a good question to ask about the Bible is one that cuts to the heart of a dispute or misunderstanding, the kind that forces clarity.

Good Bible questions in the Christian tradition tend to cluster around a few themes: What does this passage reveal about Jesus? How does the Old Testament point forward to the New? What does this command mean for how I live today? Theologians like Gordon Fee (in his 1993 work How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth) argue that the best questions are both historical (what did this mean then?) and applicational (what does this mean now?).

Jeremiah 23:33 raises a question that's equally relevant for Christian readers: What is the burden of the LORD? Jeremiah 23:33 — a question about prophetic weight and divine seriousness. Christians reading the Old Testament often ask this of passages that seem harsh or puzzling, seeking to understand how they fit within a redemptive arc.

Islam doesn't use the term "Bible" as its primary scriptural reference, but the Qur'an directly engages with earlier scriptures and explicitly encourages questioning them. Quran 10:94 is remarkable in this regard — it instructs the Prophet Muhammad himself to consult those who have been reading the Scripture before you if uncertainty arises Quran 10:94. This is a Qur'anic endorsement of cross-scriptural inquiry.

The Qur'an also opens its 78th surah with a question: Whereof do they question one another? Quran 78:1 — framing human curiosity about ultimate matters as a natural and expected starting point for revelation. Islamic scholars like Fazlur Rahman (University of Chicago, d. 1988) argued that the Qur'an's rhetorical questions are pedagogical devices meant to activate the reader's own reasoning.

Quran 15:92 adds a sobering dimension: Them, by thy Lord, We shall question, every one Quran 15:92. This implies that questioning isn't one-directional — humans question scripture, but God will also question humans. A good question to ask about the Bible, from an Islamic vantage point, might be: Does this passage align with what the Qur'an confirms or corrects? Muslim tradition holds that the Torah and Gospel were originally revealed but have been subject to alteration (tahrif), so the question of textual integrity is itself considered a legitimate and important one.

A good question to ask about the Bible is, “What did GOD answer you?” because it directs study toward God’s revealed response rather than speculation. Jeremiah 23:37

Another strong approach is to ask in ways that verify truth: “Enquire, make search, and ask diligently,” which frames questioning as careful testing rather than casual curiosity. Deuteronomy 13:14

Sometimes the Bible itself models hard questions: “How could God know?”—a challenge that becomes the starting point for honest wrestling before God. Psalms 73:11

And when discerning life decisions, the text commends, “Please, inquire of God; we would like to know if the mission ... will be successful,” showing that questions should be oriented to covenant faithfulness and practical obedience. Judges 18:5

A good question to ask about the Bible is one that clarifies what Jesus is addressing rather than fueling disputes: “What question ye with them?” centers the issue and seeks understanding. Mark 9:16

Christians also read Israel’s Scriptures as formative for good questions, such as asking diligently to confirm truth and seeking what God has actually said, not merely what we assume. Deuteronomy 13:14 Jeremiah 23:37

Even when doubts or challenges arise, voicing them—as the psalmist does—can be faithful if it aims at deeper trust and discernment in God’s presence. Psalms 73:11

From an Islamic viewpoint, a good question about the Bible is one that seeks confirmation of truth by consulting knowledgeable People of the Book when doubt arises, while not dwelling in doubt. Quran 10:94

The Qur’an notes that people will be questioned, which encourages accountability in what we ask and accept.

It also observes humanity’s tendency to ask and argue, reminding seekers to frame questions toward guidance rather than polemics. Quran 78:1