What Questions to Ask About Christianity (and How Judaism & Islam Compare)

Judaism has always been a tradition that prizes questioning. From the Passover Seder's four questions to Talmudic debate, asking is considered a form of worship. When encountering Christianity, Jewish thinkers — from Maimonides (12th century) to modern scholars like David Novak — have consistently asked whether claims about Jesus align with Hebrew prophetic texts John 1:25. The question posed in John 1:25, "Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?", actually reflects a Jewish interrogative framework rooted in prophetic expectation John 1:25.

Key questions Judaism raises about Christianity include: Does Jesus fulfill the specific, measurable criteria of the Jewish Messiah? Why does Christianity reinterpret the Hebrew Bible through a Christological lens? Jewish scholars note that the "great mystery" Paul references in Ephesians Ephesians 5:32 is precisely what Judaism finds theologically problematic — the identification of a human figure with divine redemptive purpose. These aren't hostile questions; they're the natural product of a tradition built on rigorous textual scrutiny.

Christianity not only welcomes questions — it demands them. Paul's letter to the Corinthians issues a striking challenge to every believer: "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves." 2 Corinthians 13:5 This verse, beloved by Reformed theologians like John Calvin and later by Puritan writers, frames self-questioning as a spiritual discipline rather than a sign of doubt. The most important questions to ask about Christianity therefore begin internally: Do I genuinely trust in Christ? Is my faith lived or merely professed? 2 Corinthians 10:7

Externally, Christianity also invites historical and doctrinal questions. Jesus himself modeled this — while the Pharisees gathered, "Jesus asked them" pointed theological questions Matthew 22:41, and he engaged scribes directly about contested matters Mark 9:16. Scholars like N.T. Wright and Alister McGrath argue that Christianity is uniquely open to interrogation because its truth claims are historically grounded. Questions worth asking include: What is the evidence for the resurrection? What does it mean that Christ is "in you" 2 Corinthians 13:5? And what is the nature of the Church as described in Ephesians Ephesians 5:32?

It's worth acknowledging disagreement within Christianity itself. For instance, 1 Corinthians 14:35 reflects a first-century ecclesial context that has generated centuries of debate about gender and participation in worship 1 Corinthians 14:35 — a reminder that asking hard questions within Christianity is just as important as asking them from outside.

Islam shares with Christianity a deep reverence for Jesus — known in Arabic as Isa — but asks fundamentally different questions about his nature and mission. The Quran (Surah 4:171) explicitly states that Jesus was a messenger of God, not divine, making the Christian doctrine of the Trinity a central point of Islamic inquiry. Muslim scholars from Ibn Taymiyyah (14th century) to contemporary apologist Zakir Naik have structured their engagement with Christianity around questions of textual authenticity: Has the Bible been preserved accurately? What did Jesus actually claim about himself?

Islam's approach to questioning mirrors the spirit of Acts 25:20, where uncertainty about religious claims prompts formal inquiry Acts 25:20. Islamic jurisprudence encourages believers to ask qualified scholars when facing complex theological questions — a practice called istifta. When Muslims ask questions about Christianity, they tend to focus on the concept of atonement (does God require a sacrifice for forgiveness?), the nature of scripture, and the identity of the Paraclete mentioned in John's Gospel, which some Muslim scholars interpret as a reference to the Prophet Muhammad rather than the Holy Spirit. These are earnest, structured questions rooted in Quranic confidence that truth can withstand scrutiny.