Last week, we discussed some bad questions people asked in the Old Testament. This week, let’s turn to the New Testament, where we can find more examples of “bad questions.”
Luke records an incident in which Jesus was not accepted or allowed in a Samaritan village because He was on His way to Jerusalem. The inhospitality of the village angered a couple of the Lord’s disciples, who thought punishment was in order. Luke 9:54 says, “When the disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?’” On the surface, the request was impressive. It displayed great faith that they could accomplish such a thing. It also appears that they are defending the Lord’s honor. But Jesus rebuked them. They were taking vengeance into their own hands and letting their prejudices fuel their reaction. Boldness and zeal are good, but only when tempered by knowledge and Christ-like love.