Questions Asked and Answered.
By E. GOODRICH
In reading the New Testament, especially the Gospels, one is very forcibly impressed with the fact, that every question propounded to the Saviour received a ready and most appropriate answer, whether asked for instruction, or for the purpose of political or religious gain. And not only is this true of questions in the aggregate, but it is also true of particular questions, several of which may apparently be embodied in one. And not only is every several question answered in a particular manner, but every such occasion was used by the Saviour for the purpose of teaching other important practical truths, some of which did, and others of which did not, stand immediately related to the questions asked. As an illustration of the truth of the foregoing, we may refer to the one who came to Jesus and inquired what he should do to inherit eternal life. We read, "And, behold, one came and said unto him, good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" Matt. xix, 16. Here is a distinct question, not of an individual but of a general character, the answer to which is applicable, not only to the one that asked it, but to every one. The answer forcibly corresponds with the question in every particular. The Saviour before answering it however, as if to disabuse the mind of all undue regard for personalities and properly impress them with the authority of God, said, "Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God." He then said, "But if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Verse 17. Here is one plain question asked and answered. But the young man was not satisfied, and asked another question in the verse, "Which?" evidently referring to the commandments spoken of by the Saviour. There can be no reasonable doubt but what this question, as the former, has received a prompt and complete answer; for we read, "Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honor thy father and thy mother; and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Here is another question asked and answered; yet there is a dispute as to whether Christ in his quotations referred to a particular class of commandments, or whether he particularized every commandment necessary to be observed in order to secure eternal life. If the former be the correct rule of interpretation, and Christ referred to the entire class of moral precepts, then those are necessarily included that enjoin our duties to God as well as to our fellow-men; but if the latter is true, not only the first four commandments of the decalogue, but every other commandment even the great commandment itself is purposely omitted. This cannot be. Such a conclusion is too absurd to be indulged in for a moment. Again the young man after listening to the answer given to his second question said, "All these things have I kept from my youth up; what lack I yet?" Verse 20. Here is a third question, "What lack I yet?" not general, but personal, applying only to the young man that asked it; and the answer corresponds precisely, by telling him what he should do in order to be perfect. And this is the manner in which every question whether of a personal or general character is treated by the Saviour. There is, however, one instance which at first sight seems to form a kind of exception to this rule. It is found by reading "And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from Heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From Heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye then not believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things." Matt. xxi, 23-27. From every point of observation at which we may look at him, Christ is every way worthy of being called the great master Teacher. None so low or so humble but what he is ready to instruct, and none so high but what he is able and willing to teach; and the question oftimes occurs, why did he not answer the chief priest and elders of the people and tell them by what authority he did these things? Was it because he feared them? Was it for this reason that he did not wish them to know? or was it because of their manifest unwillingness to understand and obey the truth? or lastly, was it because he could not consistently with the dignity of his high and holy mission? But before attempting to answer the latter question, we should remember that there are two kinds of dignity, the one of person and the other of principle; and while the former is never a reliable rule, yet is often mistaken for the latter, the latter is always an infallible guide and should never be sacrificed to satisfy the idle curiosity or caprice of any one. Principles never lie. Principles never change. Principles are always true, not only to themselves but to all things else; so that no action regulated by principle can swerve in the least from a given course. And it is a fact that we should particularly note that every act of the Saviour's life was in strict harmony with, and governed by, the highest principles of morality, honor and truth. The case, then, is a very plain one. Those who asked the question, neither possessed aptitude nor willingness of mind to receive the truth. This is manifested by the question of the Saviour. The baptism of John, whence was it? from Heaven, or of men? At first sight it might seem that the Saviour wished to avoid answering the one asked him, by asking another; but this is not the case; for the question he asked was every way pertinent, because the mission of John was a part and parcel, and an embodiment of the primary lessons of the then present truth. The testimony of John and the entire burden of his preaching was Christ the Messiah. And as no one can comprehend advanced truths before understanding elementary ones, the Saviour began at the very point where every wise teacher necessarily begins. He began with the first plain and simple lesson of practical truth that particularly belonged to that age, and that properly led to the solution of the question asked him. But finding them from personal and selfish motives, unwilling to answer so simple and plain a question either way, he said unto them, "Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things." Neither did he in answering in this manner, show any unwillingness to receive and answer questions; but he manifested his own God-like greatness and the dignity of his high and holy calling—the dignity of principle.