Responding to Loaded Questions

Daily Office Devotional, Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Proper 15, the week of the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrase for reflection from today’s reading:

13 Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. 14And they came and said to him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?

Daily Office Lectionary readings

AM Psalm 119:145-176; PM Psalm 128, 129, 130

2 Samuel 18:19-23; Acts 23:23-35; Mark 12:13-27

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Office Gospel, Mark 12:13-27, NRSV

13 Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to trap him in what he said. 14And they came and said to him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? 15Should we pay them, or should we not?’ But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, ‘Why are you putting me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it.’ 16And they brought one. Then he said to them, ‘Whose head is this, and whose title?’ They answered, ‘The emperor’s.’ 17Jesus said to them, ‘Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they were utterly amazed at him.

18 Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, saying, 19‘Teacher, Moses wrote for us that “if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.” 20There were seven brothers; the first married and, when he died, left no children; 21and the second married her and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise; 22none of the seven left children. Last of all the woman herself died. 23In the resurrection whose wife will she be? For the seven had married her.’

24 Jesus said to them, ‘Is not this the reason you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God? 25For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the story about the bush, how God said to him, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? 27He is God not of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong.’

David's Reflections

Give and take, dialog and debate, question and answer--the stuff of community. As a teacher at the high school, college, and seminary levels, I relished the interchange with students. And, as a priest, I do as well. Occasionally, however, what had the appearance of a question really was a set up. When someone already knows the preferred answer to a question before asking and asks for reasons less than honorable, they are asking a loaded question. Those were quite common at the seminary level, when a student had a different theological perspective and asked a question in an attempt to trap a teacher or to set them up to be accused of theological error. (I taught at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary at the height of the moderate/fundamentalist controversy among Southern Baptists.)

Jesus, in these three controversy stories, got hit with two loaded questions. In the first instance, the question about taxes, they anticipated one of two answers--yes or no. Either answer would trap Jesus into a difficult place. If he said yes, his fellow Jews who despised Rome would take exception. If he said no, he would appear to be advocating sedition against the Roman government. The Sadducees, who did not even accept the concept of resurrection, asked the second question. It was one of their favorite debating questions in their disputes with the Pharisees, who did embrace resurrection as part of their theology.

In neither case did Jesus give a direct answer. A loaded question does not deserve one. He immediately saw through the hidden agendas and turned the questions back on those who asked. We can take our queue from Jesus here and respond to a loaded question with one we've prepared beforehand, something like "I am curious about what prompted you to ask me that particular question?"

The problem with a loaded question is the lack of integrity involved. The person posing the question asks for dishonest reasons. Information is not the intent; rather, exposure and entrapment lie behind such questions. Such questions erode the fabric of community, because the hidden agenda weakens trust. First, the person asking does not trust the person he or she is questioning. Second, the person being questioned in this dishonest way loses faith in the honesty of the questioner.

In a Christian community, we are getting to know one another and learning to trust one another. Each trustworthy word or action enhances credibility. Each untrustworthy one erodes it. It is doubly important that we speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4) with one another and avoid hidden agendas and dishonestly posed questions. Speak the truth in love--that has such a deep and sweet ring to it. And, it interweaves us more deeply into community, a community that can enlarge its heart to embrace difference and treasure it rather than seek conformity and punish difference.

Collect of the Day, Proper 15, the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Almighty God, you have given your only Son to be for us a sacrifice for sin, and also an example of godly life: Give us grace to receive thankfully the fruits of this redeeming work, and to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 232)

A Collect for Grace

Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 100)

For those we Love

Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to your never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that you are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 831)

A Collect for the Presence of Christ

Lord Jesus, stay with us, for evening is at hand and the day is past; be our companion in the way, kindle our hearts, and awaken hope, that we may know you as you are revealed in Scripture and the breaking of bread. Grant this for the sake of your love. Amen. (BCP, 124)

A Collect for Mission

Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. (BCP, 101)