Trick Questions

Have you ever wondered why when someone asked Jesus a question He didn't just give a simple answer? Like when the woman from the well asked if He wanted water He answered with “I have water that will make you never thirst again.” Was this a trick question?
Or when He told His disciples they would have to eat His body and drink His blood. You have to admit this must have freaked them out at times.
There's a story in Luke where John the Baptist hears about Jesus and he sends a couple of his disciples to ask “are you the one I have been preaching about or should I be expecting someone else?”
Luke 7:19 Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” Simple question right? He just wants to know if Jesus is the Messiah or not. John just needed a yes or no but this is the response Jesus gives.
20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’ 21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
Why do you think Jesus answered that way? Glad you asked :)
Jesus knew that John the Baptist was a mighty man of God and that He studied the law and the prophets. John knew that the Messiah would be able to do certain things to prove he was the son of God because John knew what Isaiah proclaimed. John was eagerly expecting what God said was going to happen. The prophet told what things the son of God would be able to do so when the word matched up with the man he believed it was him.
Isaiah 29:18-19 In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll,
and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
Once more the humble will rejoice in the LORD; the needy will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 35:5-6 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy.
Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.
John's disciples asked Jesus if He was the one and He could have just said yes but He did what He always did He responded with God's word knowing that John would understand.
All of the things Isaiah the prophet wrote that the Messiah would do were being done by Jesus.
Later in Jesus ministry He was trying to comfort His disciples about His leaving them. He was assuring them that even though He had to leave He would be back for them.
John 14:2-3
My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
A Rabbi I met years ago explained this verse to me and why the Jews not only understood it but were comforted by it.
Unlike today where we all want our own homes a Jewish family lived together in one big house. As the family got bigger they would add on a room so after a few generations of a family living together the house would have a lot of additions or a lot of rooms.
When a young man asked a woman to marry him he and his family would begin to build on another room to the home. After the marriage the bride and groom would move in with his parents. The father would decide when it was time for the son to go get his bride. No one knew when that would be not even the son however the bride knew the son would come for her and bring her back to his home.
Well the bride to be also lived in a house with many rooms so if the groom's father said tonight you can go get your bride the groom would go to his fiance's home to find her but the problem was there would be so many rooms he wouldn't know which one was hers.
The custom was the soon to be virgin bride would keep a lamp burning in her window 24 hours a day so no matter when her future husband came he would know which room was hers.
Do you remember the story about the 10 virgins?
Matthew 25:1-13 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
The Jews understood this scripture because it related to the life they were living. Jesus used stories they could relate to to explain God's plan.
Today if we ask the question is Jesus coming back we can still use these same scriptures because God's word is the same yesterday today and tomorrow.
Yes Jesus went to Heaven and yes He's coming back for us. We are His bride and He is our bridegroom. We too don't know the day or time He will come for us so we need to be ready. We need to keep oil in our lamp or Gena translation have a relationship with Jesus to make sure He knows us.
Jesus disciples wanted to know what signs to look for so they would know when He was coming back. We don't know the day or hour either but we do know there will be signs given to us so we know when it's getting close. God uses the example of a pregnant woman because every culture can relate to that. He says there will be a beginning to the signs like the initial birth pains in labor.
Matthew 24:4-14 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.
Just like John the Baptist knew by the scriptures what to expect regarding Christ's arrival we know what things to expect before Christ return.
It's not a trick question or a trick answer.
Jesus is still answering our questions using God's word, but if your not reading it you won't know the answers. John would not have known for sure that Jesus was the Messiah if he didn't know God's word. You won't know who the real Messiah is and who the false ones are if you don't read God's word.
There's a lot more to read on the subject but too much for this jewel. I encourage you to read your Bible and know the signs of our Lord's return and like those wise virgins be ready so when the door is shut your on the inside of it. The question of Christ return is not a trick question so don't get tricked with false answers. Be like John and know what the prophets tell you.