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Why not?

December 21,  2008  - Dale

Why did Zechariah get into to trouble for asking the angel a question and Mary didn’t when she asked a similar question? Was this a matter of expecting more from the old, or of making allowances for young women? Was it some kind of favouritism (perhaps giving a new meaning to “you who are highly favoured”)?

In fact the two questions are quite different. An angel appears to Zechariah at the altar of incense in the inner part of the Temple. He tells Zechariah about the birth of a son. Zechariah is scared out of his wits by the angel. And then he asks, “How can I know this?” How can I be sure of this?

We may well ask, what is wrong with being spoken to by an angel? Isn’t that enough to go on? His question is about whether he can be sure that what he was told is true. No wonder he got into trouble – for him it was a matter of belief.

Mary on the other hand, asked a different question. “How will this happen?” How am I to have a baby when I don’t have a husband? It is a practical question about how to have a baby. And she is told the answer by the angel.

She doesn’t have a problem with belief because she says, “Let it happen as you have said.”

Questions are powerful things. They can disguise fear, opposition, or unbelief without us having to come out and say it plainly.  Sometimes without us being aware of what we are doing.

And they rub off on to others. It is interesting that when John was born, Zechariah was asked his opinion about the name for the child. Instead of asking him out loud, the friends and relatives made signs to him. Why did they do this, since he was not deaf but only dumb? Perhaps it was because that is how he communicated to them. They were just using what they thought was his language – signs.

One of the first things I learnt when I started teaching was the difference between the question, “Why?” and the question, “Why not?”. When students asked for something, the negative question is “Why?”. It suggests the answer will be “No”. But “Why not?” suggests a more favourable answer.  It reflects a different attitude.

It is easy to ask doubtful, negative questions. When it comes to what we are told about Jesus, it would be better to ask, “Why not?” Why should not this be true? Why should I not follow this man?

Dale

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