Answering Questions
Larry Ray Hafley
Plano, IL
Not all questions can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." Neither is it wise to answer all questions "yes" or "no." For example, "Are only members of the 'Church of Christ' going to be saved? .... Are you against homes for poor little orphans?" Or, suppose I asked you if you have stopped beating your wife--"yes" or "no." If yes, then you were beating her. If no, then you are a wife beater!
Our Lord was asked a simple "yes" or "no" query in Matthew 22:17. "Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" If yes, then prejudice would be stirred against him among the Jews who detested paying tribute to tile ruling Romans. If no, then he could be arrested for disloyalty to "the powers that ~." Tile question was answered, not with a "yes or no but it was answered. Hence, it is not a sign of hedging or weakness to reply to certain questions without a direct "Yea, yea; nay, nay."
TRUTH MAGAZINE XIV; 26, p. 12
May 7, 1970
