Question about Biblical Questions

[LAArtMinistries]

:help: Can anyone tell me the difference between a rhetorical question, a contact question, a factual question, a thought-provoking question and a Application question and can you point out examples of each in the bible? Please answer as soon as possible. Thank you!

[Jaltus]

These are the answers I would give, which may or may not be right. I am quite certain about rhetorical questions and factual questions, but not so sure about the toher two.


A thought-provoking question is one in which the listener is expected to reflect on the possible answers, thinking about what it means. An answer is not needed to be spoken aloud.

Jonah 4:10 But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight.
11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

A factual question is one seeking information as an answer.

Acts 1: 6 So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"


A contact question is one in which the question is asked in order to establish a frame of reference. The point is to get the assumed answer in order to facilitate more action.

Acts 8: 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"

Finally, a rhetorical question is one which is asked with no answer expected. Other than the factual question, all the other types of questions can be subcatagories of rhetorical questions.

Acts 8: 31 "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

[LAArtMinistries]

:yipee: Your thinking and mine were exactly the same. I just wanted a second opinion. I thank you for making and taking the time to walk me through the Word and make plain the answers to my queries.

May God bless you in all that you do.
:yipee:(PGOL) = Praising God Out Loud!
Shalom,
LAArtMinistries

[Jaltus]

Np. That is one of the reasons I am on this board.