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Answer
Riddles were a form of word puzzle widely utilized in ancient times, both for amusement and as a test of intelligence. Riddles enabled the speaker to conceal valuable information from the unworthy while simultaneously revealing an important truth to deserving listeners. Typically, a riddle’s language operated on two levels: it conveyed a literal meaning and a symbolic or allegorical message that was comprehended only by perceptive individuals.
Perhaps the most famous riddle in the Bible is the one Samson presented at his wedding celebration. Samson’s riddle belonged to the entertainment category commonly featured at weddings, banquets, feasts, and scholarly gatherings of antiquity. The bridegroom, Samson, entertained and provoked his thirty Philistine male guests by challenging them to solve a riddle within seven days. The reward Samson promised was thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothing for the successful solver. If no one could solve the riddle, the guests would need to provide Samson with an identical prize. Samson’s riddle consisted of a poetic couplet: “Out of the eater, something to eat; / out of the strong, something sweet” (Judges 14:12-14). Failing to solve the riddle, the thirty men pressured Samson’s Philistine wife for the solution, which she presented in the form of another riddle: “What is sweeter than honey? / What is stronger than a lion?” (verse 18). Samson’s fury at their “deception” led to his killing of thirty Philistine men (verse 19), triggering further violence and the demise of Samson’s wife «Then the Philistines said, Who hath done this? And they answered, Samson, the son in law of the Timnite, because he had taken his wife, and given her to his companion. And the Philistines came up, and burnt her and her father with fire. », (Judges 15:6)
The same word used for Samson’s riddle, ḥīdhāh, is translated as “hard questions” that the queen of Sheba put to King Solomon: “When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the LORD, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan, . . . she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her” (1 Kings 10:1-3). Someone who could solve riddles was considered a wise and discerning person. Like Solomon, Daniel was a skillful interpreter of riddles (Daniel 5:11-12).
Some proverbs such as those found in Proverbs 30:15–31 were initially considered riddles. These proverbs employed riddles as a way of teaching and testing wisdom «To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; The words of the wise, and their dark sayings. », (Proverbs 1:6) as well as exposing vices. In Ezekiel 17:1–10, a symbolic riddle compares King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to an eagle. And, in the New Testament, a mathematical riddle appears in the mysterious number of the beast, 666 «Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.», (Revelation 13:18).
Jesus sometimes used riddles to outsmart His opponents, such as the case when He asked, “How can Satan cast out Satan?” in Mark 3:23. In another passage, Jesus made use of a riddle to silence the religious leaders when they challenged his authority in Matthew 21:23–27.
The predominant reason for the use of riddles in the Bible is to convey important messages in a thought-provoking manner. Riddles serve as a tool for teaching, testing wisdom, and revealing deeper truths that require discernment to understand.
le was to hide information from the hard-hearted who rejected the truth while revealing it to true believers. In Matthew 13:10, the disciples asked Jesus why He spoke to the people in parables. Jesus answered, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them” (verse 11). Then Jesus pointed to the book of Isaiah: “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them” verse 15, quoting Isaiah 6:10.
Because of the condition of their hearts, the people who lacked faith were unable to comprehend the meaning in the parables. However, the people of faith had received God’s gracious favor and the ability to understand the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. Unbelief will cause a person to hear the truth and yet become more and more shrouded by their choice to disbelieve. However, those who receive and respond to God’s Word with an open heart will discover ever-broadening insight and revelation into spiritual truth.
Proverbs 25:2 says, “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” God is glorified by concealing information because a certain level of mystery about spiritual matters increases our sense of wonder and quest for discovery. God hides some truth so that we must search it out. Like looking for seashells or panning for gold, rarely do we find the most valuable treasures scattered on the surface of God’s Word. God includes riddles in the Bible because treasured truth must be searched for as we rely on the Spirit of God.
