Since the purpose of God's law was not to separate covenant from non-covenant members but to gather all peoples in God's mysterious election, the particularistic kosher laws are judged abrogated. R. L. Rohrbaugh, ed. Jerome H. Neyrey, in The Social Sciences and New Testament Interpretation , 159-82. R. L. Rohrbaugh, ed. The Interface of Rhetoric and Culture in Mark's Gospel.
Questions score points, draw blood, and shame opponents.
The same interpretation applies equally to the phenomenon of answering a question with a counter-question, which also is an aggressive weapon. There is little doubt, in my mind, that much of the authentic Jesus material reflects what one might broadly call the wisdom or popular philosophical tradition. Exegetical Notes by Brian Stoffregen at CrossMarks Christian Resources. It comes from within. It is part of our nature.