--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We cannot have all the answers, Job; we…" description: "\"“We cannot have all the answers, Job; we don’t even know all the questions.”\" — John H. Walton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/john-h-walton-28906_quote_we-cannot-have-all-the-answers-job-we-do_1502407.jpg" --- # We cannot have all the answers, Job; we don’t even know… ![“We cannot have all the answers, Job; we don’t even know all the questions.” quote by John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/john-h-walton-28906_quote_we-cannot-have-all-the-answers-job-we-do_1502407.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/john-h-walton-28906_quote_we-cannot-have-all-the-answers-job-we-do_1502407.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb5/john-h-walton-28906_quote_we-cannot-have-all-the-answers-job-we-do_1502407.jpg) > ““We cannot have all the answers, Job; we don’t even know all the questions.”” [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We lack complete answers and even lack full awareness of the questions we should be asking. **In simple terms:** We don't know all answers or questions. Key Takeaway Seek deeper questions. Themes knowledge humility inquiry wisdom Mood thoughtful humble Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - research - spiritual practice - education - problem solving Key Concepts epistemology theology Questions to Reflect On - What questions might you be overlooking? - How can you acknowledge what you don't know? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can blind us to unknown unknowns. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/questions/) ## Related quotes > [You’ll know her more by your questions than by her answers. Keep looking at her long enough. 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That's me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/god-twice-i-speak-it-i-say-his-name-in-a-futile-attempt-to-understand/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [My job is not to produce answers. My job is to produce good questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-ligon/my-job-is-not-to-produce-answers-my-job-is-to-produce-good-questions/) [Glenn Ligon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-ligon/) > [My job is not to give you all the answers. My job is to ask the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/my-job-is-not-to-give-you-all-the-answers-my-job-is-to-ask-the/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [I like films that deal with some of those questions that you can never answer: 'Why are we here? What's it about? 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There is a great answer to that one going around : “We don’t know ; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/is-it-a-boy-or-a-girl-there-is-a-great-answer-to-that-one-going/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) > [When you don't know what the answer is, you know \*Who\* the answer is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-burkett/when-you-don-t-know-what-the-answer-is-you-know-who-the-answer-is/) [Larry Burkett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-burkett/) > [“It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers. —James Thurber”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-palacio/it-is-better-to-know-some-of-the-questions-than-all-of-the-answers/) [R.J. Palacio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-palacio/) > [The more you read, the more you want to know, and so the more questions you have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xinran/the-more-you-read-the-more-you-want-to-know-and-so-the-more-questions/) [Xinran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xinran/) > [Its better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-better-to-know-some-of-the-questions-than-all-of-the-answers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Be careful. You think you know the answers but you don't even know what the questions are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raveswood/be-careful-you-think-you-know-the-answers-but-you-don-t-even-know/) Raveswood > [Xena: No. No. Yes. No. I tried that. Yes, both ways. No, I don't know. No, again. Are there any more questions? Good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xena-characters/xena-no-no-yes-no-i-tried-that-yes-both-ways-no-i-don-t-know-no-again/) Xena Characters ## More by John H. Walton > [“THERE IS GOOD REASON why Christian theologians consider theodicy the unsolvable theological issue. The reason is this: It is unsolvable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/there-is-good-reason-why-christian-theologians-consider-theodicy-the/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“Though we cannot expect to be able to think like they thought, or read their minds, or penetrate very deeply into so much that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/though-we-cannot-expect-to-be-able-to-think-like-they-thought-or-read/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“If we follow the sense of the literature and its ideas of creation, we find that people in the ancient Near East did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/if-we-follow-the-sense-of-the-literature-and-its-ideas-of-creation-we/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [Our point, however, is not to worship the Bible; we worship the God of the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/our-point-however-is-not-to-worship-the-bible-we-worship-the-god-of/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [The most central truth to the creation account is that this world is a place for God's presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/the-most-central-truth-to-the-creation-account-is-that-this-world-is/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“The Bible's message must not be subjected to cultural imperialism. Its message transcends the culture in which it originated, but the form in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/the-bible-s-message-must-not-be-subjected-to-cultural-imperialism-its/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“The Old World science found in the Bible would not be considered “wrong” or “false” as much as it would just offer a perspective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/the-old-world-science-found-in-the-bible-would-not-be-considered/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“In response, God appears to Job and compels him to live in mystery, not giving an answer to his suffering but asserting his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/in-response-god-appears-to-job-and-compels-him-to-live-in-mystery-not/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“Art that is based on scenes from the Bible is not better than art that is based on scenes from, say, Shakespeare or Homer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/art-that-is-based-on-scenes-from-the-bible-is-not-better-than-art/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“impose our own cultural ideas on the text without thinking. The Bible’s message must not be subjected to cultural imperialism. Its message transcends the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/impose-our-own-cultural-ideas-on-the-text-without-thinking-the-bible/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [Since all people are in the image of God, all deserve to be treated with the dignity the image affords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/since-all-people-are-in-the-image-of-god-all-deserve-to-be-treated/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“Though we recognize distinct cultural differences across time and place, the commonalities warrant our attention. To think about how these ancient commonalities need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/though-we-recognize-distinct-cultural-differences-across-time-and/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“God’s wisdom, not God’s justice, forms the basis of God’s activity in the world. Faith trusts that God is wise and that therefore his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the-basis-of-god-s-activity-in/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“THE RETRIBUTION PRINCIPLE (RP) is the conviction that the righteous will prosper and the wicked will suffer, both in proportion to their respective righteousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/the-retribution-principle-rp-is-the-conviction-that-the-righteous/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“It seems to many that they have to make a choice: either believe the Bible and hold to a young earth, or abandon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/it-seems-to-many-that-they-have-to-make-a-choice-either-believe-the/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) [Explore all 19 John H. Walton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) ## More Answer quotes > [Sometimes a question can hurt more than an answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/sometimes-a-question-can-hurt-more-than-an-answer/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [What you are is a question only you can answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/what-you-are-is-a-question-only-you-can-answer/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [Enjoying life isn't about finding the answers, but living the questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-margolis/enjoying-life-isn-t-about-finding-the-answers-but-living-the-questions/) [Sue Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-margolis/) > [The boldness of asking deep questions may require unforeseen flexibility if we are to accept the answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-greene/the-boldness-of-asking-deep-questions-may-require-unforeseen/) [Brian Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-greene/) > [“And if you can’t say yes, answer anyway. Because I’d rather live with the answer than die with the question.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-ellis/and-if-you-can-t-say-yes-answer-anyway-because-i-d-rather-live-with/) Jon Ellis > [“There is a cure and answer to everything, we just haven't found them yet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-halimi/there-is-a-cure-and-answer-to-everything-we-just-haven-t-found-them/) [Eve Halimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-halimi/) > [Whenever I'm asked about Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, I always answer: 'Neymar is the best,' not just because of his goals but because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-carlos/whenever-i-m-asked-about-cristiano-ronaldo-or-lionel-messi-i-always/) [Roberto Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-carlos/) > [A wiki works best where you're trying to answer a question that you can't easily pose, where there's not a natural structure that's known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-cunningham/a-wiki-works-best-where-you-re-trying-to-answer-a-question-that-you/) [Ward Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-cunningham/) > [“Those are good questions. I recognize good questions, because I can come up with them myself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-brust/those-are-good-questions-i-recognize-good-questions-because-i-can/) [Steven Brust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-brust/) > [My answer is bring 'em on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-answer-is-bring-em-on/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [I'll answer anything... I'm brutally honest, actually, which gets me in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-ll-answer-anything-i-m-brutally-honest-actually-which-gets-me-in/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [“...I guess I can put two and two together." "Sometimes the answer's four," I said, "and sometimes it's twenty-two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-guess-i-can-put-two-and-two-together-sometimes-the-answer-s-four-i/) [Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/) > [Jumping someone is never the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jumping-someone-is-never-the-answer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I play along myself, even though I can't help the player. So I can't say what I think the answer might be. But I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paddy-mcguinness/i-play-along-myself-even-though-i-can-t-help-the-player-so-i-can-t/) [Paddy McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paddy-mcguinness/) > [Sometimes the question is complicated, but the answers are simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-suess/sometimes-the-question-is-complicated-but-the-answers-are-simple/) [Dr Suess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-suess/) Browse all 2,090 Answer quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We cannot have all the answers, Job; we don’t even know all the questions.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John H. 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