And they came to Capernaum. And when He entered the house, He asked the disciples, “What were you arguing about with one another on the way?”
The Lord knew their conversation, but He asks in such a way that they themselves might reveal the condition of their heart. Reaching Capernaum becomes not only a change of place, but a moment of inward examination. Christ often brings His disciples to a state where the outward course comes to a halt and the examination of the heart begins. The conversations held along the road often uncover a person’s true desires. For this reason, this question is directed not to gain information, but to set them face to face with their hidden ambition for glory.