Luke 10:25-37 - Obedience
leads to eternal life. The common understanding of a neighbor is one who lives
close to you in a neighborhood. In today’s world this is not necessarily the
case. Many do not even know even the name of the family who lives in the
apartment down the hall, nor the couple living in the adjoining townhouse.
Using this definition of “neighbor,”
the lawyer was sure he was exempt from the law to love your neighbor. In the
parable, Jesus gives a new understanding of a neighbor; he is one who is in
need of your assistance given out of love.
Obedience to God leads to Eternal Life
The two great commandments and the parable of the Good
Samaritan. The parable is helpful as it not only defines a neighbor but illustrates
obedience to the divine law of love.
The term “Lawyer,”
V.25 refers to a scribe or an expert in the Law of Moses; He “stood up” probably to attract Christ’s
attention. He has a reason for testing Jesus, possibly to convict Him of some
unorthodox statement that would injure His reputation as a teacher.
Jesus cleverly turned the tables on His cross-examiner
V.26 by showing that he lawyer already knew the answer to his question. The
answer was drawn from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, correct as far as
the word went. V. 28
But no one can do what the Law requires toward God and
neighbor, yet, inability to keep the Law for eternal life does not mean there
is to be no effort to keep it. Implicit in Jesus words V.28 is the idea that we
are not merely to theorize about love but to practice it.
Now the lawyer probably embarrassed and perplexed,
tried to show that he had acted in good faith by putting forth another
question, ”And who is my neighbor?” V.29
Where am I do draw the line? What
followed was not to answer the man’s question but to show him that it was the
wrong question. The right question is not”whom
am I to regard as neighbor?” but rather, “to who can I be a neighbor?” The right answer to that question is, “to anyone in need of my help.”
One’s neighbor may well be the person you least
expect. Love knows no bounds of race, space, or character.
The Lord asks, “How
does the Law read?” The first table is obvious; God should always be number
one. The second table is equally plain; “Love
your neighbor as yourself.” One who can accept himself, in spite of all sins
and failures, as one whom God has loved and forgiven, must also extend also
such loving forgiveness and acceptance to those who are also loved of God;
namely, our neighbors, our fellow-man.
“Who is my
neighbor?” asks the scribe in response. In Phillips’s translation the
answer is given succinctly; “He who shows
practical sympathy.”
What exactly does the Lord Jesus want to convey to His
audience? They should not merely have“head
knowledge” of faith; they should really give up on the idea of “seeking to justify themselves.” For salvation is impossible to men it is
possible only with God. But, if a person knows that the justified child of God
in Christ is to live that faith, how doe he do it? By loving the LORD God and
by extending practical help to others in the world.
[1] The Good Samaritan Woodcut by Baron Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his book, The Book of Books in Pictures ©WELS for personal and congregational use.
[2] Collect for Friday of the Week of Pentecost 5, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
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