Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 10 : 25-37 "AND WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR...?" Luke 10:29"
Day 127 – Luke 10
Text: Luke 10 : 25-37
“AND WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR…?” Luke 10:29
What was the original question of the lawyer? He began with a question, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25).
Jesus did not give him a direct answer! He could have, but He didn’t! What would Jesus have said, if He had answered that question directly? He knew that the lawyer would have attempted to tear the answer of Jesus apart, for He knew that the question was only to test Him.
The lawyer had overstepped himself. He who was full of confidence that he knew the Scriptures as well as The Teacher, had over-reached himself.
His theoretical knowledge of the Scriptures was sound enough. He had summarized the Mosaic Law succinctly and accurately too. One must truly love God – for that is the sum total of true faith! But that was surely not humanly possible?
Too late, he saw how he had entrapped himself! He wanted to show himself as one who had inherited eternal life, after all, was he not an expert in the Law of Moses? He realized that if queried further by The Teacher, whether he could demonstrate that he truly loved God with all his heart, soul, strength and mind… he would surely falter and fail! In which case, could he then confidently claim that he had eternal life?
In his self-righteousness, he countered the thrust that Jesus made. He tried to parry this thrust from Jesus, and thus he raised a last-gasp defence. Just who is this neighbour?
THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN
Gently and lovingly, Jesus told a parable. There was a traveler who “fell among thieves” (Luke 10:30). He was waylaid, robbed, wounded and left for dead.
Three men came onto this scene. The first man was a priest, but he decided to pass by on the other side of the road (Luke 10:31). A second man came on the same scene. He was a Levite. He was also a religious man. However, he too “passed on the other side” (Luke 10:32).
A third man came on the scene! Behold, he was a Samaritan! He saw the wounded man, and he was moved with compassion. Immediately, he attended to the wounded man, and did all he could for him.
The Samaritan went one step further. He knew that the injured man needed more attention. He decided that he must bring him to an inn, and there “he took care of him” (Luke 10:34).
The Samaritan had other pressing business that demanded his attention. Nevertheless, he still showed that he cared for the wounded man. He paid the innkeeper some money to ensure that the wounded man fully recovered from his wounds. He went so far as to promise the innkeeper that if extra expenses were incurred, he would pay those expenses in full (Luke 10:35).
What a parable! The lawyer must have shivered as Jesus drew his parable to a close. He feared the question that he knew was forthcoming.
“SO WHICH OF THESE THREE DO YOU THINK WAS NEIGHBOUR TO HIM WHO FELL AMONG THIEVES?” Luke 10:36
The inferential conclusion was given to the lawyer. He had the honour of drawing the inferential conclusion!
He could not say that the priest was very neighbourly! Neither could he point to the Levite as the perfect example of being a neighbour.
He did not want to say, “The Samaritan”. He would choke on those words! The animosity that Jews felt against Samaritans was too well known, and too deep!
Lamely, he replied,
“He who showed mercy on him.” Luke 10:37
The lawyer would never forget this lesson taught by The Teacher! He knew he was soundly defeated! Who was “the neighbour”? It was the Samaritan, the one who reached out a hand to help someone in distress!
A “lawyer” was usually a professional scribe (Luke mentioned them in association with the Pharisees in his Gospel fairly frequently). He was one deeply acquainted with the Mosaic Law. They copied the Law by hand. They were the acknowledged scholars. That they were in close association with the Pharisees would tell us quite a bit about them. They were like the Pharisees!
They were self-righteous. They prided themselves in their knowledge of the Scriptures! They kept themselves apart from “sinners”. They distanced themselves from people generally. Who were their neighbours? In reality, their neighbours would be people of their own kind!
They had already shown their contempt for “sinners” (Luke 7:39). The Pharisees and Scribes (lawyers) would find it very hard to consider sinners as “neighbours”.
The lawyer could not fault the logic and the obvious inferential conclusion demanded at the end of the Parable that Jesus told! He must have wished that he had not woken up that morning! Never had he been so soundly defeated in a public debate!
“GO AND DO LIKEWISE…” Luke 10:37
If the lawyer had looked into the eyes of The Teacher, he would not have seen much compassion in them. The Teacher had not mocked him. He had no intention of humiliating him at all.
He had seen through his “test”. However, there was sincerity in His tone of voice, when He urged him to “go and do likewise”.
He knew that The Teacher was right too. He and his colleagues knew their religion, but they did not practise their faith very well!
Was he really interested in inheriting eternal life? Was he genuinely concerned about his personal salvation?
Wherein lay true religion? It was to be found in truly loving God… and loving one’s neighbour too! Could he say that he loved God? Could he say that he loved his neighbour too? If he couldn’t, could he teach others about how they could inherit eternal life? So many questions – all unanswered yet! Do we have the same problems? Do we know how to love God and our neighbour too?