On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denariiand gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” — Luke 10:25
This parable, best known as “The Good Samaritan,” is found only in the gospel of Luke, is one of the best known of all of the parables of Jesus as it speaks to human compassion toward our neighbors. It also at one point asks and answers the question, “And who is my neighbor.” It’s a beautiful story of mercy from an unlikely source and a model testimony for all of us.If the parable about “The Prodigal Son” is the best known short story ever written, then this parable is probably the second best known and quoted.
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” — Luke 10:25
Someone once said that “An expert is someone who has made all the mistakes which can be made in his field.” Under that definition, I qualify as a pastor expert. Edward Meece, former Attorney General with President Reagan, said an expert is “somebody who is more than 50 miles from home, has no responsibility for implementing the advice he gives, and shows slides.” The “expert in the law,” who questions Jesus, although appearing to be interested in matters of eternal life, may have been not so much after information as he was trying to trip Jesus up, to embarrass him or show him up as a fraud. This happened several times in the ministry of Jesus and he was equal to the task. The word for test here is a strong word which literally means “to try, tempt or prove.” Matthew’s gospel uses the same word when Jesus warns the devil “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Mt. 4:7; Dt. 6:16). See also Acts 5:9; 1 Cor. 10:9.
I’ve encountered several “experts in the law” in my pastoral lifetime. I’ve probably been one myself. They’re usually hard to deal with because they’re out of balance between truth and grace. They often consider themselves as keepers of the true doctrine — and beat people up with the word without showing grace and compassion. That’s what Jesus points out in this parable.
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ ; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” — Luke 10:26-28
Jesus is talking to a lawyer so he deems it best to point him to the law. The lawyer answered correctly by quoting from the law (Dt. 6:5; Lev. 19:18). Jesus also quoted these same commandments and added that “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Mt. 22:40). It’s easy for us to quote Scripture to others. It’s another thing to live by them in obedience. Jesus issued a challenge to the lawyer and to us. Yet — I would assume that the lawyer and none of us can measure up to those commandments on a consistent basis. None of us can keep that law. That’s why we need God’s grace.
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” — Luke 10:29
I imagine he was sure that he qualified in keeping these commandments with his limited concept of “neighbor” — the guy next door. Jesus knew that. Because this man is a legalist, he’s looking for a rule or a set of rules that he could keep in order to be declared righteous. That’s what legalists do — they set rules and regulations upon people to prove their holiness. Jesus is going to tell him through a parable that eternal life is not a matter of keeping rules at all. Love is not limited to the righteous but also to the needy.
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. — Luke 10:30
The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was one of the most treacherous there was. Downhill and winding all the way, it was a haven for criminals and robbers. Most would not travel it alone. It was called in later centuries, “The Bloody Way.” This man had made a bad choice and should not have even been there by himself. After he was robbed and beaten, he was left dying in the middle of the road. Does any of this sound familiar? Did you read the paper this morning?
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. — Luke 10:31
A priest was one who helped with the sacrifices in the Temple. Obviously, he didn’t want to get involved. Maybe he thought the man was dead and to touch his body would have ceremoniously defiled him according to the Law. He would have had to go through a cleansing procedure for the next seven days in order to serve in the Temple again. So he passed by on the other side of the road — not bothering to see if the man was dead or alive. That’s the way legalists are. Keeping the ceremonial law was deemed greater than keeping the law of compassion and mercy.
So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. — Luke 10:32
A Levite, from the tribe of Levi, also worked in the Temple as an administrator and helped in the various Temple services. He, too, was fearful of being defiled so he ignored the dying man as well. Ceremonial purity won the day.
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. — Luke 10:33-34
As Jesus continued to tell the parable, I’m sure that his listeners expected that the next character in the story would also be a Jew, perhaps a Jewish layman who would perhaps do the right thing since he would not be defiled. What a surprise when Jesus introduces a hated “Samaritan” into the story. Samaritans were hated by the Jews who considered them collaborators and half-breeds. Samaria was a mixture of Jews who intermarried with Assyrians who inhabited the land when Israel was taken into captivity. They were considered as dogs and no self-respecting Israelite would have anything to do with them. Can you imagine the look of horror on their faces as Jesus introduces the hero of the story? I love it!
Notice the great lengths that the Samaritan went to in helping this injured, dying and perhaps unconscious victim. He bandaged his wounds, probably tearing strips of cloth from his own clothes. He poured wine on the cuts to cleanse them and then oil to soothe the pain. He put him on his own donkey, which meant he had to walk and took him to the nearest place of rest — an inn — “and took care of him.” I don’t think he just dropped him off. It appears he stayed the night making sure he was responding and was going to be all right.
The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ — Luke 10:35
The Greek text identifies the “two silver coins” as two denari, one of which represented a single day’s wages. The Samaritan gave up the equivalent of two days pay to help with the expenses. It is calculated that the going motel rate in those days was about 1/12 of a denari a night, so he made arrangements for almost a month’s stay for the injured man to recuperate. If that wasn’t enough, he promised to pay whatever was extra when he returned.
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” — Luke 10:36
This is a rhetorical question — a question that has an obvious answer. Could there have been any other reply on the part of the lawyer.
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” — Luke 10:37
It’s not a matter of keeping the ceremonial purity, it’s a matter of showing God’s love through a compassionate act of mercy for one made in the image of God, through the greatest commandment. Living and displaying God’s mercy and love is the call to every Christian who loves God. Why? Because each of us was like the dying man in the street, beaten up and robbed by the devil. Left wounded and bleeding, we needed someone to stop and care — and they did. And here we are today, loving and praising God and enjoying His blessings because they did. Now Jesus says to each of us who has recovered from our life of sin — “Go and do likewise.” Will you? I will — because there are neighbors everywhere we go. Maranatha!
“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” — Micah 6:8
Pastor Don
