The religious expert asks Jesus, “Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?” The ‘religious experts’ of Jesus’ day were true scholars of the Old Testament. As part of their training, they were required to memorize the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) by heart. Therefore the religious expert knew the response that Jesus was looking for when Jesus asked what did Moses say (Moses wrote the Torah). The expert would have known Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 by heart. The religious expert echoed the Scriptures when he responded to Jesus by saying ‘to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul – and – to love your neighbor as yourself.’ Jesus told the religious expert “Right! Do this and you will live!” The religious leader wouldn’t let it go as he asked Jesus, “who then is my neighbor?”
Jesus then tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. Briefly, a Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho on a road that was notoriously crime infested and was attacked by bandits. A Jewish priest came upon the beaten man and passed him by without helping him. A temple assistant (a Levite) came upon the beaten man and passed him by without helping him. Then, a Samaritan came upon the man. The Samaritan had compassion, took care of his wounds, and carried him to an inn so the man could rest and recuperate. The Samaritan paid his bills for him as well. Jesus then asked the religious expert “who was the beaten man’s neighbor”? The religious expert correctly replied again, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus confirmed this response and told the religious expert to go and do the same.
We do not know if the religious expert went back to the synagogue and did as Jesus said or not but we can deduce this: he missed the point! How do we know that? The religious expert said “The one who showed him mercy”. Even though he knew all the laws and responded correctly to Jesus, he could not bring himself to say the word “Samaritan”. Jews and Samaritans were at odds with one another to say the least. The Jews saw themselves as direct descendants of Abraham and they viewed the Samaritans as mixed breeds that were beneath them – even though the Samaritans had abandoned their idols and had turned to the true God – they were not accepted by the Jews. In this parable, although the Jewish expert knew the ‘law’, he didn’t understand the law. His answer revealed his heart to Jesus. The religious leader did not understand that his ‘neighbor’ was anyone of any race, creed, or social background who was in need. He did not understand that love means acting to meet that person’s need – regardless of who that person is.
How does this parable apply to us today? We are rapidly becoming a ‘small’ world through global economies, travel, internet, etc. So who is our neighbor? Regardless of where you live, there are needy people close by you. There is no good reason for refusing to help. We live in a world where people do not help because they continue to draw the race line. People continue to treat people inhumanely because others do not think as they do, act as they do or believe as they do. We live in a world where people, in the name of ‘religion’, kill people. It is an amazing thing that in spite of all of our ‘intellect’ we continue to ignore the needs of those around us. We simply do not get it.
How is this parable speaking to us today? Do we recognize that those we believe beneath us can actually be above us because of our own internal hardness? Is it possible for those who we believe are inferior to us to behave in ways that are superior to us? Is it possible for a black to help a white? Is it possible for a Hispanic to help a black? Is it possible for an Arab to assist a Jew? Is it possible for a straight person to come to the assistance of a gay? Will a Christian help a Hindu? Will a Muslim help a Christian? Will a Dallas Cowboy fan help a Washington Redskin fan? Will a Republican come to the defense of a Democrat? Will a Believer help an atheist? Will a violinist befriend a banjo player? See where I am going? Who is your neighbor?
The wonderful thing about God’s Word that it is unchanging and it is as applicable today as it was when Jesus and the religious expert had their conversation! ‘Who is my neighbor’ has been asked by all generations! The answer is given in the Scriptures – and it is a simple one: everyone is our neighbor. There are no exceptions. God created us all. How we think, what we believe, etc. depends a great deal upon us but He created us all in His image. All are His creation. All can be His children if they choose to be. All His creations are our neighbors. Let’s live like it!
Papa Joe Mac's Commentary:
The religious expert asks Jesus, “Teacher, what must I do to have eternal life?” The ‘religious experts’ of Jesus’ day were true scholars of the Old Testament. As part of their training, they were required to memorize the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) by heart. Therefore the religious expert knew the response that Jesus was looking for when Jesus asked what did Moses say (Moses wrote the Torah). The expert would have known Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 by heart. The religious expert echoed the Scriptures when he responded to Jesus by saying ‘to love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and soul – and – to love your neighbor as yourself.’ Jesus told the religious expert “Right! Do this and you will live!” The religious leader wouldn’t let it go as he asked Jesus, “who then is my neighbor?”
Jesus then tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. Briefly, a Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho on a road that was notoriously crime infested and was attacked by bandits. A Jewish priest came upon the beaten man and passed him by without helping him. A temple assistant (a Levite) came upon the beaten man and passed him by without helping him. Then, a Samaritan came upon the man. The Samaritan had compassion, took care of his wounds, and carried him to an inn so the man could rest and recuperate. The Samaritan paid his bills for him as well. Jesus then asked the religious expert “who was the beaten man’s neighbor”? The religious expert correctly replied again, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus confirmed this response and told the religious expert to go and do the same.
We do not know if the religious expert went back to the synagogue and did as Jesus said or not but we can deduce this: he missed the point! How do we know that? The religious expert said “The one who showed him mercy”. Even though he knew all the laws and responded correctly to Jesus, he could not bring himself to say the word “Samaritan”. Jews and Samaritans were at odds with one another to say the least. The Jews saw themselves as direct descendants of Abraham and they viewed the Samaritans as mixed breeds that were beneath them – even though the Samaritans had abandoned their idols and had turned to the true God – they were not accepted by the Jews. In this parable, although the Jewish expert knew the ‘law’, he didn’t understand the law. His answer revealed his heart to Jesus. The religious leader did not understand that his ‘neighbor’ was anyone of any race, creed, or social background who was in need. He did not understand that love means acting to meet that person’s need – regardless of who that person is.
How does this parable apply to us today? We are rapidly becoming a ‘small’ world through global economies, travel, internet, etc. So who is our neighbor? Regardless of where you live, there are needy people close by you. There is no good reason for refusing to help. We live in a world where people do not help because they continue to draw the race line. People continue to treat people inhumanely because others do not think as they do, act as they do or believe as they do. We live in a world where people, in the name of ‘religion’, kill people. It is an amazing thing that in spite of all of our ‘intellect’ we continue to ignore the needs of those around us. We simply do not get it.
How is this parable speaking to us today? Do we recognize that those we believe beneath us can actually be above us because of our own internal hardness? Is it possible for those who we believe are inferior to us to behave in ways that are superior to us? Is it possible for a black to help a white? Is it possible for a Hispanic to help a black? Is it possible for an Arab to assist a Jew? Is it possible for a straight person to come to the assistance of a gay? Will a Christian help a Hindu? Will a Muslim help a Christian? Will a Dallas Cowboy fan help a Washington Redskin fan? Will a Republican come to the defense of a Democrat? Will a Believer help an atheist? Will a violinist befriend a banjo player? See where I am going? Who is your neighbor?
The wonderful thing about God’s Word that it is unchanging and it is as applicable today as it was when Jesus and the religious expert had their conversation! ‘Who is my neighbor’ has been asked by all generations! The answer is given in the Scriptures – and it is a simple one: everyone is our neighbor. There are no exceptions. God created us all. How we think, what we believe, etc. depends a great deal upon us but He created us all in His image. All are His creation. All can be His children if they choose to be. All His creations are our neighbors. Let’s live like it!