Luke 10:25-37
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.” But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
This parable isn’t really about the lawyer. It’s about all of us.
There are so many things we know we should do. And there are so many ways we rationalize why we’re not doing them. Like the lawyer, we know we are to love and serve God; moreover, we know that the best way to do that is to love and serve our neighbor. Ah, we think, but who really is our neighbor?
Nice one. Until Jesus tells a story. A story about a guy who gets beaten by thugs and left for dead. Two people come down the pike, each of whom the wounded man – and those who first listened to this parable – have very good reason to believe will help him. But neither does. Then comes someone the wounded man, as well as those listening to Jesus’ story, know without a shadow of a doubt will not help him. Why? Because Jews and Samaritans have been in a centuries-long family feud and pretty much despise each other.
Yet he does help him. Why? Because he sees this man not as a Jew, not as an enemy, not as a threat. Rather, he sees him as a person in need…and for that reason he sees him as a neighbor.
When Martin Luther was translating the Bible from Latin into German and worked on this story, he had two German words that we would translate as “neighbor” from which to choose. One meant “the person next door.” One meant “the person in need.” He chose the second one.
God invites us to find our unity not in our ethnic heritage or political affiliation or socio-economic rank or geographical proximity or vocational affinity or even our religious identity. God invites us – nay, commands us – to find our unity in our need: our common and shared human need. And when we do, we are not only being a neighbor, we also discover neighbors…all around us. And suddenly we are loving God with all our heart.
Prayer: Dear God, open our eyes to the needs of those around us so that in being a neighbor we may find not only neighbors but our brothers and sisters. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Post image: He Qi, “The Good Samaritan”
David, very will put. You are a very gifted writer and Pastor. And I thank you for sharing your gift. I might never hear you. I visit your web site every week. To see if you offer any new insite to the scripture. You never disappoint.
To God Be the Glory I teach an adult bible study at my church on Sunday mornings.
Thanks so much, Linda. I really enjoy the opportunity to write and reflect on these passages with you all.