Written by Paul Lane
The Word
“25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
27 So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”
29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ 36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?”
37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:25-37
Reflection
Just as in the Parable of the Sower, in this parable Jesus presents the crowd with a few choices which produce different outcomes. The first choices illustrate the undesirable outcomes, and the last choice represents the desired outcome. But in both parables Jesus is turning the student, and the crowd, from focusing on their own efforts to focusing on the condition of their hearts.
Take the lawyer’s first question; “what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” As Christians growing up in church, we’ve been taught to reject this question right away. “You can’t earn your way to heaven!”, we scream. When Jesus says, “…do this and you will live,” us church folks cringe because we know that we cannot do it. Mercy from human effort alone will almost certainly go astray. So, how do we do this then?
———————
As an aside, I love the scene at this point. Jesus says, “… do this and you shall live.” I can just see the lawyer (myself) processing the situation and realizing that he is stuck. So, he’s looking for a way out. Then like a schoolboy thinking he’s about to best the teacher, he comes up with an answer that is too smart by half. As you read through Jesus telling the parable, keep his face in mind. Watch the smirk fade as he realizes that he’s not that smart. But thanks to the lawyer seeking his own justification, we have a path forward. Jesus gives us this parable as a tool, so that we might learn how to be merciful.
———————
We can see the fingerprints of the Parable of the Sower. Set on the road, Jesus tells of two people, well respected by the world, who are clearly familiar with the words of God, but it has not taken root. Their road hardened hearts are not able to show mercy, where an enemy could.
Passing the poor soul on the other side to avoid the inconvenience of the purification procedure, points to the thorny concern of the cares of this world, which crowded out any compassion that might flow.
The Lawyer seems to be ground most rocky. He shows growth in knowing that the law tells us to love God with everything we have, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. But his argument withers away when Jesus examines, with the sunny rays of this parable.
But be encouraged. Rocks can be removed, and thorns can be taken away, and that which remains will be good soil. There seems to be some hope for this lawyer in that he seems to understand the lesson. You see, the real lesson is not for you to figure out who your neighbor is, but rather it is for you to figure out how to be a good neighbor.
Application
First understand that this parable is very inward facing. While the Bible often charges us to attend the poor, that is not the main intent of this parable. Rather, it is intended to force us to examine our lives and change our hearts from that which seeks self-gratification to that which hears and obeys God’s word.
This week, spend time meditating on God’s word. Pray that He shows you places in your heart that are hard and that have resisted mercy. Repent and ask for God’s forgiveness. Then leave that time intent on obeying God’s leading.
Prayer
Dear Lord, you have shown me mercy so many times in my life when I did not deserve it. You have been faithful to attend my needs before I realized them. And You have made a way for me when I was sure that there was no way. Lord teach me Your mercy, that I too might show mercy to those around me. Lead me in the work of Your kingdom. In Jesus name. Amen.
City Life Starter 
Leave a Reply