City Life Starter

Written by Calah Jackson

The Word

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, 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, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

-Luke 10:29-37 (ESV)

Reflection

I have heard the parable of the Good Samaritan many times. There are so many impactful and challenging truths to glean from this parable which is to be expected from Jesus, the ultimate teacher. As I read back through this passage and sat with the text, the phrase that stuck out to me was one that never has stuck out before, “desiring to justify himself.”

This is not a lawyer in the sense we think of lawyers of today. This man was a religious legal expert, not a court litigator. He was a man of authority who was very well-versed in Jewish law and tradition so as he heard Jesus speaking he was ready to attempt to poke holes in the Word as it went forth.  

The lawyer questions Jesus asking, “Who is my neighbor?” not from a place of contrition and curiosity, but out of a desire to justify himself and his hardened heart. What his question actually did was lay his soul’s intention bare on the table for the sovereign Surgeon to do His work. Jesus is giving a command to this authority figure to show mercy which, by definition, means showing compassion toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm.

Jesus knew how deep and wide the prideful piety of this leader would permeate if left unchecked so He began to paint a picture. This parable tells of a man victimized by a thief, beaten and left for dead. He weaves in the avoidant response of the passersby—religious leaders who, though they knew the Law, forsook love. Then with a spiritual scalpel in hand, Jesus cuts into the pride of the lawyer’s heart introducing a Samaritan who takes compassion on the beaten man. Jesus, as if irrigating with the water of truth, asks who the lawyer thought proved to be a neighbor of the beaten man. “The one who showed him mercy” he answers, unintentionally pointing those within earshot directly to the Messiah.

How often is our desire turned towards justifying ourselves rather than towards the Merciful One who took compassion on us, a people beaten by sin and left for dead?

While the Samaritan in the story is not explicitly named as Christ, many have seen in him a compelling picture of Jesus—the outsider who draws near to the wounded, tends to their needs, and pays the full cost of their care. Jesus was the neighbor who didn’t stop at doing a good deed and moving on. He wasn’t satisfied with just treating and binding up wounds, but gave sacrificially, pouring out like a drink offering the very life that made us alive again – His own. He entrusted us to a keeper in the Holy Spirit and gave us a gift in the promise of His return. Jesus gives more than resources, He gives us sacrificial and restorative relationship.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

-Romans 5:1-5

Application

The lawyer isn’t the villain in this story. The Law he studied – and even used to challenge Jesus – is good. The response of Jesus isn’t a “gotcha” moment, but rather an opportunity for Him to invite this lawyer into a greater hope than legalism could ever offer. This invitation is into deep repentance by turning from his own way and turning towards the way of the Merciful Neighbor, Jesus.

Our hope is not the letter of the law, but the realization that Jesus is and has fulfilled the Law. We don’t see the response of the lawyer but we do see Jesus’ charge, “go and do likewise” as an invitation to follow Jesus and imitate Him by showing mercy to our neighbors.  

What will you do with this invitation today?

Prayer

Lord God, You are faithful to extend mercy that is new every morning. I know that you are inviting me into a deeper relationship with You by depending on You to show compassion to others especially when it’s inconvenient. God, help me to serve You from a place of gratitude, remembering Your unfailing kindness to me. Allow gratitude to fuel the choice of Your way above my own way and to be compelled to love people sacrificially as You would. In Jesus name, amen.