St. Luke 10:37 – And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go and do thou likewise.
The tenth chapter begins with Jesus appointing 70 disciples and sending them out two and two before his face, and it tells of the instruction he taught them before sending them out (verse 2 – 16) and their response on their return (verse 17 – 24).
Verse 25 sets the stage for this parable, and it tells us a certain lawyer stood up and tempted the master saying what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
The lawyer in this parable was not seeking the truth, nor concern about a way to God. His number one concern was to trap Jesus, not knowing who the Master was.
Not only did he not know, Paul reminds us in his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 2:8). It states, which none of the princes of this world knew, for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
And the Lord responded by asking, what is written in the law how readest thou? He, answering and said in verse 27, Love the Lord supremely and thy neighbor as thyself. And the Lord said unto him, Thou has answered right: this do, and thou shalt live (verse 28).
This lawyer sensed that Jesus was saying that he had not done the law; he had failed to love his neighbor.
So he asked the logical question: Who is my neighbor?
Jesus answered and drove the point home to the human heart by doing what He had so often done; He gave an illustration.
There was a traveler who was foolish and irresponsible.
He was foolish because he traveled the road between Jerusalem and Jericho that was known for its danger and conducive to ambush. It was about 21 miles in distance, in a wild country and a rugged rocky pass much of the way.
It was called the way of blood.
Travelers never journeyed there alone. They always traveled in caravans.
So, it can be said about this traveler that he was irresponsible, foolish and reckless.
How many of us are like this traveler, foolish and reckless?
A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself: but the simple pass on and are punished. (Proverbs 22:2)
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? Prudent, and he shall know them? For the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressor shall fall therein.” (Hoseah 14:9)
There was the priest who placed his religious work and ceremony before the welfare of the man.
There was the Levite who placed safety before compassion. The Levite was touched with enough feeling to walk over and look upon the man.
The good Samaritan placed compassion before everything: prejudice, opinion, work, time, energy and money.
The good Samaritan teaches beyond question who our neighbor is.
He gave his heart, his compassion, his all in order to help the desperate man.
The injured man was a Jew.
The good Samaritan and the Jew were of different races – races who hated and despised each other.
The good Samaritan had a sense of common humanity.
The good Samaritan gave up his work, time and energy to help this man.
In showing how we are to love our neighbor:
He went to him.
He bound up his wounds.
He poured oil and wine into his wounds.
He set him on his own beast.
He provided lodging for him.
He took care of him.
Notice what the good Samaritan had involved with this man.
I am finally getting to the part of this parable that really touches my heart at its core (verse 37 b and c). Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Note a striking point: Christ still did not answer the lawyer. There was no need.
The answer was strikingly clear. If the lawyer wished for eternal life, he had to “go and do likewise.”
He now knew who his neighbor was: it was any man who needed mercy, whether a friend or just an acquaintance or even an enemy. The lawyer was forced to admit this.
It was more than a confession needed. Love was needed.
Just like the lawyer, all of us need to demonstrate love as we go about our daily affairs. We must help our neighbors and all those around us who hurt and are suffering:
(Acts 20:35)
I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.
