The World is Your Neighbor

July 05, 2010 Monday Message:

If your church follows the Common Lectionary, you’ll hear about the Good Samaritan next Sunday. Luke 10:25-37 You know that this scenario never actually happened; rather, Jesus is using a parable or story to illustrate how the kingdom principle, ”love your neighbor,” ought to work. But to whom is the teaching directed? Let’s dig inside the story.

When studying the Bible, you should always consider context. In other words, where was Jesus along his ministry timeline? With whom was he speaking? What happened right before this?

The Good Samaritan parable is a response to a question from an “expert in the law.” 2000 years ago, civil law and religious law were intertwined, so the lawyer asking the question was perhaps a Pharisee or a Rabbi, maybe a judge. At that time, the religious establishment thought they knew all there was to know about God, and they sure didn’t welcome the intervention of this itinerant carpenter. In a way, asking Jesus what is required to inherit eternal life was a trick question. They were hoping that Jesus would give an incorrect answer.

Instead, Jesus answered their question with a question of his own: "What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?"

The lawyer’s answer was what we now refer to as the Summary of the Law: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength – and love your neighbor as yourself.” The trick hadn’t worked.

As the narrative unfolds, our lawyer digs a little deeper. Still hoping Jesus might slip-up, he queries, "And just who is my neighbor?"

And that’s when Jesus unpacks the parable of the Good Samaritan. While it’s a good lesson about loving your neighbor, the diatribe is more a chastisement of the Pharisees, a dressing-down of those keepers of the law, the ones who knew the letter of the law but had no love for their fellows. You see, Samaritans were considered “unclean” by the Jews, although they claim common ancestors. They probably were “brothers” in a way, but the Pharisees had no time for them, or for any others not in their sect. But Jesus says we need to intentionally cross social, economic and religious barriers to serve our neighbors who may look, dress and speak differently than we do. Remember that Jesus wants us to share the Good News with the world!

Jesus concludes by asking the lawyer which neighbor showed more love. It’s almost a rhetorical question, the answer is so obvious: “The one who showed mercy.”

And Jesus sends him off with the admonishment, “go and do likewise.” The character of God is unchanging. And like Paul Harvey used to say, “That’s the rrrrest of the story!”

For Him!

Norton Lawellin