INHERITING ETERNAL LIFE

Luke 10:25-37 / Keywords 10:36-37

36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" 37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

 

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

10:25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Footnotes

c. Luke 10:27 Deut. 6:5

d. Luke 10:27 Lev. 19:18

e. Luke 10:35 A denarius was the usual daily wage of a day laborer (see Matt. 20:2).

1. Interesting! An expert in the law asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” This seems to be one of the most important questions we could ask, but it is actually the wrong question. Jesus responded by asking the expert to summarize the law, and the expert replied by saying that we are to love God with all of our being and our neighbors as ourselves. It is simple, then! Jesus says do that, and you will live. The problem is that the law is impossible for us to keep. We are sinful beings who fall short of the glory of God and all of our righteousness is like filthy rags before him. After Jesus’ parable, the expert’s shortcomings must have become clear. The question we should ask is not about what we can do, but about what God has done. In his great mercy, God sent his Son as our Savior. He is the source of life and salvation.

 

2. Our Lord’s parable illustrates that there should be no boundaries to who we love or the extent to which we love them. The Samaritan saw the need of the wounded man and had compassion on him. Overcoming all social boundaries, the Samaritan sacrificed his time and money to care for the man’s needs. He was determined to see it through and follow up with the man’s care. This is how Jesus has loved us, and it is the way he wants us to love others.

 

Prayer Lord Jesus, give us a heart for others.

One Word Go and do likewise