Luke 10:29-37

Love God above EVERYTHING and care for your neighbor as much as you do yourself. Luke 10:27 provides the blueprint for our way of life here on earth. It is the hardest lesson we will learn!

We need to relearn the way of peace!

Jesus’ parable prompts the lawyer to consider what it means to be a neighbor to someone rather than how to identify who is to be considered a neighbor. This exchange is similar to Jesus’ earlier conversation with Simon the Pharisee. Jesus’ response implies that all people are to be treated as neighbors—with mercy and compassion. Faithlife Bible.

This question was an attempt to limit the demands of the Law by suggesting that some people are neighbors while others are not. The lawyer was looking for minimal obedience while Jesus was looking for absolute obedience.

The central issue is not determining who one’s neighbor is, but being a good neighbor to all.

Luke 10:29–37 (NKJV)

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.”

Proverbs 14:21 (NKJV)

²¹ He who despises his neighbor sins;

But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he.