Heavenly story

1) Why is this lawyer asking questions of Jesus?
There were many who questioned Jesus throughout his ministry, especially religious leaders of the day, as well as those who simply did not understand what Jesus was doing. In the verses just before this passage Jesus is celebrating with a group He has empowered and sent out to do to ministry. They are celebrating over the work that has been accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit through them. As they rejoice, Jesus reminds them there will be those who will not understand, nor see, or hear as they do. On the heels of that conversation, this lawyer stands up and asks, “what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”. In Jesus’ answer, Jesus emphasizes His point to the disciple about people missing the message of hope even though they are hearing it. While the lawyer answers the question according to the law, he entirely misses the point Jesus was making, which why the lawyer follows up with another question, “And who is my neighbor?”. Luke tells us the lawyer seeks to justify his own actions by seeking a point of clarification rather than embracing the fullness of hope Jesus offers.

2) Although Jesus never directly answers the man’s question, what can we gather from His answer about our neighbors?
Jesus tells a story, called a parable, to answer the lawyer’s question. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus used them often to answers questions such as these. Through this story we gather that, as follower of Christ, we should show compassion, mercy, and hospitality to our neighbors. We can also understand that our neighbor isn’t just the person who lives next door to us, but rather anyone we happen upon in our goings and comings, whether they are permanent fixtures in our life, or just in our lives for a season.

3) During the story Jesus told, He used three characters; what is the importance of the three characters He used?
Although the three characters may have little connection to present day, when Jesus was telling this story His three characters had significant impact on His audience. The priest and Levites were the Jewish religious leaders of the day who had great knowledge of the Law of God and were regarded as the leaders of the Jewish people, both politically and spiritually. The Samaritans where considered “half-breeds”, outcast, even unclean by the Jewish people because they were descendants from the Jews who had married women during the time of the establishment of northern kingdom when the ten northern tribes separated from Judah. The children who came from these marriages were not fully Jewish, rather only half Jew, which was a disgrace beyond reconciling in the eyes of Jewish people and Jewish leaders. This family lineage made them “less than” in the eyes of those who had two Jewish parents. Jesus used this cultural resistance to the Samaritans to prove a point to Jewish listeners and break down cultural barriers that existed at that time.

4) Why is Jesus’ command at the end so important then and today?
When Jesus told stories of this nature there was intentionality and purpose behind them. In this case, He uses this story to form to activate those listening to go and follow in the footsteps of the Samaritan. His command is simple, Go and do. The importance of this is found in the simplicity of the command. Two thousand plus years have come and gone, but the command of Christ remains to show mercy, be intentional, and show hospitality to those around you, regardless of who you are, or who they are, in the eyes of the world.