Who Is My Neighbor?

The Good Samaritan

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One day a teacher of the law came to test Jesus. He knew Leviticus 19:18 by heart. His question led Jesus to tell one of His most famous stories.

The question. “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25). Jesus asked him what the law said. Jesus often answered a question with a question, so people would think for themselves.

The answer. The man said to love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind, “and ‘your neighbor as yourself’” (Luke 10:27). Jesus said, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live” (Luke 10:28).

The excuse. “But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” (Luke 10:29). He wanted to know who he did not have to love. He was looking for a line he could stay inside.

The hurt man. A man going “from Jerusalem to Jericho” was attacked by thieves and left “half dead” (Luke 10:30). He could not help himself at all. He needed someone to stop.

The priest. A priest came by, “and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side” (Luke 10:31).

The Levite. A Levite, who helped at the temple, “came and looked, and passed by on the other side” (Luke 10:32).

The Samaritan. Jews and Samaritans did not get along. But “a certain Samaritan… when he saw him, he had compassion” (Luke 10:33). Compassion means feeling someone's hurt so much that you want to help.

What he did. He “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” (Luke 10:34).

What it cost. He gave the innkeeper two silver coins and promised to pay for anything more (Luke 10:35). Love cost him time, money and comfort. He did not ask whether the man deserved it.

The turn. Jesus asked, “Which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” (Luke 10:36). The man answered, “He who showed mercy on him” (Luke 10:37).

Go and do. Jesus said, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37). The question is not who deserves my love, but whom I can help. Jesus turned the lawyer's question upside down.

What we learn. Our neighbor is anyone God puts in our path who needs help, even someone very different from us.

What to do. This week, notice someone who needs help at school, at home or at church, and stop to help instead of passing by.

In Luke 10:25-37 Jesus Himself explains what Leviticus 19:18 means. A man asked how little he had to love, and Jesus called him to show mercy.

The test (10:25). The lawyer, an expert in the law of Moses, “stood up and tested Him.” His question was about inheriting eternal life.

The summary (10:27). He combined Deuteronomy 6:5 with Leviticus 19:18. Jesus approved: “You have answered rightly.”

The loophole (10:29). “Wanting to justify himself,” he asked for a definition. If neighbor could be limited, the command could be kept.

The road. The road from Jerusalem down to Jericho was steep and lonely, a natural place for robbers. Jericho lies far below Jerusalem, so the road drops sharply through dry, rocky country.

Religious leaders pass by. A priest and a Levite, the very people who served at the temple, saw the man and “passed by on the other side.” They knew God's law well, but they did not stop to help.

The outsider. Samaritans and Jews were bitterly divided (John 4:9). Jesus made the hero the person His audience least expected.

Compassion in action. The Samaritan “had compassion,” then acted: bandages, oil, wine, his own animal, an inn and two denarii, about two days' wages.

The reversal (10:36). Jesus changes the question from “Who is my neighbor?” to which man proved to be a neighbor to the hurt man. The issue is not the other person's category but my response.

The lawyer's answer. He could not bring himself to say “Samaritan,” only “He who showed mercy on him.”

Back to Leviticus. Leviticus 19:34 had already extended love to the stranger: “you shall love him as yourself.” Jesus was not inventing a new rule but showing what the old one always meant.

A picture of Jesus. Many Christians also see Jesus in the Samaritan. He was the rejected outsider who came to us when we were helpless and paid our debt. Still, Jesus' own words to the lawyer were “Go and do likewise.”

The mirror. The lawyer could not justify himself, and neither can we. That sends us to the God who justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5).

Application. Ask: whom do I tend to pass by? Choose one concrete way to show mercy to that person this week.

As I Have Loved You

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Leviticus says to love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus gave His followers an even higher measure: love one another as He has loved us. Jesus' love is the pattern, and it is also the power.

A new command. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34).

How others will know. “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

The greatest love. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus did that for us.

Love from God. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God” (1 John 4:7). Our love comes from His love. We cannot make real love on our own; God gives it.

He loved first. “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son” (1 John 4:10).

So we love. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11).

Not just words. “Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18). Love helps. Love shares food, gives time, says kind words and stands up for someone who is left out.

Even enemies. Jesus said, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you” (Matthew 5:44). That is very hard. Jesus did it Himself on the cross.

No getting even. “Repay no one evil for evil” (Romans 12:17). “If your enemy is hungry, feed him” (Romans 12:20). This is Leviticus 19:18 lived out.

Forgive. “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32). When we remember how much God has forgiven us, it gets easier to forgive others.

Others first. “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). That might mean letting someone else go first or sharing the best seat.

What we learn. Jesus' love for us is the pattern and the power for our love for others.

What to do. Think of someone who has been unkind to you. Pray for them this week, and do one good thing for them.

Jesus and the apostles did not set Leviticus 19:18 aside. They showed its full meaning in the love of Christ.

New in measure (John 13:34). The command to love was old. What is new is the measure: “as I have loved you.” The standard is now the cross.

A public sign (13:35). Love among believers is the mark by which “all will know that you are My disciples.”

Self-giving (John 15:12-13). Jesus defines the greatest love as laying down one's life. 1 John 3:16 applies it: “we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Practical love (1 John 3:17-18). John asks how God's love can abide in someone who “sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him.” Love acts “in deed and in truth.”

The source (1 John 4:7-11). “Love is of God.” God showed His love by sending “His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (4:9). Human love is a response, not a starting point.

Enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). Some taught, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” The second half is not in Leviticus. Jesus corrects it: “love your enemies.”

Like the Father. God “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good” (5:45). Loving enemies reflects the Father's own generosity.

Vengeance (Romans 12:17-21). Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:35, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” and Proverbs 25:21-22 about feeding a hungry enemy. Leviticus 19:18's ban on revenge stands, now with the promise that God will judge rightly.

Forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13). Believers forgive “even as God in Christ forgave you.” The grudge forbidden in Leviticus 19:18 is dissolved by remembering how much we have been forgiven.

Humility (Philippians 2:3-4). Loving others as yourself includes esteeming others and looking out for their interests. Paul goes on to point to Christ, who humbled Himself to the point of death (Philippians 2:5-8).

The summary (Romans 13:8-10). “Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Grace before effort. Keep the order clear: we do not love in order to be loved by God; we love because we already are loved.

Application. Read 1 John 3:16-18. List three practical ways you could love “in deed and in truth” this week.

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