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Bible Ref: Luke 10: 25-37
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’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”
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[c] 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.”
The question which humbled the expert of the law. “What must I do to inherit eternal life”? (26)
This teacher of the law thought he knows it all. He, being an expert on the law, wanted to put Jesus to test and humiliate him. But he was humiliated instated and received a lesson that he wouldn’t forget. It was interested that Jesus answered him with a question: “what is written in the law”? In other words, what does the law say in regard to his own question?
Being an expert on the field of the law, the teacher answered correctly.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself”. (27) Jesus was impressed with his answer, and he told him to do this and he will live. The teacher knowing that he was being defeated on his trick. He makes the last attempt. He asked, and who is my neighbor? Jesus then answered him with a long answer about the story of the man who got attacked and beaten by the robbers leaving him half dead. However, he was rescued by the Good Samaritan. Jesus concluded the story with a question: which of the three you think was a neighbor to the one attacked by the robbers? The one who showed mercy, he replied. Then Jesus told him to go and do as the Samaritan did.
This parable is relevant to our situation today in our world. There are many people who are being attacked by evil systems in societies, in governments even in churches. They are always passed by without being offered a helping hand to bandage their wounds, nor are they wiped tears from their eyes.
We are reminded by Jesus in this parable that in this unjust world, we are to be kind to our neighbors.
1. We are reminded to give the helping hand to anyone who is attacked unjustly.
2. We are reminded to give food and water to those who are hungry and thirsty.
3. We asked to bandage the wounds to the injured.
4. We are told to provide healing to the sick.
5. We are told to visit the sick in hospitals and in prisons.
Conclusion:
Let us take this command of Jesus seriously so that we can do likewise.
To God be the glory in His church.
The Most Revd. Ezekiel Kondo
Archbishop, Province of Episcopal Church of Sudan
And Bishop of Khartoum
