Scripture Reading
Leviticus 19:11-18
You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another. And you shall not swear by my name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God. I am the Lord. You shall not cheat your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of him who is hired shall not remain with you all night until morning. You shall not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God, I am the Lord. You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness, you shall judge your neighbor. You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people, nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor. I am the Lord. You shall not hate your brother in your heart. You shall surely rebuke your neighbor and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.
Luke 10:25-37
Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, Teacher, What shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said to him, What is written in the law? What is your reading of it? So he answered and said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. And he said to him, You have answered rightly. Do this, and you will live.
But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor? 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. Now, by chance, a certain priest came down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked and passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 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. 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.
So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? And he said, he who showed mercy on him. Then Jesus said to him, go and do likewise.
Prayer for Blessing
Seek the Lord’s blessing on this, His Holy Word. Gracious God and Heavenly Father, we do praise you and thank you for Your word, that it is our only infallible rule for faith and life, it is what leads us, guides us, gives us instruction, reveals who you are, who we are, and what you have called us to do. And we just pray, Father, that you would be with us even now as we come to these passages, as we consider this particular topic, this commandment, this great second great commandment. We pray, Father, that your spirit would open our ears and our eyes and our minds, our hearts to hear, to receive the truth of your word. And that as your word goes forth in the power of spirit, it would truly find that rich, fertile soil in each of our hearts that brings about great and abundant fruit for your glory. We pray for your blessing upon your word. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
Introduction: Division in the Nation
Our nation is greatly divided. Certainly, there’s always been some division in our nation’s history, even from its very beginning, even some very violent and bloody division. There’s a whole thing called the Civil War in the mid-1800s. But even in more recent history, that is, during the lifetimes of those of us here, It seems like there hasn’t been as much division as there has been maybe in the perhaps the last decade or so. It wasn’t too long ago that neighbors were reporting neighbors for gathering together or they were reporting about those who were going about their daily businesses and confronting them because they were not wearing masks or because they didn’t get a jab.
Inflammatory politicians stoke the coals of this division with name-calling and even dehumanizing their opponents. And they continue to ratchet up and get out of hand. And even the dramatic events of this past week, indeed the last couple of months, with video clips running endlessly of violence, murders, shootings, and the tragic loss of human life. Instead of bringing the nation together in sorrow and grief, these events have only further deepened the divide.
So once close relationships with family and friends are now just shattered and destroyed. And friendly conversations have been replaced with angry and hate-fulfilled accusations, all because of short-sighted political loyalty or, in many cases, just simple differences of opinion. which can no longer be tolerated. It appears no one ever respectively agrees to disagree anymore. It’s either you’re with me or you hate me. There’s no in between. It’s truly, really an extreme low point in our history.
And though there certainly are many who claim the name of Christ, who have sadly gotten caught up in this division of hate and strife, but for those who strive to live faithfully in Christ, we remember that our chief loyalty isn’t to any politician or political party. It’s not even to any kind of philosophical ideal, whether a liberal or conservative. No, our chief loyalty is to our Savior and King, the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the midst of all this division, we’re challenged to step above the fray and to cling to Him and cling to the moral law that He has given. He’s given to us to lead us and guide us in our lives. That law we saw last time is summarized chiefly in the commandment to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That is, of course, the first and the greatest commandment.
But this morning, we’re going to consider the second greatest commandment that further summarizes the moral law of God and to which, especially in our own day and in our own time, we need to pay special attention to. And that is to love your neighbor as yourself. And as we’ll see, if we’re diligent to pursue this command, as the Lord instructs in His word, it’s bound to look very different from the distortions of this command that we find, not only on the left, but even on the right of this great divide.
The Meaning of the Commandment
And so let’s first look at the meaning of this commandment. Now Luke 10 that we read here is a slightly different account, a different occasion than will be considered last time from Mark chapter 12. And Mark, remember there was a scribe that was part of a concerted effort of the religious leaders to undermine Jesus by asking him a series of questions. And that scribe in Mark 12 asked Jesus about what was the greatest commandment of all. But here, we have a lawyer, which is just another name for a scribe, so another scribe, another occasion, still testing Jesus, but he asks a very different question.
In verse 25, he says, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Now friends, this is certainly a good question. In fact, it’s a question that everyone should ask, but very few actually do. Because many people are so caught up in living their life now that they aren’t concerned about the eternal life to come. And so they neglect this question at their own peril.
But if you’re going to ask this question, as this lawyer does, well, there’s no better place to find an answer than from Jesus. And Jesus responds, though, to this question with a question of his own. In verse 26, he says, what is written in the law? What is your reading of it? In other words, Jesus was like, look, you’re a lawyer. You know, you understand the law. You’re a teacher of the law. What does the law say about eternal life? How does the law say, how do you understand it? How does the law say you can achieve eternal life?
So we see here that with this responding to a question with a question of his own, Jesus has now taken command of the conversation. And so instead of being tested, Jesus is testing this lawyer. And so it’s the lawyer who then responds with the statement of the two great love commands that summarize the whole of God’s moral law.
Verse 27, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Again, we looked at the first great commandment from Deuteronomy 6 last time, which again, the lawyer quotes from here as well. Remembering that we’re to love the Lord our God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That is, we’re to love God with every fiber of our being.
But just as we noted that common fallacy among many Christians who think these two love commands are only a New Testament charge and have no connection to God’s moral law and the Ten Commandments, or even to any part of the Old Testament, we see here that the second, along with the first great command, is also rooted in the Old Testament, as the lawyer here makes reference in quotes from Leviticus 19. And we see this in the second part of verse 27.
You shall love your neighbor as yourself is found. It comes from Leviticus 19 verse 18. You should not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. And as we read the context of this passage, as we did earlier, you’ll note that it connects this loving your neighbor with various second table commandments. That is, how are we to love our neighbors? Well, by honoring our parents and honoring those in authority over us. By not murdering our neighbors. That’s certainly a good way to love your neighbor. Certainly by not by living chaste and holy lives, by not stealing from your neighbors, by not lying to them or not lying about them and not coveting what is theirs. Obviously, there are clear ways in which we can love our neighbors. And so the last six commandments show us what it means to love our neighbors. And so we are to love our neighbors, that is to those around us. Indeed, this is really the logical outflow of the love for God. John, the Apostle John says in 1 John 4, if someone says, I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from him that he who loves God must love his brother also.
And so John is saying, look, if we claim to love God, we must also love our brothers. Well, who are our brothers? Well, they are some of our closest neighbors. And so that is exactly how the command then is easily expanded. As we’ve seen before, the commandments are expandable beyond what is written there.
Well, as we’ll see, for many of the Jews, they held an extremely narrow view of who was their neighbor. which Jesus will then expand dramatically with the parable of the Good Samaritan as we’ll see. But here we want to note three things in summary that the simple charge to love your neighbor, right? It’s just, that’s love your neighbor, love those around you. And then also we want to note how this command is certainly connected to the moral law of God in the 10 commandments, right? It’s the, it’s the summary of the last six commandments. And then thirdly, how the second great commandment necessarily follows from the first. To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. So you can’t do one without the other. Just like you can’t violate one command of the ten without being guilty of all of them. Because God’s moral law is one, just as God the lawgiver is one.
Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself
But what about this phrase, as yourself, right? Love your neighbor as yourself. Is there an implication here that it’s okay to love yourself? Now some commentators and theologians contend that this is simply an acknowledgement of the fact that as sinners, we do indeed love ourselves and most particularly to a great fault. But the challenge would be, so the challenge here would be that if we’re going to love ourselves, well then we better at least love others just as much. But if we’re honest with ourselves, when push comes to shove, if we’re had to make a choice between the two, we’re certainly gonna be more inclined because of our sinful natures to love ourselves more than we love others.
And so it seems, though, as though there’s more to it than just an acknowledgment and almost maybe a resignation, acceptance of self-love and a simple exhortation to try to love others just as much. Indeed, as we look at the scriptures, here seems to be a command having more to do with priority of position than one of simple equality. In other words, love your neighbor as yourself would be love your neighbor in the place of yourself or in a position before yourself. And this was the Apostle Paul’s teaching that we find in Philippians 2. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind, that is, in all humility, humbling yourself. Let each esteem others better than himself. that each of you looked out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. So Paul is saying, esteem others before esteeming yourselves. Yes, certainly take care of yourselves, but be on the lookout for the needs and the interests of others and see that others are served before serving yourself. As Paul goes on to say in verse five, that this is the very mind of Christ demonstrated by Christ, by his setting aside the glory, which was his in all eternity and coming in the flesh to save and deliver his people from their sins. Indeed, loving your neighbor as yourself by putting their interests before your own is a way to demonstrate the love and servant oriented character of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As John testifies in 1 John 3, we know love by this, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Indeed, this is the substance of loving your neighbor as yourself, loving others as Christ loved them, even as Christ loved you.
Inheriting Eternal Life Through the Law
But as we come back to Luke 10, there are still a few lingering questions that need to be answered, as we understand what it means to love our neighbors. Well, one of these questions is a question that we may have as those who are just here 2,000 years later, we’re reading this account, and when it’s spurred on by Jesus’ comment to the lawyer, which was confirming the lawyer’s response to his question.
In verse 28, Jesus says, hey, you’ve answered rightly. And then Jesus says, do this and you will live. What does Jesus mean by do this and you will live? Especially in light of the context of the fact that the original question the lawyer asked in verse 25 was what shall I do to inherit eternal life? Is Jesus saying here, that salvation and eternal life are to be gained through keeping of the law.
Indeed he is. But before accusations of works, righteousness and denial of salvation by grace alone start flying, it’s important to point out one huge caveat to this. Salvation and eternal life are gained through the keeping of the law. but only if you keep it perfectly. You see, friends, this is the essence of the covenant of works that God made with Adam in the garden.
God had commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. And this warning implies that if Adam obeyed God’s law, Well then he’d live on. He’d have lived as long as he perfectly minded God’s law. But of course we know what happened. We know Adam didn’t perfectly keep the law. He rebelled against God’s law and he sinned. And because we’re born from Adam, all born of Adam, we’re all born guilty and sinful, unable, unwilling to keep God’s law perfectly.
And yet perfection is the standard that’s required. Jesus himself reminds us of this in Matthew 5 verse 48. He says, Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. He’s saying you need to be perfect, just as God is perfect. If only we’d keep God’s law perfectly, we would attain eternal life.
Friends, we know our sin nature makes it impossible for us to be justified by the law. In fact, the more we read and study the law, the more it reveals to us just how sinful we are and how woefully we fall short of God’s perfect standard. Jesus charges, do this and you will live. But since we can’t do this perfectly, Death will be our end.
Now, if the lawyer was a sincere student of the law, he would have immediately understood this. If his true desire was to learn how to inherit eternal life, he would have humbled himself and he would have acknowledged his inability to perfectly keep the law. He would have prayed even with David that I’ve come forth from the womb speaking the lies. I’ve been born and conceived in iniquity. He would have said, I can’t do it. No man can do it. I need the grace and the mercy of God to inherit eternal life. Teacher, you know the way. Have mercy on me and show me the way to eternal life. This is what he should have said. But he didn’t.
Who is My Neighbor?
Instead, in verse 29, he poses a second, and this is another lingering question, says, but he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, and who is my neighbor? At first, he said he wanted to justify himself. Even though there’s no justification in the law, He wanted to prove himself right before Jesus. Indeed, he was probably thinking that in at least some way, he was actually meeting the standard. And that was very common among the scribes and the Pharisees. They believed that they could meet that perfect standard.
But then there’s this question. Who is my neighbor? And again, that was one that was debated among the rabbis of the time. And some believe that since the command was, love your neighbor, well, it meant you were free to then hate your enemy. I just have to love my neighbors. And anyone else who’s not my neighbor, I can hate. And thus, they justified hatred toward others. Others restricted neighbor to include only fellow Jews. And so they were then free to treat foreigners with disdain. And this seemed to be really the majority view and the arrogance and the pride of the Jews that we see in the scriptures.
But among the scribes and the Pharisees, there was an even tighter restriction to only include those who are students of the law. You see, this then enabled them to freely love themselves and those like them. And this last view is likely where this lawyer was coming from. And so by asking this particular question of Jesus, he was trying to discover which camp was Jesus in.
But Jesus wasn’t about to give the lawyer this satisfaction as he proceeds to give an answer that wasn’t one of the options. His answer is the parable of the Good Samaritan. And it’s a familiar parable. We won’t necessarily go through it all, but if you remember, a man, presumably a Jew, was traveling along the road that stretched between Jerusalem and Jericho. He was going down the hill. Jerusalem was on the hill. Jericho was down in the Jordan River Valley. And on his way, he’s attacked by thieves. And they stripped off his clothes, they stole everything he had, and if that weren’t enough, they beat him severely and just left him there on the side of the road, leaving him for dead.
Well, someone eventually comes by, in verse 31, a priest who was also going down to Jericho, and surely we might think, well, this priest would stop and help this man. But we read here, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So he actually went around and avoided this guy. He didn’t stop to see if the man was dead or alive. He didn’t even stop to see and call out for others to come and help. He simply turned away to avoid coming in contact with the man. Now, this is quite shocking, right? This is a priest. This is one who is to shepherd the people, to be mindful of their needs, and to serve the needs of the people. That was their calling. Why didn’t he help?
Well, we may think perhaps the priest thought that the man was dead. And we know that in the law, that if a priest or anyone touches a dead body, well, then they would be rendered unclean. And if a priest was rendered unclean, well, then that meant he couldn’t perform his duties in the temple. Well, this man had just come from Jerusalem. He was going away from the temple. And so there certainly was no issue with his service and endangering his service if he were to help this man. But instead, he does nothing. He avoids the man.
Well, shortly after the priest, there comes a Levite. Again, Levites were the ones responsible for the care and the upkeep of the temple. And he, too, would have been rendered unclean if the man was dead. But again, he, also like the priest, was going the other direction. He was heading away from Jerusalem, not toward the temple. But he, too, didn’t want to get involved. He avoided this man.
Now it seems rather heartless that both the priest and the Levite, again, two who should have known, two who should have understood the law of God, who should have known about God’s mercy and compassion toward those who are in need, to the oppressed and the afflicted, that they both avoided this man and quickly went on their way as if they had seen nothing. Whatever their excuses, it was truly shameful.
Well, Jesus continues with them what is ultimately the real surprise. In verse 33, a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. A Samaritan. Now remember, again, at this time, the Jews and the Samaritans hated each other. But despite this, the Samaritan reached out to help this Jew.
Samaritan, just by going over to see the man, was actually being, you know, just by going over to check out the guy, was much more compassionate than what the priest and the Levite did. They just avoided him altogether and walked on the other side of the road. At least the Samaritan goes over to take a look, but he does more than take a look. He helped the man. He cleansed his wounds using wine and oil, items that certainly he wore for his own provision on the journey. And yet he uses them to minister to this man. And he bandaged the man’s wounds using pieces of his own clothing.
Then he goes a step further. He picks the man up, places him on his own animal and led him to an inn in a nearby town. Again, Samaritan, even at this point, he’d already done so much for the man. He could have just dropped the man off at the inn and asked someone to care for him. But instead, he stayed with the man and continued to care for him throughout the night. And then finally on the next morning, he made provision for the stranger and he gave the innkeeper money to provide for the man’s needs until he returned. The Samaritan fully paid for the care of this man.
Again, the Samaritan didn’t have to do all this. Remember all the animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans at the time. Again, they hated each other. But he certainly went above and beyond what might be expected, especially for a Samaritan toward a Jew. But out of a great love and compassion, He offered a most gracious and merciful gift.
Now the lawyer, hearing this, I’m sure he was stunned. And Jesus then asks in verse 36, so which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves? Now I want you to note here, the question of the lawyer was, who is my neighbor? But the substance of the question that Jesus is now asking the lawyer is which one of these was more neighborly? Jesus’ question is the question that the lawyer should have asked. It’s the question that’s more in keeping with the law. loving your neighbor as yourself. It’s the question that draws out the great lesson of this parable.
Now certainly remember that the lawyer wanted to justify himself, right? He wanted Jesus to confirm for him that it was okay, even in God’s sight, to pick and choose who you were going to be kind and compassionate and loving toward. He wanted to be able to have the flexibility to be as generous or as stingy with his love as he wanted to be. But Jesus doesn’t allow it.
To answer the Lord’s question first, Jesus certainly has shown through this parable that everyone is our neighbor, especially those in need. Everyone here is your neighbor. The beggar on the street is your neighbor. Those who look, talk, dress, and live differently than you are your neighbors. Those on the other side of the political divide are your neighbors. Indeed, even your enemies are your neighbors. There’s no debate. There’s no limiting of God’s command. We’re to treat all people as our neighbors.
But as Jesus now emphasizes with this parable, the more important question is not, who is my neighbor? But the more important question is, very personal and very direct piercing our own hearts. Am I being neighborly? Am I being a good neighbor to those around me? Am I compassionate and loving toward those who are in need?
Note the lawyer in verse 37 thought he can bring himself. Uh, he, it’s like he can’t even bring himself to say the Samaritan, right? That’s how much he hated them. But he simply responds, but correctly saying, it was the one who showed mercy on him. That is the one who was a true neighbor to this man. And so the right fulfillment of the command that God gives to love our neighbors as ourselves is that we’re to be a good neighbor and reach out to all those around us who are in need. Without discrimination, we’re to reach out to them with love, mercy, and compassion.
And then finally, in verse 37, Jesus charges, go and do likewise. He’s saying to this Jewish lawyer, go and be merciful, just as the Samaritan whom you hate was merciful in this parable. Follow his example. and be a good example and a good neighbor to everyone, even to those that you may not particularly like.
Application: Being Neighborly
Beloved of God, what a challenging lesson for us. Too often we, like this lawyer, may be tempted to limit who we want to be kind and friendly toward and who’s deserving of our compassion. Too often, like the priest and the Levite, we may be tempted to pass by and avoid those who are in need. We get good at making excuses why we don’t help. I’m busy. I don’t want to get involved. I don’t know what to do or what to say. I don’t have the gifts necessary. I don’t want to get in the middle of things. Someone else will do it. You know, I don’t really like that person. They’re not my neighbor.
But Jesus challenges us to remove all those excuses. As one commentator noted, neighbors aren’t possessions we have. Neighbors are who we’re called to be. We need to cast off the excuses, get involved in lives of those around us. We need to take the risk to minister in the name of Christ and trust him to lead us, guide us, equip us, and give us the words and the wisdom, the gifts and the resources we need to be of help.
Everyone is our neighbor. lets them be neighborly to everyone. But what about the lawyer’s original question? What shall I do to inherit eternal life? How does this challenge by Jesus answer that question? Well, remember that the only way to attain eternal life through the law is by perfectly keeping the law, something we cannot do. This is impossible. Certainly. Can anyone honestly confess to God in your hearts right now that you’ve perfectly loved your neighbor as yourself? Have you been a perfect neighbor to everyone at all times, even to those who are your enemies? If not, then you will not gain eternal life through keeping the law. But we’re still called to be obedient to God’s law. We will never in this life, because of our sin nature, we will never in this life keep the law perfectly. And so instead of blessing us, the law will condemn us.
Conclusion: Inheriting Eternal Life Through Christ
So how do we inherit eternal life? We can’t do anything to earn it. We’ve seen that. Well, the key is found in the word inherit. Think about an inheritance. An inheritance isn’t something that you earn. In fact, it may even be something that you don’t even deserve. But it’s given to you freely and graciously. And it’s given to you and you receive it After the one who gives it has died. The inheritance only comes through the death of the giver. And beloved God, this is how you attain eternal life. Because this is exactly what Christ Jesus did for you. He suffered and He died on the cross for your sins, enduring the wrath and the curse of God that only we deserve. And like a perfect neighbor, He loved you when you didn’t deserve it. Even when you were His enemies, Christ Jesus died for you and poured out His grace and mercy upon you.
And it’s because of His perfect obedience to God’s law. because of His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead on the third day, that God graciously and freely gives the inheritance of eternal life to those, even now, who would trust in Him alone for salvation. Indeed, if you would inherit eternal life, you must believe on Jesus Christ. Do so, and I promise you, you will surely not be disappointed. not now, no forever, to the glory of God alone.
Closing Prayer
Let’s pray.
Oh, gracious God and heavenly Father, we do praise you and thank you for this important reminder about this second great command. And it is one that really challenges us In the midst of even our current lives and all that we see in the world around us and even in our own nation and the great division and the hatred all around it surrounds us. And we can easily get sucked in. We pray Lord that you would help us to stand firm in truth and righteousness, to stand firm in faith, to be true beacons of light and hope in this world. As the glory of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ shines in us, that we would demonstrate that light and that love that you have poured out upon us by loving our neighbors, whoever they might be, so that we might be a witness to them. And we know that we will be mocked and scorned because of this, because people are calling us to pick a side. Lord, we stand with Christ. That is our side. We stand upon that solid rock of Christ. And we know that as the winds toss to and fro, that the foundation upon which we stand will never be moved when all else is sinking sand.
And so we just praise you and thank you, O God. for this important reminder that you would give us the grace, the strength, and the wisdom that we need to truly discern your truth in this, to truly be loving neighbors, and to be that gospel witness to all those around us who are perishing. And we pray, Father, that through that witness, many will come to faith in you. Many will come to join us on that rock of Jesus Christ. and that would join us in this chorus of praise as we seek to demonstrate our love to you by serving and loving one another. And we ask father that you would now bless us in this, that your spirit would be applying these truths to each of our hearts, drawing us all closer to yourself, all to the praise of your glorious name. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.