25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, 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 on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise. (Luke 10:25-37 KJV)
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
We have here Christ’s conversation with a lawyer about matters of conscience, which are important for everyone to understand. The questions were not asked sincerely, but Christ’s answers still provide valuable guidance.
We need to understand what good we must do in this life to receive eternal life. A lawyer asked Jesus this question, not with a sincere desire to learn, but to test him (Luke 10:25). The lawyer stood up and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” It was a good question, but his motives were wrong. It’s not enough to talk about spiritual things—we must engage with them seriously. If we talk about eternal life carelessly or for debate, we misuse God’s truth.
Jesus turned him to the law, asking, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” (Luke 10:26). Though Jesus knew the man’s heart, he responded to the question with wisdom. He pointed the man to Scripture, urging him to reflect on what it says. This shows how important it is to read and understand the Bible. It’s our rule and guide for life and eternity.
The lawyer responded well, identifying the two great commandments (Luke 10:27): Love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. We must love God sincerely and supremely, with our whole being. We must love our neighbor as ourselves, wishing others well, doing them good, and avoiding harm.
Jesus approved his answer: “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live” (Luke 10:28). He affirmed that this is the way to eternal life. But the man, trying to justify himself, asked, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29). He avoided admitting he had not kept the law perfectly. Many people ask good questions not to learn the truth but to defend themselves or show off their own righteousness.
The lawyer wanted to talk about loving his neighbor, thinking he had fulfilled that commandment. Jewish teachers had wrongly taught that “neighbor” applied only to fellow Jews. They felt no obligation to help Gentiles. But Christ corrected this cruel misunderstanding with a parable that showed anyone in need is our neighbor, regardless of their background.
Jesus told of a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho who was attacked by robbers, stripped, beaten, and left for dead (Luke 10:30). A priest came by, saw the man, and passed on the other side. A Levite did the same (Luke 10:31-32). These were men expected to show compassion, but they ignored him.
Then a Samaritan came by, saw the man, and had compassion (Luke 10:33). Though Jews despised Samaritans, this man helped a suffering Jew. He treated the wounds with oil and wine, bandaged him, put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day, he paid the innkeeper to continue caring for the man and promised to cover any additional expenses (Luke 10:34-35). This was generous and selfless, far beyond what anyone would expect from a stranger.
This parable also pictures the mercy of Christ toward fallen humanity. Sin has wounded and stripped us. The law cannot save us—it can only reveal our condition. But Jesus, like the good Samaritan, came to rescue us. He binds our wounds, pays our debt with his blood, and promises full care and healing.
Jesus then asked the lawyer, “Which of these three was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” (Luke 10:36). The lawyer answered, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37). If a Samaritan was neighbor to a Jew, surely a Jew must show the same kindness to anyone in need.
Let our love be as wide as Christ’s. We must show mercy to all in distress, regardless of their race, religion, or background. This lawyer prided himself on his knowledge of the law, but Jesus taught him his duty through the example of a Samaritan. We must all go and do the same.