Gospel: Lk 10:25-37
THERE was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” He said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
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Jesus is acknowledged as “Rabbi” by his followers even if he has not attended any rabbinical school. A scholar who is learned in the law addresses Jesus as Teacher (rabbi), not out of belief or admiration but in order to test Jesus. And the Lord who can read the hearts of people obliges and takes this as an opportunity to teach.
The scholar’s question is one of the deep questions about life, as to how one can inherit eternal life. Jesus challenges him to draw an answer based on his knowledge of the law. The scholar gives a perfect answer by quoting from Deuteronomy about loving God and from Leviticus about loving one’s neighbor as oneself.
“Do this and you will live,” Jesus tells the man. One is saved not simply because one can quote Scriptures. Knowledge and action on one’s knowledge are two different things. The matter of loving God and neighbor cannot be intellectualized. Jesus tells a parable to make it concrete.
The protagonist in the parable is a Samaritan; he is a religious and social outcast for the Jews who consider Samaritans a half-breed race, impure and heretical. The priest and the Levite represent the respectable members of society. Sadly, however, both the priest and the Levite fail to help
