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Luke 10:25-37 · WEB
25Behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested him, saying, "Teacher, what will I do to inherit eternal life?"
26He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you read it?"
27He answered, "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."
28He said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live."
29But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"
30Jesus answered, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion,
34came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, `Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.`
36Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?"
37He said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
40 results found
Gran Torino: The Unexpected Neighbor (Luke 10:25-37)
In Gran Torino, Walt Kowalski is a racist Korean War veteran who despises his Hmong neighbors. When gang violence threatens the teenage boy next door, Walt—the last person who should help—becomes the
Quiet Time: The Peculiar Politics of Christ
Dear God of mercy and uncomfortable grace, The lawyer in Luke 10 wanted a clean answer — a checklist for eternal life, a boundary around the word "neighbor." Instead, You told a story that made his stomach turn. A Samaritan...
Morning Meditation: Economic Justice and the Kingdom
Loving God, whose icon shines in every human face, This morning I sit with the story of the Samaritan road — that dusty stretch between Jerusalem and Jericho where a man lay stripped and bleeding, and two religious professionals crossed...
Contemplating Science and Faith
Dear God of wounded hands and searching hearts, A seventeenth-century Anabaptist farmer in the Palatinate had no telescope, no microscope, no periodic table — yet he understood something that still escapes many of us. He knew that the same God...
Morning Meditation: Women and Church Leadership
Dear Father, open my eyes this morning to see what the religious experts in Luke 10 could not. When a lawyer asked Jesus who counted as a neighbor, Jesus told a story that must have made the room go quiet....
Contemplating The Peculiar Politics of Christ
Dear God of reckless, boundary-breaking Love, When that lawyer stood up to test Jesus, he wanted a clean answer — a checklist, a formula, a fence around who deserves mercy and who doesn't. But You told the story of a...
Quiet Time: Clobbering the Clobber Texts
Dear God of boundless mercy, This morning I open Luke's Gospel and find a lawyer testing Jesus with the oldest question in the book: "Who is my neighbor?" And instead of a tidy answer, Jesus tells the story of a...
Spiritual Insight: Reconciliation and Forgiveness
Dear God of wounded hands and boundless mercy, The road from Jerusalem to Jericho drops three thousand feet through barren wilderness — seventeen miles of switchbacks where bandits hid behind limestone outcroppings, waiting. The man in your parable didn't just...
Prayerful Clobbering the Clobber Texts
Father, when the lawyer stood before Jesus and asked, "Who is my neighbor?" he expected a safe answer — someone from his own synagogue, his own bloodline, his own side of the theological debate. Instead, Jesus told him about a...
The Blind Side: Go and Do Likewise (Luke 10:25-37)
In The Blind Side, Leigh Anne Tuohy sees a large Black teenager walking alone in the rain. She could drive past—most would. Instead, she stops. "Do you have a place to stay tonight?" Michael Oher beco
Traditional Lens Commentary: Luke 10:25-37
We read this passage as a profound demonstration of the gospel's call to love our neighbor, transcending ethnic and cultural boundaries. The parable of the Good Samaritan, as told by Jesus, illustrates the heart of the law fulfilled in Christ: love that acts sacrificially for others. The lawyer's qu
Reformed (Presbyterian) Lens Commentary: Luke 10:25-37
In Luke 10:25-37, we read this parable as a profound illustration of the expansive nature of God's covenant love, demonstrated in Christ, who is the ultimate Good Samaritan. This passage underscores the insufficiency of human works under the covenant of works and points us to the necessity of sovere
Lutheran Lens Commentary: Luke 10:25-37
We read the parable of the Good Samaritan through the lens of Law and Gospel. The initial question, 'What must I do to inherit eternal life?' immediately sets the stage for a Law reading, exposing the lawyer's attempt to justify himself. The Law's demand is laid bare in the command to 'love your nei
Roman Catholic Lens Commentary: Luke 10:25-37
We read this passage as an essential teaching on the universal call to charity and mercy, rooted in the dignity of every human being as created in the image and likeness of God. The Good Samaritan parable encapsulates the call to love our neighbor, transcending social and religious boundaries. In th
Black Church Tradition Lens Commentary: Luke 10:25-37
We read the Parable of the Good Samaritan as a profound call to embody God's justice and love in a world rife with division and oppression. We see ourselves in the marginalized Samaritan, who acts out of compassion and breaks societal barriers to live out the commandment of love. This passage is a c
When Work-Life Balance & Faith Meets Faith
In our fast-paced world, the struggle to find a balance between work, life, and faith can often feel like walking a tightrope. Consider the story of a single mother named Angela, who juggles two jobs to provide for her children...
Real-World Humility
In a world swirling with noise and self-promotion, humility can feel like a rare gem—both precious and elusive. Picture a bustling city street, where people rush past one another, earbuds in, eyes glued to screens, each person a solitary island...
When Education & Wisdom Meets Faith
In our fast-paced, information-saturated world, the journey of seeking knowledge often feels like navigating a vast ocean, brimming with both treasures and hidden dangers. Like the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37, we find ourselves at the crossroads of education and...
Lessons from Doubt
In the heart of our bustling lives, doubt often feels like a storm cloud threatening to overshadow our faith. But what if we viewed doubt not merely as an obstacle, but as a divine invitation to deeper understanding? In Luke...
Finding God in Technology & Human Connection
In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, we often find ourselves in a paradox. On one hand, our devices connect us to countless voices and experiences; on the other, they can leave us feeling more isolated than ever. Imagine a bustling coffee...
Daily Sustainability & Creation Care
Dear Heavenly Father, As I pause to reflect on the earth you've entrusted to us, I am drawn to the profound wisdom of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. In this parable, we find a compelling model of love in...
The Healthcare & Healing Ministry Challenge
In our fast-paced world, where the complexities of healthcare often feel overwhelming, we find ourselves in a similar position to the characters in the parable of the Good Samaritan from Luke 10:25-37. Imagine a bustling urban street, where the vibrant...
Quiet Time: Political Division & Unity
Dear Heavenly Father, As I pause in this sacred moment, reflecting on the stark realities of Political Division and the yearning for Unity, I find myself drawn to the profound narrative of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37. Here, amidst...
Spiritual Insight: Crisis & Hope
Dear Heavenly Father, As I sit in the stillness of this moment, I am drawn to the profound truth nestled in the parable of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:25-37. In this story, we see not just a tale...