Luke 10:25-37: "Your Neighbor: Is Not Who You Think It Is"

I've been sitting on this for months, and apparently it's time to go to work on it. This is a story that may change your life forever. It brings clarity to what God wants from you, on a practical, daily basis. It's incredibly liberating.

So let's turn to Luke 10:25:

(25) and LOOK! A certain legal expert stood up,

testing Jesus, saying,

Let's pause here. And I guess I'm going to teach you something nerd cool as well today.

The first word in verse 25 is "and." Now, this maybe doesn't do much for you, but what "and" does (its discourse function) is connect two things together.

So if the first word you read in the NT is "and," you know you're about to make a mistake. You're grabbing maybe half of a thought [And if you're using an NRSV or NIV, should write "and" into your Bibles here].

In this particular case, I'm really pleased about this. So let's turn back all the way to Luke 10:1. Here, Luke signals to us that he's starting a new section. "After this." That's your chance, as a reader, to catch your breath before starting something new.

When chapter 10 starts, Jesus has already sent out the 12 to do power evangelism. That's Luke 9. The disciples are healing people, and casting out demons in Jesus' name. But there were so many sick and captive people, that 12 people just can't begin to meet the need.

So what Jesus does, in chapter 10, is get more workers. Healings, and casting out demons, was never something that was only for the 12 disciples. And my guess (cheating ahead, but hiding how), is that these 70 are the first fruits from the 12's ministry. These are brand new disciples.

So let's read from Luke 10:1-16 (NRSV):

10 After this the Lord appointed seventy[a] others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. 2 He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’ 6 And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; 9 cure the sick who are there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’[b] 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’[c] 12 I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

Woes to Unrepentant Cities

13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum,

will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.

16 “Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

So Jesus sends out the 70, and he tells them, "pray for more workers." Even 83 people doing power evangelism, isn't nearly enough. Everywhere you go, you see people who are held captive to sin, and sickness, and Satan. They need help to be freed. They need God's kingdom. They need someone to free them, in Jesus' name. They need "deeds of power."

Now let's read from verses 17-24:

17 The seventy[d] returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your nameeven the demons submit to us!” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. 19 See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names "have been" written in heaven.”

Let me just pause here, and say a single thing. English Bibles all translate verse 20, "but rejoice that your names "are" written" in heaven (with the exception of Young's Literal, which says, "were written."). It's a passive perfect verb (ἐγγέγραπται ). [verb, perfect, passive, indicative, third person, singular]

Normally, we'd translate that, "have been written." And technically, it's not the normal word for "to write" in the NT. This is a more formal word. It means something more like "to engrave." it's the word you'd use to describe inscribing something on stone. ἐγγρᾰ́φω

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[1] Having come to this river and camped there, then, Darius was pleased with the sight of it, and set up yet another pillar there, cutwith this inscription: [1]

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Or, it can mean to "inscribe" or "to register." Like, your name has been added to some list.

[230] One of them, named Phryno, a bold, bad man, sent his son to Philip before he had put him on the list of citizens; but another did not do anything that was unworthy of his country or himself.[2]

[261] After getting yourself enrolled on the register of your parish—no one knows how you managed it; but let that pass—anyhow, when you were enrolled, you promptly chose a most gentlemanly occupation, that of clerk and errand-boy to minor officials. After committing all the offences with which you now reproach other people, you were relieved of that employment; and I must say that your subsequent conduct did no discredit to your earlier career. [3]

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So the disciples go out, casting out demons, healing the sick, and Jesus says, "Rejoice that your names have been written, or "inscribed," or "engraved," in the heavens." Everyone reading this, as far as I know, thinks Jesus is talking about eternal life here. Jesus encourages his disciples to not lose sight, that their names "have been written" in the heavens.

Now, whendid their names get written in heaven? And on what basis?

Picking back up again, verse 21ff:

21 At that same hour Jesus[e] rejoiced in the Holy Spirit[f] and said, “I thank[g] you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.[h] 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

23 Then turning to the disciples, Jesus[i] said to them privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

What makes Jesus rejoice in the Spirit (some manuscripts apparently say "in his spirit"-- not checking this). What makes him praise his Father?

God has shown an incredible kindness to Jesus' disciples here. He has revealed to them, the authority that they have in Jesus, through Jesus' name.

When Jesus' disciples understand this authority, it changes everything in life. Jesus gives you permission to use his name. And his name, straight-up overpowers demons. Unclean spirits can't resist it. They have to run. And the terrible things they bring with them, the weapons that they use-- sickness, oppression, spiritual blindness-- have to run with them.

Now, the other part of Jesus' thankfulness here, has to do with what it reveals about God's remarkable character. Who does God reveal this to?

Verse 21: To "infants." [Technically, the word can also refer to minors. In Homer's Iliad 115.6.1, it's used to describe children who try to fight a man but aren't able to hurt him, even using sticks.] "Babies, infants, children."

And who doesn'tHe reveal this to?

Also verse 21: Not to "the wise." Notto "the intelligent."

People who think they're really smart, and wise, are not the kind of people that God reveals truth to. Smart people think they don't really need God very much. They can get through life just fine, using their own keen intellect.

Jesus' disciples are not like this. They are not the "wise." They're not particularly smart. What are they? They are people who have given up everything to follow Jesus. They live entirely for him. They are people who listen to Jesus (connecting it to Luke 10:14), and trust his words. They are like children-- they understand that spiritual realities are not very complicated. When Jesus teaches you something, you listen, you believe him, and then you obey him. You "do" it (Luke 10:3).

And what is their reward? Let's reread Luke 10:20:

20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names "have been" written in heaven.”

It's at this point that we are ready for the passage I was planning to teach on this morning.

Luke 10:25-26:

(25) and LOOK! A certain lawyer/legal expertstood up,

testing him, saying,

"Teacher, what must I do, eternal life, that I would inherit?"

The focus here, on the Greek, is on eternal life. What do you have to do to receive eternal life?

Now, before I say anything else, what you should do here is get out a piece of paper and a pen, and answer the man's question. I'll give you a minute to answer it.

When we read verse 25, we understand that this man is a representative of the wise and intelligent people who God hasn't revealed truth to. His name probably hasn't been written in the book of life. He's not one of the "babies/children" who simply listen to and obey Jesus.

The other thing about this man that we should see, is that this is not a sincere question. This man knows the right answer to the question. He's an expert. What he's unsure of, is if Jesus know the right answer.

Jesus has done lots of great things throughout Judea. But is he a trustworthy teacher?

Verse 26:

(26) Now, he said to him,

"in the law, what is written?"

How do you read it?"

Jesus points him to the right place. The law-- the Bible-- has the answer. But rather than answer him directly, Jesus turns the question back to him.

Verse 27:

(27) Now, he, answering, said,

"Love the Lord your God from your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole strength and with your whole mind, and your neighbor as yourself."

(28) Now, he (Jesus) said to him,

"Rightly/correctly you answered.

This, do, and you will live."

When you read Jesus' words here, you have two choices. You can either reject Jesus or, like children, you can believe him.

What Jesus teaches, very clearly, is that the final judgment is based on works. Specifically, it's based on two kinds of works. First, whether or not you love God with the entirety of who you are. And second, whether you love your neighbor as yourself.

You don't receive eternal life because you were baptized, or because you went through confirmation.

You don't receive eternal life because you prayed the sinner's prayer.

You receive eternal life, if you love God, and love people.

And you can tell if your name has been inscribed in the heavens, by whether or not you live this way. Do this, and you will live.

So if someone from Evangelism Explosion knocks on your door, and asks Peter's question about why you should get in, the answer is, "I loved God and people."

And if someone tries to tell you that you can live however you want, and still have eternal life with God, because nothing-- including sin-- separates you from Christ's love (Romans 8:28-38), understand you're hearing something incredibly dangerous. Understand you're listening to someone, who doesn't listen to Jesus.

Now, this bothers people to no end. You maybe find yourselves with all kinds of questions. Let me just briefly tackle two of them:

Question #1: "What happens if I sin?"

Answer #1: "You confess it to God. You turn from it ("repent"), and recommit yourself to God."

Question #2: "If the final judgment is based on works, how good is good enough?"

Answer #2: "Jesus says, love God with the entirety of who you are. And Jesus says, love your neighbor like yourself. That's your answer, to how good, is good enough.

Verse 29:

(29) Now, the man, wanting to justify/vindicate himself, said to Jesus,

"And who is my neighbor?"

The religious expert has his own question for Jesus. It's not the question I usually get asked, when I have this conversation. But it's the right question. Most people understand loving God with the entirety of who they are.

But who is your neighbor? That's more confusing. That's more complicated.

Verse 30:

(30) Now, replying, Jesus said,

"A certain[4]man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho,

and into the hands of robbers he fell.

They, stripping him, and beating him, and attacking him, went away,

leaving him half-dead.

(31) Now, by coincidence, a certain priest was going down on that road,

and seeing him, passed by on the opposite side.

(32) Now, likewise, also a Levite, coming down to the place and seeing him, passed by on the opposite side.

(33) Now, a certain Samaritan, traveling, came to him,

and seeing [him], had compassion,

(34) and coming to him, he bandaged his wounds,

pouring on olive oil and wine.

Now, putting him upon his own animal, he led him to an inn,

and he took care of[5]him,

(35) and on the next day, taking out two denarii, he gave [them] to the innkeeper,

and he said,

"Take care of him,

and whatever you spend, I-- when I return-- I will repay you.

(36) Which of these three, a neighbor, do you suppose was to the man who fell among the robbers?"

(37) Now, he said,

"The one showing mercy to him."

Now, Jesus said to him,

"Go,

and you do likewise."

Up until this summer, I thought I understood the point Jesus was making here. I thought I "knew" the story. Who is my neighbor?

I always focused on who the Samaritan was-- someone hated by the Jews. Someone viewed as a heretic.

And if you'd asked me, I would've said, "Jesus is teaching that everyone is my neighbor. I'm not allowed to exclude people from the category of neighbor because they are a different race, or religion, or poor, or rich, or Republican, or Democrat. Jesus wants me to love everyone."

Which is almost right. Sort of right. It's true, that I can't exclude people because they fit into certain categories. But my whole life, I missed the main point.

Who is your neighbor?

It's not that everyone is your neighbor. That's wrong.

Your neighbor is the person standing in front of you. That's what I missed.

Your neighbor is the person who greets you when you enter a business. It's the coworker who works a cubicle over. It's the person you share a property line with. It's the person standing right in front of you.

Everyone you meet, and interact with, and pass by, is your neighbor. The man who is beaten up and left half-dead, is your neighbor.

So let's circle back, and talk about eternal life. Jesus said there are two things you have to do to gain eternal life. You have to love God with the entirety of who you are, and you have to love your neighbor as yourself. Do those things, and you will inherit eternal life.

Let's reread verse 37:

(37) Now, he said,

"The one showing mercy to him."[6]

Now, Jesus said to him,

"Go,

and you do likewise."

DO. You don't receive eternal life for having the right answer. It's not enough to be an expert in the law, and correctly respond to Jesus. You have to do it. You have to love your neighbor as yourself.

Do it, and you'll inherit eternal life. It's at this point that we should realize, Luke has just showed us a picture of what this looks like. Let's reread Luke 10:20:

20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names "have been" written in heaven.

The 70 went out, casting out demons, and healing the sick. Their ministry led to Satan falling from the heavens.

When they did all of this, you can describe their ministry in a different way. What they were doing, was loving their neighbor as themselves. And when they did this, their names were written "in the heavens."

Now, I assume that these 70 went on to have incredibly fruitful ministries. That chapter 10 doesn't mark the end of their loving God, and loving their neighbor. But from that moment on, assuming they stay faithful (Rev. 3:5), their names are written in the heavens. They will receive eternal life.

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Revelation 3:4-5:

4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.

Revelation 13:8:

8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.[b]

Revelation 17:8:

8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because it once was, now is not, and yet will come.

Revelation 20:11-15:

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

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Maybe I'm the only one who didn't understand the point this story was teaching. Maybe all of you already knew that your neighbor, isn't literally everyone-- that it's the person in front of you.

But this has completely changed my life. When you think Jesus is saying, "Love everyone," it's overwhelming. And, honestly, it's really easy to end up doing nothing. You can't love everyone in the entire world like yourself.

But what you can do, and what Jesus calls you to do, is love the person in front of you. That person, is your responsibility. And even more specifically, this is true for people who are suffering. People who are sick, and oppressed by demons, need help. They need someone like the 70. People who have been beaten up, and left half-dead, need help. There need acts of mercy (Luke 10:37).

If you commit yourself to obeying Jesus' words, what you'll find is that you start to view everyone differently. You'll become more compassionate. You'll become more kind, and patient. You'll find that you care about people more. Above all else, you'll find yourself noticing need-- because you're looking for it. You'll recognize when people are struggling, or hurting. You'll hear it in their voice. You'll see it. And, you'll do something about it.

And maybe, you'll develop a radar for physical problems-- you'll notice every limp, and brace, and twitch. And you'll do something about that as well, in Jesus' name.

Now, it's possible that a few of you think this all sounds legalistic. Like "works-righteousness." And in a lot of churches, this is the boogeyman.

So let me just say this:

When Jesus commands his disciples to do this, and tells them that this is the basis for eternal life, he is pointing them to a road that's good for them. It's a delightful thing to love God, and serve God. There is a joy, and a peace, that comes from abiding with Christ, and living for him.

And it's also a delightful thing, to love your neighbor as yourself. On the days when you do this, you'll find that you go to bed that night feeling happy. It was a good day, because you got to serve someone.

You don't do these things because you are desperately trying to make sure your name is inscribed in the heavens. There's no panic, or fear involved here. You do these things out of gratitude for what God did for you. You do these things, because they are good for you, and good for others.

So obey Jesus. Love God, with the entirety of who you are. And love your neighbor as yourself. Love the person in front of you. Do this, and you will live.

I'd like to close today by reading Matthew 25:31-46 (NRSV):

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. 34 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38 And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39 And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40 And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family,[a] you did it to me.’ 41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Translation:

(25) and LOOK! A certain lawyer/legal expertstood up,

testing him, saying,

"Teacher, what must I do, eternal life, that I would inherit?"

(26) Now, he said to him,

"in the law, what is written?"

How do you read it?"

(27) Now, he, answering, said,

"Love the Lord your God from your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole strength and with your whole mind, and your neighbor as yourself."

(28) Now, he (Jesus) said to him,

"Rightly/correctly you answered.

This, do, and you will live."

(29) Now, the man, wanting to justify/vindicate himself, said to Jesus,

"And who is my neighbor?"

(30) Now, replying, Jesus said,

"A certain[7]man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho,

and into the hands of robbers he fell.

They, stripping him, and beating him, and attacking him, went away,

leaving him half-dead.

(31) Now, by coincidence, a certain priest was going down on that road,

and seeing him, passed by on the opposite side.

(32) Now, likewise, also a Levite, coming down to the place and seeing him, passed by on the opposite side.

(33) Now, a certain Samaritan, traveling, came to him,

and seeing [him], had compassion,

(34) and coming to him, he bandaged his wounds,

pouring on olive oil and wine.

Now, putting him upon his own animal, he led him to an inn,

and he took care of[8]him,

(35) and on the next day, taking out two denarii, he gave [them] to the innkeeper,

and he said,

"Take care of him,

and whatever you spend, I-- when I return-- I will repay you.

(36) Which of these three, a neighbor, do you suppose was to the man who fell among the robbers?"

(37) Now, he said,

"The one showing mercy to him."

Now, Jesus said to him,

"Go,

and you do likewise.

[1]Herodotus. (1920). Herodotus, with an English translation by A. D. Godley. (A. D. Godley, Ed.). Medford, MA: Harvard University Press. [2]Demosthenes. (1926). Demosthenes with an English translation by C. A. Vince, M. A. and J. H. Vince, M.A. Medford, MA: Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. [3]Demosthenes. (1926). Demosthenes with an English translation by C. A. Vince, M. A. and J. H. Vince, M.A. Medford, MA: Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. [4] "a certain..." A little link to verse 25. [5]Brill says with the genitive, it can mean "to dedicate oneself to." Same word as in 1 Timothy 3:5, fwiw. [6] R. Alan Culpepper notes that the answer to Jesus' question is so distasteful, that the law expert can't make himself say it. "Samaritan." But what he does, instead, is reveal a deeper truth about the answer. "The one showing mercy." [7] "a certain..." A little link to verse 25. [8]Brill says with the genitive, it can mean "to dedicate oneself to." Same word as in 1 Timothy 3:5, fwiw.

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