* "The Good Samaritan" was made possible by "The Artsy Bible Study".
>1. What did the expert in the law ask Jesus and how did he answer his own question? (25-27)
* Luke 10:25-27 "On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
* This event might also be the event recorded in Mark 10:17-31. However, much in that account is not included in this account and visa-versa. Most commentaries do not believe this is the same as the events in Matthew 22:35-40 and Mark 12:28-34 because only Luke records the parable of The Good Samaritan.
* "On one occasion" -This seems to indicate that Luke does not follow chronological order with this event.
* These four verses would incline one to think that Luke here records the same piece of history which we met with in Matthew 22:35-40 and Mark 12:28-34. But neither of those evangelists have the following part of this discourse, which makes me doubtful whether Luke speaks of the same person coming to Christ which the others mention. (Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible)
* This lawyer is not to be identified with that of Matthew 22:3 and Mark 12:28. (A Commentary on the Holy Bible: The One Volume Bible Commentary.)
* "an expert in the law" -Probably a Pharisee or a scribe. Some older English translations have "lawyer". The Greek adjative in "nomikos" indicating an expert in law, someone who people would go to because they studies law.
* "to test Jesus... Teacher..." -The man already believed something. He was not seeking to learn from Jesus. He wanted to see if Jesus was good enough.
* "Love... God... Love... neighbor" -The point is love. The man did not ask for clarification or detail. He believed he already knew.
>What does this show about the man?
* "what must I do to inherit eternal life" -He believed he could be good enough to inherit eternal life.
* He was proud of his life accomplishments in understanding the Law of Moses. He believed he could test other teachers and win.
* The experts in the law were Pharisees, Levites, and scribes. Jews who were interested in the Law given thought Moses and Israel's history would ask them questions as Jesus was often asked questions. The people in that age as any are interested in God and his ways and how to obtain eternal life. This question was not new to him or his culture. He would have already had an answer.
>Why is eternal life so related to love?
* Luke 10:27-28 "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 'You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied. 'Do this and you will live.'"
* "Love" -"Agapao" in the original Greek.
* The Law of Moses is clear. These are the two most important. This was acknowledged by all including Jesus. (Isaiah 56:6-7; 1 John 2:9-11, 3:16-20)
* God is love and love is the only way of true worship. If we do not love, then we cannot have God in our hearts.
* 1 John 4:7-12 "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us."
* When I am asked similar questions twice, I grow annoyed. When I am asked a third time, I grow tired of answering. However, Jesus finds new ways to articulate an answer when asked similar questions over and over again. Jesus was often asked, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? and, "Teacher, what is the greatest commandment?" Many believe that practically applying the answer to the latter is the answer to the first.
The rich young man in Matthew 19:16 asked the first because he kept the latter. Then an expert in the law asked the second believing he could obtain the first by keeping the latter (Matthew 22:36 and Mark 12:28). Now another expert in the law who was listening to Jesus stood and asked the first because like the rich young ruler, he wanted to obtain eternal life. Jesus' answer is remarkable. Luke is the only one to record this exchange.
When the expert in the law asked the question that binds humanity, "How to inherit eternal life?" Jesus replied with two questions. "What is written in the Law?" Then Jesus personalized it, "How do you read it?" Of course, an expert in the Low of Moses would have greatly studied this subject, because he would have been asked this. He answered Jesus from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18.
Jesus agreed. "Do this and you will live." If I were to stop there and read no more I could wonder how does this not conflict with, "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith, - and this not from yourself, it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8) No conflict exists with the two statements for the person who acknowledges their inability to keep perfectly the requirements of eternal life, love God and love neighbor. I try, but am unable to do these all the time. Jesus perfectly illustrates this to the man who did not accept his inability to love God and people perfectly all the time. This is in tomorrow's BDBD.
Listen to the above comments on Luke 10:25-28.
>2. Why did the expert in the law ask Jesus another question?
* Luke 10:29a "But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus,"
* "justify himself" -Explain why he was right in his assessment of the will and word of God.
>What was the question?
* Luke 10:29b "And who is my neighbor?"
* This question would have been asked before he asked it. He would have considered it, discussed it, and debated it.
>What answer did he probably expect from Jesus?
* Jesus' said in the Sermon on the Mount what the experts in the law had been teaching, "You have heard it said, 'Love you neighbors, and hate your enemies.'" (Matthew 5:43-48)
II. Go and Do Likewise (30-37)
* Titled "Parable of the Good Samaritan", this illustration is from a book by Luther, Martin, 1483-1546 is now in public domain. The book's title is "Auslegung der Episteln vnd Euangelien, von Ostern bis auff das Aduent / D. Mart. Luth."
This woodcut illustrating Jesus telling the story of a Samaritan who stops to help a man wounded by thieves, while a priest and a Levite pass by. The thieves are in the upper left hiding. The priest and Levite are in the lower left walking away. The Samaritan is helping the injured man in the middle of the illustration. Jerusalem and the temple are in the upper center.
Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.
>3. What happened to the man going from Jerusalem to Jericho in the parable?
* Luke 10:30 "In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead."
* "In reply Jesus said" -Sometimes a parable, a vivid illustration using worldly things to explain heavenly things is the best teaching. (John 3:12)
* "Jericho" -Jericho, the second city of Judea in Jesus' time, was a city of the priests and Levites, it is reported that thousands of them lived there. Herod built it up and created a summer palace for himself there. It is tropical with palm trees.
* "Jerusalem to Jericho" -Jericho in Jesus' time was a city in the Jordan Valley about 17 miles (27 km) northeast of Jerusalem. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho ascends approximately 2,500 to 3,300 feet (1 km) and then descends down to 800 feet above sea level. The mountain range peak that runs north to south lays between the two cities. The road has many ups and downs.
* "going down from Jerusalem to Jericho" -The only road is in a desert rocky area that descends very quickly from the height of Jerusalem (2,500 feet above sea level) to deep valley Jericho is in. The path has lots of bends and turns and caves are numerous in the area. Great places to hid.
* "when he fell into the hands of robbers" -A very common occurrence on this road.
* "leaving him half dead" -Meaning he could not help himself and if not helped by another he would have died.
>Who were the men who passed him by? Why might they have passed by without stopping to help?
* Luke 10:31-32 "A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side."
* "priest.. he passed by on the other side" -He would have been going to the temple to serve there. If he touched a body with discharges he could not have served in the temple. So he kept far from the body. He did not get to close as to not defile himself. His service at the temple was more important than a man's health. He was selfish.
* "Levite" -He too would have been going to the temple in Jerusalem and thus needed to be ceremonial clean. The dead sea scrolls reveal that many Essene living near Jericho and the Dead Sea were Levites who rejected Rome and Herod's removing of the high priest and putting another in his place.
* Titled "Parable of the Good Samaritan", this illustration is from a book by Luther, Martin, 1483-1546 is now in public domain. The book's title is "Hausspostil D. Martin Luthers, : vber die Sontags vnd der fürnembsten Fest Euangelia, durch das gantze Jar"
This woodcut illustrates, as the one above Jesus telling a teacher of the Law about a good Samaritan who stops to help a man wounded by thieves, while a priest and a Levite pass by. In the background, he transports the wounded man to an inn on a donkey.
Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.
>What does this suggest about the religious leaders of the time?
* The Bible does not say that they could not help a dying man. (Leviticus 15:1-15, 21:11) It only says that only the high priest cannot enter a place where there is a dead body, and how a discharge will make a person unclean and what they must do to become clean. They could not serve at the temple until after ceremonially washing themselves. Even if he was dead the Law of Moses only states that he was unable to serve at the temple for a short period of time and only after ceremony washing himself. They could have forfeit the possibility and chance to serve at the temple to help the man.
* "when he saw the man" -He knew the man's state, not dead, almost dead.
* "when he came to the place and saw him" -He knew the man's state, not dead, almost dead.
* The righteous man would answer Jesus correctly thus showing he knew mercy, but like the priest and Levite he was limited in practicing it.
* Religion service over practice of love. Ceremony over practical application. Law without practice of the spirit of the law. Loving God by serving at the temple over loving God by serving others in need.
>4. What did the Samaritan think about the injured man when he saw him?
* Luke 10:33 "But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him."
* "Samaritan" The road from Jerusalem to Jericho did not pass through nor lead to Samaria. The only reason a Samaritan would go down this road was business. It is extremely doubtful that Samaritans did not live in Jericho at this time. This man surely did not live in Jericho because he had to rent an inn room to place the man in.
* "he took pity on him" -Pity comes from love.
>How did he serve him?
* Luke 10:34 "He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him."
* The Samaritan's pity turned into action.
* "He went to him" -He was not repulsed.
* "bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine" -Oil and wine was used as illness remedies in this time (Isaiah 1:6). He knew what he was doing. He was not concerned with cost or self.
* "he put the man on his own donkey" -He would have to walk down the road.
* "took him to an inn and took care of him." -Stopped his plans which was probably business related.
>What was his expenditure in money, time, and effort?
* Luke 10:35 "The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'"
* "two silver coins" -Two days wages which would keep the man up for two months at the inn.
* Jesus is teaching that love knows no national boundaries, no religious boundaries, no expense boundaries, and no personal boundaries.
>What is Jesus teaching us here?
* Luke 10:36-37 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
* Deuteronomy 22:4 "If you see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help him get it to its feet."
* Exodus 23:4-5 "If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it."
* Isaiah 58:7-8 "Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard."
* "was a neighbor" -Who proves his he is the good neighbor by his actions?
* Jesus explained to a self-righteous religious leader, a Bible teacher what love for a neighbor is with a now well-known parable. It is known as "The Parable of the Good Samaritan".
Jesus and the Bible expert agreed that if a person loved God and neighbor they would inherit eternal life. Jesus told him if he did this he would live. The Bible teacher was challenged because he knew that he did not love everyone all the time. They had just entered Samaria. He, like most Jews of the day, did not love Samaritans. In fact, many hated Samaritans. So here he stood wanting to test Jesus (25) and instead found himself tested.
The religious Bible teacher tried to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" He would have taught others that a neighbor is a person we know. Religious teachers in that day said, "A stranger and an enemy are not our neighbors. We do not have to love them." Jesus with this famous parable states that my neighbor includes strangers and enemies. Samaritans and Jews were practically enemies. Yet, the Samaritan in the parable showed mercy to a Jew when a Jewish Levite and Jewish Priest did not.
Jesus taught simply during the Sermon on the Mount. "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:43-48)
Listen to the above comments on Luke 10:29-37.
>5. Why do you think that Jesus picked a Samaritan to be the hero of this parable?
* Luke 9:51-53 "As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem."
* Luke 10:1 "After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go."
* Compassion knows no nationality stiff.
* "The traditional allegorical interpretation, however, is too interesting to be entirely passed over. We give it in the words of Euthymius: 'The man is Adam and his offspring, the descent from Jerusalem to Jericho is the Fall. The thieves are the demons who beset our path, and strip us of the garments of virtue and the fear of God, and wound us spiritually by causing us to sin. Man was made half dead, in that he remained immortal in the soul, but mortal in the body. The Priest is the Law given by Moses, the Levite is the teaching of the prophets, and the good Samaritan is Christ Himself. The inn is the Church which receives every kind of man. The innkeeper is every ruler of the Church, i.e. every bishop and successor of the apostles. And the two pence are the Old and the New Testaments, which minister healing to the sick.'" (A Commentary on the Holy Bible: The One Volume Bible Commentary.)
III. But Only One Thing is Needed (38-42)
* "Christ in the House of Martha and Mary" was made possible by "The Artsy Bible Study".
>6. How did Martha receive Jesus and his disciples?
* Luke 10:38 "As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him."
* Luke uniquely records this visit to Martha and Mary's house. He begins recording many events unique to his gospel starting in Luke 9:51 (or 10:1) till Luke 18:14 (i.e., the sending of the seventy-two in 10:1-23, a unique visit to Martha and Mary's house in 10:38-42, ten healed of leprosy in 17:11-19). Much in these eight plus chapters are parables unique to Luke's gospel. (See a chart comparing Jesus' parables by using the link above.)
* "he came to a village" -Bethany was about two miles (three km) from Jerusalem (John 12:1-3).
* "a woman named Martha opened her home to him" -The family included three. Martha must have been the oldest. Lazarus, though male must not have been old enough the be the patriarchate.
* "Martha" -Literally means "mistress". She was a believer.
>How did this show her love for Jesus?
* Many followed Jesus at this time. The twelve and the seventy-two included an even greater crowd. She could not have had a big enough house to accompany many. Yet, she would have at least included the twelve and a few women who were with Jesus from the beginning. Even still, the amount would have been troublesome.
>What did Mary do?
* Luke 10:39 "She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said."
* "She had a sister called Mary" -Assumed to be younger than Martha.
* Their parents are not mentioned. Then again, neither is Lazarus who Apostle John (John 11:1-2) mentions will be raised from the dead. Still, their parents were probably deceased. People did not live long back then.
* "who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said" -She continued to listen as close as possible, very attentive, in a place of humble submission. (Acts 22:3)
* Titled "Mary and Martha", this illustration is from a book by Fontaine, Nicolas, 1625-1709 is now in public domain. The book's title is "L'Histoire du Vieux et du Nouveau Testament : avec des explications édifiantes, tirées des Saints Peres pour regler les moeurs dans toutes sortes de conditions ... / par le sieur de Royaumond Prieur de Sombreval ..."
This woodcut illustrates Martha working as Mary listens to Jesus. Six are making food or cleaning dishes in the kitchen.
Courtesy of the Digital Image Archive, Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University: http://www.pitts.emory.edu.
>Why?
* She was a good student. (Acts 22:3)
* She may have been given responsibilities, but left them because she wanted a better seat to hear what he was saying. Jesus' words stirred her.
>7. What does Martha's complaint about Mary to Jesus show about her?
* Luke 10:40 "But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
* "distracted" -The original Greek verb is "perispao peri" implying she was moving all about from one place to the next. She was probably going from kitchen with food and bringing them to the guests, one after another.
* Jesus was actively teaching as Martha worked.
* "all by myself" -They did not have maids or servants.
* It is not stated, but implied that perhaps Martha didn't need to serve until Jesus stopped teaching. Or at least she could have asked Jesus is she should serve food or wait until later.
* Jesus never said Martha was in error, only that Mary had chosen the better.
>How is her demand reasonable in itself?
* "left me to do the work by myself" -Mary would have been required to help to attend to the guests' needs in those days.
* There were many people in attendance.
* Mary shrugged off her responsibilities. Martha, being older would have been in charge.
* This illustration by unknown author is now in public domain. Jesus instructs Mary and Martha notices. The image was made possible by "The Bible Revival".
>Why is she wrong?
* "don't you care" -Jesus didn't say she was wrong in her request. His reply wasn't a direct rebuke. Nor was his reply addressing the anger she expressed towards him as well as her sister. Martha considered serving others to be an important and required activity. Martha wasn't wrong, and yet she was not right either. Martha's problem was perspective and priorities.
* Martha's comments to Jesus shows her love and respect for him has its limitations and perimeters
* Two things are blamable in Martha: 1. That she made too much ado about the entertainment of our Savior. That she entertained our Saviour she did well; but herein she erred, that she made her entertainment of him so troublesome, as it would not give her leave to take that advantage, which she might, or ought to have done, from the entertainment of a prophet. 2. That she is displeased with her sister because she would not lend her hand, but chose rather to sit at Christ's feet and hear his word, and desireth Christ to send her away to her assistance. (Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible.)
>8. How did Jesus counsel Martha?
* Luke 10:41-42 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."
* "Martha, Martha" -Endearing words. Affectionate word.
* "you are worried and upset about many things" -Jesus acknowledged Martha's state of mind.
* "only one thing is needed" -The food could have waited.
>Why did he not send Mary to help Martha?
* "Mary has chosen what is better" -To learn from Jesus is better than serving others, even if doing so in love.
* The passage does not say what happened after this. Yet, there is no reason to believe that Jesus immediately sent Mary to help Martha.
>What is one thing that is needed, the one thing that Jesus wants the most from those who love him?
* Martha and Mary both loved Jesus. Martha opened her house to him and his disciples. Martha wanted to be a good host, so she was busy with all the preparations that had to be made. Mary listened to Jesus while sitting at his feet. She was listening carefully to what Jesus said.
Martha was upset with Mary because she wasn't helping her with the preparations. She did not say anything to Mary about it, but she did say something to Jesus. She complained. She was hurt. She believed Jesus didn't care for her because Mary wasn't helping and he did nothing about it. Martha felt less than. Martha was worried and upset.
Jesus acknowledged Martha's feelings. He knew she was preparing food for him and his disciples. However, he said, "Only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." I cry because I identify with Martha. I am always busy with the Lord's work. I need to make sure I do the one thing that is needed, listen to Jesus at his feet; meditate, pray, and study.
Listen to the above comments on Luke 10:29-37.
* A wood engraving titled "Jesus at the House of Martha and Mary" by Gustave Dore is in an old Bible titled: "The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testaments, according to the authorized version. With illustrations by Gustave Doré."
The artist, Gustave Doré (1832-1883), has placed his signature at the lower left of the woodcut, and the engraver's signature, Héliodore Pisan (1822-1890), is located at the lower right.
Dore's drawings are now in public domain. This one was scanned in by creationism.org.
>9. How do the teaching of the parable and the lesson taught in Martha's house compliment each other?
* This passage contrasts Martha's serving attitude and the Samaritan's serving attitude. Jesus' parable says serving others in love is good, even if it means a person will be ceremonial unclean. The two passages Luke chooses helps set the idea of serving others in different perspectives.
* "not be taken away" -Martha's choice would be taken from her, for her services would die with her; Mary's never, being spiritual and eternal. Both were true-hearted disciples, but the one was absorbed in the higher, the other in the lower of two ways of honoring their common Lord. Yet neither despised, or would willingly neglect, the other's occupation. The one represents the contemplative, the other the active style of the Christian character. A Church full of Marys would perhaps be as great an evil as a Church full of Marthas. Both are needed, each to be the complement of the other. (A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical on the Old and New Testaments.)
