A LAWYER’S QUESTION
Luke 10:25-37
V: 25
(A) This verse says plainly that this wasn’t a question that the lawyer
wanted to
Know the truth about,
for he tempted JESUS with the question.
(B) This
is a studied and well rehearsed question.
(C) He had pondered long and hard on how to trap this hopeful MESSIAH, this
Jesus of Nazareth.
V: 26
(A) Before JESUS stood a lawyer, with phylactery, (or a frontlet) on his fore-
head according to Deuteronomy 6:8.
(B) In
the pocket of the phylactery was a small piece of parchment which had
written upon it the words of Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18 per the
custom of the Jews.
(C) So JESUS answers his question with a question to see if the man had
obeyed Deuteronomy 6:6 before he obeyed Deuteronomy 6:8?
V: 27
(A) Some more rehearsed words from the lawyer! He said those words
Every time he put his phylactery on his forehead.
(B) But
what did the words and the symbolic phylactery mean to the man?
Were the words in his heart?
V 28
This man doesn’t want a simple answer like that. He wants to argue!
V 29
(A) He’s trifling with JESUS – to justify himself.
(B) His
questions should have been: How shall I act as a neighbor or How can
I love my neighbor more, love him GOD’S way?
V 30
Jerusalem to Jericho
– 22 miles known as the dangerous bloody way – real
bad country full of rocks and caves that were notorious for robbers and
thieves.
V 31
(A) By chance (from the
Greek) soong-kee-ree-ah, which means by Divine
purpose the controller is GOD, the LORD or
MASTER.
(B) So, by Divine purpose, came a certain priest.
(C) The priest was on his way to Jerusalem to
perform religious duties, to
officiate in the temple over
rituals.
(D) The priest wasn’t afraid he’d be
dead and he couldn’t help him. The priest
was afraid he would be dead and
he (the priest) would be ceremonially
unclean for 7 days for having
touched him. Leviticus 21:11, Numbers 6:6,
9:6 and
19:11.
(E) This
is no excuse to refuse the Divine purpose.
(F) A
priest of the Most High God should have a spontaneous response of love
to
suffering. They were charged with the medicinal care of the people.
See Leviticus 14:33 ff as an example.
V: 32
(A) The Levites were assistants to the priests.
(B) Now
the Levite refuses GOD’S Divine purpose and passed by the chance
to love his neighbor. Leviticus 19:1b.
V: 33
(A) The plot is now thickening! There is only one class of
hierarchy of the
Jewish religion left – the doctors of the law! The lawyer could only be
Thinking I’m next!
(B) But surprise! Instead of a lawyer,
a Samaritan shows up. For the lawyer,
this is like a slap across the face with a cold towel. What? A
half-breed
Samaritan?
– must have been the lawyer’s attitude.
(C)
Samaritans were descended from Jews who had been left in the land when
Assyria conquered Israel in 722 B.C. and
these Jews had intermarried with
the Assyrians. Thus, they were hated and abhorred as half-breeds.
(D) The
Samaritans built a temple on Mt.Gerizim because they were not
allowed in the Jerusalem temple to worship. An example is the woman
at the
well. John
4:19-20. The Israelis of Samaria had shown kindness and
brotherly love to Judah before … remember lawyer? Chronicles 28:1-15.
V: 34-35
(A) Now I know you are a lawyer, but what would you have done?
(B) Would
you have lived out what is on your forehead?
(C)
Went to him – GOD’S love is spontaneous and unqualified. Deuteronomy
10:19.
(D) GOD’S
love comes first to religious rules. Uncleanness had it’ place in the
order of things … but unlove … what place should it have?
V: 36
The roles are now reversed – the lawyer
is now on the hot seat!
V: 37
Who is your certain man, who by Divine purpose,
GOD wants you to
Love and show mercy?