He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:37 NABRE
The quoted verse is the closing line of an interaction between Jesus and a scholar of the law. The scholar asks Jesus what he has to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus gives an answer that includes loving neighbor and the scholar follows up with a question; who is our neighbor. Jesus responds telling the story of a victim who is attacked by robbers and left on the side of the road half-dead. In the story several people pass and do not help, in fact they cross over to the other side of the road. Finally a Samaritan stops, helps the victim, takes him to an inn and settles him in and pays for several days stay at the Inn and if more money is needed he will pay the innkeeper on his return trip. Jesus uses the nationality of a Samaritan as the helpful man because those listening were at odds with Samaritans. Samaritans were people of the Hebrew community but married or became connected outside the Hebrew community. Between the Hebrew people and Samaritan people there was not much love, they were in conflict constantly. The story ends with the scholar recognizing the mercy provided by the Samaritan made him the neighbor. Jesus tells the scholar to go and do likewise, which is a message for him and us.
It is an interesting message coming from the scholar, he uses the word mercy. Mercy we usually hear coming from God, and as people who are called to imitate God we too are to provide mercy. Now, in Jesus teaching we hear this specifically, be merciful like the Samaritan, go out of our way to help those in need, give beyond what seems rational. Serve radically!
Do you do likewise? Are you radical in your response to those who need?
In Jesus teaching we hear this specifically, be merciful like the Samaritan, go out of our way to help those in need, give beyond what seems rational. Serve radically! Click To Tweet#bible’#godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #radical #mercy #Luke #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #Matthew #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways