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Chapter 54—The Good Samaritan
This chapter is based on
Luke 10:25-37
.
As Christ was teaching the people, “a certain lawyer stood up,
and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal
life?” The priests and rabbis had thought to entangle Christ by hav-
ing the lawyer ask this question. But the Saviour entered into no
controversy. “What is written in the law?” He said. “How readest
thou?” He turned the question of salvation on the keeping of God’s
commandments.
The lawyer said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy
mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” Jesus said, “Thou hast answered
right: this do, and thou shalt live.”
The lawyer had been studying the Scriptures to learn their real
meaning. In his answer as to the requirements of the law, he claimed
no value for the mass of ceremonial and ritualistic precepts, but
presented the two great principles on which hang all the law and
the prophets. This answer, being commended by Christ, placed the
Saviour on vantage ground with the rabbis.
“This do, and thou shalt live,” Jesus said. He presented the law
as a divine unity. It is not possible to keep one precept, and break
another; the same principle runs through them all. Supreme love to
God and impartial love to man are the principles to be wrought out
in the life.
The lawyer was convicted under Christ’s searching words. He
had not manifested love toward his fellowman. But instead of re-
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penting, he tried to justify himself, saying, “Who is my neighbor?”
Among the Jews this question caused endless dispute. The
heathen and Samaritans were strangers and enemies, but where
should the distinction be made among people of their own nation
and different classes of society? Were they to regard the ignorant
and careless multitude, the “unclean,” as neighbors?
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