The Good Samaritan (Dangerous Unselfishness)-Luke 10:25-37
Key verse: 10:37
“The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
In this parable, Jesus teaches a most profound truth about God’s love. First, real love begins, when we realize we can’t love. Second, Real love grows when we are ¬¬Jesus-justifies. Third, Real love is displayed in dangerous unselfishness. The “Good Samaritan” is such a part of our culture. Countless charities, hospitals, and ministries are named after the parable. We even have Good Samaritan laws in our legal code in all 50 states. Good Samaritan laws offer legal protection to people who give reasonable assistance to those who are, or whom they believe to be injured, ill, in peril, or otherwise incapacitated.
First, real love begins, when we realize we can’t love.
Look at verse 25-26, “25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?””
A religious lawyer approaches Jesus. But he wasn’t the kind of lawyer we think of. He was an expert in the 600+ Old Testament laws and interpreted how they should be applied to their society. Luke tells us that he came to test Jesus. The word for test is the same word for when the devil came to test/tempt Jesus in the wilderness. There is a humorous irony here. Jesus is God. He is actually the author of the law given to Moses. It is like a student, testing his professor on his own material. He was an ‘expert’ in the law, but he didn’t realize the real expert was sitting next to him!
The test was to discredit Jesus’ ministry and teaching. In nearly every page of Luke’s gospel leading up to this encounter, Jesus had violated Old Testament laws. He cured on the Sabbath; he proclaimed forgiveness of sins. He shared table fellowship with sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes. He let the disciples pick grain on the Sabbath and didn’t make them follow the prescribed ritual washings.
The lawyer asks, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He wasn’t asking about how to go to heaven. He was asking what good deeds should a good Israelite perform in this life to be approved by God? In other words, how does one live a good life to be approved by God? It was a devious leading question to trap Jesus. He was hoping Jesus would say obey the laws of Moses, Sabbath laws, etc. The lawyer would then discredit him by asking, “Well why don’t you do these things?”
Jesus knew his game. He also wanted to trap him. The lawyer’s intention was to trap him to malign and destroy Jesus’ teaching and ministry. Jesus wanted to trap him as well, but to force him to see who he really is and point him to a savior. He answers a question with a question. “What does the law say, and how do you interpret it?”
Jesus just lobbed him a softball question. Every Jewish child had this answer memorized by the time they were five years old. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18)
Jesus says, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.” The crowd exhales. That was easy. Everyone agrees; let’s go eat!
Jesus says, “You want to inherit eternal life, then show perfect love to God and your neighbor. That’s it! That’s what the law requires. That’s what God wants from you.” It’s impossible to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind. He also wanted him to realize he doesn’t really love his neighbor. Romans 3:10-12 is an indictment of the human condition. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.”
Even though this lawyer studied the law all his life. He missed the whole point of his study. The whole point of the law is to reveal that God is holy and we are deeply sinful. We cannot obey the law. We need a savior! As Paul said in Romans 7:7, it was through the law that he knew sin. He could only say in Roman 7:24 “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” This lawyer didn’t know himself. Jesus is trying to show the lawyer, he can’t truly love God and his neighbor. To Jesus, real love begins when you realize, you can’t really love.
We are all like this lawyer. We think we are loving people. We are deceived by our self-righteousness and pride. One Gallup polls research noted that 90 percent of all people responding to the survey believe they love more than the average person. Most people believe they’re very loving. Jesus says to those 90 percent, “If you think you’re a loving person, you can never learn the kind of love I can teach you.” This lawyer falls into this category. Jeremiah 17:9 says (Amplified Bible) “The heart is deceitful above all things and it is extremely sick; Who can understand it fully and know its secret motives?” Our hearts are a factory of Idols. Idols come in wealth, status, children. Even good spiritual things such as serving the church, serving the poor, etc. can be rooted in impure motive such as getting recognition for other church members. What Jesus is trying to teach him is real love for God and your neighbor begins when you realize you don’t have real love for God and your neighbor.
Second, Real love begins when we are Jesus-justified
The lawyer should have responded like Isaiah 6:5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Before he came to the temple, Isaiah thought he was part of the 90% who believed they were loving. But before the holy God, his self-righteousness was shattered and he realized, he was depraved, a rebel and a blasphemer. I can’t love God perfectly! I can’t love my neighbor. I’m inadequate. Have mercy on me!”
Look at verse 29, But the lawyer hardened his heart so he sets another trap, “And who is my neighbor?” Luke tells us that he asked the question seeking to “justify himself.” The word ‘justify’ means, I’m OK. I’m righteous, I’m a good neighbor! He wants to show off how a good guy he is and how is life is approved by God. Perhaps he was a good Israelite who obeyed his parents. He was a good lawyer who provide helped people understand the law. He was a ‘good’ neighbor. The problem is all his good deeds and ‘love’ was to build his image. He was like cut flowers in a vase. He had no spiritual life. Instead of being used by God to do his work, he used God to get ahead. Matt 23:5 “Everything they do is done for people to see.” As for his love for his neighbors, it was partial. He only cared for people who looked like him, spoke like him, ate like him, thought like him, worshipped like him. The people Jesus hung with such as tax collectors, sinners, prostitutes, foreigner, and specially stinking Samaritans were off limits to him.
The verse says, he wanted to justify himself. In life we can live either as a self-justifier or Jesus-justified. A self-justifier tries their best to be moral, and to look good and righteous before others. The major difference in all religions and Christian is this point. All major religions say you can justify yourself by following certain laws and practices. However, the Christian religion says, you can never be justified, no matter how much you try. Isaiah 64:6 “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags” It doesn’t say “some” but “all” acts.
Before I knew the gospel, my Christian life was a life of a self-justifier. I would have responded in the survey, that I’m a pretty good guy. When I assessed the lives of my high school friends, I felt I was far superior than them because I didn’t smoke, drink or slept around. I went to church. As for my neighbors, I only loved my neighbors who were nice to me, provided me with Christmas gifts. I didn’t like white Americans who bullied in my youth. But a life of a self-justifier is very miserable. Even though, I felt I was morally superior to my High school friends, I was in deep conflict because I envied their party lifestyle. It seems they were having more fun. Plus, I wasn’t happy when my neighbors got better toys, opportunities, better grades, etc. As a Christian, I lived as a self-justifier. Church activities like serving Bible students was a means of getting recognition for my leaders and rewards. However, I was jealous and felt inferior towards my Christian brothers who attained positions in the church such as fellowship leader or chapter director. I was a Christian, but I was a miserable Christian. I could only get out of my self-justifying lifestyle when I deeply accepted Jesus who justifies me!
The other way to live is to be Jesus-justified. It was only through the study of the prodigal God did I discover the gospel. The life of a self-justifier is miserable. During a court trial, lawyers trying to prove a person’s guilt or innocence based on all kinds of evidence such as email, voicemails, invoices, witnesses, etc. I imagined the heavenly courtroom before the heavenly judge. God has all the video tapes of what we have done in public and in private; in secret and open. He has evidence of the intentions of our hearts. Who can declare their innocence before the heavenly judge? We are all pronounced guilty. We must be sent to jail for our punishment.
But what did Jesus, our defense lawyer do? What did Jesus do before the Holy Judge? He decided to take the punishment we fully deserve, upon himself! Titus 3:5a reads, “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy…” The cross is the symbol of Jesus’ love for us and at the same time, the punishment we fully deserve! Jesus justified us through his death and resurrection. We are righteous, not because of anything we have done, but what Jesus has done. It was only when I learn that Jesus is my justifier, I found true peace and joy. I realize, I am most sinful, but loved. I should been on that cross, but Jesus took upon himself the punishment I fully deserved. Real love begins when we are Jesus-justified. We are compelled to love because of what Jesus has done for us (2 Corinthians 5:14)!
Third, Real love is displayed in dangerous unselfishness.
In verse 30-35, Jesus proceeds to trap him again with a parable about divine love for one’s neighbor.
He tells a story of a Samaritan who finds a Jew who has been beaten, robbed and left for dead in a road. Along comes a priest. And you think, “He’s going to help. Man of God. Dressed up in his godly robes and majestic headwear. That’s his duty.” But nope. He walks on the other side of the path to avoid him. Perhaps he thought the man lying on the road was already dead, he didn’t want to get into contact with a corpse or bleeding person, thus violating ceremonial clean laws. Then comes a Levite, surely, he’s going to help since he is a man of God. Same thing, he moves to the other side. Perhaps he was late for his religious duties.
The third person is a Samaritan. Jesus goes into detail about the care the Samaritan provides. He stops and has compassion on him. He risks his life to help the man (33). He breaks his traveling schedule and administers medical care. He pours oil and wine (34). He puts the man on his donkey, while he walks. He brings him to an inn and stays a few days at his bedside. He becomes his friend (34). He gives him a financial support. He gives two denarii, which is approx. 2 months’ worth of rent. He also promises to come back to check up on him and reimburse the inn keeper with any additional expenses. The Samaritan was not sentimental. He got down and dirty. It was expensive. It was dangerous. It was time consuming. More than that, he was giving his love to an enemy!
The crowd would have gasped by Jesus’ subversion of the regular story. The characters in the story where not all Jewish. He included a Samaritan, who were historical enemies of the Jews. We know from history the worst thing a Jew could call a person was a Samaritan. In John 8:48 when the Jew were furious at Jesus, they say, “You’re a Samaritan and demon-possessed!” Did you know it was common for Jews to get up in the morning and say, “Lord, give me a good day. Give me this day my daily bread. Keep me safe today. Lord, I pray there will be no Samaritans in the resurrection on the last day.”
Then Jesus asked the lawyer, which of these three was a neighbor to the man lying on the road? “The one who showed mercy.” Jesus said “Go and do likewise.” The expert in the law has to say, “The one who showed mercy. The Samaritan. The one I hate the most.” Jesus says, “Go and do likewise.”
What is he trying to get at? He is trying to say, “Here’s the sum of it all. Unless you’re crushed and convicted by the magnitude of the love God requires, you will never be humbled enough to receive the love he offers in the gospel Why would Jesus take such an extreme example? Pastor Tim Keller remarks about God’s grace, “The mark of a heart that’s been touched by the grace of God will inevitably be led to deeds of compassion to the neediest, to the most broken, and even to the most ungrateful and the kind of person who is the furthest away from you demographically, socially, physically, every other way.”
Martin Luther King Jr. in his last sermon talked about this parable. He encouraged his hearers to develop a “kind of dangerous unselfishness.” Because of Dr. King’s dangerous unselfishness, it cost him his life. The love the Samaritan displayed in this parable is impossible to practice. Only when we realize we cannot love, only when we realize Jesus justified us can we practice the Samaritan’s love. The Samaritan was willing sacrificed their time, money, status and even their own life for their fellow citizen. The good Samaritan love transcended the color of his neighbor’s skin, their nationality, social background, etc. They could do this because, they found Jesus who justifies them. They could do this because they have experience God’s love.
In this parable, Jesus is the good Samaritan and we are man left for dead on the road. We were all dying because of our sins. We were enemies, yet Jesus loved us. He paid for our salvation on the cross. He poured oil and wine for our healing. By his wounds we are healed. He promised to remain at our side until we are fully healed. He will come again to restore his divine rule.
We live in a fallen and divided world. Many are on the road side wounded by loss, pain, sorrow, injustice. We have so many divisions that sows deep seated hatred. Cubs’ fans don’t like Soxs’ fans. There is deep division between political parties. There is deep division among people groups, the Irish and the English, Jews and Palestinians, Ukrainians and Russian, and so on. There are even divisions against family members. Our hearts break due to these conflicts. They seem unsolvable. What can we do? We can only listen to Jesus who said “Go and do likewise!” We can sow the seeds by sharing the gospel. We can show a glimpse of the good samaritan’s love.
I thank God for many who have Gone and done likewise. So many live with “dangerous unselfishness.” There is also prison fellowship and Angel tree, who cares for the children of incarcerated family members, promote justice reform, etc. There is Operation Underground Railroad, a private organization started by Tim Ballard, their dangerous goal is to rescue child trafficking victims and prosecute these organizations. There is Franklin Graham’s ministry called Samaritan’s purse that helps people in disaster areas providing food, clothing, prayer and other needs. There is Mercy ships, started by Don Stephenson, they provide free surgery, medical and supplies training in all parts of the world. There are countless other ministries working in many dangerous parts of the world.
Personally, I’m at the chapter of my life where I have to take care of my aged parents and parent-in-law. I’m moved by my wife and her siblings who deeply care for their ailing mother. They encourage her with Bible verses, grandchildren, delicious food and Turkish rom-com shows. Recently, our first floor has become a convalescent home taking care of her. I’ve also tried to help my parents find a new place. It is not easy to take care of aged parents. They have so many needs to take care of. The last few days, May God help us display dangerous unselfishness in our small circle of influence!
Bible Study Questions
1. What question did the expert in the law ask (25)? What was his motive?
What was Jesus question (26)? How did the lawyer respond (27, Deuteronomy 6:5, Leviticus 19:18)?
2. Can we truly love God and our neighbor (Psalm 51:5, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:23)? How should he have responded (Isaiah 6:5, Romans 7:7, Romans 7:24)? Pastor Tim Keller says, we can begin to truly love, when we realize we can’t love. What did he mean?
3. What was the lawyer’s second question (29)? What does it mean “he wanted to justify himself” (Matthew 23:2-7)? Can we justify ourselves (Isaiah 64:6, Romans 1:18)? Who can truly justify us (Romans 4:25, Romans 5:9)?
4. What happened to the man on the road to Jericho (30)? Why did the priest and levite go on the other side of the road (31,25) Who helped him (33)? What are some acts of kindness did the good samaritan perform?
5. Why was Jesus’ parable so subversive and uncomfortable to Jewish ears? Who was the hero of the story? Who were the samaritans and how were they view (John 4:9; John 8:48)?
6. How is Jesus like the samaritan? Who are some good samaritans who have helped you along your spiritual journey? How can you live like a good Samaritan?
Note: In Dr. Martin Luther King’s last sermon (4/3/1968), he mentions the story of the good samaritan, What does he mean when he says, “Let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness.” how is the life of a good samaritan dangerous?
References
Keller, T. J. “The Good Samaritan: The Parables of Jesus”, 2 August, 1992, The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
King Jr., Dr. Martin Luther. “I See The Promised Land”, 3 April 1968, https://www.ucc.org/what-we-do/justice-local-church-ministries/justice/faithful-action-ministries/racial-justice/sacred-conversation_dr-kings-last-sermon/
Clark, Rev. Dr. David. “The Good Samaritan Sermon”, 21, August 2022, https://bayshorechurch.org/sermons/the-good-samaritan-sermon/
