TRV
See on the biblical-era map
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Luke 10:25–37. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here Christ's discourse with a lawyer about some points of conscience, which we are all concerned to be rightly informed in and are so here from Christ though the questions were proposed with no good intention.
I.We are concerned to know what that good is which we should do in this life, in order to our attaining eternal life.
A question to this purport was proposed to our Saviour by a certain lawyer, or scribe, only with a design to try him, not with a desire to be instructed by him, Luk 10:25. The lawyer stood up, and asked him, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? If Christ had any thing peculiar to prescribe, by this question he would get it out of him, and perhaps expose him for it; if not, he would expose his doctrine as needless, since it would give no other direction for obtaining happiness than what they had already received; or, perhaps, he had no malicious design against Christ, as some of the scribes had, only he was willing to have a little talk with him, just as people go to church to hear what the minister will say. This was a good question: What shall I do to inherit eternal life? But it lost all its goodness when it was proposed with an ill design, or a very mean one. Note, It is not enough to speak of the things of God, and to enquire about them, but we must do it with a suitable concern. If we speak of eternal life, and the way to it, in a careless manner, merely as matter of discourse, especially as matter of dispute, we do but take the name of God in vain, as the lawyer here did. Now this question being started, observe,
1.How Christ turned him over to the divine law, and bade him follow the direction of that. Though he knew the thoughts and intents of his heart, he did not answer him according to the folly of that, but according to the wisdom and goodness of the question he asked. He answered him with a question: What is written in the law? How readest thou? Luk 10:26. He came to catechize Christ, and to know him; but Christ will catechize him, and make him know himself. He talks to him as a lawyer, as one conversant in the law: the studies of his profession would inform him; let him practise according to his knowledge, and he should not come short of eternal life. Note, It will be of great use to us, in our way to heaven, to consider what is written in the law, and what we read there. We must have recourse to our bibles, to the law, as it is now in the hand of Christ and walk in the way that is shown us there. It is a great mercy that we have the law written, that we have it thereby reduced to certainty, and that thereby it is capable of spreading the further, and lasting the longer. Having it written, it is our duty to read it, to read it with understanding, and to treasure up what we read, so that when there is occasion, we may be able to tell what is written in the law, and how we read. To this we must appeal; by this we must try doctrines and end disputes; this must be our oracle, our touchstone, our rule, our guide. What is written in the law? How do we read? if there be light in us, it will have regard to this light.
2.What a good account he gave of the law, of the principal commandments of the law, to the observance of which we must bind ourselves if we would inherit eternal life. He did not, like a Pharisee, refer himself to the tradition of the elders, but, like a good textuary, fastened upon the two first and great commandments of the law, as those which he thought must be most strictly observed in order to the obtaining of eternal life, and which included all the rest, Luk 10:27.
(1.)We must love God with all our hearts, must look upon him as the best of beings, in himself most amiable, and infinitely perfect and excellent; as one whom we lie under the greatest obligations to, both in gratitude and interest. We must prize him, and value ourselves by our elation to him; must please ourselves in him, and devote ourselves entirely to him. Our love to him must be sincere, hearty, and fervent; it must be a superlative love, a love that is as strong as death, but an intelligent love, and such as we can give a good account of the grounds and reasons of. It must be an entire love; he must have our whole souls, and must be served with all that is within us. We must love nothing besides him, but what we love for him and in subordination to him.
(2.)We must love our neighbours as ourselves, which we shall easily do, if we, as we ought to do, love God better than ourselves. We must wish well to all and ill to none; must do all the good we can in the world and no hurt, and must fix it as a rule to ourselves to do to others as we would they should do to us; and this is to love our neighbour as ourselves.
3.Christ's approbation of what he said, Luk 10:28. Though he came to tempt him, yet what he said that was good Christ commended: Thou hast answered right. Christ himself fastened upon these as the two great commandments of the law (Mat 22:37): both sides agreed in this. Those who do well shall have praise of the same, and so should those have that speak well. So far is right; but he hardest part of this work yet remains: "This do, and thou shalt live; thou shalt inherit eternal life."
4.His care to avoid the conviction which was now ready to fasten upon him. When Christ said, This do, and thou shalt live, he began to be aware that Christ intended to draw from him an acknowledgment that he had not done this, and therefore an enquiry what he should do, which way he should look, to get his sins pardoned; an acknowledgment also that he could not do this perfectly for the future by any strength of his own, and therefore an enquiry which way he might fetch in strength to enable him to do it: but he was willing to justify himself, and therefore cared not for carrying on that discourse, but saith, in effect, as another did (Mat 19:20), All these things have I kept from my youth up. Note, Many ask good questions with a design rather to justify themselves than to inform themselves, rather proudly to show what is good in them than humbly to see what is bad in them.
II.We are concerned to know who is our neighbour, whom by the second great commandment we are obliged to love.
This is another of this lawyer's queries, which he started only that he might drop the former, lest Christ should have forced him, in the prosecution of it, to condemn himself, when he was resolved to justify himself. As to loving God, he was willing to say no more of it; but, as to his neighbour, he was sure that there he had come up to the rule, for he had always been very kind and respectful to all about him. Now observe,
1.What was the corrupt notion of the Jewish teachers in this matter. Dr. Lightfoot quotes their own words to this purport: "Where he saith, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, he excepts all Gentiles, for they are not our neighbours, but those only that are of our own nation and religion." They would not put an Israelite to death for killing a Gentile, for he was not his neighbour: they indeed say that they ought not to kill a Gentile whom they were not at war with; but, if they saw a Gentile in danger of death, they thought themselves under no obligation to help to save his life. Such wicked inferences did they draw from that holy covenant of peculiarity by which God had distinguished them, and by abusing it thus they had forfeited it; God justly took the forfeiture, and transferred covenant-favours to the Gentile world, to whom they brutishly denied common favours.
2.How Christ corrected this inhuman notion, and showed, by a parable, that whomsoever we have need to receive kindness fRom. and find ready to show us the kindness we need, we cannot but look upon as our neighbour; and therefore ought to look upon all those as such who need our kindness, and to show them kindness accordingly, though they be not of our own nation and religion. Now observe,
(1.)The parable itself, which represents to us a poor Jew in distressed circumstances, succoured and relieved by a good Samaritan. Let us see here,
[1.]How he was abused by his enemies. The honest man was traveling peaceably upon his lawful business in the road, and it was a great road that led from Jerusalem to Jericho, Luk 10:30. The mentioning of those places intimates that it was matter of fact, and not a parable; probably it happened lately, just as it is here related. The occurrences of Providence would yield us many good instructions, if we would carefully observe and improve them, and would be equivalent to parables framed on purpose for instruction, and be more affecting. This poor man fell among thieves. Whether they were Arabians, plunderers, that lived by spoil, or some profligate wretches of his own nation, or some of the Roman soldiers, who, notwithstanding the strict discipline of their army, did this villany, does not appear; but they were very barbarous; they not only took his money, but stripped him of his clothes, and, that he might not be able to pursue them, or only to gratify a cruel disposition (for otherwise what profit was there in his blood?) they wounded him, and left him half dead, ready to die of his wounds. We may here conceive a just indignation at highwaymen, that have divested themselves of all humanity, and are as natural brute beasts, beasts of prey, made to be taken and destroyed; and at the same time we cannot but think with compassion on those that fall into the hands of such wicked and unreasonable men, and be ready, when it is in our power, to help them. What reason have we to thank God for our preservation from perils by robbers!
[2.]How he was slighted by those who should have been his friends, who were not only men of his own nation and religion, but one a priest and the other a Levite, men of a public character and station; nay, they were men of professed sanctity, whose offices obliged them to tenderness and compassion (Heb 5:2), who ought to have taught others their duty in such a case as this, which was to deliver them that were drawn unto death; yet they would not themselves do it. Dr. Lightfoot tells us that many of the courses of the priests had their residence in Jericho, and thence came up to Jerusalem, when it was their turn to officiate there, and so back again, which occasioned abundance of passing and repassing of priests that way, and Levites their attendants. They came this way, and saw the poor wounded man. It is probable that they heard his groans, and could not but perceive that if he were not helped he must quickly perish. The Levite not only saw him, but came and looked on him Luk 10:32. But they passed by on the other side; when they saw his case, they got as far off him as ever they could, as if they would have had a pretence to say, Behold, we knew it not. It is sad when those who should be examples of charity are prodigies of cruelty, and when those who should by displaying the mercies of God, open the bowels of compassion in others, shut up their own.
[3.]How he was succoured and relieved by a stranger, a certain Samaritan, of that nation which of all others the Jews most despised and detested and would have no dealings with. This man had some humanity in him, Luk 10:33. The priest had his heart hardened against one of his own people, but the Samaritan had his opened towards one of another people. When he saw him he had compassion on him, and never took into consideration what country he was of. Though he was a Jew, he was a man, and a man in misery, and the Samaritan has learned to honour all men; he knows not how soon this poor man's case may be his own, and therefore pities him, as he himself would desire and expect to be pitied in the like case. That such great love should be found in a Samaritan was perhaps thought as wonderful as that great faith which Christ admired in a Roman, and in a woman of Canaan; but really it was not so, for pity is the work of a man, but faith is the work of divine grace. The compassion of this Samaritan was not an idle compassion; he did not think it enough to say, "Be healed, be helped" (Jam 2:16); but, when he drew out his soul, he reached forth his hand also to this poor needy creature, Isa 58:7, Isa 58:10; Pro 31:20. See how friendly this good Samaritan was. First, He went to the poor man, whom the priest and Levite kept at a distance from; he enquired, no doubt, how he came into this deplorable condition, and condoled with him. Secondly, He did the surgeon's part, for want of a better. He bound up his wounds, making use of his own linen, it is likely, for that purpose; and poured in oil and wine, which perhaps he had with him; wine to wash the wound, and oil to mollify it, and close it up. He did all he could to ease the pain, and prevent the peril, of his wounds, as one whose heart bled with him. Thirdly, He set him on his own beast, and went on foot himself, and brought him to an inn. A great mercy it is to have inns upon the road, where we may be furnished for our money with all the conveniences for food and rest. Perhaps the Samaritan, if he had not met with this hindrance, would have got that night to his journey's end; but, in compassion to that poor man, he takes up short at an inn. Some think that the priest and Levite pretended they could not stay to help the poor man, because they were in haste to go and attend the temple-service at Jerusalem. We suppose the Samaritan went upon business; but he understood that both his own business and God's sacrifice too must give place to such an act of mercy as this. Fourthly, He took care of him in the inn, got him to bed, had food for him that was proper, and due attendance, and, it may be, prayed with him. Nay, Fifthly, As if he had been his own child, or one he was obliged to look after, when he left him next morning, he left money with the landlord, to be laid out for his use, and passed his word for what he should spend more. Twopence of their money was about fifteen pence of ours, which, according to the rate of things then, would go a great way; however, here it was an earnest of satisfaction to the full of all demands. All this was kind and generous, and as much as one could have expected from a friend or a brother; and yet here it is done by a stranger and foreigner.
Now this parable is applicable to another purpose than that for which it was intended; and does excellently set forth the kindness and love of God our Saviour towards sinful miserable man. We were like this poor distressed traveller. Satan, our enemy, had robbed us, stripped us, wounded us; such is the mischief that sin had done us. We were by nature more than half dead, twice dead, in trespasses and sins; utterly unable to help ourselves, for we were without strength. The law of Moses, like the priest and Levite, the ministers of the law, looks upon us, but has no compassion on us, gives us no relief, passes by on the other side, as having neither pity nor power to help us; but then comes the blessed Jesus, that good Samaritan (and they said of him, by way of reproach, he is a Samaritan), he has compassion on us, he binds up our bleeding wounds (Psa 147:3; Isa 61:1), pours in, not oil and wine, but that which is infinitely more precious, his own blood. He takes care of us, and bids us put all the expenses of our cure upon his account; and all this though he was none of us, till he was pleased by his voluntary condescension to make himself so, but infinitely above us. This magnifies the riches of his love, and obliges us all to say, "How much are we indebted, and what shall we render?"
(2.)The application of the parable. [1.] The truth contained in it is extorted from the lawyer's own mouth. "Now tell me," saith Christ, "which of these three was neighbour to him that fell among thieves (Luk 10:36), the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan? Which of these did the neighbour's part?" To this the lawyer would not answer, as he ought to have done, "Doubtless, the Samaritan was;" but, "He that showed mercy on him; doubtless, he was a good neighbour to him, and very neighbourly, and I cannot but say that it was a good work thus to save an honest Jew from perishing." [2.] The duty inferred from it is pressed home upon the lawyer's own conscience: Go, and do thou likewise. The duty of relations is mutual and reciprocal; the titles of friends, brethren, neighbours, are, as Grotius here speaks tōn pros ti - equally binding on both sides: if one side be bound, the other cannot be loose, as is agreed in all contracts. If a Samaritan does well that helps a distressed Jew, certainly a Jew does not well if he refuses in like manner to help a distressed Samaritan. Petimusque damusque vicissim - These kind offices are to be reciprocated. "And therefore go thou and do as the Samaritan did, whenever occasion offers: show mercy to those that need thy help, and do it freely, and with concern and compassion, though they be not of thy own nation and thy own profession, or of thy own opinion and communion in religion. Let thy charity be thus extensive, before thou boastest of having conformed thyself to that great commandment of loving thy neighbour." This lawyer valued himself much upon his learning and his knowledge of the laws, and in that he thought to have puzzled Christ himself; but Christ sends him to school to a Samaritan, to learn his duty: "Go, and do like him." Note, It is the duty of every one of us, in our places, and according to our ability, to succour, help, and relieve all that are in distress and necessity, and of lawyers particularly; and herein we must study to excel many that are proud of their being priests and Levites.
Historical interpretation
Eleven Centuries of Reception
14 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
(Hypognos. lib. 3.) Or by Jerusalem, which is by interpretation "the sight of peace," we mean Paradise, for before man sinned he was in sight of peace, that is, in paradise; whatever he saw was peace, and going thence he descended (as if brought low and made wretched by sin) into Jericho, that is, the world, in which all things that are born die as the moon.
(ubi sup.) For the half dead has his vital function (that is, free will) wounded, in that he is not able to return to the eternal life which he has lost. And therefore he lay, because he had not strength of his own sufficient to rise and seek a physician, that is, God, to heal him.
(ubi sup.) Seeing him lying down weak and motionless. And therefore was He moved with compassion, because He saw in him nothing to merit a cure, but He Himself for sin condemned sin in the flesh. (Rom. 8:3.) Hence it follows, And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine.
But He introduces one on his way down from the upland region from Jerusalem to Jericho, and represents him stabbed by robbers, cast half-dead on the way, passed by the priest, looked sideways at by the Levite, but pitied by the vilified and excommunicated Samaritan; who did not, like those, pass casually, but came provided with such things as the man in danger required, such as oil, bandages, a beast of burden, money for the inn-keeper, part given now, and part promised. "Which," said He, "of them was neighbour to him that suffered these things?" and on his answering, "He that showed mercy to him," (replied), Go thou also, therefore, and do likewise, since love buds into well-doing.
This interpretation corresponds to the places, if any one will examine them. For Jericho lies in the low parts of Palestine, Jerusalem is seated on an eminence, occupying the crest of a mountain. The man then came from the high parts to the low, to fall into the hands of the robbers who infested the desert. As it follows, And he fell among thieves.
Or it may be understood that they stripped us after first inflicting wounds; or wounds precede nakedness, as sin precedes the absence of grace.
Since no one is closer than he who tended to our wounds, let us love him as our Lord, and let us love him as our neighbor. Nothing is so close as the head to the members. Let us also love him who is the follower of Christ, let us love him who in unity of body has compassion on another’s need.
He answered that he knew not his neighbour, because he believed not on Christ, and he who knows not Christ knows not the law, for being ignorant of the truth, how can he know the law which makes known the truth?
But who are those robbers but the Angels of night and darkness, among whom he had not fallen, unless by deviating from the divine command he had placed himself in their way.
Or they stripped us of the garments which we have received of spiritual grace, and so are wont to inflict wounds. For if we keep the unspotted garments we have put on, we can not feel the wounds of robbers.
Now this Samaritan was also coming down. For who is he that ascended upon into heaven, but he who came down from heaven, even the Son of Man who is in heaven (John 3:13.).
Now when He came He was made very near to us by His taking upon Himself our infirmities, He became a neighbour by bestowing compassion. Hence it follows, And when he saw him he was moved with compassion.
Or, He binds up our wounds by a stricter commandment, as by oil he soothes by the remission of sin, as by wine he pricks to the heart by the denunciation of judgment.
Or, He places us on His beast in that He bears our sins, and is afflicted for us, (Isai. 53:4, LXX) for man hath been made like to the beasts, (Ps. 49:12) therefore He placed us on His beast, that we might not be as horse and mule, (Ps. 32:9.) in order that by taking upon Him our body, He might abolish the weakness of our flesh.
But as the Samaritan had not time to stay longer on the earth, he must needs return to the place whence he descended, as it follows, And on the morrow he took out two pence, &c. (Ps. 118:24.) What is that morrow, but perchance the day of our Lord's resurrection? of which it was said, This is the day the Lord hath made. But the two pence are the two covenants, which bear stamped on them the image of the eternal King, by the price of which our wounds are healed.
Blessed then is that inn-keeper who is able to cure the wounds of another; blessed is he to whom Jesus says, Whatsoever thou hast spent more, when I come again I will repay thee. But when wilt thou return, O Lord, save on the Judgment day? For though Thou art ever every where, and though standing in the midst of us, art not perceived by us, yet the time will be in which all flesh shall behold Thee coming again. Thou wilt then restore what Thou owest to the blessed, whose debtor Thou art. Would that we were confident debtors, that we could pay what we had received!
For relationship does not make a neighbour, but compassion, for compassion is according to nature. For nothing is so natural as to assist one who shares our nature.
(Hom. in loc. Ed. Lat.) First, we must needs pity the ill fortune of the man who fell unarmed and helpless among robbers, and who was so rash and unwise as to choose the road in which he could not escape the attack of robbers. For the unarmed can never escape the armed, the heedless the villain, the unwary the malicious. Since malice is ever armed with guile, fenced round with cruelty, fortified with deceit, and ready for fierce attack.
(ubi sup.) At the beginning of the world then the devil accomplished his treacherous attack upon man, against whom he practised the poison of deceit, and directed all the deadliness of his malice.
(ubi sup.) Here then was man (that is, Adam) lying destitute of the aid of salvation, pierced with the wounds of his sins, whom neither Aaron the high priest passing by could advantage by his sacrifice; for it follows, And by chance there came down a certain priest that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Nor again could his brother Moses the Levite assist him by the Law, as it follows, And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
(Hom. in loc.) Or, he poured in wine, that is, the blood of His passion, and oil, that is, the anointing of the chrism, that pardon might be granted by His blood, sanctification be conferred by the chrism. The wounded parts are bound up by the heavenly Physician, and containing a salve within themselves, are by the working of the remedy restored to their former soundness. Having poured in wine and oil, he placed him upon His beast, as it follows, and placing him upon his beast, &c.
(ut sup.) For the Inn is the Church, which receives travellers, who are tired with their journey through the world, and oppressed with the load of their sins; where the wearied traveller casting down the burden of his sins is relieved, and after being refreshed is restored with wholesome food. And this is what is here said, and took care of him. For without is every thing that is conflicting, hurtful and evil, while within the Inn is contained all rest and health.
(in Heb. Hom. 10.) As if He said, If thou seest any one oppressed, say not, Surely he is wicked; but be he Gentile or Jew and need help, dispute not, he has a claim to thy assistance, into whatever evil he has fallen.
God our Lord wished to be called our neighbor. The Lord Jesus Christ meant that he was the one who gave help to the man lying half-dead on the road, beaten and left by the robbers. The prophet said in prayer, "As a neighbor and as one's own brother, so did I please." Since the divine nature is far superior and above our human nature, the command by which we are to love God is distinct from our love of our neighbor. He shows mercy to us because of his own goodness, while we show mercy to one another because of God's goodness. He has compassion on us so that we may enjoy him completely, while we have compassion on another that we may completely enjoy him.
(de. Doc. Chris. lib. i. c. 30.) Hereby we understand that he is our neighbour, to whomsoever we must show the duty of compassion, if he need it, or would have shown if he had needed it. From which it follows, that even he who must in his turn show us this duty, is our neighbour. For the name of neighbour has relation to something else, nor can any one be a neighbour, save to a neighbour; but that no one is excluded to whom the office of mercy is to be denied, is plain to all; as our Lord says, Do good to them that hate you. (Matt. 5:44.) Hence it is clear, that in this command by which we are bid to love our neighbour, the holy angels are included, by whom such great offices of mercy are bestowed upon us. Therefore our Lord Himself wished also to be called our neighbour, representing Himself to have assisted the half dead man who lay in the way.
After what has gone before, our Lord fitly questions the lawyer; Which of these three thinkest thou was neighbour to him who fell among thieves? But he said, He that showed mercy on him. For neither Priest nor Levite became neighbour to the sufferer, but he only who had compassion on him. For vain is the dignity of the Priesthood, and the knowledge of the Law, unless they are confirmed by good works. Hence it follows, And Jesus saith unto him, Go and do thou likewise.
(20. Moral. c. 8.) Or in the wine he applies the sharpness of constraint, in the oil the softness of mercy. By wine let the corrupt parts be washed, by oil let the healing parts be assuaged; we must then mix gentleness with severity, and we must so combine the two, that those who are put under us be neither exasperated by our excessive harshness, nor be relaxed by too much kindness.
But sins are called wounds, because the perfectness of human nature is violated by them. And they departed, not by ceasing to lie in wait, but by hiding the craft of their devices.
And rightly He brought him placed on His beast, since no one, except he be united to Christ's body by Baptism, shall enter the Church.
Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? And he said: The one who showed mercy towards him. According to the letter, the Lord's judgment is clear: no one is more our neighbor than the one who shows mercy, if to a citizen of Jerusalem, neither the priest nor the Levite from the same people, indeed born and raised in the same city, but a resident of a foreign nation, because he showed more mercy, became a neighbor. In a more sacred understanding, since no one is more a neighbor than the one who healed our wounds, let us love him as the Lord our God, let us love him as a neighbor. For nothing is so close as the head to the members. Let us also love him who is an imitator of Christ. This is indeed what follows:
Now our Saviour defines a neighbour not in respect of actions or honour, but of nature; as if He says, Think not that because thou art righteous thou hast no neighbour, for all who partake of the same nature are thy neighbours. Be thou also their neighbour, not in place, but in affection and solicitude for them. And in addition to this, he brings forward the Samaritan as an example. As it follows, And Jesus answering him said, A certain man went down, &c.
Now he says not "descended," but "was descending." For human nature was ever tending downwards, and not for a time only, but throughout busied about a life liable to suffering.
Or man after sin is said to be half dead, because his soul is immortal, but his body mortal, so that the half of man is under death. Or, because his human nature hoped to obtain salvation in Christ, so as not altogether to lie under death. But in that Adam had sinned death entered in the world, (Rom. 5:12.) in the righteousness of Christ death was to be destroyed.
But He says, passed by, (Rom. 3:20; 8:3.) because the Law came and stood till its time foreordained, then, not being able to cure, departed. Mark also that the Law was not given with this previous intention that it should cure man, for man could not from the beginning receive the mystery of Christ. And therefore it is said, And by chance there came a certain priest, which expression we use with respect to those things which happen without forethought.
They pitied him, I say, when they thought about him, but afterwards, overcome by selfishness, they went away again. For this is signified by the word, passed him by.
But He says, journeying, as though He purposely determined this in order to cure us.
Or else, intercourse with man is the oil, and intercourse with God is the wine which signifies divinity, which no one can endure unmixed unless oil be added, that is, human intercourse. Hence he worked some things humanly, some divinely. He poured then in oil and wine, as having saved us both by His human and His divine nature.
Or He placed us on His beast, that is, on His body. For He hath made us His members, and partakers of His body. The Law indeed did not take in all the Moabites, and the Ammonites shall not enter into the Church of God; (Deut. 23:3.) but now in every nation he that feareth the Lord is accepted by Him, who is willing to believe and to become part of the Church. Wherefore He says, that he brought him to an inn.
(Severus) He has well used the general term. For He says not, "a certain one went down," but, a certain man, for his discourse was of the whole human race.
(Severus.) Now Christ here fully calls Himself a Samaritan. For in addressing the lawyer who was glorying in the Law, He wished to express that neither Priest nor Levite, nor all they who were conversant with the Law, fulfilled the requirements of the Law, but He came to accomplish the ordinances of the Law.
Or He came by the way. For He was a true traveller, not a wanderer; and came down to the earth for our sakes.
Continue studying Luke 10:36 across the web’s major study libraries — every link below opens this exact verse, chapter, or book on the destination site.
Read & Compare
BibleGatewayThis verse in more than 200 translations and 70 languages.
Bible.comThe YouVersion reader — hundreds of translations, reading plans, and highlights.
ESV.orgCrossway's official English Standard Version reader.
NET BibleThe NET translation with 60,000+ translators' notes on every rendering decision.
STEP BibleTyndale House's free study tool — original text, vocabulary, and scholarly resources.
BibliaLogos Bible Software's free web reader.
USCCBThe New American Bible (Revised Edition) with the U.S. bishops' study notes.
Commentaries
BibleHub CommentariesDozens of classic commentaries on this verse, gathered on one page.
StudyLightMore than 100 commentary sets — the largest collection on the web.
BibleRefPlain-English commentary on what this verse means, verse by verse.
Enduring WordDavid Guzik's free commentary on this chapter, widely used by Bible teachers.
Bible Study ToolsVerse commentary alongside Greek and Hebrew study aids.
Original Language & Research
- BibleHub InterlinearThe verse word by word — original language, transliteration, and English.
- BibleHub LexiconEvery word's original-language definition and Strong's entry.
Blue Letter BibleDeep-study tools — Strong's numbers, concordance, and word studies.
CNTR CollationThe earliest Greek manuscripts of this verse, collated letter by letter.
Sermons, Hymns & Audio
TrulyRandomVerse is not affiliated with these sites and doesn’t control their content. They’re linked because they’re genuinely useful.
Summary
Luke 10:36 presents Jesus' climactic question to the inquiring lawyer, serving as the interpretive key to the Parable of the Good Samaritan. By asking "Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?", Jesus masterfully redirects the lawyer's self-justifying query from "Who is my neighbor?" to a profound challenge concerning active, compassionate neighborliness. This rhetorical pivot forces the lawyer, and by extension all listeners, to confront the radical implications of selfless love that transcends social, ethnic, and religious boundaries, defining true righteousness not by identity but by merciful action.
Context
Literary Context
This verse concludes the seminal Parable of the Good Samaritan, which Jesus tells in response to a lawyer's self-justifying question, "Who is my neighbour?" The lawyer, seeking to limit the scope of his obligation under the Law, prompts Jesus to define the boundaries of "neighbor." Jesus does not offer a definition but rather narrates a story (found in Luke 10:30-35) that illustrates what it means to be a neighbor. The parable details the plight of a man robbed and left for dead, bypassed by a priest and a Levite, but compassionately aided by a Samaritan. Luke 10:36 then functions as Jesus' powerful rhetorical reversal, turning the lawyer's original question back on him, shifting the focus from identifying a passive recipient of love to embodying an active agent of mercy.
Historical & Cultural Context
The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was notoriously dangerous, known for its steep, winding paths and susceptibility to ambush by brigands. This historical reality makes the man's predicament in the parable highly relatable to Jesus' audience. The passing of the priest and Levite would have been particularly shocking to a Jewish audience, as these were religious leaders expected to uphold the Law, including the command to love one's neighbor. Their inaction might have been motivated by a desire to avoid ritual impurity (contact with a dead body would render them unclean, preventing temple service), highlighting a tension between ritual observance and practical compassion. Crucially, the choice of a Samaritan as the hero is deeply significant. Samaritans and Jews harbored profound ethnic and religious animosity, viewing each other as heretics and enemies. For Jesus to portray a Samaritan as the embodiment of true neighborliness would have been a profoundly challenging and counter-cultural statement to His Jewish audience, directly confronting their prejudices.
Key Themes
This verse, as the culmination of the parable, powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within Luke's Gospel:
Redefining "Neighbour"
Jesus radically shifts the understanding of "neighbor" from a passive identity (who is my neighbor?) to an active, verb-driven role (who became a neighbor?). This redefinition challenges the notion that love is reserved for those within one's social, ethnic, or religious group, emphasizing that true neighborliness is demonstrated through compassionate action towards anyone in need, regardless of their background, as seen in the Samaritan's selfless care for the injured man in Luke 10:33-35.
Active Compassion Over Ritual
The parable starkly contrasts the inaction of the religiously observant priest and Levite with the merciful deeds of the Samaritan. This highlights a recurring theme in Jesus' teaching—that genuine righteousness and adherence to God's law are not merely about external religious practice or status, but about internal transformation manifested in tangible acts of love and mercy, a principle echoed in passages like Matthew 9:13.
Challenging Prejudice
By making the despised Samaritan the hero, Jesus directly confronts and dismantles the deep-seated ethnic and religious prejudices prevalent in His day. The parable asserts that God's love and the call to neighborliness transcend all human-made divisions, urging His followers to extend compassion universally, even to those considered enemies. This theme resonates with Jesus' broader teachings on loving enemies in Luke 6:27-36.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb means "to think" or "to seem." In this context, it challenges the lawyer to form a judgment based on the preceding narrative. Jesus isn't asking for a factual recall but for a moral assessment, compelling the lawyer to internalize the story's implications and acknowledge the obvious conclusion, even if it is uncomfortable.
This verb means "to become" or "to come into being." When combined with "neighbour," it signifies an active transformation or a dynamic state of being a neighbor, rather than merely identifying who a neighbor is. This linguistic choice by Jesus is crucial, shifting the focus from a static definition to a performative act of compassion.
This word refers to someone "close by," a "fellow," or a "countryman." In the Old Testament, it often referred to fellow Israelites. However, in this parable, Jesus radically expands its scope. By asking "who was neighbour," Jesus redefines the term not by proximity, ethnicity, or social status, but by the demonstration of practical, self-sacrificial love and mercy towards one in need.
Verse Breakdown
"Which now of these three, thinkest thou,"
Jesus directs the lawyer's attention back to the three figures who encountered the injured man—the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan. The phrase "thinkest thou" (KJV) or "which of these three do you think" (NIV) is a direct appeal to the lawyer's own judgment and conscience, forcing him to draw the logical conclusion from the narrative he has just heard. It is a question designed not for information, but for conviction.
"was neighbour unto him"
This is the pivotal phrase. Instead of asking "Who is your neighbor?" (the lawyer's original question), Jesus asks "who became a neighbor" (using the verb G1096, ginomai). This subtle but profound linguistic shift transforms the inquiry from a passive identification of a person to an active demonstration of a relationship. It implies that neighborliness is not a fixed status but a dynamic, compassionate action towards someone in need.
"that fell among the thieves?"
This final clause grounds the question in the specific context of the parable, referring to the victim. It ensures that the lawyer's answer directly addresses the practical, urgent need presented in the story, linking the abstract concept of neighborliness to a concrete act of mercy for the suffering.
Literary Devices
Luke 10:36 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. Primarily, it functions as a Rhetorical Question, a question posed not to elicit an answer but to make a point or create a dramatic effect. Jesus' question is designed to force the lawyer to acknowledge the obvious truth of the Samaritan's actions, thereby exposing the inadequacy of his previous, self-serving definition of "neighbor." There is also significant Irony at play; the lawyer, an expert in the Law, is forced to admit that the one who truly exemplified the spirit of the Law was a Samaritan, a member of a group despised by the Jewish legal establishment. This ironic twist underscores Jesus' challenge to conventional religious and social norms. Furthermore, the parable itself, culminating in this question, serves as a powerful Paradox: the "unclean" and "heretical" Samaritan is presented as the epitome of purity and righteousness, while the "clean" and "righteous" religious leaders are shown to be morally deficient. This paradox highlights Jesus' radical redefinition of true piety and compassion.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Luke 10:36 encapsulates the very heart of the Mosaic Law and the prophetic tradition, reinterpreting it through the lens of radical, unconditional love. It underscores that the essence of God's command is not found in rigid adherence to rules or social boundaries, but in active, compassionate engagement with a hurting world. This verse challenges any attempt to limit the scope of our love, asserting that true piety is demonstrated by extending mercy to those in need, regardless of their identity, background, or perceived worthiness. It reveals that the spirit of the law, as summarized by Jesus, is to "love your neighbor as yourself," a love that is proactive, sacrificial, and transcends all human-made divisions, mirroring God's own expansive love for humanity.
Reflection and Application
Luke 10:36 is not merely a historical question posed to a lawyer; it is a timeless and piercing inquiry directed at the heart of every believer. It compels us to move beyond theoretical discussions of who deserves our love and challenges us to actively embody love in our daily lives. This verse calls us to cultivate a posture of readiness to serve, to see every person in need as an opportunity to "be" a neighbor, not just to identify one. It demands that we dismantle our own prejudices, whether they are based on race, religion, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, or any other human construct that might prevent us from extending genuine compassion. The Samaritan's example, highlighted by Jesus, urges us to demonstrate love through costly, inconvenient, and sacrificial action, reflecting the very character of God. It reminds us that our faith is made visible and credible not by our creeds alone, but by our deeds of mercy.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Jesus use a parable instead of directly answering the lawyer's question, "Who is my neighbour?"
Jesus used the Parable of the Good Samaritan, culminating in the question of Luke 10:36, for several profound reasons. Firstly, a parable engages the listener's imagination and conscience, allowing them to discover the truth for themselves rather than simply receiving a didactic answer. This makes the lesson more impactful and memorable. Secondly, by telling a story, Jesus subtly shifted the focus from the lawyer's self-justifying question ("Who is my neighbor?") to a more challenging and active one ("Who became a neighbor?"). This linguistic pivot transformed the inquiry from a quest for definition to a call for compassionate action. Finally, the parable allowed Jesus to challenge deeply ingrained prejudices (specifically against Samaritans) in a way that a direct statement might not have achieved, forcing the lawyer to acknowledge virtue in an unexpected source without explicitly endorsing the Samaritan's religious views. It was a masterful pedagogical approach to reveal the true spirit of the law.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Luke 10:36, with its radical redefinition of neighborliness, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ Himself. While the Samaritan in the parable exemplifies costly compassion, Jesus is the divine embodiment of the ultimate "Good Samaritan" who descends from heaven to a world "fallen among thieves"—humanity, plundered by sin and left for dead. He does not pass by, but in His boundless love, He draws near to us in our brokenness, binding up our wounds with His grace and mercy. Just as the Samaritan paid the innkeeper, Christ paid the ultimate price for our redemption through His sacrifice on the cross, demonstrating a love that is not merely sympathetic but truly self-giving and substitutionary (Romans 5:8). He identifies with the suffering and the outcast, declaring that whatever we do "to one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matthew 25:40). Jesus not only teaches us to "be" a neighbor but perfectly models what it means to lay down one's life for others (John 15:13). Through His life, death, and resurrection, Christ breaks down the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14-16), making it possible for all people, regardless of their background, to become neighbors in His kingdom, united by His transformative love.