Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost. Octoechos Tone 8; The Holy Prophet Obadiah (Abdias); the Holy Martyr Barlaam.
Nativity Fast.
Ephesians 4:1-6; Luke 10:25-37.
Read Luke 10:25-37
“What just happened there?” That could very well have been the question the lawyer in today’s gospel reading was left asking himself. He “stood up to put (Jesus) to the test” and had the tables turned on him – he was put to the test instead and, on top of that, Jesus said he passed!
But then it got really interesting. How is the lawyer’s question about the definition of a neighbor “desiring to justify himself”? The answer to that lies in a further question: why didn’t he simply conclude that Jesus meant that anyone could be one’s neighbor? Clearly, legitimizing conversation about narrowing the definition would also legitimize him, personally and professionally.
But then Jesus turns the tables again. The original summation of the Law was to “love your neighbor”. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus says the answer to who is a neighbor is to be a neighbor. “Which of these…proved (to be a) neighbor?” “The one who showed mercy.” “Go and do likewise.”
The biggest question in all this is, did the lawyer recognize that he was being loved by Jesus, that he was being shown mercy? The lawyer tried to entrap Jesus and Jesus told him both what to do to live eternally and how to do it. It is Jesus who is being a good neighbor. In how the lawyer characterizes himself and Jesus, it is Jesus who is the Good Samaritan.
Go and do likewise.
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Bible References