Exegesis Of Luke 10: 25-37

Mduduzi Mahlangu-BTh2-NT 1-Dr Bruce Button-Mukhanyo Theological College

Exegesis of Luke 10:25-37

Introduction

The passage (Luke 10:25-37) of the parable of the Good Samaritan is the second parable in Luke’s

Gospel and it falls under the 5th division of the Gospel according to Luke which is “The mission of the

Saviour.” It is an exemplary parable of behaviour. This parable explains better what Jesus means when he says in the verses before “ I thank you Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children” (Lk. 10:21). It shows how the wise and understanding do not understand even the simplest commands of scripture. Most importantly, we see here that by our

10:25-29

Luke in his Gospel refers to those who were learned in the Law of Moses as Lawyers (Comfort 2001:

806) the familiar name would be scribes, one stood up from his seat. In this setting Jesus could probably have been preaching in the Synagogue and this Scribe had it in him to put him to the test as he, as one who knows the Law he knew very well the answer to what he asks. The question he asked was a popular one amongst the Jews “how can I inherit eternal life.” (Calvin n.d: 44) states that the occasion that led the Lawyer to ask the Lord this question, is that being an expounder of the Law, he was offended at the doctrine of the gospel, by which he supposes the authority of Moses to be diminished. And in his mind when he asked this, the lawyer probably thought Jesus might contradict the teaching of the Law of

Moses, he being a Lawyer knew very well, and had he contradicted it, then something would have been done to him, maybe he was going to be arrested for teaching what contradicts their Laws.

The Lord Jesus having been asked this question is not hesitant in his response since he is dealing with one who knows the Law, two questions the Lord asks are these, what is written in the law? One