On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Luke 10:25-37
This dialog between Jesus and an “expert in the law” is what precedes and motivates what is arguably the most famous of Jesus’ parables-the story of the Good Samaritan.
There is so much in this parable. I think that each time I revisit it—I see some new aspect of what Jesus is teaching us in that great story. But this time—what struck me most was the way Jesus approached this situation at the outset. He shows the man that he actually knew the answer to his big question all along—at least intellectually.
Jesus tells the man that his answer to the question was spot-on. It was excellent really. But it was also clear that the man had not fully understood in his heart what this law actually meant in his daily life. Instead, the man was focusing on what we humans so often focus on—trying to figure out the rules of the transaction, so he could check off the box with our neighbor, and with God.
Perhaps the “love your neighbor” portion of the command seemed like the lower-hanging fruit-and he goes after that part. After all, first portion of the command appears more than a little daunting, and is arguably impossible for imperfect humans to attain–if we are being honest with ourselves. One of the great aspects of Jesus answer to the “who is my neighbor” question is that the Samaritan in the parable so clearly acted out of love-with no thought that he would be repaid for the great kindness he showed to the traveler who was attacked and left for dead. The Samaritan was not acting in a transactional way, and I think part of the lesson that Jesus was giving to the man was that he should not be thinking or acting in those terms either– if he wants the type of life that God intends for him. Jesus says, “do this, and you will live”.
Perhaps, in part, this means that by acting out of love rather than through some sense of transaction, our life will be the richer life that God intends for us-even now.
God loves without checking off a box. That is called Grace. And by the Grace of God we are called to love others. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it. Happy Easter! Happy Easter!!!
Kevin Maschhoff