25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”
- This famous story is set up by a question that was asked by an “expert in the law.” As you read Luke 10:25-29, what are some things we learn about this person?
- In what way is the law summed up by the two commands, love God and love your neighbor?
- Why does the expert in the law ask, “Who is my neighbor?”
- Why was the road from Jerusalem to Jericho dangerous for travelers? What happened to the man who was walking along the road? (Luke 10:30)
- Why do you think the priest and the Levite walked past on the other side? What are some modern-day reasons that we do the same?
- The one who had compassion was a Samaritan (Luke 10:33). Why might this have been shocking to the early hearers of this story?
- The Jews and the Samaritans had a deep-seeded ethnic hatred that went back 400 years. Are there some groups that we might tend to stereotype?
- Loving our neighbor can be costly. How was it costly to the Samaritan? (Luke 10:34-35)
- In Luke 10:36, Jesus turns the question around. What is the lesson from this verse?
- Love of neighbor seems to flow from a heart of mercy (Luke 10:37). How does the mercy we have received in the gospel create an overflow of mercy in our hearts toward others?
- Jesus says, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:37) Are there some practical ways that you can put “love of neighbor” into action?