What must I do to inherit eternal life? The purpose of the question in today’s Gospel proposed by a religious scholar is to make Jesus look bad, seem a heretic, or put him in public disgrace. It is important to note that this is not a person who is authentically looking for God, trying to understand the will of God, or really interpret the Word of God in his life. This scholar has a deep and vast knowledge of the Old Testament and the traditions of Israel. He is trying to publicly degrade Jesus. Rather than reply directly, Jesus responds with another question to the scholar and expert: “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” The scholar responds by reciting the most basic point in the Old Testament, the Shema, love God and listen to God and love your neighbor. Jesus says that is a correct answer. But so far Jesus does not appear to be some sort of radical heretic. So, the scholar pushes on with his questioning based on his legalistic training and experience. He throws out a second question: Who is my neighbor? The religious scholar has turned the people’s experience of God and the Word in the Old Testament into a life of scrupulous religious legal rules, and he has made himself the legal interpreter. He wants to limit and define exactly the Word of God and the Shema to minimum human standards. All of us have this tendency within us.
Who is my neighbor? Surely not my enemies, not those who annoy me, not someone who hates me, not those who are different, not those from another country or neighborhood, not someone from the opposing sports team, not someone of a different religion, not someone of a different skin color, not someone I don’t know! How far does my neighborhood extend, two square blocks, one mile, five miles? These are all ways that we seek to justify ourselves and to limit the Word of God and God’s salvific plan.
Amazingly Jesus does not answer the second question either. Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. The priest and Levita (priest’s assistant) did what was culturally, legally, and religiously correct. They refused to incapacitate themselves for ritual ceremonies by contaminating themselves with by contact with blood, cadavers, or unknown foreigners. No one can accuse them of doing anything improper when they walk by the injured man. Shocking a Samaritan, who is a cultural enemy and historical traitor to Israel and the faith, is the only one who stops to aid and care for the assault victim. The Samaritan goes far beyond simple first aid or just waking up the injured man by taking him to an inn and covering all his recuperation costs. The Samaritan was the neighbor.
Mercy, generosity, and living as neighbors are not defined by limits that we set outside of ourselves. Rather the Word of God calls us to be mercy, living points of mercy for everyone around us. The parable is about living mercy, charity, and generosity to all our extremes – no self-imposed limits, no self-justification – just all out living of self-giving love.
The scholar of the Law answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Image: CANVA CJ Dunn 03 October 2026 AI Generated.