No doubt you've run into passages in the Bible that had you wondering exactly what they meant. During those times that we are searching the scriptures for answers to our questions, having a good foundational understanding of the gospel and knowing the differences between the Old and New Covenant will help. It's easy to get confused with all the different viewpoints and opinions being discussed or when we run across scripture that seems to contradict another passage. We offer some perspective on how to avoid getting mixed up.
Part 3 of our look at the parable of The Good Samaritan. A lawyer had asked Jesus how he may obtain eternal life, and this inspired the parable. Afterwards, Jesus asked the lawyer who he thought was a good neighbor. The man responded, "The one who showed mercy." Jesus said, "Go and do the same." (Or "do likewise"). In the context of the lawyer's question and the parable, "go and do the same" was not an exhortation to show mercy, but was the Lord's way of ministering the impossible standard of perfection that the law demanded.
The parable of The Good Samaritan has often been taught from the perspective that we should show mercy to others and be good to our neighbors. That is something that should be encouraged. However, that is not what the parable is about. Jesus is not answering a question about how to treat our neighbor. Rather, a lawyer is asking a question about how to inherit eternal life, and in doing so he is trying to justify himself through keeping the law. By trying to take on the role of The Good Samaritan, we have unknowingly encouraged people to "go and do likewise." That is, to try to justify themselves instead of trusting in Christ.
One of the more popular parables Jesus shared was the story known as The Good Samaritan. This week we focus on a conversation between Jesus and a lawyer who had tried to trap Jesus into saying something against the law. His question was about how to inherit eternal life. It's another case of asking a law-based question and receiving a law-based answer. The lawyer asked yet another question as he was seeking to justify himself, and so it is this exchange between him and Jesus that inspires the parable. This lays the ground work for the parable which we'll dive into on next week's podcast.