And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The lawyer's question, "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?", might sound like a sincere plea, but the word "tempted" suggests his motive was to test Jesus, not truly seek Him. He likely intended to trap Jesus by leading Him to contradict the Law, revealing a subtle conflict between those who upheld legalistic observance and Jesus' deeper message.
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
A Jewish lawyer, skilled in religious law, approaches Jesus with a question designed to test him, aiming to trap him into contradicting Mosaic teachings. He asks what he must do to gain eternal life, a question that Jesus turns back on the lawyer, asking him to interpret the Law himself. This exchange sets the stage for Jesus' parable, which will dramatically redefine what it means to be a neighbor.
Why did this legal expert approach Jesus? It wasn't just a casual question about life after death.
This wasn't a simple, sincere inquiry. The 'lawyer' (likely a scribe, an expert in the Mosaic Law) approached Jesus with the intention to 'tempt' or 'test' Him. His goal was to find something in Jesus' teachings that contradicted or seemed to diminish the Law of Moses. If Jesus gave an answer that seemed to go against the established legal traditions, the lawyer could then accuse Him. It reveals a common dynamic: people often approach God with pre-existing agendas, looking for fault rather than truth.
The lawyer asked, 'What shall I do?' Jesus' answer shifted the focus dramatically.
The lawyer's question is about 'doing' – 'What shall I do to inherit eternal life?' He’s thinking in terms of actions and performance, a common approach to religion. Jesus, however, redirects him to the Law itself: 'What is written in the law? How do you read it?' The lawyer’s correct answer – to love God and love your neighbor – reveals that eternal life isn’t primarily about a list of tasks. It's about the state of one's heart and the quality of one's being. Jesus’ response, 'Do this, and you will live,' isn’t a new command but an affirmation that perfect obedience to the Law (which is impossible for us) would indeed lead to life. It exposes the inadequacy of human 'doing' and points toward the need for a deeper transformation.
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nomikos · Greek Noun
In the New Testament, one who was learned in the Mosaic Law and served as an interpreter and expert in its application. They often held significant influence in Jewish society.
zōē aiōnios · Greek Noun phrase
The life of the age to come, which is the gift of God to those who believe in Jesus Christ. It is a state of eternal fellowship with God that begins now and continues forever.
This encounter happened during Jesus' public ministry when religious leaders were actively trying to trap him. The question about inheriting eternal life was a common one, but the lawyer's intent was to test Jesus' understanding and adherence to the Law of Moses.
c. 27 BC - AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Public Ministry
Jesus travels throughout Galilee and Judea, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples. His growing popularity and unconventional teachings attract both followers and opposition from religious authorities.
c. AD 27-30
Tensions with Religious Leaders
Jewish religious leaders, including scribes and Pharisees, frequently challenge Jesus with tricky questions, seeking to discredit him and expose him as a false teacher or a violator of the Law.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Trial and Crucifixion
Following his arrest, Jesus is tried by the Jewish Sanhedrin and Roman authorities, leading to his crucifixion in Jerusalem.
This passage lays the foundation for the 'great commandment' that Jesus affirms, emphasizing the core of Israel's relationship with God and the basis for all other obedience.
Leviticus 19:18This verse provides the second part of the commandment Jesus emphasizes, highlighting the importance of loving one's neighbor as an essential aspect of righteous living.
Matthew 22:34-40This parallel account shows another instance where religious leaders attempt to 'test' Jesus with a question about the greatest commandment, leading to the same core teaching about love for God and neighbor.
Mark 12:28-31This passage also recounts the lawyer's question, emphasizing Jesus' identification of the two greatest commandments as the summary of the entire Law and the Prophets.
Luke 10:30-37This immediate context presents the parable of the Good Samaritan, which Jesus uses to directly answer the lawyer's follow-up question, 'Who is my neighbor?', redefining neighborliness beyond ethnic and religious boundaries.
expositorsLuke 10:25: "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
Chapter 19THE GOOD SAMARITAN. Luke 10:25-37 IT would scarcely have accorded with the traditions of human nature had the teachers of religion looked favorably upon Jesus. Stepping, as He did, within their domain, without any human ordination or scholastic authority, they naturally resented the intrusion, and when the teaching of the new Rabbi so distinctly contravened t…
calvinLuke 10:25-37: "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
- But when the Pharisees heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they assembled together. 35. And one of them, a doctor of the law, put a question to him, tempting him, and saying, 36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37. Jesus saith to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.…
The lawyer's question, "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?", might sound like a sincere plea, but the word "tempted" suggests his motive was to test Jesus, not truly seek Him. He likely intended to trap Jesus by leading Him to contradict the Law, revealing a subtle conflict between those who upheld legalistic observance and Jesus' deeper message.
A Jewish lawyer, skilled in religious law, approaches Jesus with a question designed to test him, aiming to trap him into contradicting Mosaic teachings. He asks what he must do to gain eternal life, a question that Jesus turns back on the lawyer, asking him to interpret the Law himself. This exchange sets the stage for Jesus' parable, which will dramatically redefine what it means to be a neighbor.
A Jewish lawyer, skilled in religious law, approaches Jesus with a question designed to test him, aiming to trap him into contradicting Mosaic teachings. He asks what he must do to gain eternal life, a question that Jesus turns back on the lawyer, asking him to interpret the Law himself. This exchange sets the stage for Jesus' parable, which will dramatically redefine what it means to be a neighbor.
"And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”" — The lawyer's question, "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?", might sound like a sincere plea, but the word "tempted" suggests his motive was to test Jesus, not truly seek Him. He likely intende…
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Last reviewed October 2026