Luke 10:25
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)
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This question isn't just about finding a loophole in the Law; it’s a lawyer's calculated attempt to trap Jesus. The word "tempted" here highlights that his motive wasn't sincere seeking, but rather a test to catch Jesus in a doctrinal error, likely to discredit him with his audience.
A religious scholar, attempting to trap Jesus in a contradiction of Jewish law, questions him about the path to eternal life. Jesus cleverly turns the question back, asking the scholar what the Law itself says, leading to a discussion about the greatest commandments. This sets the stage for Jesus to then use the parable of the Good Samaritan to expand the scholar's narrow definition of who his neighbor truly is.
This lawyer wasn't just curious; he had an agenda. He approached Jesus with a question that seemed sincere but was actually a trap.
The word 'tempted' here doesn't just mean 'tried' in a neutral way. For this lawyer, it was about testing Jesus. He wanted to see if Jesus's teachings aligned with the Law of Moses. If Jesus said something that contradicted the established traditions, the lawyer could discredit Him. He was looking for a way to expose Jesus, not to find the truth for himself. This highlights how religious leaders often felt threatened by Jesus's unique authority and growing popularity, leading them to try and 'catch' Him in His words.
Jesus didn't get caught in the lawyer's trap. Instead, He turned the question back, revealing a deeper truth about eternal life.
When the lawyer asked, 'What shall I do to inherit eternal life?', Jesus didn't immediately launch into a list of actions. Instead, He asked, 'What is written in the law? How do you read it?' (Luke 10:26). This clever redirection points to the core of the Law itself. The lawyer, an expert in the Law, correctly identified the greatest commandments: to love God completely and to love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27). Jesus affirmed this, stating, 'Do this, and you will live' (Luke 10:28). This shows Jesus's focus wasn't on accumulating more rules, but on the internal disposition of the heart – love. True righteousness, and thus eternal life, stems not from outward adherence to rules, but from a transformed inner life centered on love for God and others.
The lawyer, trying to justify his own potentially narrow view, asked Jesus to define 'neighbor.' The answer that followed redefined everything.
After Jesus affirmed that loving God and neighbor was the path to life, the lawyer, perhaps realizing his own shortcomings, asked, 'And who is my neighbor?' (Luke 10:29). This question wasn't just about a definition; it was a defense mechanism to potentially limit his obligation. Jesus's response, the parable of the Good Samaritan, shatters this narrow perspective. By having a Samaritan – a figure despised by the Jews – be the one who showed true compassion, Jesus illustrated that a 'neighbor' is not defined by ethnicity, religion, or social status, but by . The lawyer’s subsequent answer, 'The one who showed him mercy,' reveals he understood. Jesus's command, 'Go and do likewise,' transforms the concept of community from exclusive circles to inclusive compassion.
Understand the original words
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 occurred during Jesus' ministry, likely on his final journey to Jerusalem. The 'lawyer,' or scribe, was part of a group of religious leaders who were increasingly challenged by Jesus' teachings and sought to ensnare him with tricky questions about the Law.
c. 27-30 AD— this verse
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus travels and teaches throughout Galilee, attracting large crowds and often clashing with religious authorities.
c. 30 AD
Journey to Jerusalem
Jesus begins his final journey towards Jerusalem, a period marked by significant teachings and encounters.
c. 30 AD
Temptation by religious leaders
Jesus is repeatedly questioned by scribes and Pharisees seeking to trap him or discredit his teachings and authority.
This passage from the Old Testament contains the first part of the command Jesus later affirms as the greatest commandment, highlighting the foundational importance of loving God.
Leviticus 19:18This verse provides the second part of the greatest commandment, emphasizing the critical importance of loving one's neighbor, which the lawyer also quotes.
Matthew 22:36-40This passage describes a similar encounter where a lawyer asks about the greatest commandment, and Jesus' answer here directly parallels Luke 10:27, showing a consistent teaching on love as central to righteousness.
Romans 13:8-10Paul reiterates the concept that love fulfills the law, echoing Jesus' teaching in Luke 10:27 and showing how this principle extends to the New Testament understanding of God's requirements.
Galatians 5:14This verse directly states that the entire Law is summed up in the command to love one's neighbor, reinforcing the lawyer's partial answer and Jesus' subsequent elaboration in Luke 10.
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.…
This question isn't just about finding a loophole in the Law; it’s a lawyer's calculated attempt to trap Jesus. The word "tempted" here highlights that his motive wasn't sincere seeking, but rather a test to catch Jesus in a doctrinal error, likely to discredit him with his audience.
A religious scholar, attempting to trap Jesus in a contradiction of Jewish law, questions him about the path to eternal life. Jesus cleverly turns the question back, asking the scholar what the Law itself says, leading to a discussion about the greatest commandments. This sets the stage for Jesus to then use the parable of the Good Samaritan to expand the scholar's narrow definition of who his neighbor truly is.
A religious scholar, attempting to trap Jesus in a contradiction of Jewish law, questions him about the path to eternal life. Jesus cleverly turns the question back, asking the scholar what the Law itself says, leading to a discussion about the greatest commandments. This sets the stage for Jesus to then use the parable of the Good Samaritan to expand the scholar's narrow definition of who his neighbor truly is.
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"And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”" — This question isn't just about finding a loophole in the Law; it’s a lawyer's calculated attempt to trap Jesus. The word "tempted" here highlights that his motive wasn't sincere seeking, but rather a…
