Loving a neighbor involves noticing a person’s need and offering responsible help across social boundaries.
“And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.”Read the surrounding chapter
Time, place & the words behind the text
- Time
- Jesus’ first century ministry as Luke narrates his journey toward Jerusalem.
- Place
- The parable’s road descends from Jerusalem to Jericho.
- Setting
- An expert in the law asks about eternal life and then about the limits of responsibility toward a neighbor.
The verb describes being moved with compassion. In the parable that compassion becomes concrete assistance.
The following actions explain the compassion: approaching, assisting and arranging continued care.
The question Jesus answers
In Luke 10, an expert in the law asks what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus asks him to state what the law teaches. The man answers with the commands to love God and love his neighbor, and Jesus approves the answer. The man then asks who his neighbor is.
Jesus responds with a parable about an injured traveler. At the end, he asks which person acted as a neighbor. The question directs attention to the responsibility of the person who encounters need. The hearer must consider how to show mercy, rather than only deciding which people qualify to receive it. 1
The road and the people in the story
The traveler is going from Jerusalem to Jericho, descending from the hill country toward the Jordan valley. Robbers strip him, injure him and leave him half dead. A priest and a Levite each see him and pass by. Luke gives no explanation of their private motives.
Proposed explanations about fear, ritual purity or time pressure may be discussed as possibilities, but they should not be presented as facts stated by Jesus. The parable makes their failure to help clear. A responsible reading can examine similar failures in our own conduct while respecting the limits of what the narrative actually says about its characters. 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19
Compassion and the Samaritan’s actions
Luke uses the verb translated had compassion to describe the Samaritan’s response. The Greek term expresses being deeply moved by another person’s suffering. The following actions explain what that response means in the story: he approaches, treats the wounds, transports the man, brings him to an inn and pays for continued care.
Compassion therefore involves more than a feeling. The Samaritan spends time and resources and provides for what will happen after he leaves. The oil and wine reflect the ancient setting of the parable. They are not medical instructions for modern readers. Today, useful help may require contacting someone with the necessary skills and training. 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20
Why Jesus chooses a Samaritan
Jewish and Samaritan communities had religious and social tensions. Luke has recently described a Samaritan village refusing to receive Jesus’ party. Making a Samaritan the example of mercy would therefore challenge assumptions some hearers brought to the story.
Jesus does not discuss every theological disagreement between the communities. He shows that an outsider acts compassionately while respected religious figures fail to assist. The expert in the law identifies the neighbor as the person who showed mercy. Jesus tells him to do likewise. Readers should be willing to recognize compassionate action in someone outside their usual social circle and learn from the responsibility that person has shown. 1, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18
Compassion in Pentecostal ministry
The New Testament teaches that spiritual gifts are given for service and the benefit of others. Pentecostal ministry should reflect that purpose through prayer, truthful witness and compassionate action. A congregation can expect God to work miraculously while also providing practical assistance to people who need it.
The parable is useful when evaluating the relationship between a church’s worship and its conduct. Consider whether people seeking help are heard and treated respectfully. A strong public expression of faith should lead to dependable service. The teaching about love for God and neighbor remains relevant after the meeting, when a person’s need requires time or an inconvenient decision. 1
Helping across community boundaries
In India, a congregation may serve people from several religions, languages and social backgrounds. Listen to the particular person rather than assuming that a group identity explains all their needs. Ask what assistance is wanted and whether a local contact has information that would help you respond appropriately.
Offer care without requiring religious attendance or agreement as payment. Christian beliefs can be communicated clearly while assistance is freely given. Protect the person’s dignity and privacy. If a photograph or public account is proposed, seek informed permission. Someone in need should be able to decline publicity without losing the help that has been offered. 1
Planning reliable assistance
Choose one need your congregation can address consistently. It might concern transport, support for someone living alone or help understanding an important document. Speak with the people affected before deciding on the response. A modest plan that meets an actual need can be more useful than an ambitious proposal based on assumptions.
Identify what volunteers can do safely and where qualified help is required. Agree on who will follow up, how personal details will be protected and how the recipient can raise a concern. Review whether the assistance has been useful. The Samaritan’s continued provision encourages readers to consider what happens after the first act of help. 1
The commandments and related passages
The legal expert’s answer draws on Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. The parable explains an obligation already present in Scripture. Read Leviticus 19 more widely to see its instructions about honesty, fair dealing and treatment of others. Love for a neighbor has practical consequences within a community.
First John 3:16 to 18 connects love with Christ’s giving of himself and with assistance to a person in need. James 2:14 to 17 asks what good words accomplish when necessary help is withheld. These passages reinforce the distinction between expressing concern and providing useful care.
The appropriate response still requires judgment. People have different skills and limits, and some situations need professional support. These considerations should guide effective assistance. They should also lead us to ask what we can responsibly do, including helping someone reach the support they need. 1
Sources
Numbered references support the claims above. Scripture quotations use the KJV. Sources are considered critically within IndiaPCG’s Pentecostal perspective.
- Holy Bible, King James VersionKing James Bible translators · 1611
Luke 10:25 to 37; cross references identified in the article
View the source - Strong's Exhaustive Concordance: Greek dictionaryJames Strong · 1890
G4697; historical Strong dictionary entry only, excluding the modern topical lexicon on the host page
View the source - Greek English Lexicon of the New TestamentJoseph Henry Thayer · 1889
Thayer's Greek Lexicon entry corresponding to G4697; historical dictionary section only
View the source - Cambridge Bible for Schools and CollegesJ. J. S. Perowne, general editor; book contributors
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New TestamentHeinrich August Wilhelm Meyer and series contributors
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - The Expositor's Greek TestamentW. Robertson Nicoll, editor; book contributors
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - The Greek Testament: Critical and Exegetical CommentaryHenry Alford
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Gnomon of the New TestamentJohann Albrecht Bengel · 1742
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Commentary for English ReadersCharles J. Ellicott, editor; volume contributors
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - The Pulpit CommentaryH. D. M. Spence and Joseph S. Exell, editors; volume contributors
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and HomileticalJohann Peter Lange, editor; translated and edited by Philip Schaff and contributors
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - The Expositor's BibleW. Robertson Nicoll, editor; book contributors
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Commentary on the BibleAdam Clarke · 1831
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Notes on the BibleAlbert Barnes and volume contributors
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsJoseph Benson
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Exposition of the Entire BibleJohn Gill · 1763
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole BibleRobert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown · 1871
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Annotations upon the Holy BibleMatthew Poole and continuators · 1685
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Commentaries on ScriptureJohn Calvin
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source - Commentary on the Whole Bible: concise digital editionMatthew Henry and posthumous continuators
Luke 10:25 to 37; primary chapter covered by this linked commentary. Supplementary biblical cross references in the article are supported by source 1. Historical public domain text; an undated displayed edition is not assigned an inferred year.
View the source
Prepared for IndiaPCG using biblical texts, historical commentaries and reference works. The source notes distinguish textual evidence from practical applications.