Loving Your Neighbor - Leviticus 19:8-19

Introduction

When we think about loving our neighbor we often think about Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels. Perhaps you think of the people that literally live closest to you. Perhaps you are wondering who your neighbor is?

Loving our neighbor is something that we are told by Paul in Galatians 5:14, fulfills the whole law.

Luke 10:25–29 ESV

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus is not creating a new Law when He says that loving your neighbor is the second greatest Commandment.

He is Quoting Deuteronomy 6 and Leviticus 19

He is quoting Local Literature

Loving one’s neighbor is important to the Law

Context 19:1-8

A Few specific Instructions

• Honor Parents

• Keep the Sabbath

• Do not make any Idols

• Do not eat three day old Sacrifice food

#1 Feed Your Neighbor 9-10

Leviticus 19:9–10 ESV

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God.

No word for neighbor appears in this first paragraph.

God is first teaching the people to make sure everyone has food, even the poor. This is so that people will have no excuse for eating the three day old food from the section previous.

#2 Do Not Sin Against Your Neighbor 11-12

Leviticus 19:11–12 ESV

“You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.

Two different Hebrew words for Neighbor in this passage.

They are עֲמִיתֽ and רֵֽעֲ. The first only occurs 12 times in the OT, 11 of which are in the book of Leviticus, and refers to a “fellow-citizen.” The second The second refers to a “friend,” “companion,” or “loved-one.” This will become important when we get to verse 18.

“One another” is the first usage of two Hebrew words for “Neighbor” in this passage, עֲמִיתֽ.

The first of three intense verbs in the passage is found here, “Profane.”

Example = “As sure as the Lord lives”

The real sin is that we profane the name of God.

#3 Do Not Oppress Your Neighbor 13-14

Leviticus 19:13–14 ESV

“You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.

This seems so obvious to us.

Oppress could also be translated as do not “be an extortionist,” towards your neighbor.

The second of three intense verbs in the passage is found here, “Fear.”

#4 Do Not Legally Wrong Your Neighbor 15-16

Leviticus 19:15–16 ESV

“You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.

Just because something is legal to do to someone in court does not mean that we as Christians have the write to do.

Here we see the foundation for the Apostle James’ teaching on not showing partiality in the church.

James does not write anything new!

“Neighbor” in verse 15 is the word עֲמִיתֽ (citizen).

Do we spend our time speaking ill of people who do wrong or lifting up those who do right?

Talk about anyone but Jesus is probably the wrong talk.

“Neighbor” in verse 16 is the word רֵֽעֲ (friend, companion, or loved-one).

Do we care about everyone’s life in our culture?

Now do we see why Jesus described the man the Good Samaritan as saving someone’s life?

in Luke 10:25-37 Jesus does not tell us who our neighbor is, rather how to be a neighbor.

#5 Do Not Hate Your Brother 17-18

Leviticus 19:17–18 ESV

“You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

If you hate your brother in your heart, you have already killed him! 1 John 3:15 “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”

Do we speak frankly with one another or are we passive?

“Neighbor” in verse 17 is the word עֲמִיתֽ (citizen).

“Neighbor” in verse 16 is the word רֵֽעֲ (friend, companion, or loved-one).

Jesus quotes this line in particular.

We are to act as “Friends” to one another… NOT just fellow citizens.

Application

Are you willing to be a Neighbor?

Is there anyone that you do not want to be your neighbor?

Who in your life are you not being neighborly towards?

Are you willing to be neighbored?

Who in your life would you or are you refusing love from?

Christ is our Neighbor!

He is the one that originally we despised. He is foreign to me, still in so many ways.

He saved us from death and paid for us to become well again!

Pray