The Greatest Commandment Bible Study #6

THANKS - Happy Fathers day! For all hospitality, your kind attention, Bro. Stettler's anointed and probing messages, Gods help in this study Mark 12:

We have seen so far in this study

The Greatest Commandment - Loving GodThe Demand, Declaration, and Demonstration of God's LoveWe talked about - What it is to Love God - Which is: To commit oneself in a self-sacrificial mannerTo Delight in HimTo Continually Desire to Please HimTo Rejoice in Serving HimTo Find One's True Happiness in HimTo Thirst day and night for a fuller enjoyment of Him. Yesterday we talked about the importance of LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR SPECIFICALLY OUR BROTHER (As Christ loved us)Today I want to deal with the broader term NEIGHBOR!!!

Ok so we are to love God with all that we are and our neighbor as ourselves.

But who is our neighbor? Who does that include?

We find Luke 10:25-37 where Jesus expounds upon this idea of a neighbor in another place - A young and self-righteous Lawyer comes to Jesus with an important question.

Now a lawyer in the scriptures was not so much concerned with civil law as the Law of Moses (the Jewish legal system was much different than ours today)

25 Lawyer Nomikos (from nomos, “law”) occurs once in Matthew (22:35) and 6 times in Luke’s Gospel, plus twice in Titus (3:9, 13). Since “lawyer” today means an attorney, the NIV has translated nomikos all 7 times in the Gospels as “an expert in the law”—that is, the Mosaic law.

Earle, Ralph. Word Meanings in the New Testament, One-Volume Edition (6 vols) (Kindle Locations 2802-2804). Beacon Hill Press. Kindle Edition.

He asks "What can I do to inherit eternal life?"

Inherit - 16202 κληρονομήσω - verbe indicative future active 1st person singular; 1aor. ἐκληρονόμησα; pf. κεκληρονόμηκα; literally, as receiving a possession or gift from someone who has died inherit, be an heir (GA 4.30); figuratively, as receiving God's salvation, gifts, and benefits obtain, gain possession of, receive (LU 10.25; HE 12.17)

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So the Lawyer asks "What can I do to inherit eternal life?"

Have you ever wondered what eternal life is? I used to think it was just living forever with Jesus in heaven. But it is far more than that.

Jesus Himself tells us what eternal life is in John 17:3 in the great High Priestly prayer of Jesus And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

I love how Jesus often responds to a question with a question.

Jesus asks the lawyer -

Luke 10:26 (KJV)

26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

And I am surprised by the answer given by

Luke 10:27 (KJV)

27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

Summaries are often found in NT-

Romans 13:9 (KJV)

Ro 13:9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Galatians 5:14 (KJV)

Gal 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

James 2:8 (KJV)

Jas 2:8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

Jesus was obviously happy with the lawyer's answer for he tells him - Luke 10:28 (KJV)

28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

Today if someone asks "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" We tell them to "Get Saved!" "Come to Jesus" but that is not what Jesus says - Jesus says that to "Inherit eternal life we must Love God and Love our Neighbor!" John agrees with this, "1 John 3:14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.

But this wasn't good enough for the lawyer - in his arrogance and haughty attitude I can hear him snarkily say back, "AND WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR???" - Trying to justify himself.

For most Jews a neighbor was another Jew. In fact they had traditional laws that told them they could hate anyone who wasn't their neighbor.

The Pharisees were even worse their neighbor was only the Pharisees

The lawyer no doubt thought he had Jesus backed into a corner.

I'm glad Jesus had an answer for him and for us as well.

But His answer was a parable - listen to this… I want you to notice how Jesus in this parable changes the question from "Who is my neighbor" to "How do I be a neighbor"

Luke 10:30-35 (KJV)

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

Jesus described a normal trip a person would take, seventeen miles from Jerusalem down to Jericho through a mountain pass that fell almost 3,300 feet in elevation. Herod had built New Testament Jericho as his winter palace … Herod included three palaces, a swimming pool, and a sunken garden. Thus, government officials frequently made the trip from Jerusalem to Jericho as did Jewish religious and political leaders. Criminals took advantage of the upper class's need to travel this winding, crooked road through dangerous passes. They hid behind the large rocks above the narrow passes and preyed on travelers. Jesus told the story of one victim without identifying the man by race, occupation, or reason for traveling.

Trent Butler, Holman New Testament Commentary – Luke, ed. Max Anders, (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2000), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, Under: "Luke 10 - Dedication at the Crossroads".

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

I can almost see Jesus take a dramatic pause in the story here, He was God he knew the reaction that would come next and he wanted it to have the full force.

33 But a certain Samaritan, - Right here the Lawyer probably thought to himself - "Aha that poor guy on the side of the road is going to get it now. Those nasty Samaritans he's going to probably come over and kill him"

as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, - Right here is where the gasp would have come from the lawyer and other hearers around them.

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

What a marvelous picture: the Samaritan walking by the side of his donkey and giving support to the tragic figure on the Way to the inn! When they arrived there, the Samaritan did not say, "Here's where my responsibility ends. I've already spent too much time on this man. Now let others take over." No, he "took care of him" personally. Did he keep vigil "all through the night," rising every once in a while to see how his charge was doing? The next day arrives. The Samaritan—was he a businessman perhaps?—must be on his way. Even now, however, he does not say, "I've done my full duty. From here on it's up to the innkeeper and the man himself." William Hendriksen, Baker New Testament Commentary – Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1978), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 595.

No, the text continues: 35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence,(about 2 days wages) and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Now here is where the story gets interesting - Jesus isn't backed into a corner the lawyer is -

Luke 10:36-37 (KJV)

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

So who is my neighbor? => Jesus changes it to "I should be neighborly to everyone especially those in need." -

In another place Jesus says, in Matthew 5:43-44 "Ye had heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy But.. I say unto you. Love your enemies, bless them that curse yo, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefuly use you…."

We don't know the end of that story, I hope the lawyer found the Eternal life he was seeking.

But if not - we have been given some very serious instructions on what it means to love our neighbor as ourselves.

What does it mean to love yourself? Our world tells us that if you don't have self-love you can't be a healthy normal person. We are producing such a narccicisitic and self-centered people it is scary. This is not what Jesus meant when he said to love your neighbor as you love yourself.On the other hand - if you do not properly love yourself you will not properly love others. Let me explain what I mean by using a passage of scripture -

Ephesians 5:28-29 (KJV)

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

We feed ourseleves - nourishethWe care for ourselves - we avoid pain seek comfort and pleasureApplication - Am I caring for others the way I care for myself?

And what about self-confidence and self-esteem?

Have you ever been around someone who was constantly tearing themselves down?

Sometimes we think we can't be truly humble or show humility unless we down ourselves.- - You know the Bible doesn't say that.

Romans 12:3 …3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

If you are good at something it is ok to admit it -

If you can do something you can do it

Humility is recognizing that all the ability and talent and strengths come from the Almighty hand of God and not from ourselves.

I think it is only logical that you can also infer from this that you shouldn't think of others more highly than they are either - that can bring about problems as well.

A Biblical self-concept will be acurrate, not higher or lower than sober judgment would assess.

Jesus brings this into focus in another place when he says, "

Matthew 7:12 (KJV)

12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

How would I like other to love me? I should love them like that.

My prayer for this study has been that we will see a clearer picture of what it is to Love God with all of our heart, and to love our neighbor as oursleves. Love Paul says is the fulfillment of the law.

I want to close with the challenges of Jonah and the elder brother.

Those stories are so closely related - God wanted Jonah to go to Ninevah - Jonah didn't want to go because he didn't want to preach - Jonah didn't go because he didn't think the Nineivtes were worthy of forgivness and mercy

The Elder Brother was bitter because the prodigal got all the attention and party - he forgot all about the forgivness and love of the Father.

That God would help us to Love Him with all that we are and our Neigbhors as ourselves.

📷 Get notes and insights from Michael Card HESED book from 14, 15 & 16.

📷 Perhaps "loving others as yourself" would go well in this lesson or the next - Possibly use "The Baggage Handler"