The Law of Moses (Love)
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The Law of Moses (Love)
The Law of Moses (Love)
For many years I read the Hebrew Bible (english version, what we call the Old Testament) in certain ways:
It was a description of how the world came to be
It was about a nation called Israel
It was about laws that they were to follow
It was about their failure
It was about wars between Israel and others
It has poetry I did not understand
It was about a man that unfairly lost everything
It had a book about love and sex
It had prophecies that told us the future
You may or may not agree with those, that is okay, I am only showing you what I used to believe.
Some of you might have believed this too, or you might still believe this.
What I never considered was the HB, the Tanak, gave an answer to this question...
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?”
Perhaps you never considered it either.
How is it a lawyer, and expert in the Hebrew Bible, the only Bible that existed at that time, could arrive at this question?
Now, it is a trick question.
We know this because this lawyer wants to put Jesus to the test.
His question also revolves around a debate, a split in Judaism about life after death. Some believed in it, some did not.
Jesus answers the question with a question. I believe he knows the heart of this person. As if this lawyer was going to school Jesus.
And we all know how this goes. We sit around and solve world problems all the time, rendering out own opinions, holding court with anyone who will listen!
Luke 10:26
He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
Jesus gives him this opportunity to explain his belief.
Now I LOVE THIS!
I often run into people who have opinions about scripture but have not read it. Some read it, but they don’t think about it. Fewer will read it and think about it. And it seems only a handful will read it, think about it, and see what others have to say about it, before they form an opinion.
Do you think the lawyer had an answer in his mind?
We don’t know for sure, but knowing how “smart” people think, I am confident he did.
Jesus essentially says, prove to me you don’t know the answer? Tell me what you think.
Everyone who follows Jesus should adopt this method:
What is written?
How do you read it?
The lawyer answered...
Luke 10:27
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.”
This is taken from Deut 6:5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” It is the Shema.
But he also adds Lev 19:18 “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.”
Notice, there is nothing about eternal life.
The question was, “what must I do...”
How did he do with his answer?
Luke 10:28
And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
The bells go off, and he gets the showcase showdown prize!
And....DO YOU EVER DO THIS...
You just DON’T KNOW WHEN TO SHUTUP?
Luke 10:29
But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
What a fascinating question.
Who is my neighbor?
Think about that question for a moment...
What is he asking?
Have you asked this question? Anyone you would consider not your neighbor?
Consider this: If the commandment is to love our neighbor, then certainly God would not want us to love un-neighbors, correct?
Jesus has an answer for this...
Luke 10:30-35
Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’
Some of your bibles might have “a Jewish man,” but that is not in the text. It is assumed because the man was coming from Jerusalem.
Jericho: There are two Jericho’s. There is one that is just northwest of Jerusalem, part of Herod’s empire. There is the ancient Jericho, to the east of Jerusalem.
Either location required traveling through a wilderness or a desert. This man was traveling in the wilderness, not really relevant to this story, but interesting.
QUESTION: What does the half-dead man need?
The man is in need of a neighbor
WHO IS GOING TO BE A NEIGHBOR?
The victim is wondering, who will be my neighbor.
The Priest
The Levite
The Samaritan
MANY WILL FOCUS ON:
The priest as a representative of the religious leadership
The levite as a representative of the religious guild
The samaritan as a representative of the unworthy.
SAMARITAN:
He had compassion. He put himself into the situation of the half-dead man. What would I want someone to do for me?
He treated his wounds, right there, on the road.
He could have stopped there, but he didn’t.
He brought him to a shelter and cared for him, overnight.
He could have stopped there, but he didn’t
He CONSIDERED the innkeeper, and gave him what would be about two weeks worth of money.
He could have stopped there, but he didn’t.
He is going to return and pay for this mans bills, whatever it takes.
He is not trying to help an entire people group, he has focused in on a single wounded man.
A distinction in this story is how you can be so close to God, working in and around his temple, in and around the scrolls and teaching, and be so very far away from having the courage to love God and love others.
People want to argue hospitality, the sin of not being a good, neighborly host. Yes, that was and is important in their culture.
But, we are not talking about hospitality; we are talking about what is written in scripture, the instructions given.
Whereas the Samaritan gets personally involved.
Then he provides monetary support to the other person.
Then he comes back to check on man and how he has been cared for.
The judgement does lay on the priest and the levite. Not because they are a priest and levite.
Because of what they know.
They know the LAW, the know the instruction.
AND THEY FAIL TO DO IT.
Jesus has answered the question, Who is my neighbor, AND the command to Love your neighbor by telling a parable.
The question remains…What does loving God look like?
For that, Luke is going to give us a different story.
Luke 10:38-42
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Ah yes, little sisters everywhere love this story!
Anyone with an overbearing, overworking, overworrying sibling loves this story.
They entered a village. Where is Jesus headed?
Remember, he sent 70 out ahead of him to prepare the way for the King. (you forgot about that didn’t you!)
And this Jesus has decided to enter their house, maybe the same house one of the 70 stayed.
I digress. This is a fascinating story. Often taught out of context of the original question from the lawyer, and almost always without consideration for the 70 that proceeded Jesus.
There is something that almost no one notices.
The text has Jesus in this house alone. It does not indicate that any of the disciples were there. They could be, but the record of events are such that it is Jesus, Martha, and Mary.
Question remains, who is Jesus teaching?
Just them? The family? A large group?
There may be others, but they are of no consequence to the story.
It is a simple story when read.
Who are the characters: Jesus, Martha, Mary
What are they doing:
Jesus is teaching: What is he teaching? Don’t know, but probably about the kingdom of God, Sermon on the Mount, maybe the usual stump speech. We don’t know.
Mary is sitting at his feet: The image is one who is fully engrossed in what Jesus has to teach. Maybe like when you are listing to someone teach and it is as if they are talking only to you.
Martha is serving guests: The Lord is in her house (prophet, messiah, man of God) and he is an honored guest. She goes about serving him.
TENSION: A younger and older sibling are in disagreement with how to serve. Is that a new story?
MARY: Doing nothing of any value. Just being lazy. Using Jesus as an excuse to get out of work. She has done nothing to help me.
MARTHA: Driven by culture and custom, working hard to be hospitable. The crowds would love her. She sees herself as sacrificing the duties of serving Jesus.
SHE ASKS JESUS TO INTERVENE:
Luke has really setup the story to put us right in the room. This is such a brilliant example of how we interact with God.
Remember, we are talking about Loving God with al our heart, soul, and life (energy, strength).
How does Jesus respond...
*******
But the Lord answered her...
PAY CLOSE ATTENTION...
Does Jesus get on her for doing many things?
Nope.
He clarifies that just ONE THING is necessary.
You know this person. “Well I just have to do this, get that done, it has to be this way, etc.”
I could see that if she had other guests in the house, which, again, she may. But the event only has Jesus there.
He has walked the Hinnom valley.
He has walked with Israel.
When you waste your time trying to “prepare” your environment for Jesus, it ticks him off. This is his world.
How can you be still with God when you are busy dusting for Jesus?
This story is not about hospitality either.
It is about sitting down, being quiet, and LISTENING.
(Graphic)
These two stories are paired together to answer the lawyers question. It is a brilliant arrangement.
Some can concentrate so much on the legal nature of the law that we fail to see how to become a neighbor to a victim.
Some can concentrate so much on being a neighbor to a victim that we fail to nurture time learning and listening to the teaching.
Both are required.
Love God AND Love your neighbor.