“The one who showed him mercy,” replied the expert in the law. Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
A lawyer puts the question to trap Christ: what must I do to inherit eternal life? But a good question asked with a mean or contentious spirit is no good question at all. If we speak of eternal life as mere matter of dispute, we take God's name in vain.
AI summary
Commenting on Luke 10:25-37
Now it came to pass as they went,.... As Christ and his disciples went from Jerusalem, having been at the feast of tabernacles, Joh 7:2 or at the feast of dedication, Joh 10:22 to some other parts of Judea: that he entered into a certain village; called Bethany, which was about fifteen furlongs, or two miles from Jerusalem, Joh 11:1 and a certain woman named Martha.
Verse 37. He that showed mercy. His Jewish prejudice would not permit him to name the Samaritan, but there was no impropriety, even in his view, in saying that the man who showed so much mercy was really the neighbour to the afflicted, and not he who professed to be his neighbour, but who would do nothing for his welfare. Go, and do thou likewise.