“But he wanted to justify himself…”

Who's my neighbor sounds like an innocent question, does it? But Luke tells us that the lawyer not only wanted to justify himself but also test Jesus with the questions he asked. Leviticus 19:18, "Love your neighbor as yourself," was taken very seriously for all pure Jewish people. In fact, Leviticus 19:18 was thought to be the second greatest command only behind Deuteronomy 6:4 which speaks of loving the Lord with all your heart, mind, and strength. But in Jesus' day this Scripture was interpreted differently than how Jesus knew the Father had intended it. The lawyer's question implies that he presumed there would be parameters that would allow him to determine who he'd want to have as his neighbor. This is the context for Jesus telling the story. In the next post I will tell the story using contemporary vernacular. perspective. Please subscribe on my YouTube channel. Thank. you. Shawn