Luke 10:29-32
10:29 a who is my neighbor? A neighbor, in this context, was normally identified as a fellow Israelite.Summary for Luke 10:30-37: 10:30-37 b Jesus’ parable shows that true neighbors love even their enemies (10:29 c). Authentic spirituality is not based on ethnic identity or religious associations, but on love for God and for others. 10:30 d The road from Jerusalem down to Jericho dropped 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) through rugged terrain where robbers often lay in wait for travelers.
10:31 e a priest: Priests were descendants of Aaron from the tribe of Levi (Exod 28:1-3 f). They served in the Temple and offered sacrifices to God.
• passed him by: A priest or a Levite became unclean and unable to serve in the Temple if he touched a dead body. This priest was unwilling to risk ritual impurity by helping a person in desperate trouble.
10:32 g A Temple assistant (literally a Levite): Levites were members of the tribe of Levi. They were not given a tribal homeland in Israel but were dedicated to God (Num 3:41 h, 45 i; 8:18 j; 35:2-3 k; Deut 18:1 l; Josh 14:3 m) as assistants to the priests in the service of the Temple.
Copyright information for
TNotes