Jesus has just rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, said a prayer of thanks to Heavenly Father, and then outlines the greatest blessing to them-- that they are seeing and hearing Him-- the Savior, Heavenly Father God's Son. Yes they are blessed! Many have wanted to see Him and did not make it yet these women and men are with Him. Glory to God for His eyewitnesses!
After Jesus finishes, a lawyer stands up to test Jesus. "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus asks, "What is written in the law?" He says, “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.”
That's the right answer. Then the lawyer asks, "Who is my neighbor?"
In answering, Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Robbers leave a man half dead in the road and a priest and a Levite choose not to help the man, both finding excuses and low thanks to God they pass by him. But a Samaritan, of a despised group of people, helps the wounded man by rightly tending his wounds and taking him to an inn. Then the Samaritan, having to take leave, pays for the wounded man's rest at the inn until he heals.
The Samaritan in Jesus' Parable shows mercy, kindness, and generosity to the man beaten by robbers. Remember, the Samaritans were a generally hated group of people. And not long before this, Jesus had taken rest by sitting at Jacob's well in Sychar, Samaria. Jesus has conversation with the Samaritan woman.
And continuing in John chapter 4, Jesus marvelously says, "God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and Truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am HE, the One who is speaking to you.” John 4:24-26 At noonday this Samaritan woman at the well meets our Savior. Jesus is our example of loving God with your heart, soul, strength, and mind.
And as the Samaritan woman at the well rejoices she has met the Savior of the World, she immediately goes from the well to tell the people in her city of Jesus. Hearing her, the city folk go out to meet Jesus, and are convinced He truly is their Savior. (John 4) Samaritans become believers on that day! Loving Jesus is to love God with your heart, soul, strength, and mind. We love Jesus sincerely, affectionately, resolutely, and intelligently. We serve Jesus by loving our neighbor.
A neighbor is a person who shows mercy to others. "Go and do likewise," Jesus says. We are propelled by Jesus' love for humanity. The mercy that we give to others is powerful kindness. Every person who needs our assistance may receive mercy. Mercy is how God has loved us in Christ, reflected to those in need.
Jesus says, "Go and do likewise." And those who are willing to receive your help in the Name of Jesus Christ will then too understand God's mercy. Mercy flows from the love we have received. It is with grateful hearts to God that we give mercy to our neighbor who needs our help.
At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was Your gracious will. All things have been handed over to Me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”
Then turning to the disciples, Jesus said to them privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” 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.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, 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 while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii,[g] gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:20-37
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