LukeChapter 10

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Show the parableWho is my neighbor?

The parable of the good Samaritan is Jesus' answer to the question, 'Who is my neighbor?' It challenges all religious boundaries and shows that love does not ask about ethnicity or religion—only about need.

The lawyer's question

[Luke 10:25]

v.25

What is written in the Law?

[Luke 10:26-27]

v.26, 27

Do this and you will live

[Luke 10:28]

v.28

Who is my neighbor?

[Luke 10:29]

v.29

The man who fell among robbers

[Luke 10:30]

v.30

The priest passed by

[Luke 10:31]

v.31

The Levite passed by

[Luke 10:32]

v.32

The Samaritan stopped

[Luke 10:33]

v.33

The Samaritan helped

[Luke 10:34]

v.34

The Samaritan paid

[Luke 10:35]

v.35

Jesus' question

[Luke 10:36-37]

v.36, 37

Go and do likewise

[Luke 10:37]

v.37

Parallel texts1 parallels in this chapter

The Greatest CommandmentMML

Love God and your neighbor.

MatthewMatt 22:34-40

34When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together,

35and one of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:

36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?"

37He answered, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'

38This is the great and first commandment.

39And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

40On these two commandments hang the whole law and the prophets."

MarkMark 12:28-34

28One of the scribes came up and heard them debating. Seeing that Jesus had answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"

29Jesus answered, "The most important is this: 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one,

30and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'

31The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

32The scribe said to him, "Well said, Teacher. You are right in saying that he is one and that there is no other besides him,

33and that to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is worth far more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to question him any further.

Luke(du leser)

25Then an expert in the law stood up to test him. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

26Jesus said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"

27He answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."

28"You have answered correctly," Jesus said. "Do this and you will live."

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.

He said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

Go! Look, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.

Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals, and greet no one along the road.

Whatever house you enter, say first, 'Peace to this house.'

If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.

Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move from house to house.

Whenever you enter a town and they welcome you, eat what is set before you.

Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'

But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say,

'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.'

I tell you, on that day it will be more bearable for Sodom than for that town.

Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.

Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me; and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

The seventy-two returned with joy and said, "Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!"

He said to them, "I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Look, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will ever harm you.

Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

At that very hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

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 he turned to the disciples and said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.

For I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it."

Then an expert in the law stood up to test him. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

Jesus said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?"

He answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."

"You have answered correctly," Jesus said. "Do this and you will live."

But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell among robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.

By chance a priest was going down that same road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

So too a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came to where the man was, and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion.

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Take care of him,' he said, 'and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I return.'

Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?"

He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Then Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

As they went on their way, Jesus entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his word.

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations. She came to him and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!"

The Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,

but few things are needed—indeed, only one. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her."

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Summary2

Chapter 10

Main Theme: Jesus sends out 72 disciples to proclaim the kingdom of God and teaches about true love for one’s neighbor and what is most important.

Content: Jesus sends 72 disciples two by two to proclaim that the kingdom of God is near and to heal the sick. When they return with joy over their spiritual authority, Jesus reminds them that the greatest joy is that their names are written in heaven. Through the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus answers the question of who our neighbor is: the one who shows mercy. In the account of Martha and Mary, Jesus teaches that listening to his word is what matters most.

Key Words/Images:

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few – Illustrates the urgent need for proclaimers of the gospel.
The good Samaritan – Shows that true love for one’s neighbor transcends cultural and religious boundaries.
The better portion – Mary chose what was necessary: to listen to Jesus’ words rather than be distracted by many tasks.
Names written in heaven – The deepest reason for joy is fellowship with God, not spiritual power.

Historical context

Historical and Cultural Context for Luke 10

People

The Seventy-Two: The number varies in manuscripts between 70 and 72. Both numbers carry symbolic significance in Jewish tradition. 70 corresponds to the nations listed in Genesis 10 and the 70 elders who assisted Moses (Numbers 11:16-25). 72 is the number found in the Septuagint tradition for the nations and the 72 translators of the Greek Torah. Regardless of which number was original, the figure suggests a mission with broader scope than that of the twelve disciples, possibly carrying universal implications.

Lawyer (νομικός): The lawyer in verse 25 was an expert on the Mosaic Law and its interpretation. Unlike the Pharisees, who were a religious movement, the lawyers were professional scribes who studied, copied, and taught the law. Their question about eternal life reflects a central debate in Judaism of that time.

Martha and Mary: These sisters lived in Bethany, near Jerusalem (cf. John 11:1). Martha (from Aramaic marta, "mistress" or "hostess") acts as the hostess, a role involving significant social responsibility. That Mary sat at Jesus' feet like a disciple was unusual, since rabbinic teaching was traditionally reserved for men.

Places

Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum: These three cities formed the core of Jesus' Galilean ministry. Chorazin (Khirbet Kerazeh) lay about 3 km north of Capernaum. Archaeological excavations have uncovered a synagogue from the third to fourth century and remains of a Jewish village. Bethsaida ("house of fishing") was located at the mouth of the Jordan River on the Sea of Galilee. Excavations at et-Tell have revealed a city from the Iron Age and the Hellenistic-Roman period. Capernaum (Tell Hum) on the northwestern shore of the lake has yielded rich archaeological finds, including a synagogue and what is traditionally identified as Peter's house.

Tyre and Sidon: These Phoenician coastal cities represented Gentile territory and were known for their wealth and trade. In prophetic tradition, they stood as examples of Gentile arrogance (Ezekiel 26-28). Jesus' comparison is striking: Gentile cities would have repented more quickly than Jewish cities that actually witnessed his miracles.

The Road from Jerusalem to Jericho: This road was about 27 km long and descended from Jerusalem (about 750 m above sea level) down to Jericho (about 250 m below sea level). The route passed through desolate, rugged desert terrain in the Judean wilderness—ideal ground for robbers. The road was notorious for its danger, and the Roman historian Strabo described the area as a haunt of bandits. Ruins of an inn (Khan el-Hatrur, "the Good Samaritan's Inn") along the route may date from antiquity.

Bethany: The village where Martha and Mary lived was located on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, about 3 km from Jerusalem. The name likely comes from Hebrew bet-anja ("house of affliction" or "house of poverty"). Today the place is known as el-Azariyeh (after Lazarus).

Events and Customs

Shaking Dust from Feet: This action (verse 11) was a well-known Jewish practice when leaving Gentile territory—one would shake off the unclean dust before stepping back into holy land. That the disciples were to do this toward Jewish cities that rejected them was a powerful symbolic act: these cities were being treated as Gentile and unclean.

Sackcloth and Ashes: The expression in verse 13 refers to traditional signs of mourning and repentance. Sackcloth (σάκκος) was a coarse, dark fabric worn directly against the body. Ashes were sprinkled over the head or one would sit in ashes. This combination marked deep sorrow and humility before God (cf. Job 42:6; Daniel 9:3).

Priests and Levites: In the parable of the Good Samaritan (verses 31-32), the priest and the Levite represent the religious elite. Priests descended from Aaron and performed sacrificial service in the temple. Levites were from the tribe of Levi and assisted with temple operations. Both groups had strict purity requirements. Contact with a corpse—and the man appeared to be dead—would have rendered them unclean for seven days (Numbers 19:11). The irony is that they prioritized ritual purity over mercy.

Samaritans: The Samaritans were descendants of Israelites who remained in the land after Assyria's conquest (722 BC), mixed with incoming populations. They had their own version of the Torah and their own temple on Mount Gerizim. Relations between Jews and Samaritans were marked by mutual contempt and hostility. That Jesus makes a Samaritan the hero of the parable was deeply provocative for a Jewish audience.

Sitting at Someone's Feet: Mary's position "at the Lord's feet" (verse 39) was the classic posture of a disciple learning from his rabbi (cf. Acts 22:3, where Paul says he was trained "at the feet of Gamaliel"). That a woman assumed this position challenged contemporary norms regarding gender roles in religious instruction.

Key Terms

Υἱὸς εἰρήνης (hyios eirēnēs) – "son of peace": This Semitic expression in verse 6 denotes a person who is receptive to the blessing of peace. In Hebrew idiom, "son of" describes a person's character or affiliation (cf. "sons of thunder" in Mark 3:17). A "son of peace" is thus someone whose heart is open to the peace of the gospel.

Δηνάρια (dēnaria) – denarii: The two denarii in verse 35 represented two days' wages for a laborer. This was sufficient to cover lodging at an inn for several weeks, demonstrating the Samaritan's generosity.

Πανδοχεῖον (pandocheion) – inn: This word literally means "a place that receives all." Unlike private guesthouses, this was a commercial establishment along main roads where travelers could obtain food, shelter, and care for their animals in exchange for payment.

Ἐσπλαγχνίσθη (esplanchnisthē) – "he had compassion": This strong verb in verse 33 comes from splanchna (innards), which in antiquity were regarded as the seat of deepest emotions. The word expresses a physical, visceral reaction of deep compassion—not merely sympathy, but a feeling that grips one's entire inner being.

Διακονία (diakonia) – service: Martha's "service" in verse 40 refers to practical household work and hospitality. The word is later used in the early church for various forms of Christian ministry and gives rise to the office of deacon. The tension in the story is not that service is unimportant, but about choosing between what is good and what is best.

People4

Jesus2 Martha2 Mary2 Ba'al-Zebub1

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Key words

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Timeline2