What is the significance of Jesus affirming the lawyer's answer in Luke 10:28? Text of Luke 10:27–28 “‘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 ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus said. “Do this and you will live.” Immediate Context: The Lawyer’s Question and Motive A law expert stands to “test” Jesus (Luke 10:25). His inquiry—“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”—reveals a performance-based paradigm. Jesus redirects him back to Scripture, asking how he reads the Law. The jurist cites Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. Christ’s ensuing affirmation both commends accurate exegesis and exposes the heart behind the citation, setting the stage for the Good Samaritan parable that follows (vv. 29-37). Affirmation of Scriptural Orthodoxy By stating, “You have answered correctly,” Jesus validates the two-fold summary of the Law as theologically sound. He affirms that genuine orthodoxy is rooted in Israel’s foundational confession (the Shema) and its ethical outworking. The same pairing appears in Matthew 22:37-40 and Mark 12:29-31, demonstrating canonical coherence. Unity of Old and New Testaments Jesus’ endorsement underscores that the moral core of the Mosaic covenant remains authoritative under the New Covenant. Far from abrogating Torah, the Messiah fulfills it (Matthew 5:17). His confirmation signals continuity: eternal life has always been tied to rightly ordered love—first vertical, then horizontal. Law as a Mirror and Tutor Galatians 3:24 calls the Law a “guardian” leading us to Christ. Jesus’ directive, “Do this and you will live,” functions diagnostically. Perfect, unflagging love is required (cf. James 2:10). Faced with that absolute standard, the honest heart concedes failure and seeks mercy, echoing Paul’s confession: “through the Law we become conscious of sin” (Romans 3:20). From Knowledge to Practice: The Imperative “Do” The present imperative ποιεῖ (“keep on doing”) moves the discussion from intellectual assent to lived obedience. Jesus dismantles mere academic religiosity. True covenant loyalty manifests in action: “…let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth” (1 John 3:18). The Implied Impossibility and the Need for Grace Because all fall short (Romans 3:23), the command exposes human inability and thereby magnifies grace. Luke’s narrative arc will soon display that grace at Calvary (Luke 23:34, 43) and the empty tomb (24:1-7). Eternal life, therefore, is entered not by flawless law-keeping but by faith in the One who kept the Law perfectly and offers His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Preparation for the Parable of the Good Samaritan The lawyer, “wanting to justify himself” (v. 29), probes, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus’ affirmation thus provokes self-examination and opens space for a corrective story illustrating sacrificial compassion that transcends ethnic and religious boundaries—a narrative demonstration of what the Law demands and the gospel empowers. Christ’s Authority Over the Law By adjudicating the expert’s answer, Jesus assumes interpretive supremacy (cf. Matthew 7:28-29). The incarnate Word (John 1:1-14) authoritatively interprets the written word, revealing His divine prerogative. Ethical Implications for Community The twofold command establishes a hierarchy of ethics: devotion to God anchors horizontal ethics. Where the first commandment is ignored, the second collapses into utilitarianism or tribalism. By affirming the lawyer, Jesus signals that social justice severed from doxology lacks divine warrant. Archaeological Corroboration of the Lucan Setting Excavations along the Jericho-to-Jerusalem ascent reveal first-century watch-posts and roadbed consistent with Jesus’ travel narrative (Luke 10:30). Ostraca and coin hoards attest to priestly settlements nearby, aligning with the priest and Levite characters Jesus will invoke. Such data bolster the historic reliability of Luke’s reportage (cf. Luke 1:3-4). Theological Implications for Evangelism When sharing the gospel, one may begin where Jesus began—asking listeners to summarize moral duty. As they confront the impossibility of perfect love, the evangelist can present Christ’s vicarious obedience and resurrection as the sole remedy (Acts 4:12). Systematic Consistency with the Rest of Scripture • Deuteronomy 30:14—“The word is very near you…that you may do it.” • Romans 10:9—confession of Jesus as Lord brings salvation, showing that the nearness of the word culminates in Christ. • 1 John 4:19—“We love because He first loved us,” revealing the motive power absent in the lawyer’s self-justification. Conclusion Jesus’ affirmation in Luke 10:28 is not a simplistic endorsement of works-based salvation. It validates the Law’s summary, exposes human insufficiency, directs hearers to divine grace, affirms scriptural unity, and authoritatively grounds Christian ethics. In telling the lawyer, “Do this and you will live,” Jesus points ultimately to Himself—the only One who did, does, and gives life to all who believe. |
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