Luke 10:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The attorney, upon receiving commendation from the Saviour, exhibited pride. He inquired, “Who is my neighbour?” Believing himself to be just, he perceived no equal in virtue and thought that a righteous person’s neighbour was solely another righteous individual. In an attempt to vindicate himself and raise his own status before others, he arrogantly asked, “And who is my neighbour?”

As I mentioned earlier, having missed his target, he immerses himself in emptiness; he drifts from one pitfall to another, from snare to snare, from deception to arrogance. These vices, if you will, lead him from one to the next, allowing him to wander aimlessly. One wrongdoing, once it ensnares him, quickly pushes him towards another, guiding him down a path of destruction. He does not seek understanding; rather, as the Gospel writer notes, he is ‘desiring to justify himself.’ Observe how, driven by self-interest and pride, he audaciously questions, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Is there no one, O legal expert, who is like you? Do you place yourself above them all?

Therefore, the Lord addresses the lawyer, stating, 'Do this and you will live' (Lk. 10:28; cf. Lev. 18:5). However, the man, lacking knowledge of his neighbor—due to his disbelief in Christ—responded, 'Who is my neighbor?' (Lk. 10:29). Thus, one who is unfamiliar with Christ cannot comprehend the law. How can one grasp the law without understanding the truth? The law testifies to the truth.

Upon succumbing to temptation, he revealed the pride that lay within him. He believed himself to be better than everyone else. When the law described a neighbor as someone in need of assistance, he considered himself a neighbor with equal moral standing. Thus, in an attempt to vindicate himself and elevate his own status, he posed the question, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ Christ responds through a parable, illustrating that a neighbor is anyone in need of aid. A neighbor encompasses all individuals, as we are united by our shared humanity.

The lawgiver believed that a true neighbor must be righteous to the righteous and virtuous to the virtuous, concluding that mere nature is insufficient to define a neighbor. Instead, one must possess either commendable qualities or virtuous actions. Yet, despite being justified himself and wishing to validate his own truth due to his elevated virtue, he inquires, "Who is my neighbor? Show me one who is equally great."

Did the lawyer truly understand who his neighbor was? What reason could he possibly have for seeking justification for his words? How could he defend himself through such an inquiry? As a legal expert, he undoubtedly recognized who his neighbor was and was aware that he required justification, having realized that Christ’s response revealed his lack of understanding of the fundamental principles of the law. Furthermore, he recognized that Christ was aware of his mal intent. Since the Jews referred to only their brethren and friends as neighbors, he opted for this subsequent question, concealing his true motive in order to appear removed from the charge of ignorance. Perhaps he also posed this question to demonstrate his own righteousness, emphasizing that no one else could rival him in virtuous actions. In response to this question, Jesus answered:

As the Lord entered the cities where the apostles proclaimed the Gospel, He once again encountered the Pharisees, engaging in dialogue with them. They posed questions, to which He provided responses, admonishing them for their deception, hypocrisy, vanity, and selfishness. In one instance, a lawyer inquired, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" The Lord countered, "What is written in the Law?" The lawyer replied that it is to love God and one's neighbor. This encapsulation of the Law into two commandments is a principle the Lord later emphasized. He affirmed the lawyer's answer and urged him to diligently follow these commandments.

During that time, the understanding of who qualifies as a neighbor varied among the legal experts. They interpreted the law from Leviticus (Leviticus 19:18) in such a way that excluded all non-Jews from being considered neighbors. Additionally, some among them acknowledged only those individuals they deemed righteous as their neighbors, regarding all other Jews as sinners, detestable, and thus not worthy of being counted in their circle of neighbors. By demonstrating love solely for these select neighbors, the lawyer aimed to assert to Jesus that he was thereby adhering to the law’s requirements. However, anticipating that Jesus would challenge this interpretation, he posed the question to Him, "Who is my neighbor?"

To gain a deeper understanding of his own motives and to validate the seemingly unnecessary inquiry, which he recognized was posed with less than altruistic intent, the lawyer sought to mask his retreat by posing another question: “And who is my neighbor?”

By highlighting the stipulations of the Law, the Lord prompted the lawyer to delve deeper into the true essence and significance of these commandments, revealing the distance between the lawyer's actions and the profound nature of those requirements. Although the lawyer appeared to grasp this reality, like many who are proud and consider themselves righteous, he sought to vindicate himself. He aimed to demonstrate that he adhered to the Law, and if he fell short, it was due to the ambiguity of its stipulations, such as the lack of clarity regarding who qualifies as a neighbor. The inquiry, "Who is a neighbor?" was frequently debated among the legal scholars of that time, with varied responses.