Perspective 1: Jesus’ Teaching: The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Luke 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Discussion: When Jesus was asked directly what is required for a person to “inherit eternal life”, Jesus responded by asking the “expert in the law” what he believed. The law expert states the Great Commandment, but probes further by asking for clarification about who his “neighbor” might be. Presumably, if Jesus were to include as “neighbors” a class of people not acceptable according to Jewish law and teachings, the “expert” could then claim Jesus was presenting false teachings.
Interestingly enough, Jesus did exactly that, but in a way the “expert in the law” was compelled to agree with him. Jesus’ response was to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Samaritans were from the territory of the northern Jewish state of Israel but after Assyria conquered it. Most of the Jewish population had been removed and spread throughout the Assyrian Empire. The few Jews left behind intermarried with the pagan Assyrians who moved in and the “ten northern Jewish tribes” disappeared from history. The resulting inhabitants of this vanquished northern Jewish state were considered half-breeds and so defiling to the pure Jews in the south (Judah), that they were viewed with extreme disdain and treated as untouchable.
However, Jesus uses the actions and motives of the Samaritan to define righteousness in God’s eyes. This must have created a huge conflict in the minds of his Jewish audience. However, it was clear that neither the Jewish priest nor the Levite, a member of the priestly tribe of Levi, acted like a neighbor to the man in need.
Within Judaism, at the time, there were strict prohibitions against touching dead bodies and this man appeared dead. However, Jesus taught from a higher perspective than religious law; claiming the needs of our neighbors are of greater importance than the letter of religious law.
Within Judaism, at the time, there were strict prohibitions against touching dead bodies and this man appeared dead. However, Jesus taught from a higher perspective than religious law; claiming the needs of our neighbors are of greater importance than the letter of religious law.
Jesus’ teachings focus on how we should behave with one another (metaphysical or spiritual considerations) and not on detailed theological definitions and explanations (religious dogma). In fact, Jesus was adamently, but peacefully, anti-dogma, anti-establishment.
Today's religious/political conservatives would be accurate if they labeled Jesus as a radical socialist liberal. In today's world, Jesus would likely not fit into the religious or political institutions of most modern conservatives. In fact, he would work to defeat them. I do not write this to be sarcastic or flip. This is a point that deserves wide public discussion. There is a lesson here concerning universal spiritual priorities versus human tribal priorities.
Today's religious/political conservatives would be accurate if they labeled Jesus as a radical socialist liberal. In today's world, Jesus would likely not fit into the religious or political institutions of most modern conservatives. In fact, he would work to defeat them. I do not write this to be sarcastic or flip. This is a point that deserves wide public discussion. There is a lesson here concerning universal spiritual priorities versus human tribal priorities.
Perspective 2: Paul’s Teachings on Death Through Adam, Life Through Christ
Romans 5:12-21
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—
13 To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone’s account where there is no law. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Discussion: Paul presents an almost rambling barrage of statements all meant to express the following ideas:
- Because Adam sinned, that made all his descendants (i.e. all humans) sinners
- God’s penalty for sin was death (eternal condemnation)
- God’s grace (life) was offered to mankind through the sacrificial death of Jesus.
Paul saw Jesus’ death as the highest possible sin offering from the viewpoint of the ancient Jewish tradition of making sacrifices to God to win forgiveness or favor. This was Paul’s religious background. Remember, he was originally an ardent and faithful Pharisee. Instead of annually washing sins away with the blood of a goat on Yom Kippur, Paul saw Jesus’ crucifixion as the ultimate and final human sacrifice whose blood permanently washed away (“justified”) the sins of everyone who believes this was Jesus’ purpose.
Paul’s teachings focus on theology, not on how we should behave with one another to live righteously.
These two scriptures could hardly be more different in their content and perspectives. Jesus’ is spiritual (metaphysical) and practical and Paul’s is a theological in-your-face treatise and not much about living spiritually. Paul made the same error in judgment most of us do. He created a theological position based on his own personal needs and desires, then taught that everyone else should believe it, too, or suffer the consequences of God's condemnation. Paul was not a modest man. He was a self-proclaimed apostle of Jesus; an equal in his own eyes with Jesus' disciples.
The way the author of Luke portrayed Jesus’ style of thinking and teaching is consistent with the messages we read in Jesus' parables. However, Paul's theology is not consistent with Jesus' message. Luke portrays Jesus as approaching every teaching opportunity with an attitude of acceptance, peace, and love. Paul was more like a bull in a china shop.
The apostle Paul was certainly a dedicated and committed teacher for his religious viewpoint, but through his own writings we discover a man struggling to survive tremendous inner turmoil and self-loathing. Any notion that Paul wrote "words of God" must be rejected. What he did write were the words of Paul.
The apostle Paul was certainly a dedicated and committed teacher for his religious viewpoint, but through his own writings we discover a man struggling to survive tremendous inner turmoil and self-loathing. Any notion that Paul wrote "words of God" must be rejected. What he did write were the words of Paul.
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