Luke 10:25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Two words jump out at me in today’s scripture. In verse 25, the expert is wanting “to test Jesus,” and in verse 29, he is wanting “to justify himself.” This brings to mind 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” Neither testing nor justifying is designed to encourage nor build others up.
Luke 10:26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
I was reading and studying in Acts 9 earlier, specifically verse 4 where the Lord asks Saul, “Why do you persecute me?” I would say that the expert in the law in today’s verses could do with a similar question: “Why do you test Jesus? Why do you justify yourself? What are you trying to do, to prove?”
Luke 10:27 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’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Lord, One thing I am gathering loud and clear from Your word lately is that we need to question our own motives to be sure they are pure and we need to seek You with openness and curiosity so that we can hear what You are saying to our hearts. Please help me to always approach scripture with an attitude of “What can I learn today” and not with an attitude aimed at testing You or justifying myself. Amen.
Luke 10:29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Have a blessed day.