Which of these threeThis phrase refers to the three individuals previously mentioned in the parable: the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan. In the cultural and religious context of first-century Judea, priests and Levites were respected religious figures, while Samaritans were often despised by Jews due to historical and theological differences. The question challenges the listener to reconsider preconceived notions of righteousness and neighborliness.
do you think
This phrase invites personal reflection and judgment. It emphasizes the importance of individual discernment and moral reasoning. The question is posed to the expert in the law, encouraging him to engage with the parable on a deeper level and to apply its lessons to his own understanding of the law.
was a neighbor
The concept of "neighbor" is central to the parable and to Jesus' teaching. In Jewish law, a neighbor was traditionally understood as a fellow Israelite. However, Jesus expands this definition to include anyone in need, regardless of ethnic or religious boundaries. This redefinition aligns with the broader biblical theme of love and compassion for all people, as seen in passages likeLeviticus 19:18 andMatthew 5:43-44.
to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
This phrase describes the victim of the parable, who was attacked while traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, a route known for its danger due to rough terrain and frequent robberies. The man's plight highlights the vulnerability and need for compassion in a world marked by sin and violence. The parable underscores the call to act mercifully, as seen in other scriptural teachings such asMicah 6:8 andJames 2:13.
Persons / Places / Events
1.
JesusThe teacher and central figure in the Gospel of Luke, who is sharing the parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate the concept of true neighborly love.
2.
The LawyerA Jewish expert in the Law who questions Jesus, seeking to test Him and justify himself by asking, "And who is my neighbor?"
3.
The Good SamaritanA character in Jesus' parable who shows compassion and mercy to a wounded man, contrasting with the actions of the priest and the Levite.
4.
The Priest and the LeviteReligious figures in the parable who pass by the injured man without offering help, representing a failure to live out the Law's command to love one's neighbor.
5.
The Wounded ManA victim of robbery and violence, left for dead, whose plight becomes the focal point for Jesus' teaching on mercy and compassion.
Teaching Points
Understanding True NeighborlinessThe parable challenges us to redefine who our neighbor is, extending beyond cultural and religious boundaries to include anyone in need.
Compassion Over RitualThe actions of the Good Samaritan demonstrate that genuine love and compassion take precedence over religious rituals and social norms.
Active Love in ActionThe parable calls believers to not only feel compassion but to act on it, providing practical help to those in distress.
Breaking Down PrejudicesThe Samaritan's actions encourage us to overcome prejudices and biases, showing love to all people regardless of their background.
Reflecting Christ's LoveAs followers of Christ, we are called to reflect His love and mercy in our interactions, serving as His hands and feet in the world.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Luke 10:36?
2.How does Luke 10:36 challenge us to redefine who our "neighbor" is?
3.What actions can we take to "prove to be a neighbor" today?
4.How does Luke 10:36 connect with Jesus' command to love your neighbor?
5.In what ways can we show mercy like the Samaritan in Luke 10:36?
6.How can we apply the lesson of Luke 10:36 in our daily lives?
7.How does Luke 10:36 challenge our understanding of who our neighbor is?
8.What historical context influences the interpretation of Luke 10:36?
9.How does Luke 10:36 redefine the concept of mercy in Christian theology?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Luke 10?
11.Who truly acts as a neighbor to those in need?
12.What is the Bible's perspective on gangs?
13.Who qualifies as my neighbor?
14.Luke 10:25-37 - How does the sympathetic portrayal of the Samaritan compare with other biblical passages that cast Samaritans negatively?What Does Luke 10:36 Mean
Which of these threeJesus has just painted a vivid picture involving a priest, a Levite, and a Samaritan (Luke 10:30-35).
• The Lord purposely narrows the options to these three, making it impossible to hide behind vague generalities.
• By singling them out, He exposes how outward religious privilege (priest, Levite) can fail, while genuine compassion may arise from an unexpected source (Samaritan).
• Cross references underscore this divine pattern—1 Samuel 16:7 shows God looking at the heart, andActs 10:34-35 highlights God’s impartial acceptance of those who fear Him.
do you think“Do you think” places responsibility squarely on the hearer.
• Jesus wants more than mental agreement; He calls for a personal verdict, as inMatthew 21:28-31 where He asks, “Which of the two did the will of his father?”
• This phrase also disarms self-justification. The law expert had tried to “justify himself” (Luke 10:29), but now must render judgment on the basis of truth.
•James 1:22-25 reminds believers to be doers of the word, not hearers only who deceive themselves.
was a neighborThe Lord redefines “neighbor” not by nationality or proximity but by action.
• According toLuke 10:37, the correct answer is, “The one who showed him mercy.”
•Leviticus 19:18 commands, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” andRomans 13:9-10 teaches that love fulfills the law.
• Mercy turns strangers into neighbors;Galatians 6:10 urges us to “do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”
to the manThe focus tightens on a single hurting individual.
• God’s compassion always sees the person, as inMatthew 12:20 where the bruised reed is not broken.
•Proverbs 14:21 declares, “Blessed is he who is kind to the needy,” showing that ministry starts with one person at a time.
•Acts 3:1-7 records Peter and John stopping for one lame beggar, demonstrating that gospel love is personal.
who fell into the hands of robbersSin’s cruelty leaves people stripped, wounded, and half-dead (Luke 10:30).
•Hosea 6:9 likens violent priests to bands of robbers—religious hypocrisy can wound as deeply as literal thieves.
•John 10:10 contrasts the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy with Christ who brings abundant life.
•Isaiah 61:1-2 describes Messiah binding up the brokenhearted, a mission He now shares with His followers.
summaryLuke 10:36 presses each disciple to identify the true neighbor. By spotlighting three travelers, Jesus forces a personal choice; by asking what we think, He calls for heartfelt obedience; by defining neighbor through mercy, He expands love’s borders; by centering on one injured man, He makes compassion tangible; and by exposing the robbers’ brutality, He reveals the urgent need for redemptive action. The verse invites us to move beyond theory into Christlike, hands-on mercy that treats every hurting person as our God-given neighbor.
(36)
Which now of these three. . .?--There is a certain subtle discernment in the form of the question. The point under discussion was as to whom the Jew should look on as his neighbour. It is answered indirectly by the narrative, which showed who had proved himself a neighbour to the Jew. The Samaritan had shown himself a better interpreter of the commandment than the orthodox scribe. He had recognised a neighbour even in the Jew. The Jew therefore should recognise a neighbour even in the Samaritan. From the human point of view there is something noble in the manner in which our Lord thus singles out the Samaritan as a type of excellence, after His own recent repulse (
Luke 9:53) by men of the same race; something also courageous in His doing so after He had been recently reproached as being Himself a Samaritan (
John 8:48). It may be noted that His journey, "as it were in secret" (
John 7:10), to the Feast of Tabernacles, must have probably led Him through Samaria, and that in all probability He must have spent the first day of the Feast in that country. (See Note on
John 8:48.)
Verses 36, 37. -
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. The deep pathos of the little story, the meaning of which the trained-scholar mind of the lawyer at once grasped, went right home to the ]mart. The Jewish scribe, in spite of prejudice and jealousy, was too noble not to confess that the Galilaean Master's estimate of a neighbour was the true one, and the estimate of the Jerusalem schools the wrong one; so at once he replies, "He
that showed mercy on him." Even then, in that hour of the noblest confession his lips had ever made, the lawyer trained in those strange and mistaken schools, the outcome of which is the Talmud, could not force himself to name the hated Samaritan name, but paraphrases it in this titan. The scene closes with the Lord's charge, "Then imitate
that act."
Go, and do thou likewise. The parable thus answers the question - Who is my neighbour? Any one, it replies, who needs help, and whom I have power and opportunity to help, no matter what his rank, race, or religion may be. Neighbourhood is made coextensive with humanity; any human being is my neighbour who needs aid, or to whom I can render aid. But it answers the other and the still larger and deeper question with which the scene which called the parable out began. "Master," asked the lawyer (ver. 25), "what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Or in other words, "What is the virtue which saves?" The Scriptures teach that without holiness no one shall see the Lord, that is, shall inherit eternal life; and in this parable two kinds of holiness are set before us - the one spurious, the other genuine. The spurious holiness is that of the priest and Levite, two officially holy persons; - spurious holiness is sanctity divorced from charity. In the person of the Samaritan the nature of true sanctity is exhibited; - we are taught that the way to please God, the way to genuine holiness, is the practice of charity. Another and a very different exposition of this great and loving parable treats it as a Divine allegory. It commends itself to the present generation less than the plain matter-of-fact exegesis adopted in the foregoing notes. In the allegory, the wounded traveller represents mankind at large, stripped by the devil and his angels; he is left by them grievously wounded, yet not dead outright. Priest and Levite were alike powerless to help. "Many passed us by," once wrote a devout mediaeval writer, "and there was none to save." Moses and his Law, Aaron and his sacrifices, patriarch, prophet, and priest, - these were powerless. Only the true Samaritan (Christ), beholding, was moved with compassion and poured oil into the wounds. Among the ancients, Chrysostom and Clement of Alexandria and Augustine might be cited as good examples of these allegorical expositors. Among mediaeval Churchmen, Bernard and his devout school. Although this method of exposition has not been adopted here, still an exegesis which has commended itself so heartily to learned and devout Churchmen in all the Christian ages deserves at least a more respectful mention than the scornful allusion or the contemptuous silence with which it is nowadays too often dismissed. Godet, for instance, describes this allegorical interpretation adopted by the Fathers as rivalling that of the Gnostics.
Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
WhichΤίς(Tis)Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5101:Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.of theseτούτων(toutōn)Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 3778:This; he, she, it.threeτριῶν(triōn)Adjective - Genitive Masculine Plural
Strong's 5140:Three. Or neuter tria a primary number; 'three'.{do} youσοι(soi)Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4771:You. The person pronoun of the second person singular; thou.thinkδοκεῖ(dokei)Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1380:A prolonged form of a primary verb, doko dok'-o of the same meaning; to think; by implication, to seem.wasγεγονέναι(gegonenai)Verb - Perfect Infinitive Active
Strong's 1096:A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.a neighborπλησίον(plēsion)Adverb
Strong's 4139:Near, nearby, a neighbor. Neuter of a derivative of pelas; close by; as noun, a neighbor, i.e. Fellow.to the [man]τοῦ(tou)Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588:The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.who fell into the handsἐμπεσόντος(empesontos)Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 1706:To fall in, be cast in, be involved in. From en and pipto; to fall on, i.e. to be entrapped by, or be overwhelmed with.ofεἰς(eis)Preposition
Strong's 1519:A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.robbers?”λῃστάς(lēstas)Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3027:A robber, brigand, bandit. From leizomai; a brigand.
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NT Gospels: Luke 10:36 Now which of these three do you (Luke Lu Lk) 
