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Luke 10:25-28
In this passage, a lawyer, of which is the scribes, stands up and asks Jesus a question. To stand when asking a question of a teacher is paying respect to that teacher, however, this lawyer is seeking only to discredit Jesus by attempting to ask Him a question that he believes Jesus cannot answer. In his question, the lawyer is asking Jesus how he may obtain eternal life (Luke 10:25).
Being a lawyer, this man was an expert in the Law given to Moses by God Himself. So Jesus asked him what he knows about this subject. In his answer are the words of Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, proving that he knows what God has commanded concerning this topic. But the scribes, of which are the lawyers and the Pharisees, pride themselves on knowing these things as they are professionals in study of the Law. However, Jesus not only commends the lawyer for knowing this, but charges him to do these things. In this, the pride and arrogance of the lawyer, along with the rest of the scribes and Pharisees, is rejected by Jesus as these teachers of the Law prided themselves on knowledge but had no intention of following their own teaching by example, but to expound their arrogance over others. Jesus commands that in to obtain eternal life one must also do these things which requires humility, something these people lacked. This lawyer was seeking to prove self-righteousness through his knowledge, however, Jesus commands that knowledge without action is unworthy of obtaining eternal life (Luke 10:28).
This is a command and promise that our knowledge of Scripture is useless without applying it in our lives.
The Apostle Paul states in Ephesians 2:8-10 that salvation is a gift from God through our faith in Jesus, and that the result of receiving this gift is the good works that flow through us from the gift received. James tells us in James 2:14-26 that faith without works is dead, not that we gain faith through our works, which is the gift of God, but that our works are a product of our faith, and in our works, proves our faith. The question in this lesson as was the question from Jesus to the lawyer is, “Does your works show your faith?” Do you let your faith in Jesus show in the life that you live, or is it just words in seeking self-righteousness which is rejected by Jesus?
Dear Lord,
Please help us to see that we cannot earn righteousness and eternal life, but that it is in accepting Your gift to us in Your only begotten Son Jesus that we are then able to show the good works because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross. Please help us to see that we are lost in and of ourselves, and that eternal life is found only in Jesus as He has taught us in John 14:6 declaring that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him. Please help us through our faith in Jesus to let the love of Jesus flow through our lives so that others will see Your works through us and be drawn to You through salvation in Your one and only Son Jesus. In Jesus name I pray, amen.