Semantics

But the lawyer, wanting to justify himself asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"  Luke 10:29

Beth Shemesh, Israel                    August, 2014

On Sunday, we will listen, again, to the parable of the Good Samaritan. Most of us have heard it many times before, and most of us understand that the “good” Samaritan did what was right for a bleeding and wounded man lying by the side of the road.  There’s the moral: be like the Samaritan.

But as I think about the story, I am struck by the lawyer’s initial question to Jesus: “Who is my neighbor?” The lawyer did not want an answer. He sought to quibble. He sought to spar with rhetorical questions; to argue for the sport of it. 

Jesus is not interested in semantics. Jesus seeks to give us sight so that we, too, might see the world through the eyes of God and respond as God would have us respond. Quibbling about how much or how many serves no purpose; it only delays delivering assistance to those who need it. 

Let us not be quibblers.