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Luke 10

After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way.

And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.

And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again.

And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you:

And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say,

Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city.

Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you.

And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.

And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

What does Luke 10:34 mean?

Explanation

Luke 10:34 depicts a moment from the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

In this story, a Jewish man is traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho and falls victim to robbers who strip, beat, and leave him half-dead.

A priest and a Levite both see the injured man but choose to pass by without helping.

Then a Samaritan comes upon him.

Despite Jews and Samaritans being enemies due to deep-seated historical and religious conflicts, the Samaritan is moved with compassion.

He approaches the injured man, tends to his wounds with oil and wine (common first-aid items of the time), places him on his own animal to transport him, and brings him to an inn for recovery.

The Samaritan then ensures the man is cared for, even offering to pay for any additional expenses.

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Historical Context

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is found in the Gospel of Luke, which is believed to have been written around AD 80-110.

The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was notoriously dangerous, known as the "Bloody Pass" due to the frequency of robberies and attacks.

Samaritans and Jews generally despised each other, stemming from a long history involving disputes over the correct place of worship and the intermixing of populations.

In the eyes of the Jewish audience of Jesus, a Samaritan would have been the last person expected to show compassion to a Jew.

Theological Insights

The parable illustrates the importance of love and compassion extending beyond the bounds of race, religion, or nationality. The Samaritan's actions exemplify the second greatest commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31).

Some theologians also view the parable as an allegory of salvation, with the wounded man representing fallen humanity, the Samaritan as a figure of Christ, and the inn as the Church.

Practical Applications

This verse highlights the importance of merciful and selfless actions.

It encourages individuals to be kind and helpful to all people, regardless of their background or social status.

It also suggests that one's neighbor is not limited to those within their community but includes any person in need.

Cross-References

Leviticus 19:18 - "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD."
Luke 10:27 - "And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself."
James 2:15-16 - "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?"

Language Study

"Bound up his wounds" - a term that implies dressing or bandaging wounds to aid in healing.
"Pouring in oil and wine" - Oil was believed to soothe and wine to clean wounds, both serving as medicinal treatments.
"Set him on his own beast" - Indicates the Samaritan provided his means of transportation, a personal sacrifice and act of kindness.
"Inn" - A place for travelers to rest and recover; in this context, it also represents a safe space the Samaritan created for the injured man.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In Ancient Near Eastern cultures, hospitality towards strangers was a deeply ingrained social norm.

In comparison to other religions, such as Judaism and Samaritanism of the time, which had strict rules about interactions and purity, the parable challenged these boundaries and advocated for a universal sense of neighborly duty.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern medical perspective, the use of oil and wine makes sense. Wine contains alcohol, which can disinfect wounds, while oil can keep the wound moist and protect it from further infection.

However, current medical knowledge would suggest more advanced techniques for treating wounds.

Commentaries

Various Bible scholars and commentators have understood this verse differently.

While some focus on the practical applications of providing aid to those in distress, others underscore the spiritual allegories within the parable.

Many commentaries also discuss the radical nature of this act of mercy, considering the historical enmity between Jews and Samaritans and emphasize the teaching that loving one's neighbor transcends cultural and religious boundaries.

Luke 10

Luke 10

What does Luke 10:34 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Luke 10:34 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Luke Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?