Scripture Reading: Luke 10:25-37
This is one of the great parables which only Luke has preserved for us. If Luke’s gospel had not been written, we never would have had this beautiful story. This suggests one reason why we have four Gospels instead of one. No one of the four tells us all about Christ or records all of His sayings. Each one gives facts and incidents and teachings which the others do not give. It takes all four to tell us all that we need to know of our Lord.
The question which this lawyer asked was a very important one, yet it was not asked by one who really wanted to know. He was only a quibbler. Jesus referred this lawyer to the law. “What is written in the law?” The lawyer answered Him, quoting the first and great commandment. The man was glad to show his intelligence and, no doubt, was well pleased with himself. Then came the quiet word, “Thou hast answered right: this do and thou shalt live.” There are a great many people who can answer right and do no more. They can repeat with glib and fluent tongue text after text of Scripture. They can recite catechism, creed, and confession, without missing a word. But that is not enough. They know the law, but do not obey it. If doing were as easy as knowing, how good we should all be!
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