Luke 10:28
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
Original Language Analysis
αὐτῷ
unto him
G846
αὐτῷ
unto him
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
3 of 9
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
Ὀρθῶς
right
G3723
Ὀρθῶς
right
Strong's:
G3723
Word #:
4 of 9
in a straight manner, i.e., (figuratively) correctly (also morally)
ἀπεκρίθης·
Thou hast answered
G611
ἀπεκρίθης·
Thou hast answered
Strong's:
G611
Word #:
5 of 9
to conclude for oneself, i.e., (by implication) to respond; by hebraism (compare h6030) to begin to speak (where an address is expected)
ποίει
do
G4160
ποίει
do
Strong's:
G4160
Word #:
7 of 9
to make or do (in a very wide application, more or less direct)
Cross References
Ezekiel 20:11And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them.Leviticus 18:5Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.Matthew 19:17And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.Nehemiah 9:29And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.Galatians 3:12And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.Romans 10:4For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.Romans 3:19Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.Luke 7:43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
Historical Context
This exchange occurred during Jesus' journey to Jerusalem. The lawyer's question about eternal life reflected contemporary Jewish debates about salvation requirements. Rabbinic tradition debated which commands were weightiest, how many one must keep, and whether faith or works secured salvation. Jesus' response follows rabbinic pedagogical method—answering questions with questions—but leads to devastating self-revelation: the lawyer knows what to do but can't do it perfectly enough to merit eternal life.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Jesus' command to 'do this' expose the impossibility of self-salvation through law-keeping?
- Why is the lawyer's subsequent question ('Who is my neighbor?') evidence that he's already failed to love as the law requires?
- What is the relationship between the law's genuine promise of life and the gospel's gift of life through faith in Christ?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. Jesus affirms the lawyer's correct summary of the law: love God completely (Deuteronomy 6:5) and neighbor as self (Leviticus 19:18). The phrase orthōs apekrithēs (ὀρθῶς ἀπεκρίθης, "you have answered right") acknowledges theological accuracy. The lawyer knows Scripture intellectually—but knowledge isn't salvation.
The command touto poiei (τοῦτο ποίει, "this do") uses the present imperative, indicating continuous, habitual action: keep on doing this perfectly, always, without fail. The promise and thou shalt live (kai zēsē, καὶ ζήσῃ) echoes Leviticus 18:5, "which if a man do, he shall live in them." Here's the devastating reality: the law's promise of life is genuine—perfect obedience would yield eternal life. But who has loved God with all heart, soul, strength, and mind? Who has loved neighbors as themselves consistently?
Jesus doesn't say, "Try your best" or "Do reasonably well." He demands perfection because the law demands perfection (Matthew 5:48). This drives the lawyer—and every honest person—to recognize their failure and need for grace. Paul later explains this dynamic: the law was never meant to save but to reveal sin and drive us to Christ (Romans 3:20, 7:7-13, Galatians 3:24). The lawyer's next question ("Who is my neighbor?") reveals he's already looking for loopholes—proving he doesn't love perfectly and can't save himself.