But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? The phrase thelōn dikaiōsai heauton (θέλων δικαιῶσαι ἑαυτόν, "willing to justify himself") reveals the lawyer's heart. The verb dikaiōsai (δικαιῶσαι) means to declare righteous, vindicate, or prove oneself just. He's not seeking truth—he's seeking self-justification, attempting to prove he has indeed loved his neighbor adequately.
The question who is my neighbour? (tis estin mou plēsion, τίς ἐστίν μου πλησίον) exposes his strategy. If he can limit the definition of "neighbor" to a narrow category (fellow Jews, righteous people, those who deserve help), he can claim compliance. Contemporary Jewish debate indeed restricted "neighbor" from Leviticus 19:18 to fellow Israelites, excluding Gentiles and especially Samaritans. The lawyer seeks to draw boundaries that make his love sufficient.
But Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (vv. 30-37) demolishes this self-justification. First, Jesus reframes the question from "Who qualifies as my neighbor?" to "Who acted neighborly?"—shifting focus from limiting obligation to demonstrating love. Second, making the Samaritan the hero and the priest and Levite the failures reverses all expectations and condemns the lawyer's own class. Third, Jesus' final command, "Go, and do thou likewise" (v. 37), drives home the impossibility of perfect love and thus the need for grace. Every attempt at self-justification exposes our need for a Savior who fulfills righteousness on our behalf.
Historical Context
The lawyer's question reflects deep-seated Jewish-Samaritan hostility dating to the Assyrian exile (722 BC) when foreigners intermarried with remaining Israelites, creating a mixed race Jews considered apostate. By the first century, Jews and Samaritans had separate temples (until Rome destroyed the Samaritan temple in 128 BC), competing Scriptures (Samaritans accepted only the Pentateuch), and mutual contempt. Jews traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem would often cross the Jordan to avoid Samaritan territory. This context makes Jesus' choice of a Samaritan as moral exemplar deliberately shocking and offensive to Jewish sensibilities.
Questions for Reflection
What modern equivalents exist to the lawyer's attempt to limit 'neighbor' to make his love seem adequate?
How does the desire to justify ourselves reveal we don't truly understand the law's perfect standard or our own sinfulness?
Why does self-justification always lead to minimizing God's commands and maximizing our own performance?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? The phrase thelōn dikaiōsai heauton (θέλων δικαιῶσαι ἑαυτόν, "willing to justify himself") reveals the lawyer's heart. The verb dikaiōsai (δικαιῶσαι) means to declare righteous, vindicate, or prove oneself just. He's not seeking truth—he's seeking self-justification, attempting to prove he has indeed loved his neighbor adequately.
The question who is my neighbour? (tis estin mou plēsion, τίς ἐστίν μου πλησίον) exposes his strategy. If he can limit the definition of "neighbor" to a narrow category (fellow Jews, righteous people, those who deserve help), he can claim compliance. Contemporary Jewish debate indeed restricted "neighbor" from Leviticus 19:18 to fellow Israelites, excluding Gentiles and especially Samaritans. The lawyer seeks to draw boundaries that make his love sufficient.
But Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (vv. 30-37) demolishes this self-justification. First, Jesus reframes the question from "Who qualifies as my neighbor?" to "Who acted neighborly?"—shifting focus from limiting obligation to demonstrating love. Second, making the Samaritan the hero and the priest and Levite the failures reverses all expectations and condemns the lawyer's own class. Third, Jesus' final command, "Go, and do thou likewise" (v. 37), drives home the impossibility of perfect love and thus the need for grace. Every attempt at self-justification exposes our need for a Savior who fulfills righteousness on our behalf.