Wanting to Justify Himself
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Luke 10:25-37
"When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem."
- Luke 9:51
Scholars agree that chapter 9, verse 51 of Luke's Gospel is a turning point in the book.
Up to this point, as Luke is telling the story of Jesus, it has mainly been a story of His ministry "at home." That is, in the Galilee and Nazareth region.
But things shift at the end of chapter 9.
From now on, Jesus will be "on the road."
And it's at this moment - as Luke tells the story - that a “journey” is beginning for Jesus.
And at the end of this journey is a rugged cross, and an empty tomb.
From this point in the Gospel (9:51), all the way to Palm Sunday (19:28), Jesus's face is set "to go to Jerusalem."
And therefore, in the chapters and verses in between,
With every parable,
With every miracle,
With every teaching,
With every healing,
Jesus is marching closer and closer to Jerusalem.
An object is out on the horizon, drawing closer and closer.
A wooden, rugged cross, outside Jerusalem.
His face is set to go to Jerusalem.
The days were drawing near for Him to be taken up.
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It's against this backdrop above that I want us to consider the passage for this week, Luke 10:25-37.
You probably know the passage as,
"The Parable of the Good Samaritan."
In this section of Scripture, Jesus has a conversation with a lawyer. And when you hear that word "lawyer", you might think of a modern-day lawyer.
But in the New Testament, "lawyer" simply means: an expert in the law. That is, the law of Moses. Similar to one of the Scribes or Pharisees.
It is worth noting the "cycle" structure of their conversation:
- The lawyer asks Jesus a question
- Jesus replies by asking the lawyer a question
- The lawyer answers Jesus's question
- Jesus gives a final reply
The cycle happens twice: in 10:25-28, and again in 10:29-37.
The parable of the Good Samaritan (that you likely know) is contained in that second cycle. But for this writing, our focus will mostly be on the first cycle.
Because, before this familiar parable, there is an important part of their conversation that we don't want to miss.
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--> Lawyer:
"Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
--> Jesus:
"What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?"
(He knows who He's talking to - so He asks an "expert" on his own subject matter!)
--> Lawyer:
"You shall love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your strength,
and with all your mind;
and your neighbor as yourself.”
--> Jesus:
"You have answered correctly.
Do this, and you will live."
Jesus confirms the Lawyer's thinking as a (technically) possible solution for eternal life:
"Yes, if you keep the Law - this Law that is summed up as Loving God and Loving People - if you keep that Law perfectly, you will live. You will have eternal life."
But notice the Lawyer's response (10:29). It's really the key moment of this whole conversation.
Luke tells us that the Lawyer was "wanting to justify himself."
This expert in the Law had been confronted with God's holy, righteous standard:
- Love God with all that you are
- Love your neighbor as yourself
And the Lawyer knew that he didn't measure up.
He thought,
"Hmm, I'll have to find a way to make this work. Maybe there's a loophole, some way that I can bend the Law, fudge the numbers..."
So the second cycle begins. He goes on to ask Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" - thinking he might find a loophole there.
And we know from the rest of the passage: he didn't!
Jesus tells the Parable to the Good Samaritan, and exposes this Law Expert's lack of love, and the prejudice in his heart.
But consider this question with me,
What should the Lawyer's response have been?
By knowing that he didn't measure up, he was on the right track...
But instead of turning *inward*, he should have turned *outward*.
If the lawyer's response had only been something like this:
--> Lawyer:
"But Teacher, I could never keep the Law perfectly.
The Law says to love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
But I am an idolater at heart.
My heart is prone to the worship of other things.
Worship of created things, and not the Creator.
I am prone to making things, people, and ideas my source of joy and hope.
I do not love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.
And the Law says to love my neighbor as myself.
But I cannot do that perfectly either!
I am self-righteous toward others, and look down on them.
I have hatred in my heart towards Samaritans.
I do not always love my neighbor as myself.
Teacher,
I could never keep God's Law perfectly.
The righteousness that God requires - I do not possess that within myself.
So, I must throw myself on the mercy of God!
Is it possible that God could give us another way to have eternal life?
Is there another way to be righteous before Him?
Is it possible to have someone else's righteousness credited to us?
Someone else's righteousness applied to us?"
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Remember: the Teacher with whom this Lawyer spoke was on a journey.
He had his face set toward Jerusalem.
The days were drawing near for Him to be taken up.
He was headed to the cross.
And on the cross,
He would die in the place of those who had broken God’s law.
Those who did not love God.
Those who did not love their neighbor.
*HE* had kept God’s Law perfectly.
He had always loved His Father
With all His heart
With all His soul,
With all His strength,
With all His mind.
And He had always loved His neighbor as Himself.
But on the cross,
He would be treated by His Father
As one who had failed to keep the Law.
As though He had not loved God, or His neighbor.
So that we who repent and trust in what Jesus has done *CAN HAVE* eternal life.
We can stand before God, with no need to "justify ourselves."
Because our righteousness isn't found in keeping the Law.
We stand with the righteousness of Jesus, given to us through His cross.
"For his sake
I have suffered the loss of all things
And count them as rubbish
In order that I may gain Christ
And be found in Him,
Not having a righteousness of my own
That comes from the law,
But that which comes through faith in Christ,
The righteousness from God that depends on faith."
Philippians 3:8-9
- Joe