And Jesus said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’” vs. 28
Luke 10:25-28
The lawyer’s question had been, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
And as he frequently did, Jesus answered the question with a question, “What is written in the law?” And to his credit the lawyer gives the right answer, quoting what is known as the Great Commandment of love from Deuteronomy and even adding its corollary enjoining love for neighbor from the book of Leviticus. And Jesus is pleased; the lawyer has gotten it right! It’s interesting that Jesus does not disparage the law–and he doesn’t say that the key to eternal life was believing in him. His affirmation of the lawyer’s answer seems to indicate that Jews can know the way to truth and life within their very own sacred writings. Life is all about love, loving God and loving neighbor. And while Jesus was unfamiliar with the world’s other great religions, perhaps it would be reasonable to believe that they too offer the way to truth and life! It’s hard for devout Christians to acknowledge such a thing – some of our leaders have been making exclusive faith claims for a long time. We tend to disparage people of other religions and make little effort to understand the core of their teachings. What a blessing it would be to celebrate our common commitment to love and begin to live together in peace and unity!
Thought for the Day: What do the world’s great religions have in common?
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