We Baptists are a people of the Word, and as such, we take seriously the very words in the Word. My aim is to do that with regard to the question posed in Luke 10:29, "Who is my neighbor?"

Clear back to the original language of the Scriptures, the word "neighbor" has always included the notion of nearness. The Greek word translated as "neighbor" in Luke 10:29 means "someone near by."

Etymologically speaking, our word "neighbor" comes to us from Old German "Nahgibur," thence via Middle German "Nachgebur," and finally through Old Anglo-Saxon "neahgebur," meaning "near dweller." Thus, "neighbor" was originally a word with a primarily geographic focus. Like this: "I live here. You live near. That means you're my neighbor." Simple, right?

John Roberts Journal-Advocate religion columnist
John Roberts Journal-Advocate religion columnist

But if it were that simple and nothing more, nobody would have asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" All you would have to do is get out a map and see who lives in the houses or apartments adjacent to you, and then you'd know the answer: these six or eight families are my neighbors, no more, no less, and no others.

However, Jesus in Luke 10 takes the concept of neighbor far beyond its etymological and geographical limitations. His response to the question forces us to think not only about who our neighbors are, but also to consider what it means to be a neighbor. Jesus — Who is Himself, as we will see, the consummate Neighbor — makes us think both more widely about neighboring, and more deeply.


Let's tackle the easier task first, that of thinking more widely about our neighbors. We'll take up the other considerations on the next two Fridays.

So ... "Who is my neighbor?" asked the lawyer. The context of the question was a discussion about God's command in Leviticus 19:18 to "Love your neighbor as yourself." The lawyer asked "Who is my neighbor?" the text says, in an effort "to justify himself." This means he was trying to limit the extent of his responsibility. "If I'm to love those who dwell near me," his logic ran, "how near is near?"

Let's be honest, okay? Not just about the lawyer, but about ourselves. He's not the only one who comes to Jesus and seeks to justify ourselves by placing limits on His command to love.

In fact, the concept of neighbor meaning "those who dwell near me" is not just about geography, is it? It's about a lot of other things. Money. Race. Language. Education. You know, all those "them" categories. When the lawyer asked, and when we ask, "Who is it that I'm expected to love? How near do they have to be?" he is asking, and we are asking God, "How much like me do they have to be before You, Lord, actually expect me to love them?"

Jesus' answer in Luke 10:30-36 is utterly offensive to the unredeemed human soul. What I believe He says is effectively this. "It's not your prerogative to be picky. You don't get to sift. When it comes to loving your neighbor, you're not permitted to sort."

Love, in fact, if it is Jesus' kind of love at all, is utterly indiscriminate. Why? Because love doesn't see money. Love doesn't see race. Love doesn't see language. Love doesn't see education. You know, all those categories. Love sees souls that need a Savior. Period.

So, let me offer two implications for us to live out regarding who our neighbors are.

First, Jesus' love transcends all human categories. In an age when the culture is screaming at us to pay more attention to our differences, Jesus in the gospel says, "You are really all the same. As you learn to love like I love, you'll see human categories less and human needs more."

Second, there are only two groups of people in the world: the lost and the saved. They're all our neighbors, and it's our job to help reduce the number of the lost by increasing the number of the saved. Because this is true, nothing else matters as much as remembering that this is true.

So now, what are you going to do about it? Who is YOUR neighbor?

Next Friday: How to Be a Neighbor
