It was quite natural for the lawyer to ask the question how to reach Heaven. And it was all the more natural for Jesus to tell him to follow the commandments which he summarized into two. The first is love of God and the latter is love of neighbor.
It might be easier for the lawyer to love God because he might know who God is. It is clear from his expression that he asked Jesus only who his neighbor was. Why then did he not ask who God was? Did he know who God was? Only Jesus knows.
But when Jesus was asked who the good neighbor was, he said nothing but the parable of the Good Samaritan. You know well the parable and so I do not explain it or say anything about it. But the only thing I want to say is the last command of Jesus that is ‘do likewise’.
It might be easier for the lawyer to love God because he might know who God is. It is clear from his expression that he asked Jesus only who his neighbor was. Why then did he not ask who God was? Did he know who God was? Only Jesus knows.
But when Jesus was asked who the good neighbor was, he said nothing but the parable of the Good Samaritan. You know well the parable and so I do not explain it or say anything about it. But the only thing I want to say is the last command of Jesus that is ‘do likewise’.
