“How do you read it?” (Jesus, Luke 10:26)

On Wednesday I lead a discussion with our youth on the Good Samaritan. The parable is spurred by a conversation with an expert in the Law and Jesus asks him, “How do you read it?”

I asked the youth, what is the Law? Naturally they thought it was the Ten Commandments or other Old Testament rules. But in the Bible the Law refers to the Torah, the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament.

With this clarification, I asked, beyond rules, what is a part of the Law?: “Long lists of People” “Adam and Eve” “Parting of the Red Sea by Noah”…. uh, that was Moses... “Wars and Fighting” “There was a prostitute named Tamar!” … uh… she was not really a prostitute, but I did not want to get into the details of her second husband!

With all these stories and lists and rules. There are a LOT of ways we could read the Law. Notice the expert in the Law does not answer Jesus’s question with our typical terms (literally, allegorically, etc). Instead the expert in the law answers: Love God – Love Neighbor.

Is that even a reading style?

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied (10:28).

Certainly there is a right way to read the scripture. I think we can safely assume Jesus knows it. So in all the diversity and chaos and confusion of the Bible, our reading should uncover God’s Love and motivate us to Love our Neighbor!

“Do this and you will live.” (Jesus, 10:28)

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This Sunday we start a new series on Peace. The world is full of chaos and confusion — just like the scripture! And just like the scripture we need to find God’s Love. To rest in that Love is to find peace — Jesus sleeping, while the storm rages and disciples panic. This week we will land in Philippians 4. I hope you will join us at 10:30, in person or streaming live.