Luke 10:25

A certain lawyer. [The Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37. On parables see pp. 203-207.] Jesus was on His last journey from Galilee to Jerusalem (see on Matt. 19:1). The narrative implies that the event took place in Jericho. The incident involving the Samaritan and the victim of robbery had but recently occurred (see DA 499).

Immediately following the encounter with the lawyer and the narration of the story of the good Samaritan, Jesus was at Bethany, having just made the journey up from Jericho (see DA 525). It is possible that He was on His way to attend the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem (see on Matt. 19:1; cf. John 10:22-38), after which He returned to Peraea (see John 10:39, 40). Immediately following Christ’s retirement to Peraea (vs. 39, 40), John gives an account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead (ch. 11:1-46).

Tempted him. The question the lawyer asked Jesus had been carefully framed by the religious leaders (see DA 497).

Master. Literally, “Teacher.” A professional teacher of the law himself, the lawyer confronts Jesus with a problem concerning which the scribes themselves spent much time in discussion.

What shall I do? The lawyer’s question reveals the fact that his concept of righteousness was entirely wrong. To him, as to most Jews of the day, gaining salvation was essentially a matter of doing those things that were prescribed by the scribes. Thus he considered that one could earn salvation by works. In the Greek, emphasis is placed on the word “do.”

Eternal. Gr. aionios (see on Matt. 13:39).