Forgiveness is an ever-elusive Christian virtue. Especially among Christian circles. My pastor encouraged us to create logical syllogisms this last Sunday. Here is my effort:

I’m confident you know that gregarious, bubbly happy Christian who jumps at the chance to forgive people thus trying to upend my syllogism. I am not that person. I want to be that way. My cynical, sarcastic, cantankerous personality gets in the way. To forgive is not natural to me.

I, who can’t even keep my financial records straight, keep a tally of wrongs I can’t possibly track. Why then am I so intent in have the strength to do something unnatural to me? Why do I long to forgive others? I hunger to forgive because it is so wonderful to forgive. Like getting blood drawn at the medical clinic. After it is over, the anticipation of forgiveness is the worst part.

I want to forgive because I experience the joy found in forgiveness. I know it from repeat practice. Yet, I still struggle to forgive. I fight for every act of forgiveness. When I seek to receive it to. When I seek to give it. Forgiveness changes history and lives.

Yesterday, I was driving to a meeting. The intent of the meeting? To have the healing of our relationship. Of one to seek forgiveness, the other to offer forgiveness.

I engaged In the battle as I drove to that meeting. Did I want this relationship alive again? Was it worth renewing the risk of friendship? In that battle, God recalled the parable of The Good Samaritan to my mind. It is one of the often-overlooked Scriptures that teaches forgiveness of sins as part of God’s way.

Question:

What is the point of the parable of The Good Samaritan?

What is your answer? Is it to be a good neighbor? Or did you swing for the fences? After all, I did mention forgiveness in the Bible. Maybe that is sleight of hand? Maybe I’m distracting you. Is your answer written down? No? Go ahead and finish it.

Let’s key in on the discourse between this lawyer and Jesus.

The Dialogue

My comments are italicized.

Actual Dialogue With My Commentary

Lawyer: “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

The Lawyer is concerned about righteousness. He wants to be sure he is righteous. This tells us about the lawyer’s perspective. Based upon the context – being righteous means “saved from God’s righteous wrath against a rebellious creation that does not keep His Law.” Why is he concerned with eternal life? Because there is eternal death. Not just physical death. Much, much worse than that. Spiritual death! This lawyer wants to know if he is justified before God. Does he know he has guilt?

The lawyer doesn’t use the terminology of salvation. Perhaps in his mind, he already has been redeemed and is justified before God. He is invested in the result of salvation – eternal life.

Jesus: “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 

“What is your current position on the subject?”

Lawyer: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 

Rephrase the lawyer’s answer in your own words. Don’t worry – we will check our work later.

Jesus: “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

“You got it, bro!”

Lawyer: “And who is my neighbor?” 

Yes, Teacher,…but what are the boundaries to this command? How do I remain justified in these boundaries?

Jesus: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 

What does Jesus’ answer mean? What is he telling the Lawyer? Is it:

Lawyer: “The one who showed him mercy.”

Jesus: “You go, and do likewise.”

(Luke 10:25-37 ESV)

Parables Highlight How Jesus is the Stone of Stumbling

I’m going to remove the original text – the actual discourse – and focus on my interpretive rephrasing. While the Lawyer’s first question is super astute, he asks from the wrong perspective. Thus he is listening for the wrong thing.

Who is My Neighbor?

Just like the Samaritan Woman. Just like Peter when he asks Jesus how many times to forgive others. Just like me. Just like you. We ask the wrong questions. Jesus is so gracious to speak gently into our lives so that we might wrestle over these disconnects.

This parable is one of those texts that show us how to navigate Scripture regarding Jesu as the “stumbling stone.” I mention it because I see people stumble over this parable with regularity.

This parable is a biblical landmark. As such, it is a cliff with warning signs not to get too close ledge. There are no barriers stopping you should you choose to disregard the warnings. Like coming into a sharp turn on the cliffside, the warnings can be seen before the danger is seen. So here, I’m giving you notice to pay attention. We need their mindfulness as we proceed forward.

The Rock of Stumbling in Isaiah 8:14 – 15.

And he will become a sanctuary

and a stone of offense

and a rock of stumbling

to both houses of Israel,

a trap

and a snare

to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 

And many shall stumble on it.

They shall fall and be broken;

they shall be snared and taken.”

(ESV)

Christ Jesus is the Stumbling Stone in these bible verses. Thankfully, we are given Scripture in that provides illumination for this prophecy. Here are two from the New Testament.

“but that Israel –

who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness –

did not succeed in reaching that law. 

Why?

Because they did not pursue it by faith,

but as if it were based on works.

They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 

as it is written,

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling,

and a rock of offense;

 and whoever believes in him will not be  put to shame.

(Romans 9:31-33 ESV)

“So the honor is for you who believe,

but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone,” 

and

“A stone of stumbling,

and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, 

as they were destined to do.”

(1 Peter 2:7-8)

Dialogue Rephrased

Now that we have our bearings, I offer my initial rephrasing of the conversation between Jesus Christ and the lawyer. I do this to follow the progression of thought in the discourse. It is a difficult prospect to understand the nuances of dialogue from two thousand years ago. Worlds away from Jesus’ culture and context.

The Lawyer is interested in finding the boundaries. Why? Because he is a lawbreaker. He needs to justify himself. Laws are made for lawbreakers. Speed limits didn’t exist until people drove recklessly. Innumerable laws now exist solely committed to this reality. Laws are created to keep us natural lawbreakers hemmed in.

Responsible Driving Dialogue

Using the illustration of responsible driving, perhaps the conversation would go this way:

Now by chance, a police officer was going down that road, and when he saw the man laying there he passed by on the other side. So likewise a paramedic, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a drunk, as he weaved in and out of traffic, came to the rest stop and where the man lay. When he saw him, the drunk had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring whiskey on the man’s wounds, and tearing his shirt into bandages to bind the man’s injuries. Then the drunk gently laid the injured man in his vehicle and brought him to a hospital to care for him. The drunk put his bank account info in the billing section to ensure the man’s care had no limit.

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a good driver to the man who fell among the carjackers?”

Lawyer: The drunk driver.Jesus: Go, and do likewise.

Does the Lawyer understand Jesus’ response? His response hints at “yes…maybe.” He brings mercy into the conversation. The lawyer kept score. The word “mercy” by its very definition recognizes a wrong that needs accounting. Justice cries out. Mercy satiates justice through forgiveness. Then justice does not dish out its warrant. Mercy identifies wrongs. Mercy accounts for the damage. Mercy declares the value of the other person. This means forgiveness is the way forward.

Bring this parable back into the broader dialogue. Remember our mindfulness that Jesus is the rock of offense. That Jesus is the stumbling stone. You can see the offense in the use of a drunk driver. Consider how the verses on Jesus as the rock of stumbling use faith and obedience vs works of self-righteousness as trail markers.

Let’s check our initial answer. What is this parable about? It is about how I need Jesus as my Savior. This is a conversation on salvation. The first question steers the entire conversation. Just like with the Samaritan woman, this lawyer wants to be reaffirmed in his theology. Jesus is showing him the way from the lawyer’s position to eternal life. One more time, I am going to reimagine Jesus’ conversation with the lawyer.

Lawyer: Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
Jesus: What is written in the Law? How do you read it?
Lawyer: That I am to Love the LORD my God with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my strength and with all my mind. Also, I am to love my neighbor as I love myself.
Jesus: You have answered correctly; do this, and you will inherit eternal life.
Lawyer: But how can I keep the law if I don’t know all the proper definitions? 
Jesus: It is the lawbreaker who concerns himself with the boundaries of the law.
Lawyer: Mercy is the way?
Jesus: Yes.

I hope you see how forgiveness of sins is part of the undercurrent that is flowing in this text. How this text is meant to point us to Jesus in faith because we can’t. We can’t keep the law. We are concerned with the law’s boundaries because that is where many of us live. Self-righteousness wants to put a rail up on the ledge to stop us from going over. Who wants a rail but the one who drives in a fashion that needs a rail? If everyone drove in a manner where going over the cliff was never an option then a rail would never be conceived, much less installed.

But this conversation on the rails of the Law testifies to our guilt and that we need a Savior. The way starts with mercy. First, receive God’s mercy, then share that same wonderful mercy with others as you continue to seek more and more mercy. For our need never ends. For all our days we will live in mercy as children of God.