But was it real or was it hyperbole, a parable?lesterb wrote:It was a parable, and could have been a real story. The scribe didn't contest that the story was at least true to life.
I had understood them to be enmities, not enemies. Mostly the Isrealites saw them as outcast and unpure. They were the Jews that did not go to Babylon and return. They married into some of the other tribes still in the area. Genetic testing show that they do carry a lot of Jewish DNA, and set themselves apart some since their DNA did not blend as much with the tribes in the area.lesterb wrote:But here were two men who were natural enemies.
I agree, this is very key to the story.lesterb wrote:Jesus challenged the scribe to obey the Law, and love his neighbor as himself. This was a bit hard on the scribe, and in true dialectical fashion, he rebutted with the question, "who is my neighbor".
I see it more a call to do what is right no matter how the other person reacts. We do not have anything in the story that the beaten man ever returns kindness. I think we can assume this because of other verses, but not easy in this story.lesterb wrote:He may hate you to start with, but by the time you show genuine love to him, he will probably love you too.
Loved your post Lester. Gets me thinking.