Who is my neighbor?

General Christian Theology
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Robert
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Re: Who is my neighbor?

Post by Robert »

lesterb wrote:It was a good thread while it lasted. But we're overthinking it now.
I was thinking to put in in context of the other NT teachings, not read into it more than what was there. Let my share an example.

Jesus says "Go and do likewise." This is what connects to me.

[bible]matt 28,19-20[/bible]

From what I understand that the "go therfore" is more of a "as you go."
Greek used for go - poreuomai
por-yoo'-om-ahee
Middle voice from a derivative of the same as G3984; to traverse, that is, travel (literally or figuratively; especially to remove [figuratively die], live, etc.): - depart, go (away, forth, one’s way, up), (make a, take a) journey, walk.
If this is so, then I see the "Go and do likewise" as a "As you go, do likewise." While not a direct quote, I think we can understand the Luke passage to carry this as we look at other things Jesus said. Jesus does not seem to call us to cerebral faith, but a faith in action, as we go through life. If we see someone in need, be willing to act. As we go about life, be ready to be a light in the darkness.

Helping someone should be second nature as a by product of compassion for others, loving our neighbor. Our neighbor may not be like us or even worship the same God, but if we are where they are, we are neighbors. By helping someone in need, they kind of become our neighbor.
neigh·bor
ˈnābər

noun
1.a person living near or next door to the speaker or person referred to.
"our garden was the envy of the neighbors"

verb
1.(of a place or thing) be situated next to or very near (another).
"the square neighbors the old quarter of the town"
Greek word used - plēsion
play-see'-on
Neuter of a derivative of πέλας pelas (near); (adverb) close by; as noun, a neighbor, that is, fellow (as man, countryman, Christian or friend): - near, neighbour.
I would think Jesus was suggesting that neighbor was no longer clansman, but who we encounter, as we go.
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PeterG
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Re: Who is my neighbor?

Post by PeterG »

lesterb wrote:Jesus said, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
That cuts through the "who is my neighbor" question pretty neatly.
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Re: Who is my neighbor?

Post by Bootstrap »

PeterG wrote:
lesterb wrote:Jesus said, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
That cuts through the "who is my neighbor" question pretty neatly.
Exactly.
Robert wrote: I would think Jesus was suggesting that neighbor was no longer clansman, but who we encounter, as we go.
But that's not what either of the definitions you just gave say a neighbor is. Not everyone you bump into is a neighbor. And a Samaritan would not be a neighbor to a Jew (according to these definitions) because they would not live next to each other. The parable would definitely encourage us to be a neighbor to someone we bump into who has acute needs, but I have a hard time believing Jesus wanted this parable to limit our responsibilities.

All my life, I've heard missionaries use this passage to explain the need to go out and reach people who need our help. I don't think that the purpose of this parable is to limit our obligation to those right in front of our noses. And this parable definitely tells us to be a neighbor to people who are not literally our neighbor, broadening the original Old Testament command considerably.

It's not about what governments should do, it's about what followers of Jesus should do. But I don't think it says our only obligation is to people right in front of our noses. Personally, if I don't make a little effort to get out of my bubble, I rarely encounter anyone who is in a lot of need. My physical neighbors are doing fine. The people I encounter in my everyday activities are doing fine. I have to go out of my way to encounter people who need my help. At different times, God has called me to work with prisoners and Muslim refugees. Neither are much more popular than Samaritans.
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Re: Who is my neighbor?

Post by lesterb »

Bootstrap wrote:
PeterG wrote:
lesterb wrote:Jesus said, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
That cuts through the "who is my neighbor" question pretty neatly.
Exactly.
Robert wrote: I would think Jesus was suggesting that neighbor was no longer clansman, but who we encounter, as we go.
But that's not what either of the definitions you just gave say a neighbor is. Not everyone you bump into is a neighbor. And a Samaritan would not be a neighbor to a Jew (according to these definitions) because they would not live next to each other. The parable would definitely encourage us to be a neighbor to someone we bump into who has acute needs, but I have a hard time believing Jesus wanted this parable to limit our responsibilities.

All my life, I've heard missionaries use this passage to explain the need to go out and reach people who need our help. I don't think that the purpose of this parable is to limit our obligation to those right in front of our noses. And this parable definitely tells us to be a neighbor to people who are not literally our neighbor, broadening the original Old Testament command considerably.

It's not about what governments should do, it's about what followers of Jesus should do. But I don't think it says our only obligation is to people right in front of our noses. Personally, if I don't make a little effort to get out of my bubble, I rarely encounter anyone who is in a lot of need. My physical neighbors are doing fine. The people I encounter in my everyday activities are doing fine. I have to go out of my way to encounter people who need my help. At different times, God has called me to work with prisoners and Muslim refugees. Neither are much more popular than Samaritans.
I'm not sure -- did I miss something? I'm thinking that we are reading something into this discussion that isn't really there. I know that Wayne kind of rubbed our fur the wrong way, but he hasn't been back to defend or explain what he meant. I'm assuming that he was reading a political statement in what Boot was saying. But a person would almost have to know that Boot leans that way to interpret him that way. Wayne and Robert are both extreme republicans, and maybe Boot is reading that into this discussion. :?:

But I think if we could lay aside the political presuppositions and simply did what Jesus said, the whole debate would fade away. It's fine to help refugees if the door opens for you to do so. We tried as a church to do that, but it didn't work. It's also fine to help the person down the street. And its fine to do both. (Which is how I understood both Boot and Robert to be saying.)

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Jesus doesn't limit the word others in any way. Nor should we. The person God has led us to, to help, fits all the criteria.

I like what Robert says above -- as you go, do this. Whether it is meeting a spiritual need or a physical one. It should be a natural reaction for us as followers of Jesus.
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Re: Who is my neighbor?

Post by cmbl »

Not to deny the call to "do unto others" in daily life and to allow our lives to be interrupted by others' needs, but it seems like the command "Go" is being subjected to a little bit of pop-theology. If Jesus really meant "As you go," rather than "Go," couldn't he have said so?
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Re: Who is my neighbor?

Post by RZehr »

cmbl wrote:Not to deny the call to "do unto others" in daily life and to allow our lives to be interrupted by others' needs, but it seems like the command "Go" is being subjected to a little bit of pop-theology. If Jesus really meant "As you go," rather than "Go," couldn't he have said so?
I agree. What do we see the followers of Jesus do after He ascended? Laissez-faire they weren't.
The 'as you go' concept is supported by the 'let your light shine' passage. No need to change the great commissions directive to say so.
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Re: Who is my neighbor?

Post by Bootstrap »

Robert wrote:From what I understand that the "go therfore" is more of a "as you go."
Greek used for go - poreuomai
por-yoo'-om-ahee
Middle voice from a derivative of the same as G3984; to traverse, that is, travel (literally or figuratively; especially to remove [figuratively die], live, etc.): - depart, go (away, forth, one’s way, up), (make a, take a) journey, walk.
If this is so, then I see the "Go and do likewise" as a "As you go, do likewise."
I don't think that's the sense in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Here's the Greek in the SBLGNT:

Πορεύου καὶ σὺ ποίει ὁμοίως.
“You go, and do likewise.”

Πορεύου - that's a middle perfect imperative, a command form. I say exactly this when teaching Greek class when telling people to get up and go.

For comparison, take a look at the other places where this form is used in the Greek New Testament: Mt 2:20, Lk 5:24, Lk 7:50, Lk 8:48, Lk 10:37, Lk 13:31, Lk 17:19, Jn 4:50, Jn 8:11, Jn 20:17, Acts 8:26, Acts 9:15, Acts 10:20, Acts 22:10, Acts 22:21, Acts 24:25
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Re: Who is my neighbor?

Post by Bootstrap »

lesterb wrote:I'm assuming that he was reading a political statement in what Boot was saying. But a person would almost have to know that Boot leans that way to interpret him that way. Wayne and Robert are both extreme republicans, and maybe Boot is reading that into this discussion. :?:
In my mind, I really wasn't making a political statement at all. So I was surprised and frustrated that both Wayne and Robert seemed to be saying that I was. That frustration might have showed.
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Re: Who is my neighbor?

Post by Wayne in Maine »

lesterb wrote: I'm not sure -- did I miss something? I'm thinking that we are reading something into this discussion that isn't really there. I know that Wayne kind of rubbed our fur the wrong way, but he hasn't been back to defend or explain what he meant. I'm assuming that he was reading a political statement in what Boot was saying. But a person would almost have to know that Boot leans that way to interpret him that way. Wayne and Robert are both extreme republicans, and maybe Boot is reading that into this discussion. :?:
Extreme Republican? If you believe that about me and react to what I post with that assumption then there's no defending what I am trying to say.

My point is that everyone on the planet is not my neighbor in the sense that Jesus spoke of in the parable, and the point of the parable was to shame the lawyer into being the neighbor he should be. Understanding the scripture in certain ways leads to political action and mixed allegiances. I want us to avoid that and build the Kingdom of God in a tangible discernable way.
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Re: Who is my neighbor?

Post by MaxPC »

Who is my neighbor...
For the past 8 years it's been a tad easier to fulfill the "Go" when we began to RV full time. Our neighbors would be those around us in the campground.

Before retirement it was a different kind of "go". A living wage had to be made and a job kept so I had to "go" to work every day.

Jesus told the disciples to "go". The Middle East cultural norms involved hospitality and it was easier to get a meal and a bed in those customs. Now to go and make more disciples requires a different kind of prep.

The challenge to obey Christ is always before us. We can't all hit the road and Jesus knows this. I've always felt that He is happy that those who love Him are willing to bring His message to the place and people where they live. For this reason I'm always happy to hear of Biblically faithful fellowships starting a new church plant. They don't have to be a Catholic, Anabaptist or Protestant plant. Just be faithful to Jesus and the teachings of the Bible.
Last edited by MaxPC on Tue Feb 07, 2017 9:27 am, edited 2 times in total.
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