The idea here is this person made some regrettably bad FREE WILL decisions. Yet Jesus is always willing to save us despite them.
He did the same for Abraham and David. Bad decisions were countered with greater grace.
Can We Really Exercise Free Will?
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He did the same for Abraham and David. Bad decisions were countered with greater grace.
relying on "human strength" as opposed to being led by the Spirit ... the fruit of the Spirit is not exhibited in Post 7966 submitted by Rufus ... and I get your point about dogmatism ...
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The commission went out to make Jesus known in the world.
Not to convert all the world.
Jesus has become known and is now a relatable topic for most people in the world to discuss.
At one time even China knew the name of Jesus.
Evidence suggests that Christianity, and thus the name of Jesus, reached China during two distinct historical periods prior to the modern era.
- During the Tang Dynasty (7th-10th centuries): Persian Nestorian missionaries, traveling along the Silk Road, introduced Christianity (known as Jingjiao or "Luminous Religion") to China in 635 AD. An important historical record of this period is the Xi'an Stele, erected in 781 AD, which documents 150 years of Christian history in China, mentions key figures like Alopen and Adam (Jingjing), and includes references to Jesus Christ within the context of Christian doctrine. The early church history website further elaborates on the "Jesus Sutras," a collection of Chinese language texts associated with Alopen's mission, which specifically refer to Jesus as "Ye Su".
- During the Yuan Dynasty (13th-14th centuries): Nestorian Christianity re-emerged in China with the arrival of Nestorian tribes from Central Asia and found favor under the religiously tolerant rule of the Mongol Empire. While the Nestorian church primarily served non-Chinese populations like Mongol and Turkish nomads and was largely confined to foreign enclaves, it established a significant presence in cities along the Silk Road. Marco Polo, for example, reportedly encountered some 700,000 Christians in China during his 13th-century travels.
This parable contains many truths. The key is to put Christ as the focal point of course. And the "GOOD" One so noted is Christ Himself.
But yea, He was teaching this lawyer (both encouraging and rebuking simultaneously) who undoubtedly has an entourage of Pharisees and other of their kind in tow.
[Luk 10:37 KJV] 37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
We know some of these heretics deny that Spiritual revelation is required to know God. If nothing
else it informs us that they have either zero spiritual discernment or they simply do not know God.
And sadly enough, both could be true. I take no pleasure in acknowledging these facts. It is tragic.
Matthew 11 verse 27 ~ All things have been entrusted to Me by My Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
Grace must grant "spiritual capacity."
That is required even to have a spiritual revelation.
From the Coalition:
While the vast majority of the world's population has likely heard of Jesus, a significant percentage has not been meaningfully presented with the Gospel or understands its core message. Estimates suggest that around 40% of the world's population lives in unreached people groups, meaning they lack sufficient access to the Christian message.
The Great Commission is not to just speak about a NAME but to make Disciples and Baptize them which is only done through preaching the Gospel.
Of course not.
BTW, technically Jesus IS in fact a "Samaritan". This because of Rahab (definitely a Canaanite), Tamar (possibly a Canaanite), and Ruth (a Moabites) being in His lineage.
Therefore, literal Canaanite DNA is "in the Body". Because God had purposed it this way of course.
From gotquestions.org:
What is the meaning of the Parable of the Good Samaritan?
The Parable of the Good Samaritan is precipitated by and in answer to a question posed to Jesus by a lawyer. In this case the lawyer would have been an expert in the Mosaic Law and not a court lawyer of today. The lawyer’s question was, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (Luke 10:25). This question provided Jesus with an opportunity to define what His disciples’ relationship should be to their neighbors. The text says that the scribe (lawyer) had put the question to Jesus as a test, but the text does not indicate that there was hostility in the question. He could have simply been seeking information. The wording of the question does, however, give us some insight into where the scribe’s heart was spiritually. He was making the assumption that man must do something to obtain eternal life. Although this could have been an opportunity for Jesus to discuss salvation issues, He chose a different course and focuses on our relationships and what it means to love.
much more detailed explanation follows ...
Conclusion (bold mine):
There is another possible way to interpret the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and that is as a metaphor. In this interpretation the injured man is all men in their fallen condition of sin. The robbers are Satan attacking man with the intent of destroying their relationship with God. The lawyer is mankind without the true understanding of God and His Word. The priest is religion in an apostate condition. The Levite is legalism that instills prejudice into the hearts of believers. The Samaritan is Jesus who provides the way to spiritual health. Although this interpretation teaches good lessons, and the parallels between Jesus and the Samaritan are striking, this understanding draws attention to Jesus that does not appear to be intended in the text. Therefore, we must conclude that the teaching of the Parable of the Good Samaritan is simply a lesson on what it means to love one’s neighbor.
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Grace must grant "spiritual capacity."
To comport oneself in a reasonably dignified manner on a message board?
BTW, there are more than a few that dig the superiority complex ego trip that religiosity brings to their psyche.
An angry condemning demeanor is the tell.
"The robbers are Satan (AND THE FALLEN HOST) attacking"
Agree, that is the sense of it at the most fundamental level. In fact the antagonist being Satan means the victim is ultimately Adam....and by extension all of us. And the protagonist of course being Jesus Himself
But sure this parable has many facets and levels and depth.
All of them together IMO. Son of David, Son of God. Has to be both. Hypostatic union by necessity.
I'll stick with the gotquestions.org conclusion ..."The robbers are Satan (AND THE FALLEN HOST) attacking"
Agree, that is the sense of it at the most fundamental level. In fact the antagonist being Satan means the victim is ultimately Adam....and by extension all of us. And the protagonist of course being Jesus Himself
But sure this parable has many facets and levels and depth.
"Although this interpretation teaches good lessons, and the parallels between Jesus and the Samaritan are striking, this understanding draws attention to Jesus that does not appear to be intended in the text. Therefore, we must conclude that the teaching of the Parable of the Good Samaritan is simply a lesson on what it means to love one’s neighbor."
who am I to infer that He really meant ...
"the injured man is all men in their fallen condition of sin. The robbers are Satan attacking man with the intent of destroying their relationship with God. The lawyer is mankind without the true understanding of God and His Word. The priest is religion in an apostate condition. The Levite is legalism that instills prejudice into the hearts of believers. The Samaritan is Jesus who provides the way to spiritual health."
If Jesus had meant to state what some folks claim is the meaning of the parable, He could easily have done so ... as He did in explaining other parables to His disciples... when Scripture is silent on that point?
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