why did the lawyer question jesus

by Joshuah Brakus 8 min read

The lawyer’s first question was intended to ‘tempt’ Jesus, which here seems to mean, rather, ‘to test’; that is, to ascertain His orthodoxy or His ability. Christ walks calmly through the snare, as if not seeing it.

As Luke puts it, he wanted to “justify himself.” And so he asks the one question he believes will do just that: “Who is my neighbor?” He thought he knew what Jesus would answer, and he assumed that the response would shine a light on his respectability, would show him for what he was, a man on the right side of things.

Full Answer

How did Jesus answer the lawyer like a lawyer?

Jesus knew their hearts. He knew that when the law has done it's work in the heart of a man or women they will come asking for mercy, not for direction on what good things they could do to gain eternal life. We see this quite often in the gospels: If a person comes by the law, Jesus answers them with the law. If they come by grace, they receive grace. We are 2000 years on but …

What did the expert in the law ask Jesus?

But actually I think the lawyer posed this second question because he sensed that Jesus had subtly shifted the ground beneath him. When he asked that first question, it was clearly Jesus who was on trial, Jesus who was being asked to name the essence of the Torah, Jesus who was being cross-examined about the nature of his mission, Jesus who was being judged by public …

How did Jesus answer the law to the law?

It was simply a test-question to see if the new Teacher was sound in His view of the ethical obligations of the Law. The question, though the same as that of the young man in Matthew 19:16, is not asked in the same tone. There it was asked by one anxiously seeking to …

Why did Jesus ask the lawyer questions of intent?

a 34 But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, gathered themselves together.. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, b one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, a asked him a question, trying him [he was evidently deputed by those who counseled to ask this question]:

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What did the expert in the law ask Jesus?

First, we must remember that this whole conversation started when the lawyer asked Jesus this question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”Jul 15, 2016

What was Jesus being accused of?

Jesus was accused of blasphemy by the Jewish leaders. Blasphemy is a religious offence, when a person says or does something regarded as being disrespectful to God.

How did Jesus feel about lawyers?

But He said, “Woe to you lawyers as well! For you weigh men down with burdens hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers.” — Luke 11:46 (New American Standard Bible).Dec 2, 2015

What parable did Jesus tell the lawyer who asked him to illustrate neighborly love?

The parable of the Good Samaritan is told by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke. It is about a traveler (implicitly understood to be Jewish) who is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left half dead alongside the road.

Why did Pilate condemn Jesus to death?

According to the Gospels, the Sanhedrin, an elite council of priestly and lay elders, arrested Jesus during the Jewish festival of Passover, deeply threatened by his teachings. They dragged him before Pilate to be tried for blasphemy—for claiming, they said, to be King of the Jews.Mar 6, 2019

Who is ultimately responsible for Jesus death?

He notes that our earliest accounts of the crucifixion, such as the Gospel of Mark written circa 60-70 C.E., make clear that it was Pilate who had Christ crucified. Gospels written much later, such as those of Matthew and Luke, reflect different interests and viewpoints, and each places more and more blame on the Jews.Feb 18, 2004

Is being a lawyer a sin?

Yes. A “Christian lawyer” does not constitute an irreconcilable oxymoron. Rather, in most instances, a Christian lawyer may effectively serve God and his clients morally, ethically and without conflict with Biblical principles.

Which of Jesus disciples was a lawyer?

Zenas the Lawyer (Ancient Greek: Ζηνᾶς) was a first-century Christian mentioned in Paul the Apostle's Epistle to Titus in the New Testament. In Titus 3:13, Paul writes: "Bring Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their journey diligently, that nothing be wanting unto them" (KJV).

What does the Bible say about legal matters?

A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (Deuteronomy 19:15). “But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses'” (Matthew 18:16).

What are the final instructions that Jesus gives the lawyer who is asked who is my neighbor?

So the lawyer then answers his own question, with the response that could have been predicted all along: “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.” The lawyer says this with his grown-up lawyer's ...

What did Jesus say the most important commandment was?

When asked which commandment is greatest, he responds (in Matthew 22:37): “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”Apr 25, 2005

Why should we love our neighbors as ourselves?

Just as you love your self by feeding your self with what builds up your self, so also your love for your neighbor must serve for building up of their self. Love for a neighbor that is of the same skin as love for the self is love that builds up, love that in it's very essence is altruistic.Oct 20, 2018

Why does Jesus undermine the lawyer's standing?

Jesus undermines the lawyer’s standing in order to show that the lawyer, like all the rest of humanity, needs not to stand his ground but to see the face of grace, and then to move, to repent. It is important to keep in view that the story Jesus told the lawyer was a parable, not an example story.

What does Luke say about the lawyer?

Luke says the lawyer intended to put Jesus to the test, and to do so, he asks two questions.

What did the lawyer depend on?

The lawyer depended upon the concepts “love God” and “love neighbor” to remain fixed and stable, a system of religious justification, and, again like most of us, he had found a sweet spot in that religious system that allowed him to be satisfied with himself and his life.

Why was Jesus not born to justify the righteous?

Jesus was not born to justify the righteous; he was born, as the angels over Bethlehem proclaimed, to be a savior. In Jesus, the system is not standing still. God is moving toward humanity in mercy and calling humanity to move toward God in repentance. And that is why Jesus throws the lawyer into the ditch beside the Jericho road.

Where does Jesus set his face to go in the Gospel of Luke?

But that is precisely the beginner’s blunder committed by the well-known Torah attorney who shows up in the tenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke. At this point in Luke, Jesus has “set his face to go to Jerusalem” (9:51) and is beginning the long journey to the city of his destiny, the city of his death, the city of his glory.

Is the court upside down?

In one breathtaking move, the court is turned upside down. The lawyer is now in the dock; the lawyer is now the one on trial. No longer the solicitor prosecuting the case, the lawyer is now the accused defending his righteousness. So, the lawyer, now suddenly the defendant, seeks to do what every accused person desires.

Who lifted the lawyer up?

Only the Samaritan, the despised Samaritan, the one by whom the lawyer would not want even to be touched, only the Samaritan lifted him up, dressed his wounds, cared for his life, helped him move from a place of death to a place of life.

What was Jesus trying to show the lawyer?

His intent was wrong. He was trying to get the lawyer to evaluate his life and his heart and see that his intentions were off.

What was Jesus' question in the Gospels?

Interestingly, a common question of invitation Jesus asked was, “What are you looking for?” (John 1:38)

How many questions did Jesus ask?

Jesus asked a LOT of questions in his years walking this earth. By one estimate, he asks a total of 307 questions that are recorded in the Gospels. What makes that number truly surprising is how few questions he actually answered. We only have 8 recorded answers that Jesus gave.

Why does Jesus ask a question of invitation?

He will not force anyone. Jesus asks this question in hopes they will choose a relationship with him over other pursuits in life. Jesus asks a question of invitation, rather than demand obedience.

What does Jesus ask his disciples?

It’s in these questions, Jesus asks his disciples if they truly love him. If they actually want to be with him. The first one comes in John 6. After Jesus teaches a very hard lesson, everyone listening decides following Jesus is too difficult and they get up and leave.

Who is the prosecuting attorney in the Bible?

The only character in the Bible who comes close to filling the job of a prosecuting attorney is Tertullus, an orator who was knowledgeable of Roman law and who was paid by the Jews to present their initial case against Paul before Governor Felix ( Acts 24:1 ).

What does the Bible say about accusers?

The Bible mentions human accusers—those who bring a charge against another in front of a court or magistrate— but they are usually witnesses, not lawyers for the prosecution ( Luke 12:58; Matthew 5:25 ).

What is the extenuating circumstance of Jesus?

In the case of the Christian, the extenuating circumstance is Jesus’ sacrifice, which paid our debt to the Lawgiver and allowed us to go free, despite our guilt according to the Law ( Romans 8:1–5 ). Lawyers today face many ethical and moral challenges. One is how far a lawyer should go to protect and defend a client.

What does the Bible say about the teachers of the law?

Israel was under the legal jurisdiction of Rome during Jesus’ time, so when the Bible mentions “teachers of the law” ( Luke 5:17) or “lawyers” ( Luke 14:3, ESV ), it is referring to the religious leaders who were experts in the Mosaic Law. The modern-day court system, with prosecuting attorneys and defense attorneys, ...

Can a Christian lawyer defend a guilty client?

A Christian lawyer should not knowingly defend a guilty client if the defense would involve falsehood, excusing the crime, or blame-shifting. Ignoring justice is something that God “detests” ( Proverbs 17:15 ).

Is there a prosecutor in the Bible?

The concept of prosecutors and defense attorneys, or advocates, is a biblical one. We have a spiritual Advocate in Jesus Christ, the righteous ( 1 John 2:1 ). He defends our cause before the Judge, God the Father. There is a prosecuting attorney, too: the Accuser, Satan ( Revelation 12:10 ).

Is it wrong to acquit a guilty man?

Third, on principle, it is wrong to acquit a guilty man, because we must all come to the recognition of our guilt before God if we are to be saved ( James 2:10; Romans 3:19–20, 28; 8:1–2 ). Defending a client knowing of his guilt is no different, morally, from aiding and abetting the crime itself. Return to:

What does Jesus say to the man?

Jesus tells the man, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” ( Matthew 19:21 ). The young man decided that Jesus was asking too much.

What did Jesus teach about money?

This man also had “great wealth” ( Matthew 19:22 ), and Jesus later used His conversation with this man to teach the detrimental effect money can have on one’s desire for eternal life (verses 23–24). The lesson Jesus draws from this incident concerns money, not salvation by works.

Did Christ teach us that we are saved by the works of the law?

In His conversation with the rich young ruler, Christ did not teach that we are saved by the works of the Law. The Bible’s message is that salvation is by grace through faith ( Romans 3:20, 28; 4:6; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:9; 2 Timothy 1:9 ).

What did Jesus say to the lawyer?

Since the lawyer wanted to know “what to do,” Jesus gave him a summary of the law, ““‘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, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”.

Why did Jesus not tell the story of brotherly kindness?

Jesus did not tell the story to teach us about brotherly kindness or good neighborliness but to show the lawyer how impracticable it was to perfectly keep the law, because that lawyer would never have accepted a Samaritan as his neighbor (Luke 10:25-37).

How did God speak to the Old Testament?

God in the Old Testament spoke to the people through prophets using parables. Jesus, being a “Prophet”, used this method to communicate certain lessons to the audience of His day. One of such parables that was told by Jesus was that of the Good Samaritan. What was the parable about?

Why did Jesus tell the story of the Good Samaritan?

So, Jesus told this story, in response to the question by the lawyer about who he should consider and relate with as his neighbor; in this case, a Samaritan.

What does the Bible say about sin?

The Bible says that the law cannot justify (Galatians 2:16, Rom 3:28), rather it accuses (John 5:45) and gives sin-consciousness (Romans 3:20). We can only receive the righteousness of God by grace through faith. It is not of works, lest any man boasts (Romans 3:22-24,28; Romans 5:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-9). Spread the love.

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