Luk 10:29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In the ancient world, relations between Jews and Samaritans were undoubtedly strained. The Samaritans were hated by the Jews because they were half-breeds (Jews and Gentiles) (John 4:9). This prejudice, as in our time, had many forms such as unreasonable feelings, opinions, or attitudes, especially of a hostile nature, regarding an ethnic, racial, social, or religious group.
This division extended even to new believers in Christ. The disciples took issues with Jesus for speaking to a Samaritan woman. Peter though saved had a hard time reaching none Jews until God corrected him in a vision (Acts 10). This discloses something to us; the problem with division is not new. Even the apostle Paul addressed the division at the church in Corinth in his time. This problem can’t just be viewed as external, it’s very much present in the church.
The lawyer who asked Jesus who his neighbor was may have asked that question for us all. The better Person to answer this king-size question is Jesus. The parable of the Good Samaritan gives us a glimpse of a true neighbor. And Jesus by the sufficiency of scripture has already addressed the divide in the gospel and His prayer in John 17. Now He is uncovering to us as He did with humble Peter and the self-righteous lawyer the hostility in our hearts and the remedy.
“13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Eph 2:11-13,)
To be continued…
5 replies on “The Great Divide, Part 1”
Thank you
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Following….The weapon of division causes blindness in many forms.
very true.
Very interested and enlightening. I read all of Acts 10. Wow.
That chapter was very helpful and I will most likely be closing the series with it.