What does Luke 10:30 mean?
As an expert in the law, the lawyer to whom Jesus is speaking knows that loving God and loving one's neighbor is the heart of the Mosaic law. But he wants specifics. Who is his neighbor (Luke 10:25–29)? Jesus tells a story that turns the question around. An unidentified man is assaulted and left for dead. Two religious leaders—a priest and a Levite—devout and educated in the Mosaic law, ignore the man. A Samaritan, however, goes out of his way to rescue him and pays for his recovery (Luke 10:31–35¬¬).The lawyer is an expert in the written law which God gave Moses. He also knows much about the Oral Law, which scribes added later in an attempt to protect God's law. Jesus teaches this scholar that the Law doesn't cause someone to love one's neighbor. Nor does it define one's neighbor. The Law merely provides examples of how to act; love reveals that a neighbor can be anyone.
The road from Jerusalem to Jericho can be dangerous, especially for a single traveler. It is long with a large drop in elevation, rocky and lined with caves in which robbers can hide and ambush victims. The term "robber" can mean bandit, but it can also refer to an insurrectionist or guerrilla. Either would be willing to harm someone for their money. A modern parallel might be to speak of someone walking through a dark city alley in the middle of the night.
