Weekly E-mail Reminder

	HIDDEN LDS/JEWISH INSIGHTS Lesson #14 New Testament Gospel Doctrine supplement by Daniel Rona Weekly E-mail Reminder << WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR >> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (1.) Up to Jerusalem: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - From the Dead Sea an ancient highway goes up to Jerusalem. In just a dozen miles or so, there is a climb of about four thousand feet from thirteen hundred feet below sea level to about twenty-seven hundred feet above. It was the road traveled by temple priests who lived in the Levite city of Jericho and served in Jerusalem's temple. The travel was about a day's journey. Travelers in ancient times included animals in their caravans. Caravans were regularly scheduled for support and defense against highway robbers. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (2.) Rules of Cleanliness Also Apply to Traveling: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Special travel rules of cleanliness applied to the priests who had to remain "unblemished" to serve in the holy temple. Staying away from any decay or waste matter they kept at least a specific distance away from anything dead (except a sacrifice). "Whosoever toucheth . . . a  dead body . . . or a grave, shall be unclean." (Numbers 19:16) It is still a custom among Levites and Cohens to circumvent graveyards or any place where there is death. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (3.) Background Brings Parable to Life: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, an old inn has been restored to represent the inn of a New Testament story Jesus told. Modern Christians refer to the inn as the "Good Samaritan Inn." The truth is that Jesus never used the term good Samaritan. It will be helpful in understanding how Jesus answered as He did. First, Jesus was a "Master of the law" (rabbi in Hebrew). Jesus studied the law, He is the lawgiver, our advocate. He was recognized and authorized to read in the synagogues. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (4.) Lawgiver Answers with a Question: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Responding to the lawyer who challenged Jesus the new rabbi from Nazareth answered with a question, "What is written in the law? how readest Thou?" (Luke 10:26) Showing his own legal acumen, the lawyer recited the first law of loving God and neighbor, but challenged Jesus to a legal definition. "Who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29) The Savior then related the story including priests and a non-Jewish Samaritan. Today Jews don't use the term "good" Samaritan; to some, it has anti-Semitic implications to bad Jews. Some say that Jesus was an anti-Semite. "Even when Jesus made up a story he portrayed the Jews as bad guys and the non-Jews as the good guys." - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (5.) Real Intent of Parable: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jesus may not have had the intention of portraying Jews as uncompassionate. In His story He's making a legal point responding to "Who is my neighbor?" The priest and the Levite were within legal rights - not to be defiled by being too close to the dead - and rather than take a chance, they walked on the other side. Their lack of action was strictly legal, but it missed the higher law of compassion, governed by the spirit not the letter of the law. The Levite and the priest just missed the point of a higher law – governed by the spirit. That doesn't mean the lesser law – governed by the letter of the law – is bad and those who ardently attempt to keep it are thereby bad as well. As an example for us, the Savior's compassion for all of God's children rises much higher than the question, "Who is my neighbor?"
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