Mark 3: 1-2 & Luke 10: 25-37
(5. Legalism is insensitive to human need.)
Mark 3
1 Jesus entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there with a withered hand.
2 And they were watching Jesus to see if he would heal on the Sabbath in order that they might accuse him.
Luke 10
Author's note: The story of the Good Samaritan clearly reveals how Jesus replaced law with love. The religious leaders passed by the wounded victim because they could not go into the Temple or a synagogue if they had touched a dead body or anyone who was unclean. The Samaritan, who was considered unclean himself because of his race, had no such legalistic limitations, but he had compassion.
25 A certain lawyer stood up and put Jesus to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
26 Jesus said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?"
27 And he answered and said, "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."
28 Jesus said to him, "You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live."
29 But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 Jesus replied and said, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him and went off leaving him for dead.
31 "And by chance a certain priest was going down on that road and when saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 "And likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 "But a certain Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion,
34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine, and he put him on his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him.
35 "On the next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper and said, 'Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return, I will repay you.'
36 "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell victim to the robbers?"
37 And he said, "The one who showed mercy toward him." And Jesus said to him, "Go and do the same."
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