Luke 10:29-37 But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor?… 1. Spiritual persons in a special manner should be pitiful (see Titus 1:7, 8; 1 Timothy 3:2). You may read 2 Kings 4:1. The distressed widow comes to a prophet to bemoan her condition; every one would not be sensible of her affliction; if they did pity her, yet little hopes there was that they would relieve her. A prophet she hopes will do both. Into Elisha's ear she unloads her griefs. The like course takes David, and flies unto Abiather the high-priest when he was an hungry and in distress (1 Samuel 22). And no wonder, for they are God's chaplains-in-ordinary; they serve that Master who is merciful; Him they should imitate, and learn to" be merciful as He is merciful" (Luke 6:36). What scholar but will imitate his master's exercise? 2. They have received more mercy, and drunk deeper in that cup than others have (2 Corinthians 4:1, 2). Whoever they are, it is expected they should not be wanting in this duty. 3. In every good duty ministers should be examples unto others, in word, in conversation, in charity, etc. (1 Timothy 4:12). Charity becomes all men, but above all men the men of God. If we want bowels in us where shall men find them? If mercy be a lamp in others, it must be a bright star in our breasts. A jewel more precious than all the stones in Aaron's breastplate.For — 1. We are men of God, and therefore should fly all covetous and earthly practices. Fishes love the salt waters, yet birds of the air fly upwards towards heaven, and whilst the ant (a creature housed in the earth) makes abundant provision for herself, "the fowls of heaven neither sow, nor reap, nor carry into barns." Oh! how unnatural is it that they, next heaven by vocation, should yet in respect of conversation be farthest off! Nothing farther from heaven nor more unlike God than uncharitableness. 2. We preach charity and mercy, that is the sum and main scope of all our sermons, it being the abridgment of the law and the tenor of the gospel. Faith is the centre, love the circle. All our doctrines and conclusions are but lines drawn from the centre to the circumference. Nay, as we preach charity, profess charity, and pray for charity, so we must open our doors to charity and give it entertainment. (N. Rogers.) Parallel Verses KJV: But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?WEB: But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?" |
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