But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, and who is my neighbor? — wanting to justify himself (thelōn dikaiosai heauton): the lawyer knows he does not fully obey the command, so he looks for a way to narrow its scope. Who is my neighbor: the definitional question that, if answered narrowly enough, makes the command manageable. The parable that follows will answer by expanding the category beyond any manageable limit.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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