SEV Biblia, Chapter 10:29
Mas l, querindose justificar a sí mismo, dijo a Jess: ¿Y quin es mi prjimo?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 10:29
Verse 29. Willing to justify himself] Wishing to make it appear that he was a righteous man, and that consequently he was in the straight road to the kingdom of God, said, Who is my neighbour? supposing our Lord would have at once answered, "Every Jew is to be considered as such, and the Jews only." Now as he imagined he had never been deficient in his conduct to any person of his own nation, he thought he had amply fulfilled the law. This is the sense in which the Jews understood the word neighbour, as may be seen from Lev. xxix. 15-18. But our Lord shows here, that the acts of kindness which a man is bound to perform to his neighbour when in distress, he should perform to any person, of whatever nation, religion, or kindred, whom he finds in necessity. As the word plhsion signifies one who is near, Anglo Saxon [A.S.], he that is next, this very circumstance makes any person our neighbour whom we know; and, if in distress, an object of our most compassionate regards. If a man came from the most distant part of the earth, the moment he is near you he has a claim upon your mercy and kindness, as you would have on his, were your dwelling-place transferred to his native country. It is evident that our Lord uses the word plhsion (very properly translated neighbour, from nae or naer, near, and buer, to dwell) in its plain, literal sense. Any person whom you know, who dwells hard by, or who passes near you, is your neighbour while within your reach.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 29. But he willing to justify himself , etc.] Upon the foot of his own righteousness, and to make himself appear to be righteous to others; for this the Jews thought themselves able to do, both to justify themselves before God by their own works, and make it out to men, that they were truly righteous persons; and it is a maxim with them, that every one wmx[ ta qydxmh that justifies himself, below (on earth), they justify him above (or in heaven) f347 .
No wonder then that this man was desirous of justifying himself; and in order to which he said, and who is my neighbour ? he takes no notice of God, and love to him, as coming into the account of his justification, only of his neighbour; thinking when this question was answered, he should be very able to make it out, that he was not wanting neither in doing justice between himself and his neighbour, nor in showing kindness and beneficence to him; for by his neighbour he meant only an Israelite; one of the same nation and religion with him. So the Jews commonly interpret the word neighbour, either of one that is related to them in nature, wbwrq , that is, near akin to them in blood f348 ; or that professes the same religion as they do, and whom they call a neighbour in the law; and so they explain the passage now cited, and thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself, hrwtb [r awh ; that is, who is thy neighbour in the law f349 : for they will not allow a Gentile, no, not even a proselyte of the gate to be a neighbour: for thus they say f350 , an Israelite that slays a proselyte of the gate, or the stranger that dwells with him, is not slain for him by the sanhedrim; for it is said, ( Exodus 21:14) but if a man comes presumptuously upon his neighbour to slay him, etc. and there is no need to say he is not slain for a Gentile.
And again f351 , when a man sees one of them (the Gentiles) fall into the sea, he need not take him up; as it is said, ( Leviticus 19:16) neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour, [r hz yaw but this is not thy neighbour. This notion Christ opposes and disproves in the following parable, which is an answer to the lawyer's question.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 25-37 - If we speak of eternal life, and the way to it, in a careless manner we take the name of God in vain. No one will ever love God and his neighbour with any measure of pure, spiritual love, who is not made partaker of converting grace. But the proud heart of man strives har against these convictions. Christ gave an instance of a poor Jew i distress, relieved by a good Samaritan. This poor man fell amon thieves, who left him about to die of his wounds. He was slighted by those who should have been his friends, and was cared for by stranger, a Samaritan, of the nation which the Jews most despised an detested, and would have no dealings with. It is lamentable to observ how selfishness governs all ranks; how many excuses men will make to avoid trouble or expense in relieving others. But the true Christia has the law of love written in his heart. The Spirit of Christ dwell in him; Christ's image is renewed in his soul. The parable is beautiful explanation of the law of loving our neighbour as ourselves without regard to nation, party, or any other distinction. It also set forth the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward sinful, miserabl men. We were like this poor, distressed traveller. Satan, our enemy has robbed us, and wounded us: such is the mischief sin has done us The blessed Jesus had compassion on us. The believer considers tha Jesus loved him, and gave his life for him, when an enemy and a rebel and having shown him mercy, he bids him go and do likewise. It is the duty of us all , in our places, and according to our ability, to succour, help, and relieve all that are in distress and necessity.
Greek Textus Receptus
ο 3588 T-NSM δε 1161 CONJ θελων 2309 5723 V-PAP-NSM δικαιουν 1344 5721 V-PAN εαυτον 1438 F-3ASM ειπεν 2036 5627 V-2AAI-3S προς 4314 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM ιησουν 2424 N-ASM και 2532 CONJ τις 5101 I-NSM εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S μου 3450 P-1GS πλησιον 4139 ADV
Vincent's NT Word Studies
29. Willing (qelwn). Rev., desiring. See on Matt. i. 19. I think this is stronger than desiring; rather, determined.Neighbor (plhsion). See on Matt. v. 43.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
10:29 {Desiring to justify himself} (qelwn dikaiwsai heauton). The lawyer saw at once that he had convicted himself of asking a question that he already knew. In his embarrassment he asks another question to show that he did have some point at first: {And who is my neighbor?} (kai tis estin mou plesion;). The Jews split hairs over this question and excluded from "neighbor" Gentiles and especially Samaritans. So here was his loop-hole. A neighbor is a nigh dweller to one, but the Jews made racial exceptions as many, alas, do today. The word plesion here is an adverb (neuter of the adjective plsios) meaning ho plesion wn (the one who is near), but "n was usually not expressed and the adverb is here used as if a substantive.
