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Love Your Neighbor
Love Your Neighbor
Our reading today included the second greatest commandment - love your neighbor as yourself (Lev. 19:18). Most of us know the commandment as it was given by the lawyer in Luke 10:27 (see also Matt. 22:39). It is rather instructive to see the context in which it originally was appeared.
Vs. 9 - leave part of your crop for the poor and needy.
Vs. 11 - do not steal or lie to one another.
Vs. 13 - do not oppress or rob your neighbor.
Vs. 14 - do not curse the deaf, or put a stumbling block before the blind.
Vs. 15 - do not do injustice in court. Show no partiality in your judgment.
Vs. 16 - do not slander or gossip.
Vs. 17 - do not hate your brother - but reason frankly with them.
Vs. 18 - do not take vengeance or bear a grudge.
The lawyer attempted to blunt the obligation of this by quibbling about 'who is my neighbor'. Seeing the context it, it appears to me that many today would quibble instead about the meaning of love. I think it is good to reread vs. 9 - 18 to get a fresh idea of what God meant when He said to love your neighbor. As Jesus told the lawyer: "You go, and do likewise" (vs. 37
