Biblical Authority of Direct Command, Approved Example, and Necessary Inference:
Proof Text: Luke 10:25-37
Luke 10 25:37, “And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.29 But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.”
Outline of Argument
I. What did Jesus do and teach to inherit eternal life?
A. He gives an answer to a question
1. Jesus knows this is to trip Him up in doctrine but loves the man anyways
a. He knows this guy wants to see Him fail and prove Himself false
b. He knows he is a lawyer and does not want to change but for things to stay the
same
c. Jesus realizes there is hope and so loves this lawyer trying to destroy his
influence
2. He is asked, not out of sincerity but the man wanted to justify himself
a. The man gives and receives all the right answers but then carries the
conversation to a different level by justifying himself with this question who is
my neighbor
b. He takes care of those he knows or that take care of him (as all men do)
c. Jesus tells a story to illustrate it is not about teaching the law but doing the law
that matters if you seriously want to inherit eternal life you will have to love
your neighbor as yourself.
3. Jesus loves the man as himself and teaches him a higher truth
a. He gave an example of loving your neighbor and asks a question to check
understanding.
b. Justifying himself, he learned to help the needy,
c. Jesus tells a lawyer to practice the law and not teach the law. His neighbor may
be the vilest thing but if he has need then love him.
B. He gives an example to lay alongside the higher truth
1. He tells a story of a man beaten and robbed of every thing except the life he clings to
a. He gave an example of a man (real or unreal), perhaps this had happened earlier
that day, but this man had been beaten robbed of everything but his life that
he was clinging on to.
b. These thieves don’t check pedigree, or status other than if you have money.
They have seriously injured a man and overtook him and his possessions.
2. He tells of a priest, Levite, and a Samaritan half breed meet the injured man
a. The Priest, in that day your connection to God, walks by an ignores the robbed
man.
b. The Levite, the modern minister deacon, etc. take care of the church duty
keeper, walks by and ignores the situation.
c. A half breed less than human, walks by and helps supply everything he needs.
3. The less than human, loves the man and saves him from further destruction
a. Picks him up- he has personal contact with a sinful man God did not protect
b. Pours in Oil – he bandaged this guy up best he could an takes him to a place of
comfort.
c. Anything more – he says help to the inn keeper, he may need a few more days, if
he stays any longer or needs anything else I will repay. He bore another’s
burden.
C. He gives a direct command to obey an approved example
1. He gives a direct command to go and do likewise.
a. He had to love his neighbor as himself to inherit eternal life to the level of the
example of helping a half human back to health.
b. He used a “sinner” example of the Samaritan, to teach a lawyer how to love the
“undesirables”.
c. This lawyer must help sinners in need if he wants to inherit eternal life, not teach
law.
2. The example of Jesus proves the direct command, necessary inference, and
approved example doctrine as true here in this parable and example of Jesus.
a. Jesus commanded to obey an approved example (Approved Example)
b. Jesus gave a direct command expecting obedience (Direct Command)
c. Jesus inferred he would have to supply another needs from what he has
(Necessary Inference)
3. What did Jesus make binding on this insincere man, in order to answer his original
question What must I do to inherit eternal life?
A direct command
An approved example
A Necessary inference
Please respond with questions and comments...
Father, we pray you would confirm this truth to us and remove anything that hinders us from obeying the Author of salvation Jesus of Nazareth, your son may it be so.
In Ephesians 1, Which is another context for approved example, for we are told it is written, to the Saints in Ephesus and to all those faithful. To us today: we are faithful and this the instruction to Ephesians Christian applies also to all those faithful today also.
Listen: Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
In essence we are instructed by scripture to follow the instructions given to Saints (Gal 3:27) in Ephesus, we are told to follow the same rules, and thus follow their example. Hence approved example principle to follow the faithful instructions given to the faithful Christians.
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