The Meaning of Luke 10:25 Explained

Luke 10:25

KJV: And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

YLT: And lo, a certain lawyer stood up, trying him, and saying, 'Teacher, what having done, life age-during shall I inherit?'

Darby: And behold, a certain lawyer stood up tempting him, and saying, Teacher, having done what, shall I inherit life eternal?

ASV: And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and made trial of him, saying, Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And,  behold,  a certain  lawyer  stood up,  and  tempted  him,  saying,  Master,  what  shall I do  to inherit  {5661} eternal  life? 

What does Luke 10:25 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The three incidents that compose this section all concern various aspects of the life of disciples. Luke continued to focus Jesus" teaching on discipleship by his selection of material. All three incidents are unique to Luke"s Gospel, though again there is evidence that Jesus taught similar lessons and made similar statements at other times that the other evangelists recorded in other contexts.
Lawyers (scribes) were experts in the Mosaic Law. The Greek word translated "test" (ekpeirazon) does not necessarily imply hostility (cf. Luke 4:12). The man simply could have been wanting Jesus" opinion. He addressed Jesus as a teacher or rabbi. This title tells us nothing about his motivation, only that He viewed Jesus as less than a prophet, the Messiah, or God. He assumed that people had to do something to obtain eternal life (cf. Luke 18:18). The term "inherit" had a particular significance for Jewish readers distinguishing a special way of receiving eternal life (cf. Matthew 5:5; Matthew 19:29; Matthew 25:34). However, Gentiles readers for whom Luke wrote would have regarded it as synonymous with obtaining eternal life (cf. Mark 10:17). Eternal life is the equivalent of spiritual salvation and included entrance into the messianic kingdom.

Context Summary

Luke 10:25-37 - The Man Who Loved His Neighbor
This parable was probably suggested by the journey up to Jerusalem. It may be founded on an actual occurrence. Notice how the Master answered the inquiry, Who is my neighbor? He said in effect: The question is not, Who will "neighbor" you? but, Whom will you "neighbor?" You ought to ask, Who wants my help? Neighborhood consists, not in what you receive, but in what you give. It is independent of race, creed and the ordinary sentiment of pity. Love overleaps all these distinctions and risks its very life in order to render help. In fact, this parable is a very poem of Love. It is to be compared with 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.
Notice those two clauses, He took care of him and Take care of him, Luke 10:34-35. It is thus that our Lord deals with us. When we are too far gone to ask for His help, He comes to our side and restores our ebbing life; and He raises up others to do the same. At the best, we are pilgrims and refresh ourselves in inns, but the home awaits us yonder! Begin by loving with your "strength" and you will end with the "heart!" [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 10

1  Jesus sends out at once seventy disciples to work miracles, and to preach;
13  pronounces a woe against certain cities
17  The seventy return with joy;
18  he shows them wherein to rejoice,
21  and thanks his Father for his grace;
23  magnifies the happy estate of his church;
25  teaches the lawyer how to attain eternal life,
30  and tells the parable of the good Samaritan;
38  reprimands Martha, and commends Mary her sister

Greek Commentary for Luke 10:25

And tempted him [εκπειραζων αυτον]
Present active participle, conative idea, trying to tempt him. There is no “and” in the Greek. He “stood up Here and 1 Corinthians 10:9. The spirit of this lawyer was evil. He wanted to entrap Jesus if possible. [source]
What shall I do to inherit eternal life? [Τι ποιησας ζωην αιωνιου κληρονομησω]
Literally, “By doing what shall I inherit eternal life?” Note the emphasis on “doing” The form of his question shows a wrong idea as to how to get it.Eternal life (ζωην αιωνιον — zōēn aiōnion) is endless life as in John‘s Gospel (John 16:9; John 18:18, John 18:30) and in Matthew 25:46, which see note. [source]
Eternal life [ζωην αιωνιον]
(ζωην αιωνιον — zōēn aiōnion) is endless life as in John‘s Gospel (John 16:9; John 18:18, John 18:30) and in Matthew 25:46, which see note. [source]
Lawyer []
See on Luke 7:30. [source]
Tempted []
See on temptation, Matthew 6:13. [source]
To inherit []
See on inheritance, 1 Peter 1:4. [source]
Eternal [εἰώνιον]
The word will be fully discussed in the second volume. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 10:25

Luke 18:18 What shall I do to inherit? [Τι ποιησας κληρονομησω]
“By doing what shall I inherit?” Aorist active participle and future active indicative. Precisely the same question is asked by the lawyer in Luke 10:25. This young man probably thought that by some one act he could obtain eternal life. He was ready to make a large expenditure for it.Good (αγατον — agathon). See Mark 10:17 and Matthew 19:16 for discussion of this adjective for absolute goodness. Plummer observes that no Jewish rabbi was called “good” in direct address. The question of Jesus will show whether it was merely fulsome flattery on the part of the young man or whether he really put Jesus on a par with God. He must at any rate define his attitude towards Christ. [source]
Luke 5:17 He [αυτος]
Luke sometimes has ην διδασκων — autos in the nominative as unemphatic “he” as here, not “he himself.”Was teaching (ησαν κατημενοι — ēn didaskōn). Periphrastic imperfect again like our English idiom.Were sitting by Periphrastic imperfect again. There is no “by” in the Greek.Doctors of the law (ιεροδιδασκαλος — nomodidaskaloi). A compound word formed after analogy of γραμματεις — hierodidaskalos but not found outside of the N.T. and ecclesiastical writers, one of the very few words apparently N.T. in usage. It appears here and Acts 5:34; 1 Timothy 1:7. It is not likely that Luke and Paul made the word, but they simply used the term already in current use to describe teachers and interpreters of the law. Our word “doctor” is Latin for “teacher.” These “teachers of the law” are called elsewhere in the Gospels “scribes” (νομικος — grammateis) as in Matthew and Mark (See note on Matthew 5:20; Matthew 23:34) and Luke 5:21; Luke 19:47; Luke 21:1; Luke 22:2. Luke also employs νομος — nomikos (one skilled in the law, οι γραμματεις και οι Παρισαιοι — nomos) as in Luke 10:25. One thinks of our LL.D. (Doctors of Civil and Canon Law), for both were combined in Jewish law. They were usually Pharisees (mentioned here for the first time in Luke) for which see note on Matthew 3:7, note on Matthew 5:20. Luke will often speak of the Pharisees hereafter. Not all the “Pharisees” were “teachers of the law” so that both terms often occur together as in Luke 5:21 where Luke has separate articles (οι ησαν εληλυτοτες — hoi grammateis kai hoi Pharisaioi), distinguishing between them, though one article may occur as in Matthew 5:20 or no article as here in Matthew 5:17. Luke alone mentions the presence here of these Pharisees and doctors of the law “which were come” (εκ πασης κωμης της Γαλιλαιας και Ιουδαιας και Ιερουσαλημ — hoi ēsan elēluthotes periphrastic past perfect active, had come).Out of every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem Edersheim (Jewish Social Life) observes that the Jews distinguished Jerusalem as a separate district in Judea. Plummer considers it hyperbole in Luke to use “every village.” But one must recall that Jesus had already made one tour of Galilee which stirred the Pharisees and rabbis to active opposition. Judea had already been aroused and Jerusalem was the headquarters of the definite campaign now organized against Jesus. One must bear in mind that John 4:1-4 shows that Jesus had already left Jerusalem and Judea because of the jealousy of the Pharisees. They are here on purpose to find fault and to make charges against Jesus. One must not forget that there were many kinds of Pharisees and that not all of them were as bad as these legalistic and punctilious hypocrites who deserved the indictment and exposure of Christ in Matthew 23. Paul himself is a specimen of the finer type of Pharisee which, however, developed into the persecuting fanatic till Jesus changed his whole life.The power of the Lord was with him to heal (Κυριου — dunamis Kuriou ēn eis to iāsthai auton). So the best texts. It is neat Greek, but awkward English: “Then was the power of the Lord for the healing as to him (Jesus).” Here δυναμεις — Kuriou refers to Jehovah.Dunamis (dynamite) is one of the common words for “miracles” What Luke means is that Jesus had the power of the Lord God to heal with. He does not mean that this power was intermittent. He simply calls attention to its presence with Jesus on this occasion. [source]
Luke 5:17 Were sitting by [νομοδιδασκαλοι]
Periphrastic imperfect again. There is no “by” in the Greek.Doctors of the law (ιεροδιδασκαλος — nomodidaskaloi). A compound word formed after analogy of γραμματεις — hierodidaskalos but not found outside of the N.T. and ecclesiastical writers, one of the very few words apparently N.T. in usage. It appears here and Acts 5:34; 1 Timothy 1:7. It is not likely that Luke and Paul made the word, but they simply used the term already in current use to describe teachers and interpreters of the law. Our word “doctor” is Latin for “teacher.” These “teachers of the law” are called elsewhere in the Gospels “scribes” (νομικος — grammateis) as in Matthew and Mark (See note on Matthew 5:20; Matthew 23:34) and Luke 5:21; Luke 19:47; Luke 21:1; Luke 22:2. Luke also employs νομος — nomikos (one skilled in the law, οι γραμματεις και οι Παρισαιοι — nomos) as in Luke 10:25. One thinks of our LL.D. (Doctors of Civil and Canon Law), for both were combined in Jewish law. They were usually Pharisees (mentioned here for the first time in Luke) for which see note on Matthew 3:7, note on Matthew 5:20. Luke will often speak of the Pharisees hereafter. Not all the “Pharisees” were “teachers of the law” so that both terms often occur together as in Luke 5:21 where Luke has separate articles (οι ησαν εληλυτοτες — hoi grammateis kai hoi Pharisaioi), distinguishing between them, though one article may occur as in Matthew 5:20 or no article as here in Matthew 5:17. Luke alone mentions the presence here of these Pharisees and doctors of the law “which were come” (εκ πασης κωμης της Γαλιλαιας και Ιουδαιας και Ιερουσαλημ — hoi ēsan elēluthotes periphrastic past perfect active, had come).Out of every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem Edersheim (Jewish Social Life) observes that the Jews distinguished Jerusalem as a separate district in Judea. Plummer considers it hyperbole in Luke to use “every village.” But one must recall that Jesus had already made one tour of Galilee which stirred the Pharisees and rabbis to active opposition. Judea had already been aroused and Jerusalem was the headquarters of the definite campaign now organized against Jesus. One must bear in mind that John 4:1-4 shows that Jesus had already left Jerusalem and Judea because of the jealousy of the Pharisees. They are here on purpose to find fault and to make charges against Jesus. One must not forget that there were many kinds of Pharisees and that not all of them were as bad as these legalistic and punctilious hypocrites who deserved the indictment and exposure of Christ in Matthew 23. Paul himself is a specimen of the finer type of Pharisee which, however, developed into the persecuting fanatic till Jesus changed his whole life.The power of the Lord was with him to heal (Κυριου — dunamis Kuriou ēn eis to iāsthai auton). So the best texts. It is neat Greek, but awkward English: “Then was the power of the Lord for the healing as to him (Jesus).” Here δυναμεις — Kuriou refers to Jehovah.Dunamis (dynamite) is one of the common words for “miracles” What Luke means is that Jesus had the power of the Lord God to heal with. He does not mean that this power was intermittent. He simply calls attention to its presence with Jesus on this occasion. [source]
Luke 5:17 Doctors of the law [ιεροδιδασκαλος]
A compound word formed after analogy of γραμματεις — hierodidaskalos but not found outside of the N.T. and ecclesiastical writers, one of the very few words apparently N.T. in usage. It appears here and Acts 5:34; 1 Timothy 1:7. It is not likely that Luke and Paul made the word, but they simply used the term already in current use to describe teachers and interpreters of the law. Our word “doctor” is Latin for “teacher.” These “teachers of the law” are called elsewhere in the Gospels “scribes” (νομικος — grammateis) as in Matthew and Mark (See note on Matthew 5:20; Matthew 23:34) and Luke 5:21; Luke 19:47; Luke 21:1; Luke 22:2. Luke also employs νομος — nomikos (one skilled in the law, οι γραμματεις και οι Παρισαιοι — nomos) as in Luke 10:25. One thinks of our LL.D. (Doctors of Civil and Canon Law), for both were combined in Jewish law. They were usually Pharisees (mentioned here for the first time in Luke) for which see note on Matthew 3:7, note on Matthew 5:20. Luke will often speak of the Pharisees hereafter. Not all the “Pharisees” were “teachers of the law” so that both terms often occur together as in Luke 5:21 where Luke has separate articles (οι ησαν εληλυτοτες — hoi grammateis kai hoi Pharisaioi), distinguishing between them, though one article may occur as in Matthew 5:20 or no article as here in Matthew 5:17. Luke alone mentions the presence here of these Pharisees and doctors of the law “which were come” (εκ πασης κωμης της Γαλιλαιας και Ιουδαιας και Ιερουσαλημ — hoi ēsan elēluthotes periphrastic past perfect active, had come). [source]
1 Corinthians 10:9 Let us tempt Christ [ἐκπειράζωμεν τὸν Χριστόν]
The compound word is very significant, “to tempt out ” ( ἐκ ); tempt thoroughly; try to the utmost. It occurs in three other places: Matthew 4:7; Luke 4:12; Luke 10:25; and, in every case, is used of tempting or testing Christ. Compare Psalm 77:18(Sept.). For Christ read Κύριον theLord. [source]
1 Corinthians 10:9 Neither let us tempt the Lord [μηδε εκπειραζωμεν τον Κυριον]
So the best MSS. instead of Christ. This compound occurs in lxx and in N.T. always about Christ (here and Matthew 4:7; Luke 4:12; Luke 10:25). Let us cease sorely (εκ — ek̇) tempting the Lord by such conduct. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 10:25 mean?

And behold a lawyer certain stood up testing Him saying Teacher what having done life eternal will I inherit
Καὶ ἰδοὺ νομικός τις ἀνέστη ἐκπειράζων αὐτὸν λέγων Διδάσκαλε τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω

ἰδοὺ  behold 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Imperative Active, 2nd Person Singular
Root: ἰδού  
Sense: behold, see, lo.
νομικός  a  lawyer 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: νομικός  
Sense: pertaining to the law, one learned in the law.
τις  certain 
Parse: Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: τὶς  
Sense: a certain, a certain one.
ἀνέστη  stood  up 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀναπηδάω 
Sense: to cause to rise up, raise up.
ἐκπειράζων  testing 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐκπειράζω  
Sense: to prove, test, thoroughly.
λέγων  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
Διδάσκαλε  Teacher 
Parse: Noun, Vocative Masculine Singular
Root: διδάσκαλος  
Sense: a teacher. 2 in the NT one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man.
ποιήσας  having  done 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ποιέω  
Sense: to make.
ζωὴν  life 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ζωή  
Sense: life.
αἰώνιον  eternal 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: αἰώνιος  
Sense: without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be.
κληρονομήσω  will  I  inherit 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Active, 1st Person Singular
Root: κληρονομέω  
Sense: to receive a lot, receive by lot.