The Meaning of Luke 10:36 Explained

Luke 10:36

KJV: Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

YLT: 'Who, then, of these three, seemeth to thee to have become neighbour of him who fell among the robbers?'

Darby: Which now of these three seems to thee to have been neighbour of him who fell into the hands of the robbers?

ASV: Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbor unto him that fell among the robbers?

What is the context of Luke 10:36?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Which  now  of these  three,  thinkest  thou,  was  neighbour  unto him that fell  among  the thieves? 

What does Luke 10:36 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Jesus then applied the teaching of the parable to the lawyer by asking him which of the three passersby behaved as a neighbor. He reversed the lawyer"s original question ( Luke 10:29) and focused attention where it should have been, on the subject showing love rather than the object receiving it. The priest and the Levite had avoided contamination and ritual uncleanness, while the Samaritan had contracted it. Yet the two Jews had not showed compassion, whereas the true neighbor had.

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 10:36

Proved neighbour to him that fell [πλησιον γεγονεναι του εμπεσοντος]
Second perfect infinitive of γινομαι — ginomai and second aorist active participle of εμπιπτω — empiptō Objective genitive, became neighbour to the one, etc. Jesus has changed the lawyer‘s standpoint and has put it up to him to decide which of “these three” (τουτων των τριων — toutōn tōn triōn priest, Levite, Samaritan) acted like a neighbour to the wounded man. [source]
Was neighbor [πλησίον γεγονέναι]
More correctly, has become neighbor. Jesus throws himself back to the time of the story. So Rev., proved neighbor. “The neighbor Jews became strangers. The stranger Samaritan became neighbor to the wounded traveller” (Alford). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 10:36

1 Timothy 3:6 Lest [τυπωτεις]
“That not.” Being puffed up (τυποω — tuphōtheis). First aorist passive participle of τυπος — tuphoō old word (from εμπεσηι εις — tuphos smoke, pride), to raise a smoke or mist (a smoke-screen of pride). In N.T. only here; 1 Timothy 6:4; 2 Timothy 3:4. He fall into Second aorist active subjunctive with εμπιπτω — hina mē negative purpose, of εν — empiptō old verb, to fall into. Note both εις — en and κριμα του διαβολου — eis as in Matthew 12:11; Luke 10:36. The condemnation of the devil (κριμα — krima tou diabolou). See note on Romans 3:8 for του διαβολου — krima Best to take tou diabolou as objective genitive, though subjective in 1 Timothy 3:7, “the condemnation passed on or received by the devil” (not just “the slanderer,” any slanderer). [source]
1 Timothy 3:6 He fall into [ινα μη]
Second aorist active subjunctive with εμπιπτω — hina mē negative purpose, of εν — empiptō old verb, to fall into. Note both εις — en and κριμα του διαβολου — eis as in Matthew 12:11; Luke 10:36. The condemnation of the devil (κριμα — krima tou diabolou). See note on Romans 3:8 for του διαβολου — krima Best to take tou diabolou as objective genitive, though subjective in 1 Timothy 3:7, “the condemnation passed on or received by the devil” (not just “the slanderer,” any slanderer). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 10:36 mean?

Which of these - three a neighbor seems to you to have been of the [one] having fallen among the robbers
Τίς τούτων τῶν τριῶν πλησίον δοκεῖ σοι γεγονέναι τοῦ ἐμπεσόντος εἰς τοὺς λῃστάς

τούτων  of  these 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
τῶν  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
τριῶν  three 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: τρεῖς 
Sense: three.
πλησίον  a  neighbor 
Parse: Adverb
Root: πλησίον  
Sense: a neighbour.
δοκεῖ  seems 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: δοκέω  
Sense: to be of opinion, think, suppose.
σοι  to  you 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative 2nd Person Singular
Root: σύ  
Sense: you.
γεγονέναι  to  have  been 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Infinitive Active
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
τοῦ  of  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐμπεσόντος  having  fallen 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἐμπίπτω  
Sense: to fall into.
λῃστάς  robbers 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Plural
Root: ἀρχιλῃστής 
Sense: a robber, plunderer, freebooter, brigand.

What are the major concepts related to Luke 10:36?

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