But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

LUKE 10:29KJV
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Luke 10:29 (KJV)

What does Luke 10:29 mean?

Luke 10:29 shows a man asking Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?” because he wants to defend or excuse himself. The verse highlights the man’s attempt to limit the meaning of “neighbour,” prompting Jesus to clarify what true neighborliness means.

The setting is a conversation between Jesus and a lawyer (an expert in Jewish law). The lawyer, after hearing Jesus say to “love your neighbour as yourself,” tries to justify his own behavior by asking who exactly counts as his neighbor. This question sets the stage for Jesus to tell the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which expands the idea of who should be considered a neighbor.

The Greek behind Luke 10:29

  • δικαιῶσαι (dikaiōsai, “justify”): This word means to declare oneself righteous or to show oneself as right. The verse uses it to show the lawyer’s motive—he is not just curious, but wants to prove he is already doing what the law requires.
  • πλησίον (plēsion, “neighbour”): This Greek word refers to someone who is near or close by, but its meaning in Jewish law could be narrowly interpreted. The lawyer’s question hints at wanting to define “neighbour” in a limited way, possibly to exclude certain people.

Why Luke 10:29 matters

  • Luke 10:29 makes clear that the lawyer’s question is not just academic; it is an attempt to limit his responsibility and justify his actions.
  • The verse sets up the famous Parable of the Good Samaritan, showing that Jesus will challenge narrow definitions of “neighbour.”
  • Understanding the lawyer’s motive helps readers see why Jesus responds with a story that radically broadens the idea of who deserves love and compassion.

Where else these words appear

“neighbour” Greek G4139 · used in 17 verses

  • Matthew 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
  • Luke 10:27 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.
  • Romans 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

“justify” Greek G1344 · used in 36 verses

  • Matthew 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.
  • Romans 3:26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
  • Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.