Who Is My Neighbor
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Who Is My Neighbor
Herb Montgomery | July 11, 2025
If you’d like to listen to this week’s article in podcast version click on the image below:
Our reading this week is from the gospel of Luke:
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37)
Our reading in Luke is rooted in two previous narratives from both Mark and Matthew. Let’s begin by taking a moment to consider at those.
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34)
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:34-40)
Lukes version of this story is a little different from both Mark’s and Matthew’s. Luke’s author uses the dialogue regarding the greatest commandment to tell the story of the good Samaritan, which only appears in Luke’s version of the Jesus story.
The parable’s context is the deep-rooted hostility between Judean Jews and Israelite Samaritans. The story portrays a Samaritan in a positive light contrasted with a Judean priest and a Judean Levite. The story then transgresses Judeans’ negative stereotypes about Samaritans and challenges their lens of “us” versus “them.”
In the story, Jesus portrays the Samaritan as operating at a higher level of moral development than the priest and the Levite. The Samaritan comes to the aid of a man—likely a Judean—who has been beaten and left for dead after two religious figures pass by without helping. In doing so, the Samaritan transgresses significant social, political, economic and religious boundaries. For Jesus’ audience, who were primarily Judean, the parable invites them to see the story through the eyes of the wounded man in the ditch. It also pushes them to recognize their “neighbor” in someone who isn’t only different from them, but also an Other they considered to be morally inferior. In these ways, the story calls its audience to a new kind of social reality by subverting the way they thought about Samaritans and luring the audience into transgressing social boundaries, too.
Today, this story of the good Samaritan could have many applications. In matters of race, it could be used to transgress racial supremacy, bias, and prejudice. In matters of gender, this story could be used to challenge partriarchal privilege and gender-based exclusion. This narrative could tell a powerful “good Samaritan” story today in the context of South American migrants here in the U.S., to challenge the xenophobic way some folks view migrants. The story could also be told in the context of the LGBTQ community where the question “who is my neighbor” could be used to transgress homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
Who today in our social context has their differences used against them? What religious or social boundaries does this story call us to transgress? How does it challenge us to reach across differences and consider the other person to be our neighbor?
In a world marked by the beauty of our diversity, we can choose to make our differences walls that separate us or we can choose to lean into our rich diversity as humans, recognizing we are still connected to each other, and allow that diversity to enrich our community and make us stronger, more compassionate and broaden what justice looks like in a world that is transformed into a safe home for all of us. Our differences are part of the rich tapestry of humanity. Recognizing and respecting them is essential, and it’s equally important to see the other person as our “neighbor.” This is not just a matter of tolerance or civility; it is a deeply moral and spiritual vision that calls us to our shared humanity.
Differences are often the first things we notice. They can shape our assumptions and interactions, and even trigger our fears. Whether the color of someone’s skin, the language they speak, the person they love, or the faith they follow, markers of difference can trigger feelings of unfamiliarity or anxiety. History is filled with examples of how divisions based on difference have led to injustice, violence, and the dehumanization of those deemed “other.” But we can choose a different response to our differences. To live in a just and compassionate world that is a safe home for us all, we must learn to embrace our differences, viewing each person, no matter how different, as our neighbor: someone worthy of empathy, care, and dignity.
The parable of the Good Samaritan told in Luke’s gospel is a powerful illustration of this principle. When asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus responds with a tale where the hero is not a familiar priest or Levite, but a member of a group the Judeans despised. The Samaritan’s compassion for the injured man defines what it means to be a neighbor. It’s not just about shared identity, tribe, or affiliation; it’s also about shared humanity and an act of compassion by a compassionate person who happens to belong to a despised community.
In an age of social media echo chambers and our polarized society, it is easy to limit ourselves to those who think or believe as we do. But real community begins when we allow ourselves to see the humanity in someone who is different. When we do this, we challenge not only our own biases but also the broader social structures that perpetuate exclusion and inequality.
Seeing the other as our neighbor does not mean ignoring differences or pretending they don’t matter. It means recognizing that differences can enrich our collective experience and that empathy is the foundation of just society. Our reading this week calls us to humility—to listen, to learn, and to serve, even when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable.
Ultimately, seeing others as neighbors is a choice. It is a spiritual and ethical discipline that transforms how we relate to those with whom we share our world. It invites us into a larger story, one in which love transgresses human-made boundaries, dignity is upheld, and justice and peace become possible. If we are to build a future that honors every human being, we must begin by looking at the person beside us, no matter how different, and saying, “You are my neighbor.”
Discussion Group Questions
1. Share something that spoke to you from this week’s podcast episode with your discussion group.
2. What does embracing our differences mean to you? Share and discuss with your group.
3. What can you do this week, big or small, to continue setting in motion the work of shaping our world into a safe, compassionate, just home for everyone?
Thanks for checking in with us, today.
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My latest book Finding Jesus: A Fundamentalist Preacher Discovers the Socio-Political and Economic Teachings of the Gospels is available now on Amazon in paperback, Kindle and also on Audible in audio book format.
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You can watch our YouTube show each week called “Just Talking”. Each week, Todd Leonard and I take a moment to talk about the gospel lectionary reading for the upcoming weekend. We’ll be talking about each reading in the context of love, inclusion, and social justice. Our hope is that our talking will be just talking (as in justice) and that during our brief conversations each week you’ll be inspired to also do more than just talking. If you teach from the lectionary each week, or if you’re just looking for some thoughts on the Jesus story from a more progressive perspective within the context of social justice, check it out, you might like it. You can find JustTalking each week on YouTube at youtube.com/@herbandtoddjusttalking.
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Right where you are, keep living in love, choosing compassion, taking action, and working toward justice.
I love each of you dearly,
I’ll see you next week.
New Episode of “Just Talking” Now Online!
Lectionary Readings in the context of Love, Inclusion, & Social Justice
Season 3, Episode 19: Luke 10.25-37. Lectionary C, Proper 10
Each week, we’ll discuss the gospel lectionary reading for the upcoming weekend in the context of love, inclusion, and justice. We hope that our talking will be “just” talking (as in justice) and that we’ll be inspired to do more than “just talking” during our brief conversations each week.
If you teach from the lectionary each week, or if you’re just looking for some thoughts on the Jesus story from a more progressive perspective within the context of social justice, check it out.
New Episode of The Social Jesus Podcast
A podcast where we talk about the intersection of faith and social justice and what a first century, prophet of the poor from Galilee might have to offer us today in our work of love, compassion and justice.
This week:
Season 2 Episode 28: Who Is My Neighbor?
Luke 10:25-37
“Ultimately, seeing others as neighbors is a choice. It is a spiritual and ethical discipline that transforms how we relate to those with whom we share our world. It invites us into a larger story, one in which love transgresses human-made boundaries, dignity is upheld, and justice and peace become possible. If we are to build a future that honors every human being, we must begin by looking at the person beside us, no matter how different, and saying, “You are my neighbor.”
Available on all major podcast carriers and at:
https://the-social-jesus-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/who-is-my-neighbor
Finding Jesus: A Fundamentalist Preacher Discovers the Socio-Political & Economic Teachings of the Gospels.
by Herb Montgomery
Available now on Amazon!
In Finding Jesus, author Herb Montgomery delves into the profound and often overlooked political dimensions of the gospels. Through meticulous analysis of biblical texts, historical context, and social discourse, this thought-provoking book unveils the gospels’ socio-political, economic teachings as rooted in a profound concern for justice, compassion, and the well-being of the marginalized. The book navigates the intersections between faith and societal justice, presenting a compelling argument for a more socially engaged and transformative Christianity.
Finding Jesus is not just a scholarly exploration; it is a call to action. It challenges readers to reevaluate their understanding of Christianity’s role in public life and to consider how the radical teachings of the gospels can inspire a renewed commitment to justice, equality, and compassion. This book is a must-read for those seeking a deeper understanding of the social implications of Christian faith and a blueprint for building a more just and inclusive society.
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