Who is really your neighbor? Let’s go deep and grasp the true meaning of the teachings of YAHUSHA on this subject that have not yet been fully understood by many.
The MESSIAH YAHUSHA was asked by an expert in the law in Luke 10: 25, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” This question led to the story of the famous and well known Good Samaritan.
I believe many people have read the story. If you have not, please go to Luke 10:25 to 37 and read it. Now, I will explain.
Your neighbor is not just your relatives and those who live close to you. Your neighbor in this parable according to YAHUSHA the MESSIAH is your enemy. That person you would not normally help. Let us break it down.
A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. He is a “Jew”(Yahudiym). To travel from Jerusalem to Jericho, you will go through a very lonely and dangerous road at that time. This man a Yahudiym was caught and beaten and left half dead. His brother who was a priest passed him. His brother a Levite did the same. But now, something that is unheard of happened.
A Samaritan saw him and stopped because he was moved with compassion. He attended to him.
Let me help you the reader to understand it very well.
In the days of YAHUSHA and before, the Jews and Samaritan do not share the same road and they hate each other. They are worse than cat and mouse. Why? The Samaritans did not support or help the Israelites to rebuild their temple and their land when they came back from captivity.
They fought them and caused them many problems. This was why the Jews now decided to have nothing to do with them. So now you can see how long these problems have lasted. I will support this with scriptural references so you understand better.
John 4:9
“The Samaritan woman said to YAHUSHA, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
Look at what James and John asked YAHUSHA when the people of Samaria refused to allow YAHUSHA and His Disciples to pass through their town on their way to Jerusalem:
Luke 9:54 “When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “MASTER, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But YAHUSHA rebuked them never to think or act in such a manner.
These two instances in the scripture made it very clear that Jews and Samaritans have nothing in common.
Why did YAHUSHA use that story then? He wants to tell us that those who we take as our enemies and those who hate us are our neighbors. We must help them anytime they are in need. Even though they may not appreciate our help and kind gestures, but we must help them.
Our reward will come from our father in Heaven. The Samaritan spent his money on an “enemy” that may never say thanks or appreciate his kind act. It is a parable and only the wise will understand why YAHUSHA the Son of YAHUAH our ELOHIYM taught his brothers with such a parable.
This great teaching echoed in the teaching HE gave again in Matthew 5:38-48 about loving your enemy and praying for those who persecute you.
Brethren, we must Stop calling fire on our brothers and sisters who hate us but rather pray that the demons using them as instruments to attack you will depart from them and leave them.
If we are truly Disciples of YAHUSHA, let us learn from HIM. We will not be able to apply this in our lives until we become born of HOLY SPIRIT. You must become a real born again not fake one. That is why we need HOLY SPIRIT to help us, to open our heart, to take away our heart of stone and give us a heart of flesh instead.
Please do not join those who are still following the Law of Moses: hit me and I hit you back, an eye for and an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
If you are a true disciple of YAHUSHA, please follow and keep His teachings. But if the Law of Moses is your standard, be sure that same law will be used to judge you and I can assure you, you will be found wanting.
All who tried failed. Let us love like our MASTER. This has nothing to do with self-defence; it is a natural instinct to defend your life and save yourself when attacked or to run far away if you see the chance. Wisdom should teach you that.
May YAHUAH, our ELOHIYM, give us His HOLY SPIRIT so that we can carry these great teachings out every day of our lives, just like our MASTER and MESSIAH YAHUSHA, the Son of YAHUAH did. He prayed for those who crucified Him saying “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing”.
SHALOM