# Who is my neighbor?



## Herald (Sep 27, 2016)

Leviticus 19:18 "You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the LORD."

Matthew Henry writes on this passage, "We are here required to put off all malice, and to put on brotherly love,". 

Is it safe to assume that the "neighbor" of Lev. 19:18 (c.f. Mt. 19:19; Mk 12:31) is our brother in Christ and not necessarily our physical neighbor? Not that we shouldn't display the love of Christ to those around us, but we are to follow Christ's command to "Love one another" i.e. the body of Christ (Jn 13:34).


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## Ed Walsh (Sep 27, 2016)

Herald said:


> Is it safe to assume that the "neighbor" of Lev. 19:18 (c.f. Mt. 19:19; Mk 12:31) is our brother in Christ and not necessarily our physical neighbor?



All men are intended, but the Scripture also teaches that we should show concern (Biblical love="do good" see: Romans 13:8-10) “especially” to our fellow believers.

Galatians 6:10
As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.


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## SeanPatrickCornell (Sep 27, 2016)

Pretty sure Jesus answered this question definitively in Luke 10:25-37

And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?
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*.
And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And *who is my neighbour?*
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
But *a certain Samaritan*, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
*Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.*


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## Christian Teegardin (Sep 27, 2016)

The other two posters explained it well. Our neighbor is our neighbor, literally, but we are to show care especially to our spiritual brethren. God bless.


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## VictorBravo (Sep 28, 2016)

SeanPatrickCornell said:


> Pretty sure Jesus answered this question definitively in Luke 10:25-37



That was my first thought, too.

Of course, there are different ways of expressing that love through action, and we ought especially to be inclined to favor brothers and sisters.

But there is that need aspect Jesus mentions. Samaritans were despised and not "sons of the people." And yet this one was a neighbor.


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## Djenks (Oct 27, 2016)

As we are all sinners, and the only thing that separates us from everyone one else is the grace of God; we should treat others as God has treated us with grace. I do feel that we should be especially diligent with our Christian brothers in that grace since God has had mercy on us. 

Galatians 6:2 (NASB) 2 Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:3 (NASB) 3 For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.


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