Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 10:29

"But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?" — Luke 10:29 (ASV)

The only way to justify oneself is to limit the extent of the law’s demand and consequently limit one’s own responsibility (see comment on Mk 12:31). This maneuver not only fails but has an opposite effect. Jesus will change the man’s very words (“Who is my neighbor?”) from a passive to an active sense (v.36).