Luke 10:26

He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

Luke 10:26 (KJV)

Context

In Luke 10:25-37, a lawyer—an expert in the law of Moses—asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. The question was a test, not a sincere search for truth. Jesus answers with a counter-question, turning the lawyer back to the law he knew well.

Meaning

Jesus asks, “What is written in the law? how readest thou?” The first part points to the written text of Scripture as the authoritative standard. The second part, “how readest thou?” goes deeper: it asks how the lawyer interprets, understands, and applies that text. Jesus is not dismissing the law but directing the lawyer to engage with it personally and honestly.

Biblical connections

The lawyer answers by summarizing the law as loving God with all one’s heart, soul, strength, and mind, and loving one’s neighbor as oneself (Luke 10:27). Jesus affirms this answer in Luke 10:28, saying, “do this, and thou shalt live.” This shows that the law requires action, not just intellectual agreement. The exchange sets the stage for the parable of the Good Samaritan, which illustrates what it means to love a neighbor in practice.

Application

Like the lawyer, we are invited to examine what is written in God’s Word and to consider how we read it. Do we read Scripture to defend our own views, or to be changed by it? Jesus’ question calls us to approach the Bible with humility, letting it shape our understanding and our actions.

Reflection

This verse reminds us that knowing the law is not enough; we must live it. The lawyer knew the right answer, but Jesus called him to do it. As we read Scripture, we should ask not only what it says, but how we are to obey it in our daily lives.