Jesus teaches who our neighbor is: V. 29. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?
V. 30. 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. V. 31. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. V. 32. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
The lawyer was somewhat taken aback at the answer of Jesus, and especially by the pointed: This do! It was his boast that he had always kept the commandments of the Lord, and the implication of Christ that there was still something for him to do rather caused some resentment. His desire was to justify himself, the old story of the aim of every human being since the time of Adam.
"Those are the truly evil people that are proud of their external appearance, that want to justify themselves and make themselves pious with their works, as this lawyer here does.... Thus all hypocrites do that outwardly march along beautifully with admirable, great, high works. They may say that they do not covet glory and praise, but inwardly in their heart they are full of false ambition, they desire that all the world should know their piety, are greatly pleased if they hear any one neighbor" (Luther, 11,1539).