Abstract
This study analyzes the eternal life narrative—including the Parable of the Good Samaritan—in Luke 9:51–11:13 from contextual, literary, and theological perspectives. Traditional interpretations have primarily understood the parable as an ethical lesson and an exemplary model of neighborly love. However, this study reinterprets the parable within the broader chiastic structure of Luke’s narrative as a redemptive-historical message, exploring the theological essence of eternal life.
To achieve this, the study reshapes the sequential narratives in Luke into a contextual chiastic structure, demonstrating how the questions and responses regarding eternal life symmetrically correspond and reinforce the overarching theological message.
Specifically, this research integrates Inter-Narrative Structure, Intertextuality, and contextual narrative analysis to show that the parable of the Good Samaritan, as part of the Lawyer’s Eternal Life Narrative, transcends mere ethical teaching and conveys a divine invitation grounded in God’s grace and redemptive work. Moreover, through the narrative of Martha and Mary, it emphasizes that eternal life includes human response and obedience to God’s word as a component of the faith journey.
Ultimately, this study underscores that contextual analysis and literary techniques function not in opposition but in harmony, reinforcing Luke’s theological message and deepening the understanding of eternal life. It seeks to enrich theological discourse and provide a more nuanced redemptive-historical perspective on the concept of eternal life in the Gospel of Luke.