Parables - The Good Samaritan
' But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.
Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side.
But when a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, he looked at him and had compassion. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’
Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
“The one who showed him mercy,” replied the expert in the law.
Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” '
Luke 10:29-37
[This is the 13th lesson in this series]
Jesus told this parable (story) after religious leaders were asking Him a question. They do this as much as they can, to test and try to trap Jesus.
Jesus responded to the question with a question, and then proceeded to tell a story when a follow up question was asked. Jesus does this quite often.
Defining the Religious Leaders
Jewish law tells them to love their "neighbor" as themselves. And the religious leaders were once again scheming and trying to trap Jesus by asking Him to define who is "our neighbor".
Jesus in essence ended up defining who they were as He responded with this parable, one full of hidden or double meanings. And as usual, Jesus lets them answer their own question themselves.
Jews and Samaritans
An assumption that we will be making as we read this story is that the person who was lying on the ground, victimized, was a Jewish man.
And so the first two people who happen to pass by and who have seen the victim, a fellow Jew, would normally would have considered this man as their neighbor.
But obviously they both didn't treat the man as their neighbor. What is a shame is that both people in the story were Levites (priests are from the Tribe of Levi). Both are respected men and religious leaders, holding high and important positions in their community and their church.
This is a knock on the religious leaders who were asking Him questions. Most Jewish people are aware that they mostly are "do as I say and not do as I do" kind of teachers.
They are known for their moral superiority and they aren't ashamed to flaunt how pious they are and they point out that they aren't like other people who aren't able to do certain good works like they do, and because of this, they believe they are the only ones who will inherit eternal life.
Their demeanor is such that they place unnecessary burdens on other people's shoulders through their attitude and their teachings, without lifting a finger to help them out. They constantly appear as they can do no wrong, and everyone else around them do not have a chance to make it to heaven.
Defining Our Neighbor
The third person in the story to pass by and see the victim lying on the ground was not a Jew. He was a Samaritan. Samaritans and Jews hate and they do not associate, with each other.
They have different cultures and beliefs. But it was the Samaritan who stopped and showed mercy towards the Jew who was in need of help.
Jesus gave the definition of our neighbor as someone who do not live among us, someone who looks and talks differently than us and someone who we do not mingle with and walk in the same circles we do. They are someone who treat us badly and someone we do not expect to help us out when we are the ones in need of assistance.
Jesus also have taught the message: "Love your enemy, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you". And He did so not just in words but in deeds.
Love covers a multitude of sins. Christ followers are to be known for their love, not their own selfish and self serving love but by the selfless and sacrificial love -- the love they received from God. (One cannot give out, something they haven't received. One cannot fake genuine love.).
An assumption that we will be making as we read this story is that the person who was lying on the ground, victimized, was a Jewish man.
And so the first two people who happen to pass by and who have seen the victim, a fellow Jew, would normally would have considered this man as their neighbor.
But obviously they both didn't treat the man as their neighbor. What is a shame is that both people in the story were Levites (priests are from the Tribe of Levi). Both are respected men and religious leaders, holding high and important positions in their community and their church.
This is a knock on the religious leaders who were asking Him questions. Most Jewish people are aware that they mostly are "do as I say and not do as I do" kind of teachers.
They are known for their moral superiority and they aren't ashamed to flaunt how pious they are and they point out that they aren't like other people who aren't able to do certain good works like they do, and because of this, they believe they are the only ones who will inherit eternal life.
Their demeanor is such that they place unnecessary burdens on other people's shoulders through their attitude and their teachings, without lifting a finger to help them out. They constantly appear as they can do no wrong, and everyone else around them do not have a chance to make it to heaven.
Defining Our Neighbor
The third person in the story to pass by and see the victim lying on the ground was not a Jew. He was a Samaritan. Samaritans and Jews hate and they do not associate, with each other.
They have different cultures and beliefs. But it was the Samaritan who stopped and showed mercy towards the Jew who was in need of help.
Jesus gave the definition of our neighbor as someone who do not live among us, someone who looks and talks differently than us and someone who we do not mingle with and walk in the same circles we do. They are someone who treat us badly and someone we do not expect to help us out when we are the ones in need of assistance.
Jesus also have taught the message: "Love your enemy, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you". And He did so not just in words but in deeds.
Love covers a multitude of sins. Christ followers are to be known for their love, not their own selfish and self serving love but by the selfless and sacrificial love -- the love they received from God. (One cannot give out, something they haven't received. One cannot fake genuine love.).
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