THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN

Martina Luther

Scripture:  Luke 10:25-37  “25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”.”

DISCUSSION:  This parable is one of the best know and sermons on this parable most commonly given.  Google searches for sermons on this topic has 481,000 results, so Christ’s message to us through this parable still commands great interest and hunger for Christ’s instruction. 

So what do most get from this parable?  Instruction and guidance on who God expects to help and those He expects in need of help.

That is true and we’ll discuss that instruction, but this parable also has an eternal lesson with a deeper meaning and instruction, which we will also explore.

This scripture responds to two questions. 

  1. How to have eternal life
  2. Who is our neighbor

Jesus and the Lawyer                                                                                                                                                   A lawyer approached Jesus with a sincere and important question asking how He could inherit eternal life.  An inheritance is not earned by accessible by proof of being an heir of owner He designated to receive his specified possessions.  Non- heirs can also receive an inheritance if owner included them in his legal will.  So if the lawyer was asking how he could legally receive eternal life, he was inquiring from the owner of eternal life, the owner and administrator of eternal life so designated and dispatched in human form by the Father.  Jesus came to earth with full authority of the Father so Jesus’ response was identical to the response God the Father would give if asked of Him.

His question “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  assumes eternal life is inherited and not earned or given by a living owner, but does recognize a personal relationship between owner and receiver.  Jesus’ response of this parable addresses the inheritance question and the unasked earned question.  The parable tells us eternal life is not just inherited and definately no earned but given. 

Jesus responds with a question asking him what the Law said.  The Lawyer know Old Testament scripture and specific scripture recorded in Deuteronomy 4:4-7 “4 “Hear, O Israel: [a]The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”  He also added Leviticus 19:18 “18 You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”  For the lawyer to join these verses and tie loving God to loving his neighbor is both key and is supported by Jesus’  response.  Then the lawyer asked who was his neighbor, prompting Jesus to then respond with the story of the Good Samaritan. 

We don’t know if the story happened or just a story created to clarify and help answer the lawyer’s sincere question and ours too.  Not the answer expected or maybe hoped but a far better and more wonderful answer for him and for us too. 

But let’s first look at the contrast of who the Jewish culture judged their neighbor and Jesus’ view.  Only a fellow Jew was considered a neighbor.  A Gentile or a Samaritan was judged neither a neighbor nor an equal in Jewish culture and worthy of respect or help.  The Lawyer thought treating a fellow Jew as an equal and with respect and compassion was sufficient to earn him eternal life.  Human nature has always preferred or diluted or diminished God’s standards for behavior.

Well, Jesus not only introduces us to the lawyer but to the Samaritan, the Priest, and the Scribe too.                                          

The Priest and Levite

The road between Jericho and Jerusalem was 18 miles long and narrow and rocky.  An ideal place for robbers to hide waiting for defenseless travelers.  So Jesus’ parable is based on real cases of robbery and beatings or worse to travelers.  

Samaritans were hated by Jews.  Why?  Judah and Israel were separated in 9th century BC and King Omri bought the hill of Samaria from Semer (1 Kings 16:24) and built the city of Samaria as the capital.  In 722 BC the city fell to the Assyrians and became the capital of the Assyrians province there.  The Jews living in Samaria intermarried with the pagan settlers and invaders and their decedents were known as the Samaritans.  During Jesus’ time the Samaritans condemned the Jews for judging them and not allowing to worship in Jerusalem and for treated them as inferior since they were not full blood Jews.  Truth is many Jews were no longer pure blood Jews when returning from Babylon either.  Prejustice bred prejustice from one generation to another and built hatred between then both in strength and in misunderstanding.  Jews were discouraged from association with or showing compassion or respect for Samaritans and Samaritans likewise towards Jews.

So for Jesus to go through Samaria and show interest and compassion towards them was significant.  Likewise, the use a Samaritan to show compassion towards a traveler while a Priest and Levite ignored him for what they thought were good reasons was also significant. The Priest and Levite felt no obligation to help the dying traveler due to pressing obligations.  For Jesus it didn’t matter whether the traveler was a Jew or Samaritan or a Pagan but He gave the impression the traveler was a fellow Jew.  It only mattered who helped him.  Story does have more significant if traveler was a Jew and for a Levite or a Priest to withhold helping a needy Jew and for a Samaritan to render help to a Jew.  Since Jesus was telling this story to a Jew, it is likely the Lawyer and disciples and other listeners received the story thinking the traveler was a fellow Jew since the mostly likely travelers from Jericho to Jerusalem (including Levites and Priests) were Jews.

But Jesus made it clear to those listening that the Priest and Levite were not being good neighbors to the traveler.  They were more worried about staying on schedule to meet their obligations and avoid risk of being “unclean” by helping a bleeding hurt human.  To touch blood by Jewish law would render them unclean and unprepared to do their duties.  That was more important to them than the life of one in need, but not to Jesus as the parable revealed.

The Jew and the Samaritan    

The hatred the Jews and Samaritans had for each other was real to them but Jesus was using this parable and His own example to show  them that their hatred was not acceptable to Him or to the Father.  He showed them Samaritans were His beloved people too and lived under God’s Law and moral standard of conduct too.  They too would be included in His redemption, for His coming sacrifice would be for them too.  Eternal life would become available to Jews and Samaritans and even Romans and all people.  His sacrifice on the cross would be sufficient for all and available to all willing to accept it and yield to Christ.  

It was the Samaritan who had compassion on the Jewish traveler. It was the Samaritan who showed love to him and saved his life. Jesus then asked the Lawyer who was the traveler’s neighbor.          Jesus used this parable to reveal to listeners then, to listeners through the centuries, to listeners today, and on until His return: 

  1. Jesus came to be the Messiah and became the one perfect sacrifice to redeem all people of all races and background who will receive – accept His redemption.
  2. Jesus exampled the perfect life He wants us to strive for with His help. He wants us to love each other as He loves us and be in relationship with Him as He showed us with His relationship with the Father.
  3. Jesus showed us the one and only way to eternal life is through Him (John 14:6). He calls us to share His Gospel of redemption to others not motivated by selfish ideas of earning eternal life or forgiveness but out of our love for Him and compassion and need of others no matter who they are or what they have done.  Why?  Because of His love and mercy for us and because He is our Lord and Savior and Redeemer.  
  4. Jesus told the Lawyer to go and do as the Samaritan did, not for purpose of gaining a reward or repayment but because doing so is the right and good thing to do. Because He asks us too.  Because doing so gives us purpose and fulfillment.  Because doing so gives life, not death.
  5. Eternal life is not an inheritance entitled but a gift available to all. Only qualification is receiving it and yielding to God’s Will. 
  6. Love for Him is demonstrated by love for one another, especially the unlovable. By showing mercy and being a good neighbor to the needy unable to repay kindnesses.  By bringing others together and not dividing or causing division with others.  By bringing healing and not harm.  Not counting reward or cost.  Only responding to His call and trusting His promise to not leave or forsake us.  Trusting in Him and Him above all else.
  7. ANSWERING JESUS’ CALL TO BE ACCESSIBLE! TO BE OPEN TO GOD’S NUDGING!  FREEING UP  TIME AND BEING AVAILABLE!  TO BE A SERVANT USING RESOURCES AND ABILITIES IN HAND!   TO TRUST GOD TO PROVIDE RESULTS!
  8. IDEAS: Broaden influence by volunteering beyond local church like local pantry, local hospital or park, school, cemetery, fire department,…

Jeremiah 29:13 “13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

“To love is not to wish one another well, but to carry one another’s burdens –  that is, things that are grievous to us, and that we would not willingly bear. Therefore, Christians must have strong shoulders and bones.”      MARTIN LUTHER

Published by donsdevotions

Don McDaniel - Who am I? Hello everyone and welcome to my devotional journal blog. In order to get acquainted and help you get to know me a bit better before considering following my blog, let me give you some background. I am a 69-year-old male and a retired engineer. I worked for a major supplier of underground mining equipment for nearly 40 years before retiring in 2012. Arlene and I have been happily married since April 1978 and have two grown – married children, one granddaughter and 2 step grandsons. I joined the local United Methodist church at age 12 after accepting Christ as my Savior at age 10 during revival services in that same church in 1961, so I have been a “Born Again” Christian all my teen years and adult life. Christ has helped and guided me all that time. He guided me in choosing my wife and life’s career. My life journey has included regrets and failures, but God has picked me up and protected and spared me from life threatening consequences and dangers more times than I can recall or count. But many I do recall and encourage and motivate me to trust and follow Christ with more passion than ever. Christmas 2011 our daughter gave Arlene and I each a devotional journal. Journals were books with devotion for each day and space to give personal impressions and thoughts related to each devotion. Her desire was to have a lasting legacy she could refer back to and share with her children and grandchildren especially after we are gone. I was touched by that gesture. My parents and Arlene’s were devout Christians, so we would have greatly treasured having that from them, so we felt a sense of urgency to honor her request. I finished my journal first and returned it to our daughter the following Christmas. I’m glad I did it then because Parkinson’s has caused my hand writing to deteriorate since then. The exercise was such a blessing for me. Discipline of keeping journal helped me gain a deeper walk with Christ and greater discipline in honoring my time of prayer and devotion with Him each day. So, I decided to continue the practice but since I could not find a paper journal I liked, I decided to create my own. I had already been receiving electronic devotions by email every day from several sources, my favorite being “Turning Point” from Dr. David Jeremiah. What I decided to do was to include devotional scripture but add my own thoughts and comments only so there would be no issue of copyright infringement. Creating and maintaining journal by computer also addressed my deteriorating handwriting ability. I started an electronic devotion journal January 1, 2013 and have been faithful to that practice every day since. I prayed about method and level of distribution. My initial intent was to only share it with my two children by email, but quickly discovered others in my family, my church, and friends from work (both retired and still working) who knew me and wanted to be included in distribution when they learned what I was doing. I now distribute by email my daily journal at the beginning of each month to over 150 friends and relatives. God has richly blessed and encouraged me. I am concerned with the state of our church and nation, and world for that matter, believing we are living in the end times the prophets of old and Christ have talked about in scripture, so time is short. I desire to be true to my Savior and a witness to help others come to a saving knowledge of Him and equipped to share His Good News too. If my journal can encourage and help others, I believe God wants me to share it. I struggled, for a time at first, because I know many others keep similar journals but only for their own edification and do not want to share them because they are private. However, Christ has stirred my heart to share it as a witness tool. Our son and daughter have a long-time friend who grew up with them who we also befriended nearly 25 years ago. He had a lot of family problems, so would gravitate to our family as a refuge and eventually thought of us as his adopted parents and he as our adopted son. We lost contact with him for some time when he grew up and left home. He traveled around the U.S. and eventually ended up in Ukraine where he resided for next 10 years. He had to return to the US 4 years ago to renew his visa and took opportunity to recommend I begin a blog of my devotions and helped me set it up. He is also an active blogger and has been an email subscriber to my journal for several months, so he has been suggesting I expand my distribution by starting a blog to get broader exposure. After reflection and prayer, I concluded God was in this, so he is helping me set up my blog site. This brief autobiography is my first entry. He returned to Ukraine, then resided there until circumstanced made him decide to move back to US with his young son. This biography was my first post February 29, 2016 and have just updated December 28, 2019 for republishing. Thus far I have published 530 posts automatically sent to all my Facebook friends, published on WordPress to be accessible to anyone curious or seeking a deeper walk with God. I hope and pray my devotions will continue to be a blessing for you. God certainly has become closer and more real to me during past 7 years I have spent time with Him studying scripture and praying and listening and writing this journal. I will continue seeking God’s help and will welcome your input to make this site as meaningful as I can and true to God, who is motivating me to create and maintain it. I will also welcome input in order to make format more meaningful going forward. Don & Arlene McDaniel In His Service, Email: dmcdaniel12@zoominternet.net Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Don1951 If you wish, you can access my blog at “https://donsdevotions.wordpress.com“. There you will find 600+ blog posts I have made plus a link to my devotional journal material archives from 2013 to present (https://donsdevotions.wordpress.com/2016/03/02/link-to-dons-devotional-journal-entries-2013/ ) You may also access my Facebook page and request to be my friend and automatically receive my daily journal publications daily. My Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/Dondevotionals/ Many thanks to a pastor and dear brother in Christ in Nepal who set up the above Facebook page to help and encourage and give opportunity for more to explore and use my devotional blog materials.

Leave a comment