The Good Samaritan

An expert in the Jewish Law approached Jesus and attempted to test Him with this question: “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus responded with this inquiry, “What is written in the Law?” The expert, relying on the Old Testament passages, replied, “You should love your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus replied, “YOU HAVE ANSWERED RIGHTLY. DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.”

Then the expert in the Law asked Jesus a second question: “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered with a parable about two men who failed to help their neighbor. Jesus related this story:A Samaritan man was going from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers. His assailants stripped off his clothes, viciously beat the man, and left him half-dead lying in the road.  Later, a priest came down the same road, and, when he saw the man, he ignored him and passed by on the other side.  Then, a Levite (priest of highest religious order) came down the road. He saw the man bleeding and avoided him by passing on the other side.

“A little later, a Samaritan traveled down the same road. He saw the condition of the man and took pity on him. The Samaritan went to the beaten, bleeding man and poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged the injuries. Afterwards, the Samaritan put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him overnight.  The next day the Samaritan paid the innkeeper enough money to look after the injured man while he was away. ‘Look after him,’ said the Samaritan, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’”

Jesus then asked the law expert which of the three passers-by was the neighbor of the man who was beaten by the robbers. The legal expert replied, “He who showed mercy to the beaten man.” Then, Jesus said, “GO AND DO LIKEWISE.”

For background, in 721 B.C., the Assyrian Empire invaded the Northern Kingdom of Israel (Samaria was capital) and carried its people into Assyrian captivity. Later, the Assyrians sent ‘pioneers’ from the empire to the Northern Kingdom to repopulate the conquered land with other Jewish settlers. They and their descendants were hated and considered “half breeds.” The Samaritans worshipped at a Temple built on Mount Gerizim and not the Jerusalem Temple. The Samaritans also had their own Bible. It represented an editing of the first five books of the Old Testament, called the Pentateuch. The History, Prophets, and Writings were excluded. The New Testament had not been written.

The ‘despised’ Samaritan who helped the robbed, bleeding, nearly-dead man on the Jericho Road, and not the two Jewish priests who avoided helping the injured man and left him to die. Jesus made it clear that we cannot despise or reject any person who believes differently from us. For, who is our neighbor? It is everyone!

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