Parable of the Good Samaritan

Luke 10.25-37 (NRSV)

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ²⁶He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ ²⁷He answered, ‘You shall 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 your neighbour as yourself.’²⁸And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ ³⁰Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. ³¹Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. ³²So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. ³⁴He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” ³⁶Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ ³⁷He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’

Dear reader,

I realise that some of what I reflect on this week might be considered controversial, for some years ago, I too would have thought this way if I were to have read this then. Please feel free to enter into discussion with me (and with others) on this important parable. It seems to me to be true that, as Dr Tom Wright suggests, the most familiar can sometimes be the most difficult to learn from, unless we are open to see things differently. For me, this parable has been the most familiar of all, and it has also been the one that has opened my eyes to the breadth and depth of the love of God in Jesus Christ and his Gospel.

As we saw last Sunday, the Apostles and the 70 disciples had experienced many wonderful things happening as they had ministered in Jesus' name. Now they needed to be taken yet a step further in their understanding. In his conversation with the Jewish lawyer in this lesson, Jesus explained the link between the ethics of law and the ethics of love. The lawyer asked Jesus the important question:

‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’

Jesus answered by putting a question to the lawyer who answered it perfectly. Verses 26-28 record:

²⁶He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ ²⁷He answered, ‘You shall 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 your neighbour as yourself.’²⁸And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’

I used to believe that the point is that neither the lawyer, nor any other human being has ever been able to keep God's law. In a sense this is true, but I now think that God does appreciate our efforts – inadequate though they might seem – and loves the fact that we do what we can. I also believe that he fills us with his Spirit and so enables us to grow in our love for others and that this is revealed by the good that we do. I also believed that there is no doubting the lawyer's knowledge of the Scriptures and their meaning and that even such excellent knowledge can do nothing to save a person. But experience has made me modify my ideas, especially as I have experienced the love of God from what I would have considered in the past to be the most surprising of sources – which to me - is exactly what I believe Jesus is trying to point out in this parable.

I used to believe that only those who had made a decision for Jesus, through repentance and faith were the ‘saved’ and unless a person accepts Jesus into their life by faith, they are going to a lost eternity. I also used to believe that there was a distinction between ethically good people and the ‘saved’ and that because we are justified by faith – apart from the works of the law – even these good living people are lost – unless they are able to express a faith in Christ.

I have come to realise that there are some people who think that because they believe all the right things, all is well with them before God. Yet, sometimes, their behaviour does not match up. From some people who claim to have correct doctrine, I have experienced judgmental behaviour, bigotry and prejudice, even leading to terrible incidents of discrimination. This was especially true in South Africa where I was born and educated. Of course the opposite is also true, where people who have espoused ‘correct’ doctrine, have also led lives that even better articulate what they believe by their actions rather than by their words. But it has also been my experience that some people of other faiths or indeed no faith at all, can be deeply caring, loving and all in a selfless way – even better than many Christians. I also know from Matthew 25 that when we are eventually judged, what we have believed will not even come into the question. What matters is how we have lived: have we fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked ... etc.?

I now believe that the love and forgiveness of Jesus is vast and is experienced by all who respond to other people as they try to love them as best they know how. I still believe that the ‘saved’ are not those who are trying to be good so that they can earn their just rewards. But I believe that the evidence of the love of God expressed through people’s selfless actions of love towards others is evidence that they have taken the step of faith, knowing that living this way is the right way – and simply that – and even if they do not know this or express this using theological language, or can be sure of this, it is this love that gives expression to their saving faith. I am now with Karl Rahner who suggested that goodness is a sign of salvation, even if the ‘good’ person does not know this – what he referred to as anonymous Christians.

The lawyer in this parable had all the right theology and doctrine and could not be faulted on any of these points; but he had also got things completely wrong.

My Samaritans have come in the form of Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims and even some atheists – all lovely gracious people - who have loved and cared for me in an unconditional way – giving me the evidence that they are disciples of Jesus – even if they do not know this as a fine point of doctrine. Recently I have discovered that many of these people of other faiths do indeed consider themselves disciples of Jesus with Hindus seeing Jesus as an incarnation, Muslims who revere Jesus and his teachings as from one of the greatest prophets. Yes, I would go much further than both as I see Jesus as the incarnation and that he is greater than all prophets, but I also believe that this parable is talking in radical terms suggesting that who is and who is not saved is God’s business, not mine! Making a Samaritan the hero, would have been radical of Jesus and I believe he is challenging us to radical love.

I believe our Lord is challenging us to ask: Who are our Samaritans? – as well as - who are our neighbours? As well as - who do we need to care for? And the answer appears to be – all people without exception.

The lawyer tried to avoid the discomfort he must have felt by asking another question. Verse 29 records:

But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ 

Warren Wiersbe comments:

The scribe gave the right answer, but he would not apply it personally to himself and admit his own lack of love for both God and his neighbour. So, instead of being justified by throwing himself on the mercy of God ..., he tried to justify himself and wriggle out of his predicament. He used the old debating tactic, "Define your terms! What do you mean by 'neighbour'? Who is my neighbour?"

Jesus did not answer this question directly, but told a story.

The road from Jerusalem to Jericho is about 27 km long. It was wild country and a place where people were often robbed. It was obviously unwise for anybody to travel this road alone. The victim was badly injured and is described as being 'half dead'.

A priest came by while the man was lying there. As the man was 'half dead', the priest might well have thought that he was in fact dead. If he touched a dead man the priest would become ceremonially unclean. To him therefore, religious ceremony was more important than human need. He did more than not help; he deliberately avoided any contact and went by on the other side. A Levite also came along, but he too, thought it better not to get involved and so he passed by on the other side.

Both these men, because of their profession or office ought to have been willing to do good to one in distress, but they were both too selfish. They might well have reasoned with themselves e.g. they did not know the wounded man, he might have got into trouble because he had been irresponsible and so it was his own fault, their time was limited or any number of excuses that all people are so adept at making. J C Ryle explains further:

We have in this a striking description, an exact picture of what is continually going on in the world. Selfishness is the leading characteristic of the great majority of [humankind]. That cheap charity that costs nothing more than a trifling subscription or contribution is common enough. But that self-sacrificing kindness of heart, which cares not what trouble is entailed, while good can be done, is a grace that is rarely met with.

Jesus' audience would have expected the priest and Levite to be followed by an Israelite lay member. They would almost certainly have expected a story with an anti Jewish religious twist. The religious leaders' opposition to Jesus was obvious to all and Jesus was often scathing in his response to them.  But, in view of the traditional bitterness between Jews and Samaritans, a Samaritan was probably the least expected person to be introduced. When they first heard mention of a Samaritan, they might even have thought that Jesus was bringing the robber out into the open. The Jews hated the Samaritans for many reasons, not least because they were racially mixed. Jesus showed them that what is important is not one's race, language or culture – and now my experience would even suggest ‘religion’ – because Samaritans were believed to be false in their beliefs - but what is in one's heart.

The Samaritan did the best he could there and then to make the man feel more comfortable. He cleaned the wounds with wine - the alcohol acting as a disinfectant. He then soothed the man's pain with oil. He also put the man on his donkey and travelled to the nearest inn. Most people, if they ever got this far in helping another person, would feel that they had fulfilled their responsibility; but not the Samaritan. He made further provision for the man, leaving money and promising more if necessary when he returned. In essence, the Samaritan was providing the man with about two months board and lodging. He saw what the man needed and did more than required to meet these needs.  He was able to help and so he went the extra mile and did everything and more for him.

This is the sort of behaviour that all Christians should be involved in. We should be ready to show kindness and love to everyone who is in need. We should not only care for our families, friends and relations or only those in the church. We do not need to get depressed because we cannot do everything possible for all those in need. Like the Samaritan, let us be found faithful in giving to those who come across our path. Let us not try to side-step them, but gladly minister to their every need as he was able.

In this story we see a summary of the different ways people deal with need in the world. The lawyer treated the wounded man as a topic for discussion; the thieves treated him as an object to exploit for their own gain. The priest saw him as a problem to avoid and the Levite as an object of curiosity. 'Only the Samaritan treated him as a person to love'. The commentator in the Life Application Bible concludes:

From the parable we learn three principles about loving our neighbour: (1) lack of love is often easy to justify, although it is never right; (2) our neighbour is any one of any race or creed or social background who is in need. (3) Wherever you live, there are needy people close by. There is no good rationale for refusing to help.

Jesus turned to the lawyer and asked:

... "Which one of these people was a real neighbour to the man who was beaten up by the robbers?" The teacher answered, "The one who showed pity." Jesus said, "Go and do the same."

Jesus revealed to the lawyer that even though he might have thought that he had been obedient to the law - he had not.

Ben Squires, in his book Walking Into Enemy Territory with a Wounded Man on Your Horse (see www.sermons.com) gives the following example that explains the parable in modern terms:

Biblical scholar Kenneth Bailey paints the picture of what it meant for the Good Samaritan to take the wounded man on his own donkey, ride into town, put him up at the inn, and care for him. There’s an unwritten shock in the parable of Jesus, a shock only heard by people living in the context of the story, a shock lost on us, but when Bailey changes the location and races of the characters, we today might have a better sense of the impact Jesus meant to have with this parable.

Bailey writes that the Good Samaritan is like “a Plains Indian in 1875 walking into Dodge City with a scalped cowboy on his horse, checking into a room over the local saloon, and staying the night to take care of him. Any Indian so brave would be fortunate to get out of the city alive even if he had saved the cowboy’s life.”

I have no doubt that salvation comes to the world in Jesus of Nazareth, who through his death and resurrection revealed that he was God’s Messiah, the Christ. But I believe this parable gives us a wake-up call to be open to those of other faiths and none who have obviously received the love of God into their lives because of the way that the fruits of the Spirit are revealed in their lives. I believe this is expressed in the opening words of Peter’s sermon when he met with Cornelius as recorded in Acts 10:34-5:

Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.