The Parables of Jesus - The Good Samaritan

Introduction

Today, we are going to look together at a parable that everyone knows, whether Christians or not. It has gone through the centuries, telling the story of a man who, while walking in this hilly region between Jerusalem and Jericho, fell into the hands of robbers and was violently attacked until he was left half dead.

Here, it will be a question of seeing how this man, wounded and lying on the ground, will be helped by a stranger with a good heart, full of compassion and mercy, becoming for him a providential person. Not because this man would be good in himself, but because what he shows reveals a heart touched by God, and that he expresses it by loving this man through concrete and intentional acts.

So, this story describes what a child of God, with a regenerated and transformed heart by the action of God, accomplishes — not in the name of a law, as good and perfect as it may be, spoken or written — but indeed through its practice, through its real manifestation. A life that no longer becomes a temporary sacrifice, but a living sacrifice, to the glory of the living God for all eternity.

Let us see all this together, and grow in this divine discipline that our Lord calls us to live: if we say that we love God with our mouth, then our actions must also follow, in order to confirm it.

Teaching

Reading of the context of the passage – “And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? How do you read it?’ And he 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 neighbor as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.’” vv.25-28

“And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’” (v.25)

We can see that a lawyer, or an expert of the law, certainly a scribe or a Pharisee, stands up and wants to put Jesus Christ to the test, seeking to test His knowledge of the law, or even to understand what His knowledge of the Scriptures in general was.

Why this? To try to discredit Jesus, to make Him weak in the eyes of the people, and thus to trap Him.

We can also discern a certain tone when he addresses Jesus by saying “Teacher.” This was probably not a sincere mark of respect, but rather a way to position himself above, seeking to test the One he is questioning.

Eternal life is a divine concept known among the Jews. However, it is once again misinterpreted, because for a religious person, it is only a matter of following and accomplishing the law in a strict way.

This passage also shows us another moment where Jesus speaks to the rich young man, who asks exactly the same question concerning the way to inherit eternal life: “And behold, a man came up to him, saying, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’”(Matthew 19:16)

His answer is also given with the same objective: to bring the man to understand that no one can be justified by the works of the law, and that salvation does not come from works, but from grace, through faith.

“He said to him, ‘What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” (v.26)

Jesus does not answer him with a statement, but rather with two questions: What does the law say? And what is your interpretation of it?

By doing this, Jesus Christ does not rely simply on a personal answer, but He points back to what comes from the Father, to the Word of God, in order to make clear that God has already revealed everything in His Word, and in this way to confront the expert of the law on his own ground, what he considers to know best.

Jesus shows us that the supreme authority over all creation is indeed the Word of God. However, knowledge — and not only reading, that is to say the interpretation we give to it — makes all the difference.

The depths of this Word are immense, certainly, but they are also beautiful to explore, and so beneficial for our souls.

To know the Word of God with intellectual skill is a good thing; however, this skill must also be accompanied by the application of what is written. Jesus Himself came to manifest it in His own person. Which means that if we truly know Christ and Christ lives in us, the will of God is also manifested in us, and pushes us, and gives us this desire to manifest it around us.

“And he 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 neighbor as yourself.’” (v.27)

The expert of the law answered here with the two greatest commandments of God, which fully summarize the perfect law of God: first to love God, and secondly to love our neighbor as ourselves.

But God tells us in the law that if even one of the commandments is not fulfilled, the whole law is broken, leading to the condemnation of the person who has not obeyed.

Who today can boast of loving his God with all his strength, with all his soul, with all his mind? Who can claim to be even good in the eyes of God?

“And he said to him, ‘You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.’” (v.28)

Jesus shows by His answer that they are both, in appearance, in agreement on the level of the Scriptures.

But there is a deep difference: one speaks in a theoretical way, the other speaks in a living way. For it is not only a matter of knowing, but of doing and of living. He says to him: “do this, and you will live.” Doing is a direct consequence of the love that we say we have for God. The opposite would be to say that if we do not do, we do not live — one does not go without the other.

There is also here a question of belonging, that which comes from the heart of man, where life is found. If the spiritual works of God are manifested in our lives, this confirms that His law is written in our hearts. If we say that we are children of God, this must be manifested in our lives.

The Bible tells us in First Epistle of John 4:12 (ESV): “No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us…” No one has ever seen God, but God makes Himself visible through the lives of those who belong to Him.

And it is by their fruits, by their works, that we recognize those who are truly children of God, as Gospel of Matthew 7:16 (ESV) tells us: “You will recognize them by their fruits.”

In the world, the one who makes bread is called a baker, the one who repairs a car is a mechanic, and the one who shows love for his neighbor is called a child of God.

What shows in the world our belonging to Christ is what we do as His living witnesses.

Let us now read today’s parable.

Reading of the parable “But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, “Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.” Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You go, and do likewise.’” (v.29-37)

“But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?” (v.29)

This question comes from the fact that the expert of the law wants to go further in his confrontation with Jesus Christ based on the Scriptures.

But what he cannot understand is that Jesus is God incarnate, the One who is the full manifestation of the Scriptures.

The “neighbor” is already clearly indicated in the book of Leviticus, which says: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” (Lev. 19:18, ESV)

In the Bible, the word “neighbor” does not speak only of someone who is close to us. It speaks of a broader responsibility: to love, to help, and to act with compassion.

This idea is present throughout the whole Bible and emphasizes love, compassion, and justice. So now, Jesus will answer, not simply with a definition, but with an illustration. An illustration that will reveal who truly is the neighbor, and above all… who behaves as such.

“Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.’” (v.30-33)

Jesus begins this parable with a tragic event: that of a man, without mentioning his identity, nor his ethnic or religious belonging, who is brutally attacked by robbers, in a dangerous region, due to its rocky and mountainous nature.

He will describe here three types of people. All three are believers: two are Jewish and serve God in their functions, and one is a Samaritan.

The first is a priest, serving in the temple, a high religious figure at the service of the people of God, who performs animal sacrifices for the atonement of the sins of the people. This is a very important position in the temple, and that is why Jesus places him first in His parable: to show the expert of the law that the fact of ignoring the suffering of others, of one’s neighbor, reveals a deep contradiction despite his religious status.

Secondly, the Levite, who also has an important religious function, but one that is inferior to that of the priest, since he is at his service to carry out the practical tasks in the temple. This places this servant of God in the same situation as the first.

And then thirdly, the Samaritan, who is also a religious man, but with convictions different from those of the Jews of Jerusalem, and who is also considered impure by the Jews, because they had mixed with other nations.

Jesus also uses this example to show the Jews that the one who is rejected can nevertheless manifest what the law truly requires, and that those who consider themselves righteous according to the law must also accomplish what the law calls them to practice and to manifest.

So, the priest and the Levite had the law, but not compassion; and the Samaritan, considered as not having the law, nevertheless shows compassion and mercy when he sees this man suffering and dying.

“He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.” (v.34)

The Samaritan did not make prayers, nor speak words to this man — at least, this is not mentioned. However, he did not only have compassion, but also kindness, self-sacrifice, and goodwill, while accompanying him until the end for his full recovery, out of love toward the other, toward his neighbor, a complete stranger, in physical and certainly emotional distress.

He went to him means that: he was not afraid of his condition. He bound his wounds: he was not afraid to care for him. He set him on his own animal: he was not afraid to take responsibility for him and to carry him. He brought him to an inn: he placed him in a safe place, despite also the cost.

“And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’” (v.35)

Even the next day, he provides for his needs, by paying two denarii, from himself, for a stranger, in order to ensure his lodging. Two denarii represent about two days of work for a laborer, which also shows his generosity and the integrity of his heart.

He even goes to speak to the innkeeper to tell him that he will return and that he will pay the expenses incurred by the man upon his return. What a blessing and what an example this Samaritan gives us! While for the religious Jews, the Samaritans were only heretics and impure!

“Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” (v.36)

Jesus ends this parable with a question directed to the expert of the law, and to all those who call themselves children of God, which could also be expressed this way: “Which of these three persons loved his neighbor?”

You see, this question is essential to understand the condition of our heart toward God and toward others, because it challenges the depths of our faith.

For true faith does not remain theoretical, it is manifested. And this manifestation is not produced by our own strength, but by the action of the Spirit of God who lives in us.

“He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘You go, and do likewise.’” (v.37)

The answer of this expert of the law is good and satisfying in theory; it is exactly what is written in the Word of God. But is it about knowing what the Word of God says, or also about manifesting it?

Compassion and mercy are two attributes of God, of His character, which are a direct consequence of our heavenly identity.

Jesus gives a final direct word, like a prophet speaking before a disobedient people before the eternal God, saying to him: “You go, and do likewise.” Which could be expressed this way: “If you love your God, go and love your neighbor as God has loved you.”

Conclusion

What the Samaritan reminds us of is the image of the ministry of Jesus Christ, in what He was in the eyes of men, and above all in what He came to accomplish.

By extension of His teaching to His disciples, we are called to carry on this legacy, always desiring to give honor and glory to our Lord and Savior, and to glorify God for what He has done for us — this grace of salvation through our faith in Jesus Christ.

We have to remember our previous condition: separated from the presence of God, seeking our own desires, and glorifying ourselves through temporary and deceptive worldly things. But we have been freely set free from our sin. 

So let us bring God’s message to the world, through our words, our thoughts, and our deeds. What a beautiful mission we have — serving the Creator of the universe, bringing hope to the lost, and light into the darkness.