Parable of the Good Samaritan

Parable of the Good Samaritan (Lesson-8) LK10:25-37 12/13/2023

Introduction to section of parables:

Previously we have looked at kingdom parables, today we start into discipleship parables.

Previously about the kingdom and the kingdom people; today we start looking at the kingdom peoples attitudes, actions, and behaviors.

These parables are when we learn to live them, will become a source of solace and encouragement.

Introduction to our parable today:

David Wencome in a book he wrote on the parables calls them “Pictures of Revolution.” He makes two points worth noting for our study today.

Jesus call to love the Samaritan and the enemy was indeed revolutionary in the context of His day.”

“The revolution of God means bringing back all of God’s world into peace. The parable of the Good Samaritan is an imperative of this revolution.”

This parable while rich about the value of all human life brings it down personally how important each individual is regardless of anything, ethnicity, economics, appearances or anything at all.

James Montgomery Boice said: “in some ways the parable of the Good Samaritan is the most straightforward of all the Lord’s stories. It is clarity itself--the story of a Samaritan who showed mercy to the victim of a beating and robbery, and who thus acted as a ‘neighbor’ toward him. We are to ‘do likewise.’ Yet the story is one of the hardest of the Lord’s parables to expound.”

Luke expounds quiet often on the humanitarian work of the Lord. This parable points to the work people need to do and also those needing the work, the helpers and those needing help.

The Parable

Turn to Lk10:25-37

Luke 10:25–37 NASB95

25 And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” 27 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.” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” 29 But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. 31 “And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 “Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 “But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, 34 and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 “On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” 37 And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

Ask the general questions

The Background

The Title: Good Samaritan. No where in the scripture itself does it call the Samaritan good. By the content of the parable the title was earned, but it is not scripture itself. - Jews in that day would not look at any Samaritan as good.

Who were the Samaritans? - from the time of the Babylonian captivity (6th Century B.C.) the undesirable people were left in Israel, they inner-married with people of Canaan, and were then making generation of half-breeds, not true Jews. Even though they believed and held the same beliefs that the rigid Jews did (the Penateuch) - They considered the Samaritans as ‘dogs,’ just like the Gentiles.

Location: We do not know where, there are no indicators of that.

Occasion: That we have we know that it is in response to the the lawyer’s question (v.25). Where some have drawn the conclusion that “he” an expert of the Law was putting Jesus to the rest, contrary to other passages, there is nothing in the text that tells us he had any malicious intent at all.

Point to make: This parable is not being presented as an allegory as were some of the others, but more as a illustrative example of the working of benevolence, as one commentator states, as contrasted with that of selfishness (i.e. Priest and Levite).

Explaining the text

A road going down. In that time, and even today any road coming out of Jerusalem would be considered going down, or going up to Jerusalem. In this case, it is actually going down from elevation of 2,500 ft above sea level to 770 ft below sea level.

The road at the time would have been a rough road, not yet improved under the Pax Romana, so travel was dangerous between Jerusalem and Jericho. It was a busy road, but yet a dangerous road for many thieves, robbers and the like would use the terrain to their advantage.

Womack in his book High-lights two words with significance in this parable.

Neighbor- Greek (plesion) - defined as “one who is nearby.” Jesus extends in the gospels a broader meaning, meaning “mankind (consider Mt5:43).”

Righteous - Greek dikaiosai - defined as to make a person righteous, or more correctly to help one ‘to keep his character as a righteous person.”

Justify self: I mentioned earlier that the scripture does not say anything about trying to ‘trick’ or ‘catch’ Jesus in anything in this story, but in reading it we can see the lawyer the keeper of the law was trying to justify himself (see v.29) - If we are honest with ourselves we in our flesh can do the same things, we want to justify our actions. We do see that the lawyer not only was trying to justify himself but in doing that is implying his own righteousness.

Purpose and application

Primary purpose is that we (all people, all places, all encompassing) are to be a “neighbor.” - The kingdom if full, should be full of all kinds.

The parable gives a couple of great lessons, truths for application

Religion is much more than worship. We are the church and where we go is the church and we are to be the church. The Priest, the Levite may be religious in their duties, but they missed the mark on the heart of the relationship with God, hence why Jesus is speaking this parable.

Womack said: “The priest and the Levite may have been on their way to or from the temple where they served God in a very unique way. But Jesus is saying to us that sometimes our “acts” of worship or our ritual must give way to the ‘here-and-now” demands we face.

The Samaritan who had the same Jewish faith, he had compassion that was put into action

In our loving and serving God may we not be so caught up that we miss the act of service that God truly wants that maybe outside of formal service, worship.

Remember Jesus words, as were the words of the law too.

turn to Mt22:37-39.

Matthew 22:37–39 NASB95

37 And He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 “This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

Love with all your heart, serve with all your heart, love your neighbor as yourself.

I mentioned the Samarian had compassion, demonstrated compassion, that can only be seen through actions. Like love it needs to be displayed through our actions.

Turn to Jn13:35 -

John 13:35 NASB95

35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The circumstances of the man did not matter, the compassion of the Samaritan went into action to help his neighbor. The man who was in need.

Womack “Christianity can really be seen when our actions cross over the boundaries of race, culture, class, or economic standards.”

Learning to live from this parable

Below is adapted from Womack

Three rules of life are illustrated by this parable

The Iron rule: “might makes right” or only the strong survive - much of society think this way physically, intellectually or psychologically. -even if this is, it does not make it right to mistreat others.

The silver rule: Tend to yourself, don’t get involved with others issues. This is what the Priest and the Levite did. They did nothing, nothing, good, nothing bad, just nothing

The golden rule - do unto others as you would have them do unto you. We know that one, it is easy to say, not so easy to do sometimes. This is displayed by the Samaritan, he stopped and did something, went out of his way, at personal expense even.

Three attitudes of life are shown in this parable?

The Politician: what can I get out of it, what is in it for me?

The Shirker: How can I get out of it, out from doing something, helping, etc,.

This is not a total negligence, but it is one that may do just enough, but not going the extra mile as Jesus says to do (see Mt5:41).

The Christian: What more can I do? What can I do to help, to serve, to love? - This is the essence of that greatest love “Agape” love. That love that looks to the best of others.

Three philosophies of life are illustrated in this parable.

Self-centered: This is the robber who was out only for himself. Willing to do whatever to get what want. If you have it, will take it from you.

Miser: This is the priest and the Levite. “What is mine is mine and I’m going to keep it.”

Christian: yes, as demonstrated by the Samaritan, “What is mine is thine.” What I have I am willing to share or to use for others.

Conclusion

William Barclay (College Press) gives a fitting answer to the “who is my neighbor.” He says it involves three things for us to consider.

We must help a man even when he has brought his trouble on himself, as the traveller had done.

Any man of any nation who is in need is our neighbor; Our help must be as wise as the love of God is wide and deep

The help must be practical and not consist merely in feeling sorry. No doubt the Priest and the Levite felt a pang of pity for the wounded man, but they did nothing. Compassion, to be real, must issue in deeds.

(Pray) (Close)