The Good Samaritan and the Gospel

Introduction and Background

Conflict, hate, bitterness, rage, disagreement, rights, wrongs, division - through out the ages these words have been used in various forms to describe interactions between individuals and groups, nations, kingdoms, ethnicities. These words have been used to describe the interactions among religions and even other churches.

Leonard Sweet, in his book From Tablet to Table, shares a story about just such a conflict. He shares...

“During the days when Anabaptist (Free Church) groups were being persecuted throughout Europe, an old Mennonite minister in Emmenthal, in the Canton of Bern, in the heart of Switzerland, practiced the literal meaning of hospitality. Early one morning, he heard men on the roof of his house, tearing off the tiles and throwing them to the ground in an attempt to drive him out of town. Arising from bed, he asked his wife to prepare a good breakfast for the men. Then he went outside and invited them to breakfast, insisting that they come in and eat since they had been working so hard. Shamefacedly they came in and sat at the table. He prayed for them and their families, then served them breakfast. After they had eaten, they went out and put the tiles back on the roof.” (Sweet, Leonard From Tablet to Table (NavPress, 2014), 139-140.)

This man’s actions run completely counter to the way that most people interact during times of conflict.

For centuries, people have been divided over a variety of means - race/ethnicity, religious views, theology, politics, gender, etc. The world is replete with people complaining and offering theoretical solutions, and yet the solution that Jesus revealed centuries ago is seldom followed.

For centuries, people have been divided over a variety of means - race/ethnicity, religious views, theology, politics, gender, etc. The world is replete with people complaining and offering solutions, and yet the solution that has been revealed centuries ago is seldom followed.

In our mission statement, we state that “First Baptist Rockville is a church of the nations, for the nations: therefore, we exist to win, disciple, and send people across the street and around the world with the message of Jesus Christ.”

How do we do that when the people we are trying to reach are so turned off by what they think we will say? How do we get through the relational walls that have been put up? Can we pass the social stigmas with the message of the Gospel?

The challenge we face is not new. In fact, it’s been around since long before Jesus walked the earth. He encountered the same barriers and conflicts that we face today.

When you read through the gospels, you see throngs of people eager to hear what Jesus says and to experience the healings that He could do through miracles.

And yet right on the edge of many of these crowds were religious leaders who looked on with suspicion at Jesus. They would question, mock and jeer - until they had a one on one encounter.

Today, we’re going to look at one of these encounters and the message that Jesus is conveying to bring peace with each other and peace with God.

If you have your Bibles and would like to follow along, we’re going to be in starting in verse 25. There is a pew Bible in front of you if you don’t have one.

In the earlier verses of , Jesus has just sent out and received back 72 disciples. After he finishes commending his disciples for what they learned and what they did, He is accosted by a Jewish Lawyer or Scribe. As we go through this, we’re going track the Lawyer’s Inquisition and Jesus Response and His Example.

So first, we have...

I. The Inquisition (vs. 25-29)

English Standard Version Chapter 10

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 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 he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In verse 25, the Inquisition begins with...

English Standard Version Chapter 10

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

A. The Lawyer’s Question (25)

English Standard Version Chapter 10

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”

It appears that Jesus was teaching at some point. In Middle Eastern culture it was common for a teacher to sit. Students then demonstrate respect for the teacher by standing to ask a question. This lawyer “is standing to ask a question like a humble student trying to learn something, but his purpose is to test/examine the teacher." (Bailey, 286).

It appears that Jesus was teaching at some point. In Middle Eastern culture it was common for a teacher to sit. Students then demonstrate respect for the teacher by standing to ask a question. This lawyer or “is standing to ask a question like a humble student trying to learn something, but his purpose is to test/examine the teacher." (Bailey, 286).

It appears that Jesus was teaching at some point. In Middle Eastern culture it was common for a teacher to sit. Students then demonstrate respect for the teacher by standing to ask a question. This lawyer or “is standing to ask a question like a humble student trying to learn something, but his purpose is to test/examine the teacher." (Bailey, 286).

"He is standing to ask a question like a humble student trying to learn something, but his purpose is to test/examine the teacher."

So who is this lawyer. In other gospels, he would be referred to as a scribe - someone who is very literate and knowledgeable of the OT law.

According to Graham H. Twelftree, because of their vast knowledge of scripture, Scribes had several key tasks:

Interpretation and Preservation of the Law

Teaching the Law - formally in the temple and in houses of instruction

Lawyers - while any Jew could be called upon to adjudicate a matter, scribes would often be chosen for judicial office and occasionally for service on the Sanhedrin, or the Jewish ruling council.

Theologians - While not the only ones who could teach, their vast knowledge of the law made them well qualified to instruct in synagogues.

Guardians of Tradition -

Curators of the Text - they took care of both the copying and preservation of the texts.

(

In relation to their knowledge of the Scriptures the scribes

Graham H. Twelftree, “Scribes,” Dictionary of New Testament Background: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 1087-1088.

Dictionary of New Testament Background Section 3: Work of the Scribes

The Qumran scriptorium may have been modelled on something similar in the Jerusalem temple.

The Qumran scriptorium may have been modelled on something similar in the Jerusalem temple.

So this man, may have heard some of the things that Jesus was saying and may have been intrigued. He had a thorough knowledge of OT Law and so he may have already known the answer to the question he was asking.

So he asks the question - “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” There is a fatal flaw in his asking. When we inherit something, we get it for free - typically it’s because of who we are related to, not so much because of what we have done. (Life Application Bible Commentary: Luke, p. 279). The lawyer seems to assume that there is something he must do to gain entrance into the eternal Kingdom of God.

So Jesus response with his...

B. Jesus’ Counter Question (26)

Graham H. Twelftree, “Scribes,” Dictionary of New Testament Background: A Compendium of Contemporary Biblical Scholarship (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), 1088.

Rather than responding with an answer, Jesus responds with his own test question. The man’s garments would have likely revealed that he was a scribe and that he would have had a great deal of knowledge in the OT Law.

“He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?””

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

Unlike the disrespect that Jesus was being accosted with, he responds with grace and dignity. O how I wish that were the same for me on many occasions. states...

“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

Jesus embodies the wisdom of this Proverb. He responds to the man respecting his position and yet, refuses to succumb to the test/examination that he is facing.

C. The Lawyer’s Answer to His Own Question (27)

In demonstrating a clear understanding of OT law, and following through with the very thing that he would have repeated daily since childhood, the scribe responds...

“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.”

English Standard Version Chapter 10

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.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

His response is a variation of - the shema - and . All three of the synoptic gospels have this quotation, but this gospel is the only one that has someone other than Jesus quoting these great commandments (see ; ).

So what does his response really mean?

1. It all starts with love for God

This love is not an emotional feeling, but an intentional act of all that we are. One of the challenges we run into in translating scripture is that the Greek language in which the NT was written had some very specific words with very specific meanings. We have one word for love and we overuse it in a variety of ways.

For example, I love coffee. I love relaxing with my family watching a movie. I love my wife. I love my children. I love cars, I love animals...

There is no clear way for us to differentiate among various types of love.

In Greek, however, there are unique words used to differentiate familial love, erotic love, and unconditional love. The love that the Scribe/Lawyer refers to here is unconditional or agape love. This is the love that God demonstrates toward us in - he so loved us that he gave his one and only son.... We also see this love demonstrated in “

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

While it all starts with love, the lawyer and the shema elaborate on the command to love by describing several different aspects of life. One Commentary (The Life Application Bible Commentary on Luke) depicts these distinctions in this way:

"The heart (kardia) is the center of emotions, desires, and affections;

the soul (psuche) is the person's "being" and uniqueness;

the strength (ischus) refers to the drive or will:

the mind (dianoia) is the center of the intellect." (p. 279)

I find it interesting that in Deuteronomy, the shema only mandates heart, soul, and might or strength. Yet here in Luke (as well as Jesus’ answer in Mark) there are four elements described. The point is the same, our love for God must be all-encompassing.

Have you ever really stopped to consider what it means to love God with your whole being? Is that truly doable?

The first phrase urges us to love God with “all your heart” - the center of our emotions, desires, and affections. I have to admit this alone is difficult to do. As Jeremiah states -

The heart is more deceitful than anything else, and incurable—who can understand it?

and incurable—who can understand it?

The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2009), .

I know in that category alone, I would fail miserably at loving God. How much more when I dive into the my soul, strength, and mind?

As we pointed out at the outset, the lawyer’s question was flawed, he could not “do” anything to truly earn an inheritance of eternal life. Neither can we. I think we fail on this element alone.

The lawyer doesn’t leave his response there, he adds an extra step and quotes from the book of Leviticus. While it all begins with our love for God,...

2. It continues with love for others (27)

“and your neighbor as yourself” (27b)

talks both about the holiness of God and His command for His people to be holy as well. God provides some clarity on what that looks like by telling His people how to deal with their harvest - to leave something left over for the poor (). He forbids lying, stealing, injustice and hatred all because He is holy (). He concludes this section talking about vengeance toward others and urges them to “love your neighbor as yourself...” ().

God’s call for his people to live holy lives is not an abstract exercise. it’s not something that is simply a lofty ideal, but it has tangible expressions. The lawyer in this case knew that.

There are so many ways that we could park here and really consider a variety of applications. Let me encourage you to go back to both the and and truly take time to ponder through what that means, especially in light of Jesus’ application in the story of the Good Samaritan in our text today.

So, up to this point we’ve had the lawyer’s question, Jesus’ counter-question, and the lawyer’s response. This part of the inquisition concludes with...

D. Jesus’ Confirmation (v. 28)

Jesus simply affirms the lawyer’s answer by stating...

“You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

As we’ve already discussed, truly loving God up to the standard that God expects is an impossible task. Loving others completely as ourselves is also difficult.

In his commentary on the book of Luke, Thabiti Anyabwile writes:

…we can’t perfectly do all that God commands. We have not done it. If perfect obedience to the law is one way to live forever, then all of us are going to die guilty. That’s the hook. That’s the twist. If we have to do something, then we’re doomed to hell. There remains a massive difference betwen answering correctly theologically and living perfectly practically.

(Anyabwile, Thabiti Christ-Centered Commentary: Exalting Jesus in Luke (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2018), 181.

Loving God and loving others perfectly is impossible. We are all fallen and imperfect. Our desires betray us. Our selfishness hinders true love. Fatigue gets in the way of truly loving the way that God calls us to.

This is why a performance based religion is an impossible one. There is no assurance of eternal life or reward. If our works determine our destiny, then our destiny is sealed. I’m so thankful though that God’s grace abounds so that our lack of loving does not disqualify us - because of Jesus Christ (but more on that in a minute).

So the scribe/lawyer hears Jesus’ response and follows up with

E. A justifying question (29)

Just as he gave us some insight into the lawyer’s motives at the outset (to test Jesus), Luke gives us a little insight into the fact that the lawyer wants to justify - or prove himself correct - by asking this follow-up question:

“And who is my neighbor?”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about this man or any scribe that you read about in scripture. These men were devout and sincere about the Word of God. They worked long and hard to know scripture inside and out. They conveyed the truths of scripture to others. Maybe his response is a way for him to be convinced that the people he loves fit this bill. Maybe, a bit convicted by the previous part of the conversation he is looking for a lift.

I think we all try to do that. We’ll say things like - “I’m not as bad as...” or “I didn’t intend to...”

So Jesus considers this next question with his own longer response, which is in fact a question.

II. The Response (vs. 30-36)

Jesus literally “takes up” the man’s question and responds with the famous parable of the Good Samaritan.

“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. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 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. 35 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.’

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

I know this story is very familiar to us. In fact, there are references to this parable that we will find in our society today. It’s not uncommon for people to refer to “good samaritan laws” or someone being a “good samaritan” when they do something sacrificial and unexpected for another person.

I’d like, however, for us to look at this story from a different perspective - from a Middle Eastern perspective. Kenneth Bailey divides this short parable into seven scenes. Each of these scenes build on each other. The latter three relate to the first three. The center scene is the climax of the seven. Bailey calls this “The Prophetic Rhetorical Template” ( Bailey, Kenneth E. Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2008), 290-291). You can actually find these structures throughout scripture if you look carefully.

In the first scene we have...

The Robbers (30) - Steal and Injure - The road from Jerusalem to Jericho is a treacherous one. Roughly 18 miles long, it has a descent of over 3200 feet. While it was a main thoroughfare between the two cities, it was fraught with dangers, not the least of which was bandits. Bailey states that robbers like the men in this story typically only beat people if they resist. Apparently, for purposes of this story, the man (of unknown ethnic origin - but assumed to be Jewish) was beaten and left for dead.

In the second scene...

The Priest (31) - Sees the man but does nothing - In Jesus account, the Priest is going “down” the road, which indicates he is going away from Jerusalem - possibly home after a time of serving in the temple. Priests had a special place in the temple and were given some prestige, which resulted in some means. Some speculate that the priest was likely riding down rather than walking - as he could afford the animal to carry him (Bailey, 292). Priests were the ones who would perform the sacrifices in the temple. Ceremonial cleanness was important to them - and yet - they were obligated to help a fellow Israelite in need. We don’t know why the Priest passed by, we simply know that he did - leaving the man without help.

In the third scene...

The Levite (32) - Sees the man but does nothing - Levites served in the temple as well. The were often assistants to the priests. Some speculate that this Levite could have been an assistant to the priest who passed by - thereby following his leader’s example (Bailey, 293).

The fourth scene is the climax. In this scene we meet...

The Samaritan (33) - He sees the man and shows compassion - Samaritans and Jews did not like each other. Samaritans were part Jewish and part Assyrian. They were ethnically and religiously rejected by the Jews. As Jesus tells this story to a devout Jewish Scribe (Lawyer), he inserts a twist that would make many people object. This hated person actually ends up being the one to show compassion - the hero of the story. On that mention of compassion - this word frequently appears in the gospels as a feeling that Jesus had toward crowds of people who had needs. The word literally means to be moved from deep within. This Samaritan saw the wounded man and felt compassion - he put love in action. We don’t know what kind of an inconvenience this may have been to the man. We also don’t know how long this would have taken, but the man was moved with compassion - regardless of his schedule.

In the fifth scene, the Samaritan...

Treats his wounds (34) - Addressing the Levites failure - his compassion was more than heart-felt sympathy. He got off of his animal and likely tore some of his own garments to bind up the man’s wounds. He used some of his own oil and wine to clean and disinfect the man’s injuries. He did what the Levite should have done.

In the sixth scene, the Samaritan...

Transports the man (34) - Addressing the Priest’s failure - Recognizing that leaving the man there would not give him the long-term aid that he truly needed. He most likely takes the man the rest of the way to Jericho - a Jewish town (though the destination is not clearly mentioned). It would have been acceptable for the Samaritan to leave the man at the edge of town, but he sees the mission to completion by taking him to an inn in a Jewish town, risking his own life (Bailey, 295).

In the seventh and final scene, the Samaritan...

Spends Money on the Man (35) - Compensating for the robbers - Finally, in an act of sacrificial generosity, the Samaritan pays the innkeeper 2 days wages (2 denarii) to care for him. This would have been enough for the man to stay at that inn for 2-4 weeks. On top of that , he offers to compensate the innkeeper for whatever charges he incurs over and above the 2 denarii. Not only was he potentially risking his life to help a stranger in need, but he was risking his wealth as well (Bailey, 295-296). It is seldom that we will give a person a room or funds for a hotel for one night, how much more for a multiple weeks and then some?

In looking at the story the way that the Scribe might have, we get to see it in a new light. We get to see some of the subtle nuances of the ingenious way that Jesus makes his point.

In looking at the is story the way that the Scribe might have, we get to see it in a new light.

Jesus then asks the scribe -

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

The Scribe then follows that up by saying correctly “the one who showed him mercy.” (37a). In his response, he could not even bring himself to call the the merciful man a Samaritan.

Jesus’ simple, but pointed response is...

“You go, and do likewise.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

Our church has adopted a vision in the last year to “love, serve, and connect our communities to Christ.” If we truly consider this encounter with the scribe and the story of the Good Samaritan, we can see that vision lived out. The Samaritan loved the hurt man by showing him compassion, regardless of racial/ethnic differences. He served the man by meeting his physical needs. He then connected the man to a long-term solution.

There is one other element of this story that I think needs to be brought out, that is...

III. The Example of Jesus

Jesus gives us a beautiful example of living out the Good Samaritan’s story for us. You see as hard as this is for us to consider, from birth, we are that individual who was beaten and left for dead. There is a concept called original sin - the idea that because of the sin of Adam and Eve - a sin nature is passed along to all of us. The Bible says that we are...

by nature children of wrath

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

Because of that sin, we stand condemned - unable to live a life that is acceptable to God - we already talked about how difficult it truly is to love God fully and to love others as we should. What we have to realize is that no matter how good we are, we can’t overcome our sin-nature.

God does not leave us in our sinful state. states:

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

Just as the Samaritan put love in action with regard to the man on the road to Jericho, God put love in action by sending Jesus to live a perfect life and die as a perfect sacrifice as our replacement. states...

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), . (See also ; ).

Isaiah gave the people of Israel some insight into the fact that Jesus would act in this way...

4  Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

5  But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

6  All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

Jesus demonstrated his love for us by serving us in a way that met our deepest need - our need for a right relationship with God - our need for forgiveness.

He then doesn’t simply leave us alone, but provides (connects us to) the Holy Spirit to reside in us helping us to live a life that fully pleases Him as well as giving us a community in which to live called the church to help us.

Love, Serve, Connect is not our idea - it’s God’s. He lived it first and calls us to do the same.

IV. Living this out

The encounter with the lawyer brings out several key things. When we look at them in light of our vision statement, I believe there are several things that we should consider.

Our first lesson is to respond to the way that Jesus lived out this example for us. states that the kindness of God is meant to lead us to repentance. We can only surmise that the man on the road to Jericho could have rejected the help of the Samaritan. In many ways, you and I can reject the kindness and love of God. In order for us to receive his aid, we need to first admit that we are sinners - the Bible says that we confess our sins then he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (). Will you respond to the Lord today?

Secondly,

Our love for God should result in love for others - our time here at church on the weekends is about us expressing our love for God, but that love is more than an experience - it is lived out the other six days of the week.

Thirdly, we need to recognize that...

Love for others is realized through service - service is seldom convenient and rarely easy and yet it is a means by which we tangibly demonstrate love.

Finally, ...

Service should result in connecting people with a long-term, even eternal solution - in serving people in need in our community, we may not have all of the connections or resources for long-term solutions. I think there are ways that we should consider working toward those. In the very least, we can help to meet physical and spiritual needs as we connect people to to the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Optional opening or closing story:

"A hug from around the world, every Sunday morning.” Fletcher Honemond has shared that time and again when talking about the uniqueness of this church. There are not very many places in the world where you can walk down the hall and be greeted by a brother from India, a sister from Ivory Coast, a sister from Taiwan, a brother from a Native American or First Nations tribe, a sister from Chile, people from South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, California, and on and on. By God’s grace, this church is a beautiful picture of what we will see one day fully realized in eternity when people from every, nation, tribe and tongue will gather around the throne of God and worship Him (). What we experience week in and week out is not perfect and it has it’s messes, but it is beautiful. Unfortunately, it’s also rather rare. What will we do to make a difference in the world around us?