Parable of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:25-37

Modern Story of Good Samaritan

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Luke 10:25-37 ESV

“25 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?” 30 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. 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.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

The parable of the good Samaritan is probably the most popular of his parables.

This parable is not only wide spread throughout Christian circles but is known by people outside the church as well.

Dictionary.com defines the term Good Samaritan as

“one who is compassionate and helpful to a person in distress.”

So, if you encounter pretty much anyone today and use the term “Good Samaritan” they will know exactly what you mean.

Because of this companies have build on the idea of the “Good Samaritan” to help brand themselves.

There is now a well-known organization called ‘The Samaritans’, whose task is to give help to people in the direst need.

There is an RV insurance company called “Good Sam” which was taken from the parable of the good Samaritan.

(I know most of you probably assumed that the owner of “Good Sam” knew me and that is how he came up with the name but that it not true it came from the good Samaritan parable)

In reading news articles one probably has come across Headlines that have read something like “modern day good Samaritan helps man buy shoes for a child in need”....

Or “modern day good Samaritan brings homeless man to hospital in time of need”

Because of the popularity that surrounds this parable especially in our western culture, I believe we have often lost some of the weight of Jesus’ meaning.

The story begins with a man who’s title was a lawyer who tries to trip Jesus up

1. Jesus and the Lawyer

2. The Priest and the Levite

3. The Jew & the Good Samaritan

Samaritans hated the Jews and the Jews hated the Samaritans.

Jesus makes the enemy the hero

Luke 9:51-53 ESV

51 When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. 53 But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.