The parable of the Good Samaritan goes beyond demonstrating how we should be helping a hurt person.
Jesus uses this parable to answer two life changing questions: First, "how do I inherit eternal life?" and second, "who is my neighbor?"
The first question deals with seeking the Kingdom of God. Seeking our "hidden treasure". What are we willing to give up in order to attain God's Kingdom and all of its attributes?
The second question, I believe addresses what God's treasure is: His creation. You and me. Our family, our co-workers, our friends, our "neighbors".
We have to know who our neighbors are. God calls us to know and understand that. And Jesus directly addresses this issue with this poignant parable.
Upon the demise of the Hitler's Germany, Dachau and many other concentration camps were liberated by American led Allied forces. There were rumors surrounding these camps, but now this gross act of inhumanity was being seen first hand. The captives, those left alive anyway, were set free. But the horror had to be dealt with. The local Allied commanders came in and "forced" the local townspeople, to come into the camp to see the mounds of hundreds of Jewish, Polish, Catholic, Gypsy, and even fellow German corpses littering the entire compound. It must have been an horrific sight.
The local people were horrified at what they saw. Piles of innocent men, women and children. All purposefully murdered for the sake of the Reich and the "purity" of the German race. Many sobbed as they saw this catastrophe of man's inhumanity toward his fellow man. Many said, "we didn't know." Or, "we were lied to." In reality, many knew, but chose not to know. They were forced to come face to face with "their neighbors".
As the "clean-up" began, the town officials were forced to bury the dead by hand.
As awful as that period of world history was, it wasn't the first time and tragedy like this had happened, and unfortunately, it won't be the last.
And so we ask, "Who is my neighbor?"
In looking at the parable of the Good Samaritan, we remember the 3 original reasons Jesus spoke and taught in this fashion:
- The Kingdom of God has present and future aspects.
- The Kingdom of God is under the reign of Jesus Christ.
- We believers, we Christians, are to play active daily roles in the expansion of His Kingdom.
Here's the vide of the Modern Parable of "The Samaritan". Click here to watch the video (your computer will open a new browser window) and then return here to continue with this lesson.
Click here for the class notes Download Modern Parables - 3 or teacher's notes.
Keep those in mind as we compare and contrast Jesus original parable and our modern parable verse by verse.
1. The “Expert” – verses 25 - 29
The Bible tells us that there was an expert in the Law. I've got two questions: what makes a person an expert? And, what are they supposed to know? I mean, those are reasonable questions. You would think that they would not only "know" the stuff but be able to apply it, right? That's not necessarily so.
I don't know about you, but over the years I've come across way too many "experts" who couldn't think their way out of a paper bag! By rote repetition, they can quote "chapter and verse" of their particular subject of expertise, but so what? Is it applicable? Is it usable knowledge? Does their knowledge benefit others... or just their own vain ego?.
2. The Injured man – verse 30
Verse 30 tells us about the injured man. What makes a person "injured" or hurt? Who are these people? This particular person was a traveler. He was a "stranger". An "out of towner". To many, he may not have "belonged". On top of that, do to his circumstances, the beating and robbery, you couldn't tell anything about him. He was "stripped" and "half dead"; luckily not all the way dead...
He was still a viable, "save-able" human being. He needed care and attention.
3. The First Passerby – verse 31
Now we come to our first Passersby: the Priest and the Doctor. What is their position? What should they have known? Not only were each educated, but they were people of authority. People, many other people looked up to them. In our Modern Parable, the Doctor - as it turns out - is also a leader within his local church.
Sometimes, oftentimes, it's difficult to be a leader. Part of our responsibilities is to set the example. Leaders lead - or at least we're supposed to. Those following us - hopefully - learn by our example. And we are to do these sometimes difficult tasks without accolades. It's our Duty. Please refer to last week's lesson and discussion of Duty.
4. The Second Passerby – verse 32
Here are our second Passersby: the Levite and the Youth Leader. Now, either one did not have as high a position as the first passersby, but don't you think they should have "known better"? Just because your leader didn't do what he or she was supposed to or should have, what about you? After all, these "lesser" leaders had others following them...
Leading by example is sometimes difficult, but we have to keep at it. I know that even in my own business, I struggle. Whether it's the garbage cans or keeping the bathroom clean (interesting enough with basically an all male staff) or even just picking up a piece of trash from the parking lot, a leader has to lead by example.
5. The Third Passerby – verses 33 – 34
Our third Passersby actually took the time to stop: the Samaritan and the Taxi Driver. In both parables, the third passerby is someone we would not probably expect to be of much help, never mind someone who might actually care.
In the time of Jesus, Samaritans didn't pal around with Jews and vice versa. There was an anymosity between the two groups of Israelites that had lasted centuries. When the kingdom split after Solomon, there was no going back. As we see in the Bible, the expert in the law won't even mention the word "Samaritan". Samaritans were not to be trusted. They were considered to be "half-breeds" and not true Israelites.
In our Modern Parable, our Samaritan is, sort of obviously, someone we may not trust or even sub-consciously dislike. A middle-easterner but we don't know exactly who he is or where he's from. But we do know that he acted exactly as a human being should act to his fellow man.
Both men stopped and took time off from what they were doing. They saw a need, they knew their duty. They weighed the cost. And they did as God would have all of us do: they paid the price. They went out of their way to do good. And they did it willingly without care of recompense. It was the right thing to do. It was "duty" first.
6. The Inn – verse 35
Back in biblical times, there were no hospitals to go to, and so the Samaritan brought the injured man to a local Inn. The Samaritan brought the man to a safe place and took care of him. I'm sure there would have been plenty of prying eyes at the inn. There were more than likely plenty of nice Jewish people staying at the inn.
Then there were the questions. Mostly unspoken of course. What happened? Who is this guy? Why should the innkeeper allow THAT guy in here?
Similar comments, both spoken and silent, were made at the modern hospital. And the gentleman was properly taken care of also.
7. Conclusion – verses 36 - 37
We're brought back home in both parables. Jesus asks a couple of succinct questions. Questions that go to the heart of the matter. Our expert in the law demonstrates his "expertise".
At the modern hospital, the young man who's been watching this series of events unfold from the beginning, is brought back. He is amazed. I have a funny feeling he is a little disappointed too. Disappointed in his dad. Disappointed in his youth group leader. Perhaps even disappointed in himself for not being more forceful or coming forward to help this old man. Now he knows. He has discovered another neighbor.
I suspect that, considering that the teen was a Christian, the Holy Spirit had been prodding him. He struggled to empathize with the injured and hurting man but didn't follow through. This episode will stay with him for a long time to come. God has taught him a lesson in living in the Kingdom. Perhaps some other verses that he learned in Sunday school classes of years gone by were coming to mind. Perhaps he will step out in the future and lead.
What is the “expert” in the Law missing?
In the beginning, we talked about "experts". He should have known. He should know. And so should have the Priest, the doctor, the Levite, the youth leader. The boy sort of "knew" but he wasn't being encouraged. As the story unfolded, he knew something was just plain wrong. I suspect that his inner spirit or conscience was poking and prodding him, but the "experts" were telling him otherwise.
In the Luke passage, Jesus finally says to the "expert", "go and do likewise." Shouldn't this expert in the Law have known and understood the writings of the prophet Hosea? How do we live out Hosea 6:6
"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings."
To return to the Modern Parables series, please click here.
Music Video: Matthew West - "My Own Little World"
