The Parable of the Good Samaritan ranks as one of the most well-known of our Lord’s teachings in this format Yet it has distinctions and subtleties that invite further investigation despite its familiarity For instance, were you aware that it is the only parable that has two bad examples and only one good example? It is also the only parable that mentions specific classes of people – priest, Levite, and Samaritan These are not representative figures, such as wise or foolish virgins, but a real-life story barely over the line into the realm of parable It could well have been a true story.
The parable could also have another name We know it as the parable of the Good Samaritan, but it is really a parable of the Right Attitude It gives the most graphic teaching in the medium of a parable on the critical new covenant issue of salvation by grace No other story-teaching of the Master pulls out the essential difference between law and grace as does this one.
The lawyer’s question
Let’s have a closer look First, we find that the instigation of the teaching comes as a question from an “expert in the law” (Luke 10:25 NIV) The text notes that he came to test Jesus, not an unusual event at all The gospels record several instances of this, notably the series of questions in Matthew 23 How often during his ministry must the Lord have dealt patiently with such foolishness! As usual, the Lord could not give a direct answer, as the lawyer had asked the wrong question Jesus seldom, if ever, gave direct answers, because people were unable to ask the right questions – they invariably asked within the framework of the Law Likewise here the lawyer wanted to know what good work he could do to “earn” eternal life Of course, there is no work, salvation is by grace through faith, not by works (Eph 2 8,9) So the Lord Jesus has to help the lawyer reframe his thinking Nowadays we call this a “paradigm shift,” and that is exactly what he pursues with this teaching story.
He seeks a precise, legal definition
The lawyer asked about a specific work, Jesus, in turn, asked him what he had read in the Law The lawyer astutely recited part of the shema from Deuteronomy, stating one’s love for God and for one’s neighbor Jesus affirmed his response, saying “Do this, and you will” Of course the Lord knew exactly what was going to come next The setup was complete and the lawyer falls right into the trap by asking Jesus to specify “neighbor”
We cannot overlook the legal precision and seriousness of this part of the interview The lawyer was dead serious in wanting to know with exact precision the definition of neighbor, because m his legal framework that was the key element Doubtless the rabbis and teachers of the law had discussed this at length Was a neighbor someone who lived next door to you? How about across the road? What about two houses away? Three? What if you lived in the country? What if the neighbor lived next door but just moved in, and you didn’t know him yet?
Don’t laugh; this was exactly the way the lawyers and Pharisees dealt with such issues. Make a precise definition, then practice your goodness only to those who fell in “neighbor” category. As for anyone else, God did not require anything. You kept the crisp definition of the Law and did good to those specified and identified. The doing of good put God at your debt. Such was the thinking of the legal mind. When the lawyer asked “who is my neighbor,” (Lk. 10:29) he was thus asking for Jesus to make a legal specification and clarification. Now the mind-shaking, paradigm-shifting story could begin.
The story
Jesus sets the tale on the road between Jericho and Jerusalem. Many commentators have noted this road was the main route between the priests’ quarters in Jericho and the temple in Jerusalem. It was also a highway known for its brigands, who make their dutiful appearance in the story by bludgeoning and robbing a traveler. Shortly, a priest comes along, after his two-week tour of duty in the temple, returning to his home in Jericho. He determines that the man is not his neighbor, and, for good measure to avoid possible defilement from touching blood, passes by “on the other side.” Imagine the scene: a bloodied, naked stranger, lying crumpled in the heat on the dusty road. A priest – perhaps the only aid within miles, looks only close enough to figure out that he has no legal obligation, and then, just to be safe, goes to the other side of the road!
Incredibly, a Levite, also was going down the road from Jerusalem, repeats this inhuman posturing of religion. No help here, for the Levite had determined by inspection that the traveler was “not neighbor.” Can you imagine, if there was any consciousness left in the poor soul, what the injured traveler must have thought about being ignored in succession by religious leaders of his people?
Help from Samaritan, not Pharisee
Now Jesus inserts the scalpel into the heart of the lawyer. At this juncture, the lawyer would have expected the third party – the hero – of the story to be a Pharisee! Who else was left? Not a priest or a Levite, but a Pharisee. The lawyer would have anticipated this ending: “And then a lawyer passed by, determined correctly that the unfortunate man was indeed in the category of neighbor, and provided assistance for him.”
But Jesus skipped that entry – he went past lawyer, past common Israelite, past slave – he went all the way to despised Samaritan! The Samaritans, the half-breed religious and racial mongrel remnant of the Assyrian captivity, lived life segregated from the Jews – “the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans,” noted John the evangelist (John 4:9).
The Samaritan has compassion
The Samaritan provided both ritual and practical aid. He anointed the half-dead traveler with oil and wine. He took him to a safe place, leaving money and assurances for his further care. However, the real difference was not in doing, but in the attitude that led to the good deeds. Unlike the priest and Levite, who had only regard for the technicalities of the Law, the Samaritan “took pity on him.” It’s the same word often used to describe Jesus’ attitude toward the suffering multitudes (e g, Mt 9 36) It means “moved to compassion” Here is the ability to place another’s need above personal interest, convenience or ritual Here is what’s needed to allow the Samaritan to truly “love his neighbor”
Who was neighbor?
To finish the teaching, Jesus now questioned the lawyer The Lord always asked the right questions, questions that probed and drove the mind to search for faith Jesus’ question would not be a trick question or an embarrassing one, but a question meant to cut to the dividing of joints and marrow, the better for introspection The answer he wanted had to do more than identify the “one who did good” Jesus wanted to make the paradigm-shifting point of how “neighbor” was defined Thus he asked, “Which one was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” It was not a matter of identifying who is your neighbor, it was a matter of how do we make ourselves neighbor to others The Lord reverses the idea of “neighborhood!”
Neighborhood without boundaries
Now we have the key issue the lawyer wanted definition, Jesus wanted compassion The lawyer wanted to know how he could determine if any given person was a neighbor, Jesus said “neighborhood” was a matter of attitude, if you had compassion, then anyone – even a Samaritan – could be a neighbor, and everyone – even the ceremonially unclean – was your neighbor The lawyer wanted specific and tangible, Jesus gave him ambiguous and intangible The lawyer wanted an external definition of neighbor, Jesus gave him an internal one The lawyer wanted a law he could follow and thus receive reward, Jesus gave him an attitude that modeled grace.
Right attitude the key
The determining factor “he took pity on him,” led the Samaritan to do a good work The attitude defined the good work, for if the priest or Levite had given aid based on a legal determination, that would fail to qualify as a “good work” Under the New Covenant, good works must come from right attitudes (Eph 2 9, 10) Apparently, the lawyer began to get the message, for his answer was right on center “the one who had mercy,” was the one who was a neighbor.
So perhaps the lawyer did begin to experience that feeling of what it’s like to have your whole theology turned inside out At once empty and dazed, awed and instructed, he contemplated the implications this one teaching had for the whole structure of his religion Sensing that he was grasping for something tangible to hold onto, Jesus led him ever so gently to the final lesson, “go and do likewise” A few minutes ago, the lawyer would have heard only the “do,” for that was his original question, “what should I do?” Now he would hear “do likewise,” that is, do m the same manner So a Pharisee learns he must become like a Samaritan!
Yes, we must do good works, and it is our attitude that determines good works Only if we have compassion can we truly do good to others It doesn’t make any difference who they are, it makes a difference who we are What counts is our attitude of compassion, which will cause us to be neighbors, and to learn the principles of the new covenant of grace.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One