The Good Samaritan

Jesus here mingles with the lower crust of society, which aggravates the religious leaders of the day. In response, Jesus utters three parables of lost things-a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son. All three are parables that point out that to some degree all of us are lost and are in desperate need of pardoning mercy.

In the last, the Parable of the Prodigal Son, ("prodigal" meaning wasteful, extravagant, reckless) a rebellious young man demands his inheritance from his father and chooses to forsake home and family values. He goes into the world, sins against virtue and soon encounters the harsh reality of joblessness and homelessness. When he finally recognizes the famine for goodness in his own life and the present emptiness in his soul, he begins the long and arduous road home.

The arms of family and friends are opened wide, an outpouring of compassion and love takes place and all rejoice. All, that is, except for the older brother who has stayed home and remained faithful to the father. He feels in some way cheated or slighted because the returning one is given a robe, a ring and a fatted calf. There seems to lurk in his mind the questions: "What about me? I'm the good guy, remember?" In one sense, an application of the parable might be a warning against wandering and the stern price of disobedience. To be sure, prevention is far better than redemption. The message of this story, however, is one that each of us needs to hear regularly, especially when we are prone to judge another: whether one strays out of ignorance (like the lost sheep), out of neglect (like the lost coin) or knowingly (like the prodigal son), the Almighty stands ready and willing to receive us back and reinstate us in the royal family.

And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

(Luke 10:25-37)

One of the most powerful lessons in the New Testament come as a result of Jesus' answer to questions like, "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" In response to this lawyer's inquiry, Jesus capsulized the law with the two "great commandments"-we must love God and love our neighbor. And then, in answer to the follow up as to who is our neighbor, the Parable of the Good Samaritan follows.

The Samaritans were hated by the Jews and considered to be "half-breeds." Many of the Samaritans had come through the intermarriage of Jews and Assyrians, the Assyrians having conquered the land of Israel several centuries earlier. Jews considered the Samaritans to be ritually unclean and were instructed to have no dealings or interactions with them. (John 4:9) And so in this parable, two prominent men in the religious establishment, both of whom had responsibility for the upkeep and operation of the sanctuary, passed by the wounded man as though they did not see. On the other hand, a dreaded Samaritan-of all people!-was willing to be inconvenienced and therefore extend himself in service.

This parable highlights the sobering truth that neither religious belief nor strict religious observance qualify one for divine approval; rather, theology and ritual need to be translated into pure religion, in terms of bearing one another's burdens and mourning with those who mourn. In addition, the tendency of a man or woman to be thoughtful or compassionate is often unrelated to their place in society's pecking order.