The Parable of the Good Samaritan
http://graceandspace.org
Lk 10:25-37
25There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test [Jesus] and said, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?” 27He
said in reply, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart,
with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.” 28He replied to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.”
29But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30Jesus
replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem
to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him
half-dead. 31A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 32Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. 33But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. 34He
approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged
them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and
cared for him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my
way back.’ 36Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” 37He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
Reflection:
Samaritan
traveler. Samaritans lived in the area south of Galilee and north of
Judea, part of the old northern kingdom of Israel. In 721 BC after
Israel was conquered by Assyria, there was mass deportation of
residents, and the area was resettled with colonists from other parts of
the Assyrian empire. Their descendants were considered half-breeds and
heretics by Jerusalem Jews.
In
the parable, after a Jewish priest and Levite neglect mercy to the
victim of robbers, Jesus presents the hated enemy of the Jews as the
caring person, the good man, the active neighbor attending to someone in
mortal danger. The Samaritan embodies how love of neighbor must be, by
being a loving neighbor himself.
Consider how costly it was for the Samaritan
to help the wounded victim.
If given the chance, would you do the same?
No comments:
Post a Comment