And who is my neighbor? Luke 10:29 (NIV)
My Neighbor – Neighbors Series – Part 2
Go to PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5 | PART 6 | PART 7 | PART 8
An expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered, “‘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, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said:
“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
This is one of Jesus's most famous parables. Its precedent is to:
Help the poor, right?
Don’t be like the priest and the Levite, right?
Be generous with your life, right?
Everyone is your neighbor, right?
Yeah…
But there is so much more to this story than that (don’t just read the label and file it away). While this parable should always be fresh and new and applicable to people, speaking to them on a personal level, it also has its historical context.
There are many organizations, charities, hospitals and events around today titled around the concept of “The Good Samaritan.” It evokes a picture of benevolence, neighborly care, unconditional love, rescue, aid, and generosity. The Good Samaritan has become an honorable and noble figure.
But to first-century Jews, a Samaritan was anything BUT honorable and noble. The words “Good Samaritan” were never paired together. EVER! Jesus didn’t use this phrase in his parable. He didn’t reply to the lawyer’s question with: “Let me tell you a story about a Good Samaritan…”
Samaritans and Jews were enemies. Their hate and contempt for each other going back generations; six hundred plus years of separation, judgment, and enmity. They raided each other's lands and killed each other’s sons. They traveled longer routes around each other's borders so that they didn’t defile themselves by treading on each other’s dirt.
Jesus was not telling a nice story about someone helping another someone in need.
It’s a provocative tale of violence and peace, perception, and acceptance, fear and hope. It confronts “rescuer complexes” and “enemy stereotypes” – if you will, our labelling system.
Would you accept the outstretched hand of your sworn enemy in your most desperate hour of need?
Over to you. How do you go loving your version of a “Good Samaritan”? Leave us your comments below.
Go to Part 3 – A Question of Humanity »
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