The Caring Church - The Parable of the Good Samaritan: Day 2

The parable of the Good Samaritan is a story to illustrate how we “love our neighbors as ourselves.” When other people need our help the most, like the man on the road, is when our love for neighbor is truly tested. Jesus tells us to be like the Good Samaritan, helping others in times of need, and not the Priest and Levite who ignored their neighbor. Jesus tells the parable, or story, of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 of the New Testament. In that Bible chapter, he says, “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 meaning of the Good Samaritan parable from Jesus is very simple: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Before telling the story of the Samaritan, Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment of all. He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Love Your Neighbor As Yourself is the second great commandment of Jesus. It immediately follows His commandment of loving God with all your heart, mind and soul. Following this commandment is the key Jesus Christ gave us for loving others as God loves us. “And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these"”Mark 12:31 (NKJV).

The Good Samaritan was the person who had mercy upon the man that was half-dead and robbed on the side of the road. After a priest and Levite passed the downtrodden man, showing him no mercy or compassion, the Samaritan took care of him and saved his life.

“And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” So he answered and said, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ” And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, 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. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise” Luke 10:25-37 (NKJV).