Christ Conversation Jesus Stories: The Good Samaritan, Luke 10:25-37 www.christconversation.com [Luke 10:25-37, ESV] And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall 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 your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29
But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
The Principals: 1. A Lawyer. a. How does the Lawyer address Jesus? b. What are his questions? c. What would the Lawyer be wearing? d. What was the Lawyer’s ‘read’ on the Law? e. Note verse 37 and the refusal of the Lawyer to say, “the Samaritan.” 2. Jesus a. What is the point of Jesus’ question: “How do you read it?” b. What is Jesus affirming to the Lawyer? The Cast of Characters: 1. Jerusalem to Jericho Road a. About 17 miles and an elevation drop from Jerusalem (2,300) to Jericho (1,300 below sea level) – a drop of 3,600 feet. b. Known as the Red Road or the Bloody Way. Its hairpin turns and rocky outcroppings provided plenty of cover for robbers. Even as late as the 19th Century you had to pay Sheiks to pass on the road safely. 2. The Traveler a. No one travelled this road alone; it was a foolish endeavor. People hearing this story might think the Traveler got what he deserved. b. Stripped and robbed and left for dead. 3. The Priest
a. Seeing the man, he created space between himself and the victim – he crossed to the other side of the road. b. Was Numbers 19:11 behind his actions? c. Might he have preferred ceremony over care? Ritual over relief? 4. Levite a. All priests were Levites, but not all Levites were priests. Those that were not priests were assigned responsibilities around the Temple, preparations for offerings, and caring for the courts and chambers of the Temple. b. The Levites became interpreters of the Law and often functioned as Teachers (Neh 8:7, 9; 2 Chron 17:7-9). 5. The Samaritan a. Lived in the Northern kingdom of Israel and intermarried with peoples not Jewish. b. They worshipped at Mt. Gerizim rather than in Jerusalem. They only accepted the first five books of Moses and denied the prophets and poets as authoritative (the rest of the Old Testament). c. The Jews mostly hated the Samaritans and considered them heretics and racially inferior. d. A Jew could be called a Samaritan as a slur: Jesus was called a Samaritan! See John 8:48-49 e. At his point in Jesus’ story the crowd would have thought no good could come this Samaritan!
f.
The Samaritan did 6 actions regarding the beaten victim: i. He comes up to the man ii. binds his wounds iii. anoints him with oil to comfort him iv. loads him on his mule v. takes him to an inn vi. cares for him, even paying for his whole stay. The cost of an inn was about 1/12 of a denarius – thus the Samaritan paid for about 3 weeks of care. vii. Note how the Innkeeper transacts business with the Samaritan and even extends credit. viii. It was only the Samaritan that acted out of compassion and care.
Jesus asks the question: “Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” The Lawyer cannot bring himself to, The Samaritan.” Instead, he responds: “The one who showed him mercy.” The Lawyer had hoped Jesus would define neighbor as another Jew – for that would have been the common usage. But Jesus expands and demands more: anyone in need is your neighbor. On commentator noted that the Bible does not teach universal brotherhood, but it does teach universal neighborhood. Jesus finishes: You go and do likewise. Love God. Love your neighbor. And let your neighbor be anyone. _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________
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