In the story of the good Samaritan, Christ illustrates the nature of true religion. He shows that it consists not in systems but in loving God and our neighbor with a heart that can’t bear to cause them hurt.
In Luke 10, a certain lawyer came to Christ and asked, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the law?” He said; “how readest thou?”
The lawyer 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 neighbor as thyself.” Jesus said, “Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.”
Yet he put another question, saying, “Who is my neighbor?” This lawyer was unsure who his neighbor was, he was unsure how far his love should be extended. The Jews failed in realizing who their neighbor was and to them the Samaritans were nothing less then strangers and enemies.
Christ often used parables to give to the people a deeper understanding and in order for this lawyer to understand who his neighbor is he needed to hear the story of the good Samaritan. How a certain man was attacked by thieves, stripped of his clothes, leaving him half dead.
By chance, along comes a certain priest that sees this man lying there half dead and his first response to his neighbor is to distance himself from him, to pass by on the other side. Perhaps his first thought was directed at self as he realized the danger that he himself could be in, seeing he had no guarantee that the thieves weren’t still nearby.
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. Levites served as ritual caretakers of the Temple, they were responsible for many tasks associated with public worship. Both the priest and the Levite just looked at him and in their heart they felt no compassion for this man that was on the brink of death. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him.
Who are we in this story? Would we stop and help or would our faith only produce dead works towards this man in need as we also quickly pass him by? Maybe reasoning with ourselves that it is not someone from our culture and we have nothing to do with him. Maybe wishing we had never seen this man so we wont feel guilty for leaving him without help. The Samaritan saw the injured man in a different way than the priest and the Levite saw him. The Samaritan saw the desperate need of the man. The Samaritan allowed his heart to be open and was moved with pity. This would not have happened if he had quickly walked by on the other side, turning away his eyes from the man in need. The Samaritan had to pay attention, first with his eyes and then with his heart.
Directions have been given to us “If thou meet thine enemy’s ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again, Exodus 23:4. We as neighbors are to have compassion on the animals that have become lost along the way, even if this animal belongs to our enemy. How much more is it expected of us to do the opposite of what these religious leaders did as they quickly passed by this man that was in need of human compassion? How much more should their hearts have been moved with pity for him than for a beast that is lost?
Job had said, “The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveler.” Job 31:32. And when the two angels in the guise of men came to Sodom, Lot bowed himself with his face toward the ground, and said, “Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant’s house, and tarry all night.” Genesis 19:2.
We have all these lessons before us as an example of what we aught to do, will we be like the priest and Levite that reads and is familiar with the words of God but fail to see that there is a duty to do and if we are anything like Christ we will do the works that He did because the love of God in our hearts can’t help but do what Christ would do.
The Samaritan did not question whether this man in need was a Jew or Gentile. He did not consider that he himself might be in danger by lingering in the place. He took off his own garment with which to cover him. The oil and wine provided for his own journey he used to heal and refresh the wounded man. He brought him to an inn, and cared for him through the night, watching him tenderly. In the morning, before leaving, he placed him in the care of the innkeeper, paid the charges, still not being satisfied even with this, he made arrangements for any further need, saying to the host, “Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.”
Luke 10:36-37
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.
Our neighbor is every soul who is the property of God. In the story of the good Samaritan, Jesus gave a picture of Himself and His mission. Man had been deceived, bruised, robbed, and ruined by Satan, and left to perish but the Savior had compassion on our helpless condition. He left His glory, to come to our rescue. He found us ready to die, and He undertook our case.
He healed our wounds. He covered us with His robe of righteousness. He opened to us a refuge of safety, He payed the price while we were not even aware of the debt that he paid so that we may be healed and have the chance to live. He died to redeem us. Pointing to His own example, He says to His followers, “These things I command you, that ye love one another.” “As I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” John 15:17; 13:34.
How many of us would believe that God so loves us if He did not send to us, His one and only Son? He looked at our helpless condition and His heart was overwhelmed with love and pity as we were all walking towards death. He did consider that for Him every single day on this earth would be filled with unending heartache and agony. He did consider, just how dangerous and painful it would be to lay down His kingly robes and trade it for a life where the enemy would from the manager to the grave make His life the worst quality of life a human has and will ever endure.
He considered the enemies rage against Him for expelling him from his home in heaven, yet many years before He even came to redeem us, it was written that unto us a child will be born, unto us unworthies a son will be given, the government being on His shoulders, giving us the privilege to be our counselor, our mighty God, our everlasting Father and our Prince of Peace that desires to bring us a peace that the world can never bring us.
For us you were despised and rejected, our sins brought you untold sorrow and you were not a stranger to grieve. It is written that we hid, our faces from you, you were despised and we failed to esteem (respect, admire) you as you poured out on us your everything even though we would turn our face away from you. We picked the friendship with this world over you, treating you as an enemy but yet you did not turn your face away from us, as you looked down on us and saw us perishing in our sins, with no hope in sight.
You could have passed by on the other side as did the priest and Levite and consider the danger that you faced but you did not consider yourself for if you did, we would all be lost for all eternity. Even though you knew every trial, every reproach, your heart burned with love and pity and nothing could keep you from coming as a helpless babe to a world that didn’t realize just how much they needed you to come and dwell among them.
What if His heart was anything like the priest and Levite that had no compassion as they quickly passed by this man as they journeyed to Jericho? What if Christs compassion and love towards us only ran as deep as does the love and compassion that we often have towards our neighbor in need? What a mess that we would be in. “As I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” is His plea to us. Do we truly appreciate what our Savior has done for us? Or are our faces and hearts still turned away from Him as we are seeking the friendship of this world?
