The Parable of the Good Samaritan is a well-known story from the New Testament (Luke 10:25-37). The Parable of the Good Samaritan tells the story of a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, and while on the way he is robbed of everything he had, including his clothing, and is beaten to within an inch of his life. That road was treacherous, with many turns that were favorite hideouts of robbers and thieves. We might compare it today to a transit ride into New York City. Recently, on a New York transit train, politicians of both major parties have used the parable in both the defense and rebuke of a “stand your ground” act. This study will not directly look at the events in New York. However, it is worth our time to see exactly what this parable was about and what it teaches us.
(Luke 10:25-37) 1NIV New International Version Translations– “On one occasion 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.’”
Jesus answers the question with a question: “He said to him, ’What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’” (Luke 10:26). By referring to the Law, Jesus is directing the man who asked him a question to an authority they both would accept as truth, the Old Testament. He is asking the scribe, what does Scripture say about this and how does he interpret it? Jesus thus avoids an argument and puts Himself in the position of evaluating the scribe’s answer instead of the scribe evaluating His answer. This directs the discussion toward Jesus’ intended lesson. The scribe answers Jesus’ question by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. This is virtually the same answer that Jesus had given before to similar questions in Matthew 22 and Mark 12.
Compassion and Kindness: The parable highlights the importance of showing compassion and kindness towards others, particularly those in need. The Samaritan, who is traditionally seen as an outsider or enemy by the Jews, demonstrates extraordinary compassion by helping a stranger who was beaten and left half-dead on the roadside. It encourages individuals to extend their care and assistance to those who are suffering or in distress, regardless of their background or social status.
Overcoming Prejudice and Discrimination: The parable challenges the prevailing prejudices and biases of its time. The Samaritans and Jews had a history of animosity and religious differences, but the parable emphasizes that acts of kindness and mercy should transcend such divisions. It encourages people to overcome their biases and treat others with love and respect, regardless of their differences.
Practical Love and Service: The parable emphasizes the importance of taking practical action to help others. The Samaritan not only felt compassion but also acted on it by bandaging the victim’s wounds, taking him to an inn, and providing for his care. It teaches that love and service should go beyond mere words or sentiments and should be expressed through tangible actions.
Compassion is an intrinsic human quality that arises from empathy, understanding, and a genuine desire to alleviate suffering or help others. It is a voluntary expression of care and concern. While laws and statutes can promote and encourage compassionate behavior, they cannot directly force or compel individuals to feel compassionate. Legislation and policies can create a supportive environment that encourages empathy and compassion, even providing resources, social services, and protections for vulnerable populations. They can also establish frameworks for addressing social issues and promoting justice and equality. However, the motivation behind compassionate actions ultimately comes from within individuals and cannot be coerced solely through laws or statutes.
Jesus used the parable to answer the question, “Who is my neighbor?” The parable broadens the definition of neighbor to include anyone in need, irrespective of their race, religion, or social standing. It emphasizes the universal call to love and care for one another, reminding people that everyone is their neighbor and deserving of their help and support.
Using the parable to describe the New York Transit Event
Before we can overlay the parable onto a specific event, there are critical points to identify. There were two victims in the transit train, one was being attacked. The other is a long-term felon responsible for the attack. He too, was a victim. With over 40 arrests, he was never helped by our society. Good samaritans would intervene to stop the attack. In defending the victim, the felon died at the hands of an intercessor. Our parable has different characters that need understanding. There were “robbers,” the people responsible for the attack on the victim. There were the priest and the Levite, who knew God’s Law; the victim; and those who chose not to get involved. Finally, there was the “good Samaritan,” the person who interceded. You have the same characters in our contemporary story on the New York train. You even have the silent witnesses, the ones who knew better, riding on the train. A few helped in the defense of the victim. There is the “perpetrator, the aggressor,” the one that New York’s justice system had failed to reform or help. There is the “victim,” the one who could not defend themselves, and you have the “intercessors,” the persons who were compelled by compassion to help. True compassion is a personal and voluntary response to the needs of others, driven by genuine care and concern. The lack of enforcement of societal norms and expectations has become a moving target and rarely aligns with God’s Word. District attorneys justify the release of felons and the lack of restorative justice in the name of compassion. It calls for us to be careful about exactly how we define victimhood. A misguided system of justice caused the need for people of compassion to become involved in New York and seek self-defense.
Personal Responsibility: The parable highlights an individual’s responsibility to help others. It contrasts the actions of the priest and the Levite, who passed by the wounded man without stopping to help with the Samaritan’s compassionate response. It challenges individuals to examine their actions and attitudes, encouraging them to take personal responsibility for showing kindness and compassion. The parable presents the act of helping the disadvantaged as a moral imperative, highlighting the importance of personal character and ethical behavior.
The parable shows a single act of compassion towards one person in need. It emphasizes the immediate and direct impact an individual can have on another’s life. In contrast, governmental policies aim to address systemic issues and often have a broader scope, aiming to help a more significant number of disadvantaged individuals and communities. Politicians introducing Jesus’ parable into their mantra step out on thin ice. It is the heart of the good Samaritan that is the lesson, not the societal rules that might mandate equity or social justice programs. To examine who is right and who is wrong, we need to address the human hearts involved!
It is important to understand that the parable of the Good Samaritan addressing the disadvantaged serves a specific purpose. The parable focuses on moral and individual transformation, inspiring people to exhibit compassion and kindness in their personal lives. In Jesus’ parable, we see that the good Samaritan used his resources voluntarily to benefit the victim. This would have been a very different story if the Samaritan leaders had reached into the good Samaritan’s purse or citizens’ taxes to pay the victim’s bills. Or worse yet, determined that the “robbers” were the victims and gave them free resources, including a free room at the inn in the hope of deterring future crimes.
Yes, we are called to compassion: (Ephesians 4:32} – “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Yes, we are granted the right to self-defense: (Luke 22:36) — “He said to them, ‘But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.’”
Contemplations
- Where do we learn compassion?
- Ideas to Explore: Family, school, church, experience?
- Does God call us to be generous to everyone, even those who have no need?
- Ideas to Explore: Laws, statutes, governmental regulations.
- Can you force someone to be compassionate?
- Ideas to Explore: To those who have no need? How about those who are mentally ill? What about the homeless on drugs? How would you handle each group?
- Do you believe in the right of self-defense?
- Ideas to Explore: How was your opinion formed? Where in Scripture do you find support for your opinion?
- How would you prioritize the rights of those in the Parable of the Good Samaritan?
- Ideas to Explore: The citizens of Samaria, the government of Samaria, the Priest and Levite, the robbers, the Good Samaritan, the innkeeper, and the victim?
- Does compassion count if it is done with someone else’s resources?
- Ideas to Explore: Can someone be forced to be compassionate?
- 1NIV New International Version Translations