Morning Cup of J(esus)
Fueling the Day!
The Good Samaritan
Who were the Samaritans, and why are they considered significant in this parable? In 722 B. C., the Northern Kingdom of Israel was captured by the Assyrians. Many Hebrews were taken away as captives. But some remained, and many of these remaining Jews intermarried with Gentile foreigners put there by the Assyrians. The Samaritans were the half-Jewish, half-Gentile people living in Samaria which is located between Galilee in the north and Judea in the south. The first-century historian Josephus set the Mediterranean Sea as its limit to the west, and the Jordan River as its limit to the east.
The Samaritans were hated by the Jews, but the feeling was mutual.
Jews felt that Samaritans distorted true religion and only used the Pentateuch and not the prophets. Samaritans felt that the Jewish priesthood was illegitimate. To describe a person as a “Good Samaritan” would be a striking illustration for a Jewish audience.
This parable is also a great reminder of how Jesus taught His lessons through parables. The young lawyer comes to Jesus to test Him and to question Him: “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answers the man’s question with another question:
“What is written in the law? “
What is your reading of it?” His answer is straight from the Scripture: ‘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.” This lawyer knew the Scriptures, but he was an unchanged man.
Christ answers the lawyer and acknowledges that he was right and should follow this and live. the lawyer still wanting to test Jesus asks the question that prompts the parable:
Who is my neighbor?
Some questions to consider after you read the parable:
Did it cost the Good Samaritan to act this way? What would it cost us to live like this? Who is your neighbor? Think of specific people in your life that have needs. How can you help to meet these needs? Are all needs physical? Or are spiritual needs just as or more important? What kinds of people in need do we tend to overlook? To be a good Samaritan we must be the ones who shows mercy. We are to “go and do likewise” on a daily basis.,
Luke 10:24-26
24 for I tell you that many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it.”
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying,
“Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 27 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.’” 28 And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.” 29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”
30 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. 31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 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. 35 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.’
36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” 37 And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”