The Good Samaritan
The Good SamaritanLuke 10:30-37
When we realize the significance of the
truth that the man who helped the one
who had been stripped, wounded, and left
half dead by the thieves was a “certain
Samaritan,” the Parable of the Good
Samaritan opens up and sets forth its long
range prophecy as well as its Christian
principles of kindness, mercy, pity and
good deeds.
The priest and the Levite who had
passed by on the other side represented
religion without the Christian spirit of
kindness, mercy, and pity for those in distress.
There is a sense in which any person
can be a good Samaritan. But why did the
Lord say “a certain Samaritan?” Why did
He not merely say “a certain man” as He
did in the case of the one who was robbed
and left to die?
The Greek definition of the word
“Samaritan” is an inhabitant of Samaria.
When we realize that Samaria was the
capitol of ten-tribed Israel after they had
broken away from the Judah kingdom it
becomes apparent that the Parable of the
Good Samaritan is a long range prophecy
as well as a parable on kindness and
mercy.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
came as the result of a tempting question
put to Jesus by a certain antagonistic
lawyer.
In Luke 10:25-29 we read, “And
behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and
tempted him, saying, Master, what
shall I do to inherit eternal life? He
said unto him, What is written in the
law: how readest thou?
“And he answering 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 And
he said unto him, Thou hast answered
right: this do, and thou shalt live. But
he, willing to justify himself, said
unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor?”
Now we come to the parable as recorded
in verses 30 through 35: “Jesus
answering said, A certain man went
down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and
fell among thieves, which stripped
him of his raiment, and wounded him,
and departed, leaving him half dead.
“And by chance there came down a
certain priest that way: and when he
saw him, he passed by on the other
side. And likewise a Levite, when he
was at the place, came and looked on
him, 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
on him, And went to him, and bound
up his wounds, pouring in oil and
wine, and set him on his own beast,
and brought him to an inn, and took
care of him. And on the morrow when
he departed, he took out two pence,
and gave them to the host, and said
unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever
thou spendest more, when I
come again, I will repay thee."
After giving this parable Jesus asked
the lawyer, “Which now of these three,
thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him
that fell among thieves? And he said,
He that shewed mercy on him. Then
said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou
likewise.”
The fact that Jesus said “Go, and do
thou likewise” shows that this is not a
parable on personal salvation for personal
salvation has never been and never can be
by good deeds. Furthermore, if Jesus had
meant to have the good Samaritan represent
Himself He would not have said “Go,
and do thou likewise,” for no mortal can
do what Jesus did. He alone could and did
die for the sins of the world. Therefore the
Parable of the Good Samaritan is not a
parable on personal salvation but rather a
prophecy showing that the people who at
one time held Samaria as their national
capitol would in due time become history's
great benefactors, building mission stations,
schools, and hospitals throughout
the earth.
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