Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37) (02/22/24)
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TITLE: THE MODERN DAY GOOD SAMARITAN | Previous Challenge Entry
By Dr Surya Kumar Daimari
02/29/24 -
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In the parable of a good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), a man was beaten up badly by the robbers by the side of the road. Three types of people were passing by the man who came from Jericho to Jerusalem.
The first man was a Priest belonging to the top most group of people in the hierarchy of the Israelites. The Priest was a go-between or an intercessor between God and man. He being a man of highest position in the hierarchy representing the Holiness of God, might have bypassed the man and did not want to take a risk of defilement that would require a sanctification process.
The other man was a Levite. The Levites were descendants of Jacob’s son and were selected to serve God in the Holy Temple. They did the basic works in preparing sacrifices and cleaning the Holy Place. The Levite in this parable also bypassed the man in trouble without showing any mercy.
The third man was a Samaritan.
The Samaritans were a mixed people group spiritually corrupt Israelites and pagan foreigners who lived in the area of Israel . They were hated by the Jews and looked down as the least. In the story of the Good Samaritan, however, we have seen that the Samaritan who came near the man beaten up by the robbers felt pity on him and did all he could for his survival.
“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 expenses you may have.” Luke 10;34-35.
Jesus Christ used this story as the back drop of the Jews’ hatred for the Samaritans to show that every one was his neighbor even those considered an enemy. The relationship is not on kinship but on a moral obligation to any people in need, may be an unknown person or a stranger, or a socially outcast man. The commandment of Jesus to love our neighbors as ourselves means that human love should be divine, impartial irrespective of caste and creed having all men for its goal.
Jesus asked the lawyer who was an expert of the Law of God, i.e., the TOHRA, “Which of these three, do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The lawyer honestly answered, “ the one who had mercy on him”. The meaning is that one who helped the man in need was a neighbor to the other. Here we see that both the men, i.e., the man who helped and the man who was beaten up by the robbers were strangers to each other. Interestingly, the man who helped and saved the life of the other happened to be a Samaritan, i.e., an enemy for a Jew. And of course, the man who was beaten up badly was implicitly thought to be a Jew. The Jews and the Samaritans were generally antagonistic towards each other. The incident here seems to be a co-incident and becomes an example of true love manifesting. The Samaritan who was hated by a Jew turned out to be a good Samaritan and became a symbol of goodness and benevolence of all times. This important character of the Samaritan speaks of the pure love of Christ. The word Compassion in Greek suggests that the Samaritan’s bowels were moved with mercy and kindness, deep and inner sympathy. This is a challenge for a child of God.
In a true sense, Jesus himself is the Good Samaritan who came down to earth intending to rescue and care for the dying man. The Savior came purposefully with oil and bandages to bring redemption unto the world. Such as the Samaritan poured out oil and the wine onto the wounds of the man to cleanse him, Jesus our Lord also with his atoning blood washed away our sin and purified our soul.
Challenge: Become a Modern Day Good Samaritan for our Lord Jesus.
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