How To Be A Good Samaritan!

How to be a Good Samaritan!

Luke 10:30 - Jesus replied and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. Luke 10:31 - "And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Luke 10:32 - "Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. Luke 10:33 - "But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, Luke 10:34 - and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. Luke 10:35 "On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, `Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ (Luke 10:36 KJV) Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

(Luke 10:37 KJV) And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

I. a. Hospitals have been named after the person in this story

b. In the USA "Good Samaritan" laws have been passed to encourage passers-by to help those

in need

II. It has been common to apply symbolic interpretations to this parable; for example...

a. The traveler represents man, who has left the heavenly city (Jerusalem) for the worldly one (Jericho)

b. The robbers are representative of the devil and sin, who leave man dying in sin John 10:10

c. The priest and the Levite refer to the Law and its sacrifices, which are unable to help

d. But the Good Samaritan is Jesus, who provides the help needed

e. The wine represents the blood of Christ; the oil, the anointing of the Holy Spirit

f. The inn is the church, the innkeeper representative of the apostles; the two coins representing baptism and the Lord’s Supper

III. As interesting as such interpretations may be...

a. Is it really what Jesus is

teaching in this parable? Or does Jesus have some other lesson that He wants us to glean from it?

III. THE PARABLE AND ITS SETTING

A. THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN JESUS AND A LAWYER...

1. A lawyer stands up to "test" Jesus - Luke 10:25

a. A "lawyer" in this context would be one well-versed in the Law of Moses

b. The word "test" doesn’t have to imply negative; it may simply mean the man was seeking to

Ascertain Jesus’ faithfulness to the Law

c. But there are some implications that he was seeking to trick Jesus...

1) He "stood" up, perhaps to draw attention to himself

2) Later, he sought to "justify" himself with another question; implying he was interested in more than just a Simple answer to his question

d. His question was similar to that asked by the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18): "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit Eternal life?"

2. Jesus answers the question by pointing him back to the Law - Luke 10:26

a. In so doing, Jesus shows His own confidence in the Law

c. In a similar manner Jesus pointed the rich young ruler to the Law - Luke 18:20

b. Keep in mind that at this time the Law was still in force, so the answer was still to be found in it - cf. Mt 5:17-19

3. The lawyer replies with a proper understanding of what the Law taught concerning eternal life - Luke 10:27-28

a. He quotes from Deu 6:5 and Lev 19:18

b. Both which Jesus quoted to another lawyer on a later occasion - cf. Mt 22:34-40

c. Upon these two laws, one to love God, the other to love your neighbor...

1) The entire Law was based

2) Those living while the Law was still in force could live, be saved)

4. But the lawyer is not finished... - Luke 10:29

a. He desires to "justify" himself (was he embarrassed

Jesus answered him so easily?)

b. He asks the question that precipitates the parable: "And Who is my neighbor?"

B. THE PARABLE ITSELF...

1. A man travels from Jerusalem to Jericho, and is beaten - Luke10:30

a. A distance of about 20 miles 33 KM

b. A dangerous road, known as "The Way of Blood" because of the robbers

c. Stripped of his clothing and wounded by thieves, he is left half

dead

2. Two pass by, doing nothing - Luke 10:31-32 a. The first was a priest; the he second was a Levite