A Neighborly Samaritan

JESUS is perhaps near Bethany, a village about two miles from Jerusalem. A man who is an expert on the Law of Moses approaches him with a question, asking: "Teacher, by doing what shall I inherit everlasting life?" Jesus detects that the man, a lawyer, is asking not simply for information, but, rather, because he desires to test him. The lawyer's aim may be to get Jesus to answer in a way that will offend the sensibilities of the Jews. So Jesus gets the lawyer to commit himself, asking: "What is written in the Law? How do you read?"

In reply, the lawyer, exercising unusual insight, quotes from God's Laws at Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, saying: "You must love Jehovah God with your whole heart and with your whole souled and with your whole strength and with your whole mind,' and, 'your neighbor as yourself.'" "You answered correctly," Jesus responds. "Keep on doing this and you will get life."

The lawyer, however is not satisfied. Jesus' answer is not specific enough for him. He wants confirmation from Jesus that his own views are correct and hence that he is righteous in his treatment of others. Therefore, he asks: "Who really is my neighbor?"

The Jews believe that the term "neighbor" applies only to fellow Jews, as the context of Leviticus 19:18 seems to indicate. In fact, later even the apostle Peter said: "You will know how unlawful it is for a Jew to join himself to or approach a man of another race." So, the lawyer, and perhaps Jesus' fellow disciples too, believe that they are righteous if they treat only fellow Jews kindly, since, in their view, non-Jews are not really their neighbors.

Without offending his listeners, how can Jesus correct their view? He tells a story, possibly based on an actual happening. "A certain [Jew]," Jesus explains, "was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who both stripped him and inflicted blows, and went off, leaving him half dead." Now, by coincidence," Jesus continues, "a certain priest was going down over that road, but, when he saw him, he want by on the opposite side. Likewise, a Levite also, when he got down to the place and saw him, went by on the opposite side. But a certain Samaritan traveling the road came upon him and, at seeing him, he was moved with pity."

Next time: Conclusion of A Neighborly Samaritan

The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived, 1991