Luke 10:25-37 "Who Was The Good Samaritan?"
Prayer:Father in heaven, as we open Your Word today, help us to keep Your name holy. In our thoughts and in our words. As we listen, work in us and make us holy even as You are. AMEN
Kim and I were driving on a road at night in Missouri and saw a man laying in the road. I stopped my VW van and got out to see if I could help him—I was in Bible college, I had read the Good Samaritan. When I got close to him, he jumped up with a knife and tried to rob me. He chased me back to my van and we drove away. Makes you think twice before helping strangers, I’ll tell you that.
Have you ever noticed someone who looked like they needed help but you didn’t stop? I certainly have—especially since that night. Not proud of it. Sometimes because I was in a hurry, or maybe it’s all just overwhelming— there always seems to be someone down on their luck with their hand out and I can’t help everyone. Can you relate to this?
When we hear the word “Samaritan” it doesn’t have the same meaning that it would have for people in Jesus’ day. We name our hospitals after the Good Samaritan. We have laws called the Good Samaritan law that protect people who try to help from law suits.
In Jesus’ day, to the Jews, a Samaritan was the enemy. A heretic. Nothing good about them.
Luke chapter 10, verse 25:
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
An expert in the law means they were an expert in the law of Moses. The Torah. This guy had the Old Testament memorized word for word. He had read his freaking Bible—he could recite it to you.
Jesus is doing what Jesus does, teaching and ministering to whoever was around Him, whoever showed up, and this Pharisee stands up to put Him to the test. Now, the last time Luke said someone wanted to “test” Jesus, do you remember who that was? Hint: he’s usually drawn with horns, red skin, and goat’s feet. We don’t usually think of the devil as a Bible-thumper but he’s also an expert in the law—he knows it way better than we do. But knowing the Bible is only part of the deal—we also have to believe it and do what it says.
We could think of this expert in the law as a lawyer—someone looking for loopholes. We could think of him as a legalistic, judgmental religious leader. We could think of him as the devil, but we should probably just think of him as ourselves.
You ever heard the saying, “Every child is a lawyer?” Meaning that every kid is always looking for a way out. A technicality to do what they’re told without actually doing what they're told. Every kid is Bart Simpson, “I Didn't Do It, Nobody Saw Me Do It, There's No Way You Can Prove Anything!” We never outgrow this. We all think we’re better than people who break the rules while looking for all the ways we can bend them ourselves.
Ask anyone if they’re going to heaven and they’ll probably say something like, “I think so. I believe in God and I try to be a good person. I’m as good as most people.” We’re all lawyers when it comes to our faith.
So the expert in the law asks Jesus a question, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Eternal “life.” It’s funny, we’re 2,000 years later and science still doesn’t have an answer to what the spark of life is. We know the symptoms of life—breathing, heartbeat, brain activity, etc. We know when it stops. When something is not alive. But we still don’t know what life is. Let alone spiritual life—eternal life, life after death. Life is still a mystery.
“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Do you think that’s a good question? Is it the right question? How interested are you in the way Jesus answers it?
The lawyer wants to know what he has to “do” to “inherit” eternal life. Do.
Do people typically have to do something to receive an inheritance? Ha. I mean, sometimes people can be such a disappointment that they lose their inheritance—get written out of the will. But they don’t usually have to do anything to be included in the first place. Other than being born into the family.
Jesus could have Jesus Juked the question—I probably would have, but that’s because I can be less then kind sometimes. Jesus answers the question with a question. And just like with the devil, Jesus points the one who is testing him to God’s Word.
Verse 26:
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Luke 10:26-27
Jesus knows the lawyer is very familiar with the law. “Well, what does the Bible say you have to do? What do you think it means?”
That’s a great way to answer anyone who asks you a question about God or sin or faith things. They might actually want to know, or they might be trying to trap you, get you to admit that you’re a close-minded, hateful, intolerant Neanderthal. This works either way: Have them answer their own question but from God’s perspective. Ask them what they think the Bible says about it. They might not know—unlike our lawyer friend—but it’s a good place to start.
So Jesus points the lawyer to the law to answer his own question.
And he answers perfectly, “Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength—and love your neighbor as yourself.” Not much wiggle room there. Worship God and love people. With all your emotions (not letting your emotions drive you to sin—and actually having passion and desire to worship God), with all your soul (which is the word for your life, who you are), with all your strength (everything you do, all your abilities), and with all your mind (your thoughts and intelligence and curiosity). That pretty much sums it up in how we’re supposed to worship and love God. But we can’t do that in isolation from people. The Ten Commandments are understood to be two tablets: the first tablet is how God expects His people to honor and respect Him. The second tablet is how God expects His people to honor and respect each other. Love God. Love others. Everything boils down to this.
The guy gave a perfect answer. He got an “A” on the test. 100%. But he was one of those snarky students who think they’re smarter than the teacher—like the test was a no-brainer.
He answers from the Word of God, which is good. But he’s trying to trap Jesus, who is the Word of God made flesh. How do you think this is going to work out for him?
Jesus has a follow-up question.
Verse 28:
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Luke 10:28-29
The tricky lawyer thinks he has Jesus right where he wants him. In front of all these people, he’s going to show how much smarter he is than this simpleton teacher from Nazareth. Discredit this false teacher in front of all his followers. His implication is, “Everyone knows that, but true wisdom is knowing who your neighbor is and who it is not!”
Jesus is about to sweep-kick and plant this guy face-first on the ground. He does it with a story.
Verse 30:
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.
Luke 10:30
When someone leaves Jerusalem, they are always thought to be going down—because the Temple in Jerusalem was always thought to be “up.” Kind of like how we think of God as “up,” even though we know He is all around and everywhere. In this case, however, the road to Jericho was actually going downhill. It was called “The Bloody Road” because there were so many places for bad guys to hide and attack people.
A man left Jerusalem and was traveling to Jericho, he was attacked by thugs who beat him half to death, took everything he had, and left him for dead. Clearly the opposite of loving their neighbor.
Verse 31:
A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. Luke 10:31
A Jewish priest was a descendant of the first High Priest, Aaron, he represented God to the people and the people to God. He was supposed to be a good guy—the opposite of a robber. A Levite was a descendant of the tribe of Levi—someone who assisted the priests and worked in the Temple. Also one of the good guys! But they both saw the man on the side of the road and kept on going.
People have speculated as to what their reasons might have been. Like, maybe they thought the man was dead—if they touched a dead person then they’d be unclean and not be able to serve in the Temple and do their job. I think this lets them off too easy. They were leaving Jerusalem, going down the road, not going to the Temple. Also, it says the man was half-dead, not dead. They could probably hear him moaning and suffering.
I think they passed him up for the same reasons we might pass someone up. They didn’t want to get involved. Don’t want to be implicated in the crime. Think it’s a trap and if they stop to help, someone might come running up and do the same thing to them. All the same reasons we tell ourselves to not help people.
So the good guys, for whatever reason, didn’t do anything. They looked the other way and left the man to die.
Verse 33:
But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. Luke 10:33
I can imagine Jesus raising an eyebrow when He said, “a Samaritan.”
Like I said, Jews hated Samaritans, and Samaritans hated Jews.
We might retell the story today by saying, “driving home from church, a man was changing a flat tire on I-10, near downtown, and got robbed and left for dead. A Police officer saw him but didn’t stop. A pastor saw him and didn’t help. But a Muslim terrorist took pity on him and stopped to help.
The least likely person we would ever think of. The enemy. Someone hated. Someone we are absolutely sure is not our neighbor. That’s who Jesus said had compassion and stopped to help.
Verse 34:
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 expense you may have.’ Luke 10:34-35
He had a first-aid kit. Bandages, oil, and wine to clean and disinfect. This hated Samaritan really goes all out. Picks the bloody man up and puts him on the donkey he was riding—now he has to walk. Takes him to a hotel, gets a room and takes care of him. When he leaves he gives the hotel manager a couple hundred dollars and convinces him to take care of the guy. Says he’ll come back and pay for any extra expenses.
This is quite a guy. He’s very generous—especially for an enemy.
So Jesus has one more question.
Verse 36:
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37
The man had asked Jesus who his neighbor is. How to define neighbor. Who does he have to love? More to the point, who is he excused from loving.
Jesus tells this story and changes the question. Not, ”who is my neighbor, but who acted like a neighbor.”
The lawyer tries to answer but he can’t get himself to say the “S” word. He’s not going to admit that a Samaritan was the good guy. At least not by name.
“The Sam… Sam… the one who had mercy on him.”
Once again, our lawyer gets the answer right. Probably not happy about it.
Jesus says, “Go and do likewise.”
Do what exactly?
This story would be a lot easier to understand if the guy laying half-dead in the road was a Samaritan. The priest and Levite don’t help him. Then a lawyer comes along and helps the poor dying Samaritan. That would be very clean. A morality tale of how to be a better person. Help people, even if they are your enemies. It would be called the Parable of the Good Lawyer.
I think we misunderstand who the Samaritan is supposed to be in the story, and who we’re supposed to be.
The Pharisee lawyer is there to trap Jesus. He sees Jesus as a heretic, a false teacher—an enemy. He doesn’t consider Jesus to be his neighbor—not at all.
The Samaritan in the story is Jesus. We’re the person laying there half-dead.
The Samaritan does what Jesus does for all of us. He finds us walking away from the presence of God (in the story it’s the Temple, for all of us it’s the church or what we know is right). We walk away from God and the devil attacks. Jesus finds us half-dead on the side of road, unable to help ourselves. He covers our wounds, heals us, forgives our sins—for being where we shouldn’t be, anoints us with oil—that’s actually what “Christ” means, the anointed one. Oil is a symbol of God’s Spirit. He pours wine—which of course makes us think of Him pouring out His blood and offering it to us in Communion. He carries us. (Insert “Footprints” poem.) He pays our debts—that we’re unable to pay. And He promises that He’s coming back.
The Samaritan in the story is Jesus.
So, what was Jesus telling the lawyer to do when He said, “Go and do likewise?”
A neighbor isn’t just the person who lives near our house. A neighbor isn’t just a person in our kind of church or on the same side of the political aisle, or from the same country—or even a law-abiding citizen with good hygiene who’s friendly to us. It includes all those people but it’s not limited to them.
In Greek, the word neighbor (plēsion) is just someone who is near us, in proximity, someone we come in contact with—no matter who they are. Whether we know them or not. Whether we like them or not. It just means someone you can see because they’re right there. Whoever is in front of you.
Jesus agrees with the Pharisee lawyer. “You are absolutely right! All you have to do is live up to your answer and you will inherit eternal life!” The psychology of the whole exchange is perfect. I’ll bet Jesus agreeing with him knocked the wind out of him. Like I said, sweep kick, face plant. Ha.
“Just keep doing what you said. Perfectly, with no break. Ever. No exceptions. Just continue keeping the law perfectly toward God and man. No problem, right?”
The Samaritan in the story is Jesus, so this ends up being a “WWJD” moment. What would Jesus do? He’d do everything in His power to help someone. No loopholes. Anyone in front of him. Whether they could ask for help or not. Even an enemy.
Go and do likewise.
You realize that we were all enemies of God by birth. Jesus rescued us anyway.
Go and do likewise.
I know we don’t want to. We’re all like the lawyer. We all want to justify ourselves by saying “it’s not my job, not my responsibility, not my problem, they didn't ask, someone else should do something about it, I gave at the office. I don’t want to get involved. It’s too risky.” I know. Me, too.
I’m glad our eternal life doesn’t depend on us keeping God’s law perfectly. I’ll come back to this in a minute but I don’t want to let us off the hook.
Jesus still tells us to go and do likewise.
If you see someone who needs help, help them. Have compassion. Stop what you’re doing and lend a hand. At the very least do the things that don’t cost you anything—a kind word of encouragement to someone who looks down, stop what you’re doing and pray with them, remind them that God is good and He’s in control—even when everything feels out of control. But there are going to be times when God will put people in front of us that He expects us to do a lot more for—like the Samaritan—everything we’re able to do. Take the risk and really be generous.
Anyone coming to mind right now? Maybe someone you tried to ignore? Maybe someone you’re still trying to ignore? What would Jesus do in your situation?
Go and do likewise.
Your life depends on it—so does theirs. Luther said, “God doesn’t need your good works, but your neighbor does.” You can’t earn your salvation by helping other people but they really do need your help. You can’t earn eternal life by loving God as hard as you can or by loving your neighbor as yourself…but you can ruin your life in the here and now, and the life of people all around you by not doing what God tells you.
If you don’t live your life worshiping God and loving people—you’re wasting the life God gave you. There is no better use of your Sunday morning than being in church to worship God with your friends—encouraging them and loving them. When you’re not here, it’s discouraging to the rest of us. There is no better use of the rest of your life—your possessions, your job, your family—everything you do—than finding ways to help people in any way you can. Your life isn’t for you. It’s for God and for the people He puts in your life. Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.
But that’s not what saves you. That’s not what gives you eternal life.
The lawyer wanted to trick Jesus by asking what he has to do to inherit eternal life. He had overlooked a very important detail in his memorized answer to Jesus’ question.
He said, “‘Love the Lord your God…’”
The Lord your God. Yahweh the Lord. How did Yahweh, the Almighty Creator of the Universe become his God? Did he do anything to make that happen? No. He was just born into it. Abraham was called by God. We’re told that Abraham heard the Word of the Lord and believed. He was justified by faith. He inherited all the promises of God by faith. He believed and it was counted to him as righteousness.
That’s how it’s always been. God calls His people and saves them—then He tells them how to live. We don’t do anything to inherit eternal life and salvation.
It’s the same with you. God has called you by name. Specifically in your baptism when your name was spoken and then you were given a new name—in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—you are now Christian. That’s your new name. You’re adopted into Christ’s family. His Father is your Father now. His death is your death and His life is your life. You are a beloved child of God and will inherit eternal life.
Hear this promise and believe it. Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus and be saved. That’s how you inherit eternal life. Believe.
Whenever we talk about the story of the Good Samaritan, the priest and the Levite get a bad rap. Fair enough, they didn’t help. But maybe they didn’t have what the guy needed: bandages, oil and wine. Maybe they didn’t have a donkey. Maybe they didn’t have money to pay the innkeeper. Maybe they wouldn’t have been able to help.
Look at it this way: God has a giant toolbox filled with all His people. Priests and Levites—they’re like His hammer and Phillips screwdriver. He uses them all the time, they’re very often the right tool for the job. But sometimes He needs a specialty tool—a star bit or a hexagonal Allen wrench. Sometimes the perfect tool for the job is the one that’s never really been used before. Sometimes God’s going to reach for you. He’s going to put someone in front of you that you are perfectly designed to help.
There’s no way to hear this story and not understand that Jesus is telling us to help the people God puts in front of us. That’s why we name hospitals after the Good Samaritan. Jesus has shown us what it looks like for someone to lay down their life and do whatever it takes to help someone in need.
Jesus says, “I am your neighbor and will give you the gifts of mercy, healing, life. As I live in you, you will have life and will do mercy—don’t get caught up with laws and definitions, but motivated by my love.”
He also says, “Go and do likewise.” AMEN