The Samaritan
“‘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 In response to Jesus’ example last example about loving your neighbor, a rabbi asks, “Well but Jesus, who is my neighbor?” You see, in those days, fellow Jews only loved fellow Jews. They only cared for their race and their religion. So Jesus tells this story about a Samaritan. Samaritans are considered the worst ever — they are like the lowest class, the outsiders, they’re heretics (in Jewish view). I mean they are bad guys, right? And Jesus says there’s a Jewish man wounded on the road, he’s dying. A Levite, religious guy, is in a hurry, goes past him. A priest is in a hurry, he
