Sunday Bible Thoughts [February 2, 2025]
The Good Samaritan
Sunday Bible Thoughts
One of the more well-known stories in the Bible is that of the Good Samaritan. If you're not familiar with it Jesus is asked by a lawyer what somebody has to do to go to heaven. Jesus asks to see the lawyer's answer, which is "to love God with all your being and love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus affirms this statement, but the lawyer asks Jesus to clarify exactly who "neighbor" refers to. So Jesus tells a story of a man walking down a dangerous road that gets assaulted, robbed, and left for dead.
While the man is lying there, appearing to be dead, a priest walks by ignoring him. Then, a Levite (a pastoral-type person) walks by, also ignoring the man. Finally, a Samaritan walks by. He stops and helps the man. He takes him to his destination and pays for his medical care. As Jesus finishes the story and asks the lawyer, "Who was the man's neighbor in the story?" and the lawyer responds, "The one who showed mercy on the man."
Context, in first-century Palestine, the Jews and Samaritans were sworn enemies. A "Michigan vs Ohio" type thing, but more intense.
Remember, when the Jews came back to resettle Jerusalem, it was the Samaritans who tried to forcibly stop the resettlement. There are historical records that Samaritans scattered pig bones in the Temple. We also find evidence that there were legal implications for a Samaritan to touch a Jewish person. Remember, in the Gospels, there's a conversation about Jewish folks walking around Samaria.
According to Jesus, "our neighbor" -- the people we should show love to -- refers to even our sworn enemies. The Christian does not distinguish between family, friends, or enemies when it comes to who we should love. There are 8 billion or so people in the world a Christian sees all of these people as their neighbors; even as people who should be loved. Christians should not divide their love by borders or political persuasion or sexual orientation or ethnicity or ideology or creed or religion or who your football team is. Each person is worthy of being treated with dignity and respect.
Notice how the lawyer did not say, "Samaritan", instead replying, "The one who showed mercy on the man." He doesn't say Samaritan, you can feel the contempt. Jesus has told this whole story to get to this point. He's put the lawyer in a spot by pointing out that even the person he hates is his neighbor and he should love. To Jesus, there are no categories or hierarchies of people you love more than others, to Jesus everyone is your neighbor. Christians are to love everybody.
Political movements that start by marking "the other" among us as the enemy or the problem are not compatible with Christianity. Suggesting that the problem with our country is a particular type of person is not Christian. Refusing to treat people with love -with dignity and respect - is refusing to follow Jesus. Perhaps, if you read the story, refusing to love your neighbor will keep you from heaven.
Grace + Peace,
Dan