59 - The Good Samaritan

Luke 10:25-10:37


In one of the best known stories in scripture, Jesus weaves an elaborate tale to answer yet again the question, "am I my brother's keeper."  And he makes it clear that we are all brothers and sisters.  All of us.  Every one.


Once again the scribes (lawyers) are trying to trip him up.  What does it take to have eternal life?  As he frequently does, Jesus turns the question back on them.  What is written in the law?  The lawyers quote the law: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength; and your neighbor as yourself."


Then the lawyer asks the key question:  "And who is my neighbor."  


We usually think of our next door neighbor, perhaps the people in our community.  In certain cases, we consider our fellow countrymen our neighbor.  Here, Jesus reaches way beyond the family or religious or national ties.


It is striking that Jesus makes the Samaritan the hero of the story.  Instead of having a faithful priest or Levite come to the aid of a Samaritan, it is the despised one who shows mercy, and goes the extra step by arranging longer term care with the innkeeper.  If Jesus were telling the story to 21st century Americans, he might well make a member of the Taliban the hero.

The Good Samaritan - Jan Van Scorel

Bono, lead singer for U-2 and well-known poverty activist, frequently says -- "in the global village, we are going to have to start loving a lot more people."


Who do you understand your neighbor to be?