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?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 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.’” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus is questioned by someone knowledgeable in the law. This law is Jewish Law, and the question is valid. The lawyer wants to know how he needs to conduct his life if he is gain eternal life. Jesus, as he often does, turns the question around. What is written in the law, referring to the commandments of Jesus? Jesus told his disciples to love God with all your being, and to love others as you love yourself. The lawyer understands this part, and Jesus points out that if you follow the directive, you shall live.
But the lawyer’s question is really pointed at the concept of what constitutes a neighbor. First, the lawyer feels justified that he has fulfilled the first part of the command. Just like a good lawyer, he wants to pare down the second part of the command, to define it in such a way, perhaps, to still be in compliance in a technical way. By being “justified”, it tells us that he perhaps could fulfill the first command without fulfilling the second. But we know we can’t operate that way. As 1 John 4:20-21 states, we can’t say we love God and forget about our brothers. In John’s words, we are liars if we do so.
We also have to be careful about defining neighbors as those close to us, friends, people we are amiable with. So definition of the neighbor is needed for this man, and Jesus supplies it perfectly in the following verses.
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. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 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. 35 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.’
Jesus describes a scene playing out on a street from Jerusalem to Jericho which was famous for heightened criminal activity. As Christ normally does, he’d place his parable inside a real situation so the people listening could ground it in what they knew.
We don’t know the victim’s heritage, but it hardly matters. What we need to focus on are the three characters who could possibly come to his aid. First a priest comes by, and second a Levite. Both are from a holy order. Both are obliged most to help this man, but neither do. They pass to the other side of the road, meaning that they make an effort to avoid the wounded man. As Jesus has so often noted, this is a trademark of the Pharisees. But it is also telling of many people in general. Most people would rather avoid helping others for a very specific reason: it causes effort. There’s a vulnerability. There’s an accountability. These are convenient excuses to do nothing.
The third man who comes along is a Samaritan. Now this is important because Samaria has a very important place in Jewish history. Going all the way back to the book of Ezra, the Samaritans were a foil to the Jews when trying to build the second temple. Through the many years since after that, the Jews and Samaritans had a very hostile relationship.
The Samaritan helps sacrificially. He saw the need and administered to that need. He didn’t wait to be asked and held no lofty holy office that compelled him to help. He simply did what was needed. He first administered to the man’s wounds (wine). Second, he soothed the wounds (oil). Third, he picked the man up and set him on his animal (helped him walk). Fourth, he took him to an inn and cared for him, and the amount given would have taken care of the man for a number of weeks.
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
So, when looking at this parable, we can see that those who were in close proximity and relationship (Priest and Levite) to God did not act as a neighbor. But the outsider, the despised one, acted in a more caring way. The true neighbor showed mercy. The meaning of the parable is to show love and mercy to those around us. Find a need and address it, in love.