Parable of the Good Samaritan

Thomas · 11-16-2006, 01:32 PM

The Good Samaritan:

Luke 10:29-37
But he ... said to Jesus: And who is my neighbour?

And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who also stripped him and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead. And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by. In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. But a certain Samaritan, being on his journey, came near him: and seeing him, was moved with compassion: And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two pence and gave to the host and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee. Which of these three, in thy opinion, was neighbour to him that fell among the robbers? But he said: He that shewed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner."

Throughout my entire Catholic childhood the parable of the Good Samaritan was told to me as a moral tale. Think of the story, and think 'who am I?' within it. Invariably, we cast ourselves as the Good Samaritan – that is whom we should aspire to be. What is the message of the parable then, what is the message? Love thy neighbour ...

The modern interpretation of this parable is moral, ethical, and, dare I say, pretty obvious. It is humanist in the sense that I doubt you will find anyone who would criticise the actions of the good samaritan. One doesn't have to be a Christian to offer someone a helping hand, and offering someone a helping hand does not make one a Christian. So why does Jesus bother telling a parable that is blindingly obvious?

+++

This interpretation is fairly recent, and markedly dissimilar from the traditional interpretation that was taught throughout the Medieval era and up to modern times. In this, the answer to the question 'who am I?' within this tale is ... the victim.

In the Medieval telling 'I' am the victim of the world, robbed of my birthright by sin, stripped and wounded, and abandoned to the passage of time. Jesus is the Good Samaritan. God is moved by the plight of the human condition.

"And going up to him, bound up his wounds,"
'Behold, I make all things new' Apoc 21:5

'pouring in oil and wine:'
The Grace and Charisms of the Holy Spirit

'and setting him upon his own beast,'
'in him we live and move and have our being' Acts 17:28

'brought him to an inn and took care of him.
The Church

'And the next day he took out two pence ...'
The Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist

"... and gave to the host and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee."
The Church is equipped with certain gifts at her disposal to repair the fallen creature, until the Parousia.

'And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner.'
Love thy neighbour - and all that He has said above will come to pass - God willing.

Thomas

Dondi · 11-16-2006, 02:47 PM

I think the glaring point of the story goes beyond "Love thy neighbor" for it extends to "Love thy enemy". The Samaritans and the Jews detested each other. Yet here in an act of mercy, the Samaritan goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Then there is the hypocracy of the priest and the Levi, two religious figures who are supposed to show mercy, but don't.

lunamoth · 11-16-2006, 03:42 PM

Thank you Thomas.

It's interesting that this parable was discussed recently at another forum. The person who started the thread posted a similar interpretation was the one you give, but with more emphasis on 'payment for our sins.' I must admit that I don't find too much inspiration in the whole payment for our sins thing. However, I tried my own interpretation and it came out much closer to yours (although I did not note the connection to the sacraments). My emphasis, as yours, is on healing.

peace,
luna

Dor · 11-16-2006, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dondi

I think the glaring point of the story goes beyond "Love thy neighbor" for it extends to "Love thy enemy". The Samaritans and the Jews detested each other. Yet here in an act of mercy, the Samaritan goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Then there is the hypocracy of the priest and the Levi, two religious figures who are supposed to show mercy, but don't.

I agree with that Dondi.
I tend to see more of the love thy enemy. cause it was an enemy that stopped to help not the two religious figures who were more his neighbor.

I like that older interpetation that Thomas showed also was a way I had not seen it before gonna have to look at it for a bit.

Thomas · 11-16-2006, 05:28 PM

Hi all -

Yes, as Luna says, the emphasis is on healing, restoration, love ...

... I mean, the Good Samaritan could have walked away saying "I warned you, but would you listen?"

Thomas

Cage · 11-16-2006, 07:01 PM

"A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who also stripped him and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead."

I think the victim represents the lost people of this world. [the bruised, and the wounded in heart] "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."

"But a certain Samaritan, being on his journey, came near him: and seeing him, was moved with compassion"

The Good samaratin is anyone with the Spirit of God in them, who can help restore that which is lost in our people.

"And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine":

"Oil and wine" represents the Spirit of God, and its healing powers.

"brought him to an inn and took care of him."

I think this represents [time] the time making known the Spirit to the lost, and restoring them.

"Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee."

I think this represents the law of harvest. "What you sow, so shall you reap"

The good samaritans are those who have embraced the Love of God. It is about Love, but more than that, it's about planting that Love [Spirit] in the 'hearts' of the lost, and wounded.

This is my take on it, anyway.

Much Love,

Dondi · 11-16-2006, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cage

"A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who also stripped him and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead."

I think the victim represents the lost people of this world. [the bruised, and the wounded in heart] "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."

"But a certain Samaritan, being on his journey, came near him: and seeing him, was moved with compassion"

The Good samaratin is anyone with the Spirit of God in them, who can help restore that which is lost in our people.

"And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine":

"Oil and wine" represents the Spirit of God, and its healing powers.

"brought him to an inn and took care of him."

I think this represents [time] the time making known the Spirit to the lost, and restoring them.

"Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee."

I think this represents the law of harvest. "What you sow, so shall you reap"

The good samaritans are those who have embraced the Love of God. It is about Love, but more than that, it's about planting that Love [Spirit] in the 'hearts' of the lost, and wounded.

This is my take on it, anyway.

Much Love,

Wow, I never thought of the Good Samaritan as the Son of God. Great insight, Cage!

We could go further and say that we are the innkeeper, charged with taking care of the sheep. And that the Good Samaritan has given us a certain stewardship that we have the means to take care of the victims, and that he will return with His reward (repayment) with Him.

Great stuff!

Cage · 11-16-2006, 08:48 PM

The Son of God or the Son of Man? Jesus used both titles in the NT, so what is the Differnce between the two?

Much Love,

China Cat Sunflower · 11-17-2006, 01:01 AM

Samaria is just another name for Israel. It's the northern kingdom. The bad feelings between Judahites and Israelites goes back to an historical jealousy dating to the 8th century BCE when Israel was experiencing a golden age and Judah was a cultural backwater.

Chris

JosephM · 11-17-2006, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cage

The Son of God or the Son of Man? Jesus used both titles in the NT, so what is the Differnce between the two?

Much Love,

Cage,

I believe you will find that Jesus spoke of flesh and spirit.
John 3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
He was Son of man as relates to his flesh. He was son of God as relates to the spirit and being born of the spirit.

God spoke to his phrophets as Son of man as in Ezekiel 2:1
And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.
Of course Jesus is included in this title.

The title Son of God refers to the divine nature or divinity within Jesus or the spirit man. You also having received the spirit of God become a son of God as you allow his divinity to manifest in you.
Romans 8:14
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Being both alive in flesh and spirit, Jesus used both titles.

Love in Christ,
JM

Cage · 11-17-2006, 01:18 AM

Love in Christ,

seattlegal · 11-17-2006, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Samaria is just another name for Israel. It's the northern kingdom. The bad feelings between Judahites and Israelites goes back to an historical jealousy dating to the 8th century BCE when Israel was experiencing a golden age and Judah was a cultural backwater.

Chris

Actually, the differences were religious in nature, regarding where worship was to be done, on the temple in Jerusalem, or on the Temple at Mount Girizim. Distrust also developed when Samarian was overrun by the Assyrians, with many people being carried away and replaced by other Assyrians, and also when Judah underwent the Babylonian captivity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by John 4:19-20

19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, {Mount Gerizim} and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”

(compare Deuteronomy 11:29, Deuteronomy 27:12, and Joshua 8:33)

Thomas · 11-17-2006, 08:35 AM

The Son of Man is used extensively throughout the OT, but only once, in Daniel, is the Divinity, or a Person thereof, referred to as 'The Son of Man' - it was to this text that Jesus referred when being questioned by the Sanhedrin, and it was on this claim - to be of Son of Man as spoken of in Daniel specifically, that the charge of blasphemy was laid agaainst Him.

Thomas

Quahom1 · 11-17-2006, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cage

The Son of God or the Son of Man? Jesus used both titles in the NT, so what is the Differnce between the two?

Much Love,

Nothing.

juantoo3 · 11-20-2006, 02:49 AM

Kindest Regards, all!

Quote:

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Samaria is just another name for Israel. It's the northern kingdom.

Well, yes, but that's not quite the whole story. The Samaritans were a fragment of the Northern tribes, a token population left behind after the Assyrian invasion that carried the far greater bulk of the House of Israel off into the nether reaches of the Assyrian Empire. There are those who suggest a large portion were exiled over the Caucasus mountains, and who came to be known in time as "caucasians."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thomas

The Good Samaritan:

Luke 10:29-37
But he ... said to Jesus: And who is my neighbour?

And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who also stripped him and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead. And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by. In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by. But a certain Samaritan, being on his journey, came near him: and seeing him, was moved with compassion: And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two pence and gave to the host and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee. Which of these three, in thy opinion, was neighbour to him that fell among the robbers? But he said: He that shewed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner."

This lesson shows the value of not being judgemental. We see, by the actions of the Priest and the Levite, the inordinate focus on "the letter of the law" at the expense of the spirit of the law. It wasn't necessarily a matter of conscience, at least for the priest, it was a matter of legal decorum. They could not be defiled with "unclean" things. Now, it could be argued, depending, that the Levite could have defiled himself and paid whatever ransom and washed and gone before the priest and been "adjudicated" as clean again. Of course, that is such a hassle.

The Samaritan, a despised low life dog in the eyes of the others, was not concerned with the formalities...he was concerned with the welfare of a fellow human being. This lesson was given to Jews, to a Jew, to whom a Samaritan was a waste of life and breath. The Greeks of the time were thought more highly of. Yet, though all of this stigma, G-d worked a good work, a Holy Spiritual work, through someone deemed unworthy.

It tells me that no one, no matter how unworthy I might think or believe they are, no one is truly unworthy in the eyes of G-d. There may be those who resist G-d and deny G-d and refuse G-d, but none are unworthy. At least, if such as an unworthy exists, it is not my place to cast judgement.

A Samaritan, a person uniformly judged by fellow humans as unworthy, was used as an instrument of the Holy Spirit. Think of someone who in your mind seems unworthy...and see if it is in them yet to do good, to do what G-d would want us to do.

Be careful in judgement...if your (collective, not addressed to anyone in particular) criteria is perfection, no one will pass muster. No one will pass muster including yourself. So yes, there may be those who do things you may not bear to bring yourself to do, perhaps even rightly so. But if that person who has a fault does good for G-d's sake, and you don't...I really hesitate to try to make that call. Not after Jesus gave us the parable of the Good Samaritan.