The Good Samaritan
When a lawyer sought to limit the command to love one's neighbor, Jesus answered with the account of a traveler from Jerusalem to Jericho left half dead by robbers. A priest and a Levite passed by without aid, yet a Samaritan from a people regarded as enemies stopped to bind the man's wounds, carry him to an inn, and pay for his ongoing care. In this way the parable reveals that genuine neighborliness crosses every social and ethnic boundary, expressing love through concrete mercy that reflects the heart of God's redemptive work.
Video from BibleProject
Luke Overview (Part 2: Ch. 10-24)
Jesus redefines 'neighbor' through the parable of the Good Samaritan.
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Category: Love & Mercy
Meaning: True neighborliness crosses all social and ethnic boundaries - love is shown through action.
Audience: Lawyer
Key Passages
The Parable
Luke 10:30-37
30nd Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
Did You Know?
The Samaritan was the only one willing to touch the wounded man. the priest and Levite avoided ritual defilement.
Jesus deliberately made the hero a despised outsider, shocking His Jewish audience.
The Samaritan not only bandaged the man but paid for his ongoing care at the inn. costly, long-term mercy.
Jesus ends with a question that flips the original one: 'Who proved to be a neighbor?' instead of 'Who is my neighbor?'