Luke 10:25 An expert in Torah stood up to try and trap him by asking, “Rabbi, what should I do to obtain eternal life?” 26 But Yeshua said to him, “What is written in the Torah? How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “You are to love Adonai your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your understanding; and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 “That’s the right answer,” Yeshua said. “Do this, and you will have life.”
29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Yeshua, “And who is my ‘neighbor’?” 30 Taking up the question, Yeshua said: “A man was going down from Yerushalayim to Yericho when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him naked and beat him up, then went off, leaving him half dead. 31 By coincidence, a cohen was going down on that road; but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 Likewise a Levi who reached the place and saw him also passed by on the other side.
33 “But a man from Shomron who was traveling came upon him; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion. 34 So he went up to him, put oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them. Then he set him on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day, he took out two days’ wages, gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Look after him; and if you spend more than this, I’ll pay you back when I return.’ 36 Of these three, which one seems to you to have become the ‘neighbor’ of the man who fell among robbers?” 37 He answered, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Yeshua said to him, “You go and do as he did.”
A man was walking from Jerusalem to Jericho, a 20 mile trek through a very arid area. The descent “down” was on the order of a half-a-mile overall, and the terrain was very rough. The route itself was a major trading thoroughfare and robbers had plenty of places to hide along the way. As a result, this man was an easy target for those wanting to exploit him.
Yeshua would have most certainly had everyone’s attention when using this route in His parable. It would be like Him saying today, “A man was walking through Detroit under the darkness of night…”
The road was narrow so it would be nearly impossible for other passers-by to easily avoid this person lying on the road. It’s almost as if they would need to step over them to continue their journey. Passing by “on the other side of the road” only meant they awkwardly skirted this man as he was there about to die, pretending there was nothing to see.
Here this man lies: no clothing, no food, no water, no shelter, and obviously no money after being robbed. This man was set to die in a humiliating way.
These men didn’t just take the man’s possessions. They beat him and stripped him naked. Their objective was to not only take his stuff but to humiliate him as well. They have no regard for human life and are willing to “almost” kill someone for some stuff.
Here is someone tasked with serving God’s people and bringing them in closely to His presence. They are the intermediaries in the earth that serve as a bridge between the sins of man and the righteousness of God. Yet, while “off duty” he couldn’t be bothered with this man’s physical state. Perhaps he had important “priestly” business to attend to, or he was tired from serving so much this past week. Or maybe he thought the man was dead and didn’t want to go through the whole process of cleansing himself for being near a dead body. Whatever the reason, his own personal condition prevented him from caring for someone on the brink of death.
This man served in the Temple of God. While not serving in the priestly role, he was still expected to ensure the House of God remained in tip-top shape. A very important, although, unseen service role. Nonetheless, he looked upon this man in distress and kept on walking. He should know better but apparently he let the ins and outs of his job wear him down. Doing great work for the Temple but he apparently didn’t understand how great the work was supposed to be.
Upon hearing this parable, the people may have been surprised to know it was a Samaritan that stopped to help. In fact, they would have been more at peace had it been Samaritans that beat this man along the road. The Samaritans were the few from the Northern Kingdom that returned from Assyria when they were freed from captivity. The rest were scattered among the nations but some of them settled back into their inheritance. But they were seen as “those people” that looked upon Samaria, not Jerusalem as the holy city. These people were quite literally the prodigal son.
Although seen as dogs in the eyes of the Jews, it appears this person has the capacity for compassion. When people assume other people are animals, it removes the view that they can care for anyone other than themselves. It justifies hatred and callousness, but it shocks the listeners that this “dog” does care.
Here is this man, doing what God’s people wouldn’t do. Using his own money and time to help a man sitting at the door of death.
This man’s role was not a passive one. He served as a nurse for the wounded man and had the task of bringing him back into a healthy state. He was given provision to care for him, but if his own personal resources were needed to get this man healed he would provide them. Whether the Samaritan returned to settle the account or not, this man’s willingness to serve superseded his own concern with his time and money.
Who are you in this story?
The one beaten along the path, waiting for someone to come along and help you come back from death.
(The victim)
The robber that looks to exploit someone when given the chance.
(Selfish and self-serving)
The priest that is looked at as a leader in the church but can’t risk becoming unclean.
(Prideful and self-righteous)
The person that is deeply committed to the church but has no idea what the point of it really is.
(The blind and ungrateful)
The outcast that is moved with compassion when they see someone hurting.
(The son)
The person that has no trouble putting their own time and resources on the line to serve the downtrodden.
(The servant)
“Love your neighbor as yourself…”
Neighbors are two people that come together in the midst of tragedy. When one is down, the other sees the need to pull them into a place of healing.
If you’re curious who your neighbor is, now you know. It’s the person that is sitting at death’s doorstep. It’s also the person that comes when you are beaten and left for dead.
Right now you are in the position of one of these people. You either need healing or you are in a place to give it.
If you are the one that’s down, you trust that there is someone out there willing to sacrifice all they have to get you healed.
If you see someone else that’s down, it is your responsibility to lift them up. Not just with encouraging words but real action items.
So where are you in all of this? Needing healing, or in a place to give it.
No matter -- you are to be a neighbor either way.