Only Christ has fulfilled the Law, which no one else has done or can do. Therefore, we can only depend on Christ Jesus for our salvation. Today’s text describes a famous portion of Scripture titled the Good Samaritan. Even the secular world knows that a good Samaritan is someone who has shown a remarkable act of love and care. However, this is also one of the most misunderstood and misapplied parables. Augustine rightly understands that the point of this parable is “Every human who is in need is our neighbor”.
The scholar was similar to the rich young ruler in Luke 18 who claims to have kept the law from his youth. The problem was their hypocrisy. They may have appeared on the outside to be faithful but on the inside, they were dead, like white-washed tombs. The bold claimed to be righteous without understanding that only Jesus was righteous and they needed him. Instead of admitting their guilt, the scholar asks, “Who is my neighbor”? So Jesus responds with a parable. A man is robbed on the road to Jerusalem. They stripped him and beat him. Historians record that the road from Jericho to Jerusalem was particularly dangerous and many people had been brutally robbed and murdered there. Miraculously, the Jew in this parable survives the attack.
A priest is the first person who encounters the dying victim. This priest would be a descendant of Aaron with a special role in Judaism for teaching and performing worship. Next, a Levite walks by who is also a special member of the Jewish society, usually an artist or craftsman. Their passing by on the other side shows the corruption and superficiality of their religion. Their obedience is mere lip service (Isa. 29:13).
Jesus dramatically changes the trajectory of the story to impress His point on the scholar when Luke writes, “But a Samaritan”. This must have surprised and shocked the listeners at the time. The Jews and Samaritans deeply hated each other. The history of Samaria goes back to the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel, where the Israelites were displaced and foreigners were brought into the conquered land. The foreigners brought their idols and pagan customs. Throughout the centuries there was severe conflict and hatred between them (Jn. 4:7-9; Lk. 9:52-54). The Jews and Samaritans did not interact and wanted nothing to do with each other.
However, this Samaritan in the story was different. This particular Samaritan felt compassion. This word compassion is associated with Jesus throughout the gospels (Matt. 15:32). This is the heart of Jesus for everyone even now (Matt. 9:36). The word compassion is not just feelings but a word of action. It is more than feeling someone’s pain. The priest and Levite most likely felt the victim’s pain and felt sorry for him, but they walked on the other side. It was the Samaritan who both felt and showed compassion (Matt. 14:14).
The dying man was an enemy, someone whom the Samaritan should have hated. Instead, he bandaged his wounds and poured oil and wine on them. This would have been a wonderful help and more than the fellow priest and Levite did. But he put the injured man on his donkey, while he walked, took him to an inn. He then stays with him overnight and the next day, takes out more money and commands the innkeeper to take care of this injured man to whatever extent. The Samaritan did this for a man who probably hates the Samaritan and could harm him in the future.
The Christian Way of Life is Love
At the end of the parable, Jesus asks a very obvious question. “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robber’s hands”? The answer, the neighbor is the one who shows mercy and love. Anyone who is in need is our neighbor. Not just our neighbors but also our enemies (Lk. 6:27-28). This does not mean Christians are pacifists. We must protect our families and uphold justice. However, we pray for our enemies regarding their repentance.
The Samaritan’s Love
It does not tarry but is quick to act. It is bold to love someone who is unfriendly. It is selfless to treat as himself. It is full. It is sacrificial. It is wise. It is continual. Love is like this. And if the sermon were to end here then it would be good morality, but it would forget the context (Lk. 10:22, 24). This whole discussion was started by Jesus stating that God the Father has handed all things over to Jesus and no one knows the Father except Jesus and those whom Jesus reveals. That is when the scholar asks his question about eternal life, to see if there is another way. So Jesus, after saying it is only through the Son, says the requirement for eternal life is the perfect keeping of the Law by loving the Lord with all his heart. The scholar thought he had kept it even though he really had not. Hence the example of the Samaritan.
If we are honest with ourselves, can we love like the Samaritan? Many people do many charitable things and devote themselves to noble causes in helping the needy. Some serve at orphanages, hospitals, or shelters. They do amazing acts of kindness and sacrifice, but this does not mean they have kept the whole law perfectly and constantly. We are all like the Apostle Paul when he says, “Oh wretched man that I am”. We are all lawbreakers (Jas. 2:10-11, Rom. 7:9-10). The law is impossible to keep because it demands love with all our strength, heart, and mind. It is hopeless. In fact, the purpose of the law is not to be kept by us but to reveal our sins. However, Jesus is the one who has kept the Law perfectly. Even while on the cross, suffering pain and betrayal, Jesus did not revile in return (1 Pet. 2:21-25). Therefore, life is possible in Christ alone.
The scholar admits the one who had mercy is the neighbor. Jesus then says, “Go and do the same”. Go and love like this Samaritan, not just once, but continually. We must admit that we cannot love like this, so we need Jesus for salvation and throughout our earthly life.
Do you place your trust in Jesus Christ? Do you rest on Him alone? Through Jesus, God is satisfied.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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