Don’t Look the Other Way… Love

It is a common tendency to assume how someone will behave based on their job title or position. However, this assumption may only sometimes be valid. The priest and the Levite, in the parable, may have had a bad day or were too occupied with their work to notice the wounded man lying on the side of the road. They may have assumed that he was already dead or were scared of encountering the robbers, only to experience the same fate. We cannot say what was going through their minds, but their decision to ignore the severely wounded man is evident.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)

As Jesus was teaching, a young man who was an expert in the Law stood up to ask a question. He was testing Jesus to see how Jesus would answer. 

“Teacher,” he asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” Jesus replied. “How do you read it?”

The young man responded, “’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.’” 

He was well-versed in his faith and quoted a verse from the Old Testament, Deuteronomy 6:5. The scripture read: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this, and you will live.”

If you look a little closer at Deuteronomy 6:5, the verse the young man quoted does not say, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  The young man also quotes Leviticus 19:18, “and love your neighbor as yourself.”  He knew the Law. 

The young man inquired further to justify himself, as stated in the Bible (Luke 10:29 KJV). The word “justify” originates from the Greek term “δικαιόω dikaioō,” which means to justify, vindicate, or declare righteous, and it connotes establishing a proper legal or moral relationship between someone and God. The young man wanted Jesus to confirm his understanding of who his neighbor was, thus his question, “Who exactly would be considered my neighbor?”

Jesus replied by telling this parable: 

A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him. The robbers stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and went away, leaving him half-dead on the road. 

The man lay by the roadside, barely alive. A priest came by. When he saw him, he crossed to the other side of the road, acting as though he did not see him. Shortly after, a Levite came by and avoided the injured man. Despite witnessing the man’s plight, neither acted to assist him.

Certainly, the priest would have been the one to assist and help the man. In Biblical times, the priest was responsible for being a mediator that connected people to God. The priest stood guard in God’s house and made sacrifices for God’s people. It was also the priest’s job to instruct people so that they could enjoy God’s blessings and take their offerings and sacrifices to God. If anyone would stop and help this man, the priest would definitely be the one. Unfortunately, this is not the case.  

Next, the Levite traveled down the rugged path to Jericho. The Levites were a special tribe of people who served God in the temple. They were responsible for all the religious ceremonies and rituals and acted as teachers and guardians of the Law. The Levites were chosen by God Himself and had a significant role in Israelite society. Levites have a special connection with God. They have the heart of God. Right? This Levite will stop and do the right thing and help this poor man. Right? Wrong answer. The Levite does not stop to help. He, too, looks the other way. 

Every time I read this parable, I am reminded of the Holy Spirit’s transformative power; it only comes with cultivating a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The Levite and the Priest were knowledgeable about the Word of God, but it did not cause them to act differently at a moment when it mattered.

It takes the Holy Spirit to truly transform our hearts and allow us to connect with those around us. The phrase “I will put my laws in their heart” appears twice in the Bible, reminding us of the covenant between God and his people.

The Levite and the priest held respected positions, but they lacked the moral fortitude to do the right thing when no one was watching. They were visible in the temple, carrying out their assigned tasks. A crucial aspect of Christian character is the way you treat people who seemingly have nothing to offer in return. The man who was left to die on the road had nothing left to give.

The irony of the parable lies in the fact that the person who did the right thing was the least expected one. The Samaritans were despised by the Jews and had a different interpretation of the doctrine. However, in this parable, the Samaritan, who was considered as not having the truth, was the one who acted with integrity and showed love to his fellow human beings, just as Jesus would have done.

Let’s talk about the Samaritans. The history of the rivalry between the Jews and Samaritans goes back to the Old Testament following the reign of King Solomon and his son, King Rehoboam. Due to King Rehoboam’s unwise decisions and poor leadership, Jerusalem was divided into the Northern and Southern kingdoms. Both kingdoms had their king. Despite repeated warnings, both kingdoms did not serve God and worshipped other gods. The northern kingdom had a long line of wicked leaders. In 721 B.C., the northern kingdom fell to the Assyrians. Many people were taken captive. However, there were some Jews who remained. The ones who remained intermarried with foreigners. They were half-Jewish and half-Gentile; they became known as the Samaritans. (This is the abbreviated version of a long dramatic story.)

Next question: Why didn’t the Jews like the Samaritans? They created a religion for themselves that was different from the Jewish faith. They placed a temple at Mt. Gerizim as their central place of worship. They even went as far as creating a different version of the five books of the Bible written by Moses. The Samaritans saw themselves as the true descendants of Israel. The Samaritans considered the temple in Jerusalem and the priesthood illegitimate. 

It can be concluded that the Levites and priests considered the Samaritans half-breeds who followed a pagan faith and were confused about their religion. Although the Levite and priest thought they were doctrinally sound, they could not display empathy and compassion towards the man left for dead on the side of the road.  

THE UNLIKELY PERSON DISPLAYED THE GREATEST LOVE 

As a man lay wounded on the road, a Samaritan noticed him. When the compassionate Samaritan saw him, he was moved to take action. He tended to the man’s wounds, using oil and wine to soothe and heal them. Then, the Samaritan lifted the man onto his donkey and took him to an inn, ensuring he received proper care. The following day, the Samaritan gave the innkeeper two denarii and instructed him to take good care of the man. He promised to come back and cover any additional expenses that may arise in the meantime.

Jesus asks one final question, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

The expert in the Law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” 

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

We, too, must go and do likewise. 

In Matthew 22:34-37, we learn about another encounter Jesus had with an “expert in the Law.” After silencing the Sadducees and the Pharisees, this expert stood up and asked Jesus, “Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the Law?” It’s unclear whether this is the same expert in the Law mentioned in Luke 10:25 (Very Likely). Jesus replied, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

I wish I knew the timing of this parable as it relates to the story of the Samaritan woman whom Jesus went out of his way to meet at the well. The Samaritan woman broadcasted her encounter with Jesus throughout her community. Maybe this Samaritan heard about this encounter and understood what it means to love like Jesus loves.