This new unit moves us from our study of the Holy Spirit to one which focuses our attention on what it looks like to love our neighbor.  This first lesson takes us to the story of the Good Samaritan.  Please do not let our general familiarity with the story allow the Jesus-intended truths of it to be lost.

Some have said that Jesus was relating yet another parable here, but I believe this story could have actually occurred.  In fact, such an activity occurred in real time many times over on the Jericho Road. I have been on that very road.  The city of Jerusalem lies on the Moriah mountain range, 2300 feet above sea level.  Jericho is due northeast of Jerusalem toward the Jordan River, north of the Dead Sea.  The distance “going down” from Jerusalem to Jericho is approximately 17 miles.  The road literally descends to 1300 feet below sea level.  It is a winding, treacherous trip with plenty of places for robbers to hide, pounce, wound, steal and quickly disappear. 

The Gospel according to Dr. Luke presents Jesus as “setting His face” and “going up to Jerusalem.”  From Luke 9-Luke 19, Jesus has His soon-to-be-pierced feet planted on that determined cross-bound journey.  As Jesus was teaching, one of His hearers was a teacher of the law of Moses, a learned man who should have known better than to “test” Jesus with his words. 

This “law-yer” wanted to know what he personally had to do to inherit eternal life.  First of all, a free gift is given, not inherited.  Secondly, such a gift is not earned by one’s actions.  Jesus countered with an opportunity for the man to reveal what he knew about the law.  He responded with the two greatest commandments:  Love God and Love Your Neighbor.  Then he pressed Jesus with the question, “Who is my neighbor?”

Jesus responded pointedly by telling the story of the Good Samaritan.  Samaritans and Jews are not friends.  Basically, they despise each other.  The story tells of a man (of NO certain origin or nationality) who was going from Jerusalem to Jericho.  He fell among thieves, was stripped, robbed, beaten and left for dead.  

A priest was going down the same road.  He saw the wounded man and walked waaaaay around him, continuing on his journey.  A Levite (also a priest) came to that same place.  He saw the wounded man and passed by on the other side of the road as well.  This Levite could have been climbing the mountain going toward Jerusalem.  Details are not clear.  Either way, these ranking Jewish worship leaders and temple servants avoided being a neighbor to the wounded man.  These two characters could have been friends of the man currently challenging Jesus.  What if Jesus was speaking to the actual priest/Levite right then?

Finally, a man from Samaria was also journeying on that road.  He came upon the wounded man.  He saw the wounded man.  He felt compassion for the wounded man.  He interrupted his journey.  He bandaged the wounds.  He poured oil and wine from his own first aid kit on the wounds.  He loaded the man on the beast he had been riding and walked to the next Holiday Inn Express.  He spent a whole night of his journey time taking care of the man.  He left the man with two days wages with the innkeeper.  He made sure the man would be cared for until he returned.  If there were additional expenses due, he pledged to pay for them as well.

Jesus asked the testy questioner, “Which of these proved to be a neighbor?”  The man could not bring himself to even say the word “Samaritan.”  He called him “the man who showed mercy.” All three of the travelers SAW the wounded man.  Two of them refused to help him.  The Samaritan treated him as a neighbor.  One definition of that word is “a near-by person in need of one’s help, kindness or mercy.”  The word comes from “nigh” which means near and “Boer” which means farmer.

Jesus told him to GO BE THAT MAN.