Week 23 The Compassionate Samaritan

This week's sermon will actually come from Matthew 6 and will lead into next weeks study from Luke 11.

Text: This week we’re covering Luke 10:25-37 which contains the very familiar parable of the Good Samaritan. However many times we have heard this story, it would be good for us to take a new look and see the balanced literary structure that contains a powerful  dose of metaphorical finely


Other passages to read: There are not any parallel passages to this parable in the other gospels. However, the question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” is very similar to Matthew 19:16-19; 22:34-40; and Mark 10:17-22.  Also the two Old Testament passages quoted by the lawyer are found in Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. 

Points to ponder: In your study this week, you might want to think about one of these questions:

• Take time to diagram this parable looking for a seven-fold parallel structure between verse 10:30 and 10:35. What surprises you?
• What did it really take for the Samaritan to do this neighborly work?
• What does it mean for us to be neighbors in the biblical sense of the word?
• Why does Jesus make the hero of the story a hated Samaritan?
• Early church fathers saw Jesus in this parable as the Samaritan. In what ways is this true? What are the points of connection between the parable’s Samaritan and the work of Christ? 

Questions to ask ourselves: The following questions are intended to help us move towards greater application of what we learn about Jesus…

• If we were to be honest, what part do we play in this story? What about in the last week or the last month?
• As we celebrate Fathers’ Day in the USA today, how does this parable challenge men to live like Jesus?
• Who, or what, are we willing to risk everything for?
• What are three specific ways we can be neighborly to others this week?

Pastor Randy’s Sermon Notes= "Father God"

1.    God made us to be close to Him.

 

• Adam and Eve exchanged someone for something – they exchanged God for a piece of fruit. (Mark 8:34-38)

2.    Jesus came to deal with what divides us from the Father but He also came to show us the desirability of the Father. (Matthew 6:5-13)

What does a Father do?

• Father’s communicate and express love (Matthew 3:16-17)
• Father’s provide (Matthew 6:24-34; also 1 John 2:15-17; 1Timothy 6:6-10; Proverbs 10:22)
• Fathers are present (Matthew 10:29-31; Matthew 6:26-27)
• Father’s correct and discipline with compassion (Psalm 103:8-13)

Commentary & Quotes

v. 25-28 What was a lawyer at the time of Christ?  He was not the kind of person portrayed on the T.V. show Perry Mason or advertised in commercials during Perry Mason.  Instead, he was someone who was an expert, a scholar of the Old Testament Scriptures and especially of the first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis - Deuteronomy).  We call that part of the Bible "The Pentateuch" meaning the five books, but the Jews referred to them as the Law for they contained and comprised the Laws that God gave to the prophet Moses.  (Dueker, Do You See Him? Expository Lessons from the New Testament)

v. 25-28  “The two parts come from the Old Testament; the commandment to “love your neighbor” occurs in Leviticus 19:18, while the injunction to “love God” appears in Deuteronomy 6:5. One would expect such Scripture quotations to follow the canonical order. Instead, Jesus placed “love God” before the commandment to “love your neighbor.” The order is important. Experience dictates that it is very hard to love the unlovely neighbor until the disciple’s heart is filled with the love of God, which provides the energy and motivation necessary for the arduous task of loving the neighbor. Often the motives of the one who serves are misunderstood by the recipient of that love, who then responds with hostility rather than gratitude. If the one who serves is hoping to be sustained by the responses received, and if the expected responses are not forthcoming, that person may well give up in frustration and disappointment. But if costly acts of love are extended to others out of gratitude for the love of God, then the believer is sustained by the unwavering love of God toward him or her. (Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 287)

v. 28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied.  "Do this and you will live."

Jesus, having heard the lawyer answer, finally gave His own answer by first commending the man.  Because Jesus commended the man's answer, we can know that the lawyer was right.  Jesus concluded by encouraging the lawyer to live according to that divine insight, then he would live (eternally).  One problem that often comes up when people read this passage is that they think that Jesus was supporting a "works" type of salvation.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Jesus' point here is quite subtle, and clever. 

"There was only one trouble with the lawyer's answer.  No one ever did or ever can "do" what the law lays down towards God and man always.  To slip up once is to fail.  So Jesus put the problem squarely up to the lawyer who wanted to know by doing what.  Of course, if he kept the law perfectly always, he would inherit eternal life." (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament - Vol. 2, Baker Book House, 1930, p. 152.)

It would have immediately occurred to the lawyer, if he examined his life with integrity, that he had not done those things as he ought to have done.  Even at that very moment, he had been caught asking a question for which he already had the answer.  Jesus' point was that if we love God completely and others completely, we would be saved because we would be without sin.  Obviously, Jesus was inferring that one could not be saved by "doing" those things.  As it is written, 

Romans 3:20-24 "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.  But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.  This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.  There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."

And also,

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast."

The lawyer had not come to the place where he could confess that he needed a Savior.  He still thought that he could clear things up.  It seemed that he was now the one on the defensive. (Dueker, Do You See Him? Expository Lessons from the New Testament)

v. 30 It is important to remember that this parable is told to answer the question, “Who is my neighbor?” It is not answering the lawyer’s first question, “What must I do to be saved?”

Bailey’s 7 Scenes of the parable:

1. Robbers: rob, strip, beat, and depart leaving him half dead.

   2. Priest: likely had a horse to transport man, but passed by.

      3. Levite: should have bound up his wounds and ministered to his needs, but passed by.

         4. Samaritan: Saw him and had compassion. Costly, extravagant love is shown.

      5. He Treated his wounds (Making up for the Levite’s Failure)

   6. He Transported the Man (Making up for the Priest’s failure)

7. Spent money on him (Compensating for the robbers)

v. 34-35 “The good Samaritan offers a costly demonstration of unexpected love. He risks his life by transporting a wounded Jew into a Jewish town and spending the night there. The wounded man will never be the same again. Jesus is demonstrating a part of the meaning of his own passion.” (Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 297)

v. 35 In the morning, though he had to continue on his journey, the Samaritan's care for the wounded man continued.  The two coins he gave to the innkeeper to pay for the continued care of the wounded man were substantial.  This money would have paid for one to two month's room and board.  The one to two month's payment was only a pledge, a good faith payment, toward what he would reimburse the innkeeper when he next returned.  The Samaritan did all that he could do.  He made himself a neighbor to the man in need.  Such an act of love and mercy will not go unrewarded. The Samaritan wanted to give the man every opportunity to recover fully and not be sold into slavery for unpaid debts. (Dueker, Do You See Him? Expository Lessons from the New Testament)

v. 37 The larger question: The lawyer’s question, “Who is my neighbor?” is the wrong query. He is challenged to ask, “To whom must I become a neighbor?” “The parable replies, “Your neighbor is anyone in need, regardless of language, religion or ethnicity.” (Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, 297)

v. 37b How do we look at other people, whether they are our family, our co-workers, our teachers or our employers?  Are they a burden or a blessing? 

"To the thieves, this traveling Jew was a victim to exploit, so they attacked him.  To the priest and Levite, he was a nuisance to avoid, so they ignored him.  But to the Samaritan, he was a neighbor to love and help, so he took care of him.  What Jesus said to the lawyer, He says to us: 'Go and keep on doing it likewise' (literal translation)." (Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary - Vol. 1, Victor Books, 1989, p. 213.)

We judge the desirability of a neighborhood based on the quality of the homes and the quality of the neighbors.  The Kingdom of God has no problem with the quality of housing, for the Lord has prepared a place for us.  However, it seems like all too often the quality of our neighborhood in the Kingdom of God, as we experience it today, is not what it should be, due to un-neighborly people.  We can't do much about those other people but we can sure do something about ourselves.  We need to make ourselves neighborly and the others will take care of themselves.

"The man had asked, 'Who is my neighbor?' but Jesus faced him with the question 'To whom am I a neighbor?'" (Leon Morris, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries - Luke, Eerdmans, 1974, 1988, p. 208.)

The answer to the question "Who is my neighbor?" is not found in demographics, homogeneous target groups, geo-political borders, etc.  The answer is found in the example of our Lord Jesus and in a lesser way the example of the Samaritan—those who are our neighbors are those to whom we should show ourselves neighborly—it is everyone whom we come in contact with.  Everyone that God loves we are to love.  (Dueker, Do You See Him? Expository Lessons from the New Testament)

James 4:17 "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

Let us not commit sins of omission, by our lack of mercy and love.  When we hear His voice, "Today" (Hebrews 3 & 4), we must not harden our hearts but obey readily, even joyfully out of love for our Savior.

This "parable" of the Good Samaritan has had more impact, and more potential for impact, than almost any other specific teaching of Christ. 

"This parable has built the world's hospitals and, if understood and practiced, will remove race prejudice, national hatred and war, class jealousy." (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament - Vol. 1, Baker Book House, 1930, p. 155.)

We must see this story, whether an actual incident or a parable, as an object lesson in how we are to love and serve one another in the Kingdom of God.  Jesus Christ is our greatest example of love.  Do you see Him?