A. Jesus Christ is the greatest teacher that the world has ever known. His teachings are amazingly simple and clear considering the importance of the subjects that He taught. Anyone can understand His teachings.

B. One such simple teaching is found in the parable of the "Good Samaritan.” In this story, Jesus teaches us the essence of being a Christian, for the Samaritan embodies the love of Christ Himself.

II. THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN – LUKE 10:25-37

A. The parable was prompted by a lawyer's questions (vv. 25-29).

1. A lawyer in that day and culture was a student of the Law of Moses. A lawyer should have understood the Scriptures better than most people at that time.

2. The lawyer's first question was of great importance, but his purpose for asking was evil (v. 25).

a. Every soul needs to ask the question, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Nothing could be more important to any soul than the true answer to this question.

b. However, this man did not come to learn from Jesus. He came to test the Lord.

i. The lawyer hoped to cause Jesus to stumble in His answer so that He could discredit Jesus and accuse Him of some false teaching.

ii. Many religious debates and discussions today are like this in that the participants are not seeking the truth about a matter, but rather they seek to discredit one another. They play "gotcha” games, making the discussion a contest of wits. Jesus did not engage in such tactics, and neither should we.

3. In reply, Jesus referred the lawyer to the Scriptures, which the lawyer quoted correctly (vv. 26-28).

a. Rather than offer an opinion, Jesus appealed to the accepted standard of God's word. This should have settled the matter without contention.

b. So it should also be for any of us regarding spiritual matters. God's word is the standard of truth regardless of our opinions. A simple reading should settle such matters.

c. The lawyer's answer was excellent, just as Jesus would have answered Himself (Matt. 22:35-40). Jesus affirmed the lawyer's answer, which should have ended the discussion.

d. Failing to catch Jesus with the first question, the lawyer asked a second important question to accomplish his evil purpose (v. 29).The lawyer asked, "Who is my neighbor?” Again, he was not asking a question in order to learn the truth. Rather, he sought to justify himself.

e. It is this question that led Jesus to teach the parable of the Good Samaritan.

B. The parable exemplifies the meaning of the commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

1. A parable (literally meaning "a placing beside”) is a story or analogy that is presented for instruction. Jesus often taught through parables, using common situations to teach spiritual lessons.

2. The situation presented in this parable involves the treatment received by a wounded man (v. 30).

a. This man was robbed and beaten while traveling on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, which was notoriously dangerous because of robbers.

b. In any parable, it is important to understand what the elements of the story represent. This wounded man represents needful people, of which there are many in the world.

i. People are wounded in various ways (physically, spiritually, and emotionally). Many are wounded because of their own sins.

ii. We need to see the wounded people who are around us. Regardless of how they became wounded, they need help.

3. A priest and a Levite had opportunities to help the wounded man, but they chose to avoid him, passing by on the other side of the road (vv. 31-32).

a. It is significant that Jesus used a priest and a Levite as the characters who failed to help the wounded man. These were obviously devoutly religious people who were held in high esteem by the Jews. Yet their religiousness did not give them any sense of compassion toward the man who was wounded.

b. If our religion ever leads us to the point of ignoring the wounded people around us, then we are no longer following after Jesus.

i. Our Lord saw all the people who needed help around Him, and He acted in compassion (consider Matthew 9:35-38).

ii. Our religion is worthless if it does not prompt us to help those who are in need in the likeness of Jesus. See James 1:27.

4. When the Samaritan saw the wounded man, he went out of his way to give help (vv. 33-35).

a. The fact that Jesus used a Samaritan as the character who gave help is significant also, for Samaritans were despised by the Jews.

i. The Samaritans were descendants of the few poor Israelites that were left in the land when Assyria carried the Northern Kingdom into captivity. These Israelites were intermingled with foreigners who were imported by the Assyrians (see 2Kings 17:5-6, 24-41).

ii. In Jesus day, the Samaritans were considered by the Jews to be half-breeds with a corrupt form of religion. Jews would not even speak to Samaritans (John 4:9).

iii. By using a Samaritan in this story, Jesus shows the capacity to see good in everyone. This challenges our tendency to stereotype people according to our preconceived ideas.

b. This Samaritan man made personal sacrifices to help the wounded man.

i. The Samaritan suspended his journey so that he could offer help. He considered the wounded man to be worth his time.

ii. The Samaritan risked himself by stopping on that dangerous road. He considered the wounded man worth the risk.

iii. The Samaritan humbled himself and served the wounded man by treating his wounds and putting him on his own beast. He did not consider himself too good to be a servant.

iv. The Samaritan paid the innkeeper with his own money. He considered the wounded man to be worth the sacrifice.

5. With this parable, Jesus had instructed the lawyer so that he could answer his own question regarding who was his neighbor (vv. 36-37).

a. The word "neighbor” means "the one near,” but Jesus has given the term a deeper meaning.

i. The Jews typically thought of their neighbors as being their fellow Jews even though other people lived among them (Matt. 5:43).

ii. In our time, we think of a neighbor as being someone who lives close to us, thus making a neighborhood simply a matter of proximity.

iii. However, Jesus showed that a person makes himself a neighbor by his own actions toward others.

b. The character in the parable who proved to be a neighbor to the wounded man was the one who showed mercy toward him.

i. This is what a follower of Jesus does. He does not ask, "Who is my neighbor?” Rather, he becomes a neighbor by showing compassion toward the needful.

ii. This attitude is proactive rather than reactive. The Samaritan saw a man with a need, and he acted. He did not consider if the wounded man was his fellow Samaritan or a Jew. He did not consider whether or not the wounded man would pay him back or be thankful. He did not consider whether or not the wounded man was good or evil.

iii. "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:35-36)

III. CONCLUSION

A. The lesson of this parable is obvious.

1. Our world is filled with wounded and needful people. We see them all around us.

2. The decision we must make is whether we are going to make ourselves neighbors unto those who are in need by showing mercy, or are whether we will ignore them and make our religion vain.

B. What remains to be seen is whether we will make the application of the lesson. Will you be a "Good Samaritan” or will you pass by on the other side?