Are you a member? Have you ever been put into a situation that would offer you the opportunity, in the moment, to decide whether or not you would become a member?
What does it even mean to be a good “Good” Samaritan? I believe most of us know the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Even if you do not know the parable, you must be familiar with, or have heard someone use, the term “Good Samaritan” and understand the reason it was used.
But do we know who the Samaritans really were? We know that Jesus spoke highly of them in the parable and also made it a point to meet with the Samaritan woman at the well. But the Jews and Samaritans did not get along, and for several reasons.
The biggest differences were religious, especially regarding Scripture, worship, and religious leadership:
- Scripture: Samaritans accepted the Pentateuch—the first five books of the Bible—as their sacred Scripture, while Jews also recognized the Prophets and other writings.
- Place of worship: Samaritans worshipped on Mount Gerizim; Jews regarded Jerusalem and its Temple as the proper center of worship. This was a central dispute in the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman.
- Religious institutions and identity: Samaritans had their own temple and priesthood and understood themselves as heirs to Israel’s patriarchs and tradition. Their separation from the Judean Jewish community had deep historical roots.
- Social relations: The religious divide became a social one: Jews and Samaritans often avoided association with one another. The Gospel highlights this when the Samaritan woman is surprised that Jesus, a Jew, speaks with her and asks her for a drink.
The lead-in to the Samaritan story begins in Luke’s Gospel, Ch. 10:25, with a question from a scholar of the law who, trying to put Jesus to the test, asks Him what it would take to inherit eternal life. Jesus answers his question with a question: “What is written in the Law?” He replies, quoting Deuteronomy 6:4–7, “…you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength,” and ends with Leviticus 19:18, “…and love your neighbor as yourself.”
Jesus affirms his answer and says to him, “Do this and you shall live.” Not satisfied, he asks Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus proceeds to tell the parable about a wounded traveler who is ignored by a priest and a Levite, but only a Samaritan stops, treats his wounds, and pays for his care. Jesus ends it with a question: “Which one of these three was neighbor to the robber’s victim?” The one and only correct answer: “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus, getting the last word in, said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
For the scholar, being a Jew, this had to be a difficult thing not only to hear but to answer as well. What thoughts were going through his mind? “Why did Jesus have to use a Samaritan as the hero in the story? Why not a Jew?” He could not even answer “the Samaritan;” he answered, “the one who showed mercy.”
Back to my original question: “What does it mean to be a ‘Good’ Samaritan?”
This takes us to the woman at the well in John’s Gospel, 4:4–42.
How was she, a Samaritan woman, a “Good” Samaritan? Why did Jesus make it a point to stop on that hot afternoon to meet with her? During their dialogue, Jesus reveals her entire past to her. She does not deny any of it; she just listens. She recognizes that He is a prophet, that there is something very special about Him.
Fast-forward a little bit, and she tells Jesus, “I know the Messiah is coming, the One called the Anointed; when He comes, He will tell us everything.” Then Jesus reveals Himself to her by saying, “I am He, the One Who is speaking with you.”
From that moment on, she becomes the unlikeliest of disciples. She leaves her jar and runs back to town and spreads the Good News of Whom she just met. Through her witness, many of her fellow Samaritans will now see the prophecy of the Messiah unfold before their very eyes.
And now, it is our turn. Will we stop and render aid, or will we keep moving? Will we spread the Good News, or will we stay silent? There are sacrifices on both sides of these questions. Deep down, we know what to do if the opportunity arises.
It is a sad thing to know that in today’s world, we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place. Deception is around every corner, with scam artists lying in wait to take advantage of anyone at any given moment. The difficult and scary question is: “What will you do?” The only one able to answer this question is you.
Whatever you choose to do, remember this: to love God is to love your neighbor, and loving your neighbor is loving God. “Do this and you shall live,” because, “Just as you did it to one of the least of these … you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:40. And to hear the sweetest of words at the end of our time here on earth: “Welcome home, My good and faithful servant,” will be the greatest of rewards.
Live your life worthy of HIS Sacrifice +
God bless you +
