The Good Samaritan: Jesus Teaches About Caring for Outcasts

"What must I do to go to heaven?"

The man was a religious leader - an expert in Jewish religious law. He knew the 'right' answer - he wanted to know if Jesus did.

"What does the Bible say? What do you think?" Jesus replied.

"You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind," the man said. "And love your neighbour as yourself.

It was a brilliant reply. "Right!" Jesus said. "Do this and you will live!"

The man was hurt. Surely he had done all that was expected. Did Jesus think he did not care about his neighbour?

He asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbour?"

Jesus replied by telling him a parable - a story that makes a point. He wanted the man to take a fresh look at his attitudes.

A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. The road is lonely, desolate and rocky - bandit country. The man was attacked, beaten up and stripped of his clothes. The bandits took his money and left him half dead beside the road.

By chance a Priest came along and saw the man lying there. He crossed over to the other side of the road, and quickly walked on by.

A bit later, a temple assistant also came along the road. He looked at the bruised and bleeding man, but he didn't stop to help either. A Priest and a temple assistant - freshly come from worshipping God - and neither of them had stopped to help their fellow Jew? Well, there were bandits around - it would be dangerous to stop and help. They really didn't want to get involved.

Then a Samaritan came along. Now, Samaritans were despised immigrants, a different race and a different religion, hated by the Jews. But when the Samaritan saw the man, he felt deep pity for him.

Kneeling in the dirt beside him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with medicine, and bandaged his injuries. Then he helped the man onto his donkey, and took him to an inn.

The Samaritan spent the night looking after the hurt man. The next day, he gave the innkeeper some money, and told him to take care of the man. "If the bill runs any higher than that," he said, "I'll pay what's owed next time I am here."

Jesus told the story to shock the people and make them think. The Priest and the temple assistant did not stop to help their own countryman. The despised Samaritan was the hero that freely gave his time and money to help a stranger and an enemy. He did what pleased God

Jesus turned to the man who had asked him the question. "Now, which of these three people would you say was a neighbour to the man who was attacked by bandits?" Jesus asked.

"The one who helped him," the man replied.

Then Jesus said, "Yes - now you go and do the same."

The man had asked, "Who is my neighbour?". In the story, Jesus taught that everyone is our neighbour, and should receive our love, our compassion and our help.

You can find this story in the Bible. Read it for yourself in Luke chapter 10 verses 25 - 37.