Luke 10:25-37 and the meaning of neighborly compassion

Parable of the good Samaritan is one of the most familiar in the new testament. It tells the story of a man who is harmed by robbers. Two men pass him by, but the third stops and goes out of his way to help this stranger. The passage is considered to start at Luke 10:25 and end at Luke 10:37. However, some limit the passage to the core story, which occurs in Luke 10: 30-35. For the purposes of this research the story will be considered to include the introductory and concluding text after the story in order to develop the setting and social context of the story.

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" 27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'[ fen-NIV-25383a a]; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[ fen-NIV-25383b b]" 28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live." 29 but he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 but a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 the next day he took out two silver coins[ fen-NIV-25391c c] and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' 36"Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" 37 the expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

There are minor differences in translation between the various versions of the Bible. However, this passage must be taken as a whole to be understood fully. When the passage is taken as a whole, these minor differences in translation do little to the meaning of the passage. For instance, in the NLT verse 28 states "28 "Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you will live!" The New American Standard Translation says, "28 and He said to him, "You have answered correctly; DO THIS, and YOU WILL LIVE." All of the versions found have slightly different wording, but these differences do not change the literal or connotative meaning of the passage.

Historical Context

The most important note on historical context is that Jesus was speaking to the Jews in the passage. The Samaritans and Jews were enemies who despised each other. The tale, as told in the context of the audience had a hidden significance in the ideal of non-discrimination. In this story, a racist was helped by another racist. Through this act, they were brought together for the common good of all. This element is often lost in the retelling of the story because the significance of racial tensions between the groups is not known to modern audiences.

The key element that is important to a clear understanding of the text is the social setting in which the parable is told. There are racial tensions between the groups sitting in the audience. The essential essence of the parable lies within the conflict between the different groups in the audience. In this passage, Jesus attempts to reduce the social tensions around him by imploring the audience to love their enemies and treat them kindly. Jesus uses a technique intended to reduce intergroup tensions called "decategorization" (Elser, p. 328). This technique attempts to equalize the groups by pointing out their similarities and reducing their differences. In this passage, Jesus tries to demonstrate that they are all the same.

The foreground of the passage reveals that Jesus is talking to a group of highly educated scholars. The lawyer in the audience attempts to test Jesus by making him precisely define his words. After the parable, the audience is sent away to contemplate the lesson.

Authorship of the Book is largely attributed to Luke, a physician by profession. Luke was well versed in Greek (NIV Study Bible, p. 1943). Luke's name does not explicitly appear in the chapter, but there are several clues that lead scholars to believe that Luke is the author. Two possible dates are suggested for the writing of Luke. One is a.d. 59-63. The other is the 70s or 80s (NIV Study Bible, p. 1943). It is agreed that the place of the writing is likely Rome, although Achaia, Ephesus and Caesarea have also been suggested an possibilities. A majority of the scholars tend to agree that Rome is the more likely candidate (NIV Study Bible, p. 1943).

Luke was written for the general audience. Theophilis intended to publish the works to spread the Gospel to the mass audience (NIV Study Bible, p. 1943). The main purpose of the Book is to define the nature of Jesus' position as the Messiah and to fulfill his mission on earth (NIV Study Bible, p. 1943). Luke focuses on the events of Jesus life, with and emphasis on the teachings and his final week in Jerusalem.

Literary Context

The parable of the Good Samaritan appears in Luke, Chapter 10. It is in the middle section of the book, which is dedicated to Jesus' teachings. Chapter 10 is in a section dedicated to the teachings and sayings of Jesus. The teachings are from Jesus' journey to Jerusalem. The book of Luke is dedicated to the life of Jesus. It could be considered a biography of Jesus' life. Luke is divided into narratives about Jesus' infancy (1:5-2:52); Preparation for ministry (3:1-4:13); Ministry in Galilee (4:14-9:50); Journey to Jerusalem (9:51-19:27); Jesus' Ministry in Jerusalem (19:28-21:38); and the Passion of Jesus (22:1-23:56a). The passage containing the parable of the good Samaritan is placed within a set of similar passages recounting his teachings as he journeyed on the road to Jerusalem.

There is no apparent reason for the placement of this text within the chapter, other than it belongs to this group of writings chronologically and categorically. The passage is one of 28 parables found in the book of Luke. It serves the function of recounting another important lesson told along the journey. It adds weight and support to the rest of the parables within the passage. There is little argument that Luke the Physician was the author of the entire book of Luke. There are no literary or historical clues that would indicate otherwise.

Structure

The structure of the story of the good Samarian is a classic story structure, with a beginning, middle and clear end. The end has a moral that is meant to provoke thought among the audience. The parable is contained within a structure that introduces the audience as a group of scholars and sets the stage. The formal portion of the parable reads much like a fable or myth. The end invokes the audience to think about what they have learned and to do out an put the lessons to work.

Biblical Content

The phrase "love they neighbor" can be found in other sections of text such as Leviticus 19: 17-18, and Matthew 5: 42. In both cases the context of the phrase do not change from that presented in Luke 10. In relation to the rest of the scripture, this phrase is one of the most important commandments. It implores the Israelites to extend a hand to their neighbors and to examine their relationship with them.

Theological Importance

The theological importance of the parable of the good Samaritan is that it attempts to mend the relationships among various groups that existed at the time. In this parable, Jesus challenges the principles and power of the Pharisees and Levites. He points out their impropriety and selfishness, while painting their enemy as a hero. The key issues raised in commentaries about this passage stem from the inability to define the word "neighbor." There are some who feel that Jesus was strictly referring to the Israelites. However, as one begins to examine the issues surrounding the characters, the definition of "neighbor" becomes more difficult to define.

Application

The true meaning behind the parable of the Good Samaritan lies in the complexities of the relationships between the characters. These nuances would have been clearly understood by Jesus' audience at the time. However, modern readers have to delve into the politics of the region and time in order to understand the meaning of these relationships. It is apparent that Jesus' primary audience consists of those that were standing around listening to the lawyer and his questions. However, it later becomes clear that Jesus meant for his message to be spread beyond the local audience to the general population.

The parable of the good Samaritan teaches us that we are all the same. It teaches that differences are only skin deep and that we all must depend on our brethren for survival. In this parable, Jesus makes an obvious insult to the Pharisees and Levites, who felt more highly of their piousness than of their fellow man. This parable is an excellent example of the type of actions that could end all conflict.