"A REFLECTION OF CHARACTER"
Jesus asked, "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" (Luke 10:36)
In the course of his ministry, Jesus was confronted by well-educated, powerful men. On one occasion, an expert in the law asked how he could inherit eternal life. When Jesus asked for the man's own interpretation, the lawyer answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and your neighbor as yourself." Turning the tables, the scholar then asked Jesus to interpret the term neighbor.
In response, Jesus referenced the account of a robbery victim, a Jew, who was left for dead on the highly trafficked Jericho Road. Two religious men, a priest and a Levite, crossed to the other side of the road in order to avoid the plight of their own countryman, but a traveler from Samaria came to his aid. Overcoming the usual enmity between Samaritans and Jews, the man treated the victim's wounds, transferred him to an inn, and then paid for his continued care.
With his case made, Jesus then asked the scholar who among the three men (the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan) proved by his actions to be a neighbor to the robbery victim. Begrudgingly, the legal expert answered, "The one who had mercy on him." The lawyer could have simply said, "The Samaritan," but apparently his distaste for Samaritans was so intense he could not bring himself to utter the name in a positive context.
This gospel passage is approriately employed to clarify the second great commandment. Christ calls his followers to view as a neighbor anyone who is in need and to ignore distinctions of any kind.
Further reflection on the story raises a self-assessment question that we, as followers of Christ, would do well to regularly ask. If a person who knows me well heard a good Samaritan story about me, how would he respond? Would the person be surprised, thinking, It's hard to believe she did that? Or would he accept the account with a knowing smile, thinking, That sounds like something she would do?
What matters most is that each time we overcome indifference or prejudice, we demonstrate to our Creator that mercy is becoming more and more in keeping with our character.
In the course of his ministry, Jesus was confronted by well-educated, powerful men. On one occasion, an expert in the law asked how he could inherit eternal life. When Jesus asked for the man's own interpretation, the lawyer answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and your neighbor as yourself." Turning the tables, the scholar then asked Jesus to interpret the term neighbor.
In response, Jesus referenced the account of a robbery victim, a Jew, who was left for dead on the highly trafficked Jericho Road. Two religious men, a priest and a Levite, crossed to the other side of the road in order to avoid the plight of their own countryman, but a traveler from Samaria came to his aid. Overcoming the usual enmity between Samaritans and Jews, the man treated the victim's wounds, transferred him to an inn, and then paid for his continued care.
With his case made, Jesus then asked the scholar who among the three men (the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan) proved by his actions to be a neighbor to the robbery victim. Begrudgingly, the legal expert answered, "The one who had mercy on him." The lawyer could have simply said, "The Samaritan," but apparently his distaste for Samaritans was so intense he could not bring himself to utter the name in a positive context.
This gospel passage is approriately employed to clarify the second great commandment. Christ calls his followers to view as a neighbor anyone who is in need and to ignore distinctions of any kind.
Further reflection on the story raises a self-assessment question that we, as followers of Christ, would do well to regularly ask. If a person who knows me well heard a good Samaritan story about me, how would he respond? Would the person be surprised, thinking, It's hard to believe she did that? Or would he accept the account with a knowing smile, thinking, That sounds like something she would do?
What matters most is that each time we overcome indifference or prejudice, we demonstrate to our Creator that mercy is becoming more and more in keeping with our character.
Comments