The Good Samaritan

Luke 10
 

Educated men often tried to test Jesus’ knowledge of the law. One day a law expert asked Jesus, "What do I have to do to receive eternal life?"

"What do you think the law says?" was Jesus’ answer.

"’Love God with all your heart and soul and mind,’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"

"You are right." Jesus said. "Do those things and you will live."

But the man didn’t love everyone. He wanted to make keeping the law a little easier, so he asked Jesus, "Who is my neighbor?"

Jesus told him a story in reply.

"Once a man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On his way, robbers attacked him, beat him, and took his clothes, leaving him half dead on the road. A priest came walking down the road a little later and saw the man, but walked past him. Soon a Levite, a priest’s assistant, came walking along, but he lowered his eyes, turned his head away from the man, and kept walking.

"But a man from Samaria saw the beaten man as he walked along the road. Even though the traveler was from a different country, the Samaritan felt sorry for him. He picked the man up and cleaned and bandaged his wounds. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn. He cared for the man and paid the innkeeper for all the traveler’s expenses.

"Now tell me, which one of those three men was a neighbor to the man who was robbed – the priest, the Levite, orthe man from Samaria?"

"The one who took care of him," the law expert sheepishly replied.

"Go and do the same thing," Jesus told him.

(From Classic Bible Stories, A Family Treasury retold by Lise Caldwell (c) 1998 Standard Publishing.  Used by permission.  This book may be purchased at your local Christian Bookstore or from Standard Publishing (800-543-1301).