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RETURN TO THE SYLLABUS

THE PARABLES OF JESUS CHRIST
LESSON #57
THE PARABLE OF THE NEIGHBOR AND THE GOOD SAMARITAN (LUK 10:25-37)

• MEMORY VERSE: MAR 12:30-31

• THE PARABLE OF THE NEIGHBOR AND THE GOOD SAMARITAN (LUK 10:25-37)
• READ LUK 10:25-37.
• BACKGROUND NOTES:
• ALL THE PREVIOUS PARABLES HAVE BEEN SYMBOLIC IN THAT YOU DECIDED ON MEANINGS FOR THE DIFFERENT SYMBOLS. IN THIS PARABLE, DO NOT LOOK FOR MEANINGS OF SYMBOLS. IT IS A “TYPICAL” PARABLE. IN OTHER WORDS, THE LESSON TO BE LEARNED IS BY EXAMPLE RATHER THAN BY SYMBOL.
• WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE “LAWYERS” OF THAT DAY?
• THE TERM, “LAWYERS”, WAS A WORD USED CONCERNING THE SCRIBES GENERALLY. THEY WERE STUDENTS OF SCRIPTURE. THEY WERE OCCUPIED WITH THE MOSAIC LAW.
• IT WAS THEIR JOB TO INTERPRET THE LAW AND TO INSTRUCT THE PEOPLE ON HOW TO RELATE THE LAW TO THEIR LIVES.
• THEY WERE A PRIVILEGED CLASS OF TEACHERS.
• WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE “PRIESTS” OF THAT DAY?
• THE PRIESTS IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES WERE VERY LEGALISTIC.
• KING DAVID DIVIDED THE PRIESTS INTO 24 GROUPS. THEY SERVED ACCORDING TO THEIR ORDER IN THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM FOR 1 WEEK 2 TIMES A YEAR. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, THEY WERE TO LIVE IN ONE OF THE CITIES OF REFUGE, MINISTERING TO THE PEOPLE.
• THEY HAD A LOT OF PRESTIGE, POWER, AND WEALTH.
• WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE “LEVITES” OF THAT DAY?
• THE LEVITES BELONGED TO THE TRIBE OF LEVI. THE TRIBE OF LEVI WAS ONE OF THE 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL.
• FROM THE TRIBE OF LEVI, THOSE WHO WERE DESCENDED FROM AARON WERE TO BE THE PRIESTS. THE OTHER LEVITES SERVED IN AND AROUND THE TEMPLE IN VARIOUS OTHER JOBS.
• THEY TOOK CARE OF THE IMPLEMENTS USED FOR ANIMAL SACRIFICE AND EVERYTHING THAT HAD TO DO WITH THE TEMPLE ITSELF.
• WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE “SAMARITANS” OF THAT DAY?
• THE SAMARITANS WERE HALF JEWISH. THEY WERE GEOGRAPHICAL NEIGHBORS TO THE JEWS.
• AFTER KINGS, SAUL, DAVID, AND SOLOMON, THE KINGDOM OF ISRAEL DIVIDED INTO TWO NATIONS.
• THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM THAT REMAINED MORE FAITHFUL TO GOD WAS THE KINGDOM OF JUDAH. IT INCLUDED THE TRIBES OF JUDAH AND BENJAMIN.
• THE NORTHERN KINGDOM THAT FELL AWAY FROM GOD WAS CALLED EPHRAIM. IT INCLUDED THE REMAINING 10 TRIBES.
• WHEN THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE CONQUERED THE NORTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL, THE ASSYRIANS TOOK LEADING JEWISH CITIZENS TO BABYLON AND IN TURN IMPORTED ASSYRIANS INTO THE NORTHERN KINGDOM TERRITORY CALLED SAMARIA.
• THESE ASSYRIANS INTERMARRIED WITH THE FEW JEWS THAT REMAINED IN SAMARIA.
• THESE ASSYRIANS BROUGHT WITH THEM THEIR IDOLATROUS RELIGION.
• LATER THE BABYLONIANS CONQUERED THE ASSYRIANS AND ASSUMED POSSESSION OF THE NORTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL AND ITS PEOPLE.
• FINALLY THE BABYLONIANS CONQUERED THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM OF JUDAH AND ENSLAVED THE PEOPLE, TRANSPORTING THEM TO BABYLON TO JOIN THOSE ALREADY ENSLAVED FROM THE NORTHERN KINGDOM OF ISRAEL.
• AFTER 70 YEARS IN THE BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY, THE JEWS WERE RELEASED TO RETURN TO THE PROMISED LAND. HOSTILITY GREW IN ISRAEL BETWEEN THE PURE BLOOD JEWS AND THE MIXED BLOODED SAMARITANS.
• AT THE TIME OF JESUS’ MINISTRY ON EARTH, THIS HOSTILITY BETWEEN THE JEWS AND THE SAMARITANS WAS SO STRONG THAT THE SAMARITANS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO WORSHIP IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. ALSO, ORTHODOX JEWS WOULD NOT TRAVEL THROUGH SAMARITAN LAND, BUT INSTEAD THEY WOULD TRAVEL FAR OUT OF THEIR WAY TO AVOID ANY SAMARITAN CONTACT.
• WE CAN SEE THE EXTENT OF THIS HOSTILITY IN JOH 4 WHEN JESUS MEETS A SAMARITAN WOMAN ON SAMARITAN TERRITORY.
• READ JOH 4:3-9, 19-27
• NOTICE THE SURPRISE BY THE SAMARITANS AND BY THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS THAT JESUS HAS A CONVERSATION WITH A SAMARITAN WOMAN.
• NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE IN THE ATTITUDE OF WORSHIP IN THE JEWISH TEMPLE BETWEEN THE JEWS AND THE SAMARITANS WHO FINALLY BUILT THEIR OWN TEMPLE FOR THEIR CULT WORSHIP.
• THE SETTING OF THE PARABLE:
• THE EVENT THAT PROMPTED THE PARABLE WAS THE QUESTION ASKED BY THE LAWYER, “WHAT SHALL I DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?” (LUK 10:25)
• JESUS PUT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION BACK ON THE LAWYER.
• READ DEU 6:4-6
• NOTICE THAT THE LAWYER ADDS TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW AS IT APPEARED IN DEU 6.
• WHAT DOES THE LAWYER ADD?
• THE LAWYER ADDED THE PART ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP TO HIS NEIGHBOR.
• WHAT WAS JESUS’ ANSWER? (26-27)
• JESUS TOLD THE LAWYER HE WAS CORRECT.
• WHY DID JESUS TELL HIM HE WAS CORRECT?
• JESUS KNEW THAT THE MAN WAS VERY SMART, AND THAT HE KNEW ALL THE MOSAIC LAW AS WELL AS GOD’S INTENTION IN GIVING THE LAW.
• HOWEVER, FIRST MUST COME A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST THAT AFFECTS YOUR LIFE TO THE POINT THAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER PEOPLE IS DIFFERENT.
• WHY DID THE LAWYER ASK JESUS, “WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?” (29)
• THE LAWYER SUDDENLY BECAME AWARE OF THE FACT THAT HE COULD NOT LIVE UP TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW OR THE INTENT OF THE LAW. THEREFORE, HE SEARCHED FOR SOME WAY TO JUSTIFY HIS OWN ACTIONS THAT FELL FAR SHORT OF GOD’S STANDARD.
• THE ACTIONS IN THE PARABLE:
• “FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO” (30)
• THE NAME, JERUSALEM, MEANS = THE VISION OF PEACE.
• IT WAS THE SEAT OF BLESSING, HISTORY, RELIGION, AND PRIVILEGE.
• IT WAS THE CENTER WHERE GOD SAID THE JEWS MUST WORSHIP HIM.
• THE CITY OF JERICHO WAS THE CITY OF A CURSE. (JOS 6:26) THIS CITY WAS KNOWN AS THE CITY OF SIN.
• AT THE TIME OF JESUS’ MINISTRY ON EARTH, ABOUT 12,000 PRIESTS LIVED IN JERICHO WHEN THEY WERE NOT FULFILLING THEIR DUTIES IN JERUSALEM.
• THE ROAD BETWEEN JERICHO AND JERUSALEM WAS ROCKY, WINDING, DANGEROUS, HAUNTED BY ROBBERS AND CONSIDERED UNSAFE.
• HOWEVER, ROBBERS DID NOT USUALLY MOLEST PRIESTS.
• THIS ROAD WAS CALLED, “THE PASS OF BLOOD”.
• “THE CERTAIN MAN” IN THE PARABLE:
• THIS MAN IS OBVIOUSLY A JEW BECAUSE JESUS’ AUDIENCE FOR THIS PARABLE WERE JEWISH.
• THE FIRST PERSON WHO PASSES THE INJURED MAN IS A PRIEST. THE NEXT PERSON IS A LEVITE.
• WHAT WAS THE RESPONSE OF THESE TWO PEOPLE WHO PASS BY THE INJURED MAN?
• THEY SAW THE INJURED MAN, BUT THEY PRETENDED THEY DID NOT SEE HIM.
• WE KNOW OF THEIR PRETENSION BECAUSE THEY DISTANCED THEMSELVES FROM THE INJURED MAN BY GOING TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. (31)
• WHY DOES JESUS USE A PRIEST AND A LEVITE IN HIS PARABLE?
• THE PRIEST AND THE LEVITE KNEW THE MOSAIC LAW VERY WELL. THEY KNEW THE LETTER OF THE LAW, AND THEY KNEW THE INTENT OF THE LAW.
• THE THIRD PERSON WHO PASSES BY THE INJURED MAN IS THE SAMARITAN. (33)
• WHAT WERE THE SAMARITAN’S ACTIONS:
• HE HAD COMPASSION ON THE INJURED MAN. (33)
• HE POURED OIL AND WINE ON THE MAN’S WOUNDS. (34)
• HE BOUND UP THE MAN’S WOUNDS. (34)
• HE PUT THE INJURED JEW ON HIS OWN DONKEY. (34)
• HE TOOK THE INJURED JEW TO AN INN. (34)
• HE CARED FOR THE INJURED MAN FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. (34)
• HE LEFT THE AMOUNT OF 2-DAY’S WAGE TO CARE FOR THE MAN. (35)
• HE PROMISED TO PAY FOR ALL OTHER EXPENSES OVER AND ABOVE THE 2 DAY’S WAGE.
• JESUS ASKED THE LAWYER, “WHICH WAS THE NEIGHBOR TO THE INJURED JEW?”
• THE LAWYER ANSWERED, “THE SAMARITAN, WHO DID NOT KNOW THE MOSAIC LAW.”
• THE CORRECT ANSWER IS THAT ALL ARE NEIGHBORS TO THE INJURED JEW. HOWEVER, SOME DO NOT ACT LIKE NEIGHBORS EVEN WHEN THEY KNOW WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
• JESUS’ COMMAND TO THE LAWYER, “GO AND DO LIKEWISE.”(37)
• THE BIBLE DOES NOT TELL US IF THIS LAWYER REPENTED OF HIS INABILITY TO LIVE UP TO THE MOSAIC LAW AND RECEIVED JESUS AS HIS SAVIOR. PROBABLY, HE CONTINUED TO TRY TO LIVE UP TO THE MOSAIC LAW, FAILED MISERABLY, AND THEN FELT UNWORTHY OF SALVATION AS HE ALWAYS HAD DONE.
• ONE MORE THING TO NOTICE IN THE PARABLE:
• JESUS SAYS THAT THESE PEOPLE WHO PASSED BY THE INJURED JEW CAME ALONG “BY CHANCE”. (31)
• WE CAN SEE JESUS’ SENSE OF HUMOR HERE, FOR THERE IS NOTHING THAT HAPPENS BY CHANCE OR BY LUCK IN GOD’S KINGDOM EVEN THOUGH MOST PEOPLE BELIEVE IN LUCK.
• ESPECIALLY FOR THE CHRISTIAN, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS LUCK, CHANCE, OR FATE. EVERYTHING IS IN THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD.
• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THIS PARABLE?
• READ MAT 22:35-40
• ONLY AS WE GIVE OUR HEARTS TO THE LORD AND LOVE HIM FIRST ARE WE SAVED. THEN THE HOLY SPIRIT IS FREE TO WORK THROUGH US TO LOVE OTHER PEOPLE. THE HOLY SPIRIT BREAKS DOWN THE WALLS OF HATRED, BIGOTRY, AND PREJUDICE AND CAUSES US TO SEE THE NEEDS OF OTHER PEOPLE RATHER THAN THE WALLS OF OUR PREJUDICE.

HOMEWORK
THE PARABLE OF THE FRIENDS AT MIDNIGHT (LUK 11:5-10)
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE OF THE NEIGHBOR AND THE GOOD SAMARITAN (LUK 10:25-37)
• RATE YOUR GOOD SAMARITAN ATTITUDE TOWARD OTHERS OF ANOTHER RACE, NATIONALITY, RELIGION, ETC. ON A SCALE FROM 1-10. (10 IS PERFECT)

• WRITE DOWN THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS IN YOUR PREJUDICES THAT NEED HELP FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT.
• THOSE OF ANOTHER RACE:

• THOSE OF ANOTHER NATIONALITY:

• THOSE OF ANOTHER RELIGION:

• THOSE OF ANOTHER POLITICAL PERSUASION:

• ASK THE LORD IN PRAYER TO HELP YOU HAVE COMPASSION IN THESE AREAS TO ENABLE YOU TO SEE THESE PEOPLE AS INDIVIDUALS WITH NEEDS THAT YOU CAN MEET.

• PREPARATION FOR THE PARABLE OF THE FRIENDS AT MIDNIGHT (LUK 11:5-10)
• READ LUK 11:1-10 FOR THE CONTEXT OF THE PARABLE:
• NOTE: PEOPLE AND THINGS IN PARABLES DO NOT ALWAYS REPRESENT SOMETHING DIRECTLY. SOMETIMES PEOPLE AND THINGS REPRESENT SOMETHING BY CONTRAST. THAT IS TRUE IN THIS PARABLE.
• WHO DOES THE VISITING FRIEND REPRESENT? (6)

• WHO DOES THE WILLING FRIEND WITHOUT BREAD REPRESENT BY CONTRAST (6) AND WHY?

• WHO DOES THE UNWILLING FRIEND REPRESENT BY CONTRAST (7) AND WHY?

• WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE?

• MEMORY VERSE: PHI 4:19