Jesus Tells the Story of the Good Samaritan 

While Jesus and the apostles Nathaniel and Thomas were lodged in Jericho overnight before attending the Feast of Dedication in December of 29 CE, a large crowd gathered around them to ask questions. Between Jesus and the two apostles, a good discussion was developing with the listeners. But a devious lawyer in the crowd wanted to force the Master into a compromising position. He first asked Jesus: "Teacher, I would like to ask you just what I should do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus replied: "What is written in the law and the prophets; how do you read the Scripture?" The lawyer, knowing the teachings of both Jesus and the Pharisees, answered: "To love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself." Then Jesus told the lawyer that he was correct and that following this law would lead the man to eternal life.

The lawyer went even further then, hoping to embarrass Jesus. He drew closer to the Master and asked: "Teacher, I should like you to tell me just who is my neighbor?" The Jewish law was very strict about who could be considered a "neighbor," teaching that only "the children of one's people." could be considered a neighbor. The lawyer knew that Jesus had different ideas about such things, so he hoped that Jesus would say something that would could be seen as a violation of that sacred law and be used against him.

But Jesus was fully aware of the lawyer’s sinister motives. So, instead of answering the question directly, the Master told a story that proved to be more than instructive to both the lawyer and this Jewish audience.

Jesus began his story: "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell into the hands of cruel brigands, who robbed him, stripped him and beat him, and departing, left him half dead. Very soon, by chance, a certain priest was going down that way, and when he came upon the wounded man, seeing his sorry plight, he passed by on the other side of the road. And in like manner a Levite also, when he came along and saw the man, passed by on the other side. Now, about this time, a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed down to Jericho, came across this wounded man; and when he saw how he had been robbed and beaten, he was moved with compassion, and going over to him, he bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine, and setting the man upon his own beast, brought him here to the inn and took care of him. And on the morrow he took out some money and, giving it to the host, said: ‘Take good care of my friend, and if the expense is more, when I come back again, I will repay you.’

Then Jesus said to the lawyer: "Now let me ask you: Which of these three turned out to be the neighbor of him who fell among the robbers?" At this, the lawyer was forced to answer "he who showed mercy on him." And Jesus told the lawyer to go and do the same.

The lawyer answered, "he who showed mercy," because he could not even say the word "Samaritan." To say that a Samaritan was the one who was most neighborly would have made the lawyer guilty of violating the very law that he wanted Jesus to violate. So, in this masterful way, Jesus confounded the deceitful lawyer. At the same time, Jesus’ story was a remarkable reproach to all the Jews, taking them to task for their unfair attitude towards the Samaritans.

The story of the Good Samaritan is widely known and beloved, and it continues to promote brotherly love among all who hear it.