This is the story which the Lord Jesus told the wise lawyer, who asked Him, “Who is my neighbor?” “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said ... Take care of him: and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.”
Powerless Pride and Powerful Compassion
The men who did not help the poor man, were from his city, Jerusalem, but the man who helped him, was from another country, Samaria, and altogether a stranger to him. Jesus asked the lawyer which of the three men he thought was neighbor to the man who fell among the thieves.
“He that showed mercy on him,” the lawyer said. That was a right answer, and our neighbor, also, is whoever needs our help.
But the Lord seems to have been teaching something more than about his neighbor. You know the lawyer thought he kept the laws of God, but he had not; he had sinned, and really was as helpless to do anything for God, as the poor hurt man by the road, who had gone away from the city of God, to go to Jericho, the city of the curse (Joshua 6:2626And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. (Joshua 6:26)).
The priest could not go to the man, because, if he were dead, the law forbade him to touch him; if the Levite touched what was unclean or dead, he was unfit for the work with the holy things of the temple (Leviticus 21:11And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto the priests the sons of Aaron, and say unto them, There shall none be defiled for the dead among his people: (Leviticus 21:1); Deuteronomy 10:88At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day. (Deuteronomy 10:8); Numbers 19:1111He that toucheth the dead body of any man shall be unclean seven days. (Numbers 19:11)).
But the Samaritan was not under the law, and he could go to the man, and was very sorry for him. The lawyer and all the people had left God’s way, and been robbed by sin; the law had no power to help them.
But there was One like the kind stranger, who was very sorry for the people; that was Jesus, who came “where he was,” showing love and kindness to all; doing even more than the good Samaritan. He gave His own life to heal the wounds made by sin. Sin has robbed us all of strength to do for God; no priest or work we or others could do, could fit us for heaven. How good of the Lord Jesus to come to do all for us! The hurt man would be eager to see the kind traveler when he returned, and how happy we will be to see the Lord when He comes again!
Further Meditation
1. Who was the true neighbor?
2. What are some of the reasons why the Lord Jesus can help the helpless when no one else can? How did this lesson highlight the difference between the law and the gospel of God’s grace?
3. The simply written book All of Grace by C. H. Spurgeon goes a long way toward helping believers become established in the rich grace of our Saviour God.