The Eighth Sunday of Saint Luke the Holy Apostle and Beloved Physician
The Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10: 25-37)

Of the some 33 parables that Jesus utilized in the Gospels, the Parable of the Good Samaritan (only mentioned in the Gospel of Saint Luke) is likely one of the most familiar to us. This parable is troubling, touching, and most instructive, and its symbolism is most memorable and elucidating regarding Who Christ is, and who, by emulation, we are called to be.

We remember it wells. A certain lawyer put Jesus to the test. To the audience of that time, and in its cultural/religious context, for a fuller understanding, lawyers were educated and respected. To a Jew, the law was not just to be respected; it was to be revered. The Law kept them separate and distinct from others. The Law made them unique, kept them together, and protected them. They were the People of the Law, and through the Law, the Jews had that special relationship with God. They had a covenant with God as His Chosen People. Moreover, most lawyers were from the tribe of Levi, and we shall soon see why that detail is important, for indeed, it was important to them and to Jesus’ audience.

This lawyer addressed Jesus as “Teacher” and asked Jesus a concise and profound question: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” As the Author of the Law and the Fulfillment of the Law, as well as the Source of All Wisdom and Knowledge, and as God, Jesus knew where the lawyer was going. Jesus knew there was a question behind the question, so Jesus answered the lawyer’s question with two questions: “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

The lawyer answered: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus told him: “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”
The operative words here are “rightly” and “do.” Jesus is very precise and deliberative in His choice of words. The lawyer did answer rightly, but to be right is insufficient. It is not enough just to be right. Depending on the context, you can be right and do harm. Being right will not save you. God does not just want us to be right. He wants us to be saved; He wants us to be great by imitating Him in mercy, compassion, sacrifice, and love. Being right without any of these attributes is to no avail for now or for eternity.

The lawyer was right. Anyone can be right, but few are God-like. It is easy and safe to be right (and do nothing); however, it is difficult and risky to love and to do. Most of all, it is easy for most to know what to do, but it is so difficult for most to do, and there is an old adage that captures this reality succinctly: “Those who cannot do, teach.”

In order to live, and in order to be, you must do. Hence, Jesus, The Teacher, tells him to “do” this, knowing this is difficult for the lawyer, and we shall see that the lawyer falls into the very trap he ironically thought he was laying for Jesus.

Evidently, not willing to do, and live authentically, he seeks to justify himself. Hence, his ulterior motives are already exposed. Clearly, he does not believe that just anyone can be his “neighbor.” Furthermore, he has the effrontery to justify himself before the Author of the Law and the True Judge. The lawyer did not truly want to learn or grow; he wanted to trap Jesus, so he asked Jesus: “And who is my neighbor?” He asked this because in his mind, only a fellow Jew of his caliber and station was his neighbor.

To this disingenuous query, Jesus begins His ever-memorable parable. He tells the story of a certain man (not just any man) who went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. This Jericho-to-Jerusalem Road was a narrow, 17 mile, notoriously dangerous thoroughfare, known for the thieves and cut throats who hid along it in caves and narrow defiles, lying nefariously in wait to prey upon unsuspecting travelers.

This is why so many travelled together in caravans to protect themselves from these brigands. There was safety in numbers, but this certain man travelled alone nonetheless to his peril and demise, for thieves fell upon him, stripped him, wounded him, and left him half dead.

At this point, Jesus introduces another character, a priest. The priest would have been a very familiar and respected figure to the lawyer. One would expect compassion from the priest, but when the priest came down the road and saw the suffering and dying man, he did nothing for him, and passed by on the other side. The priest was more concerned about coming into contact with blood and becoming ceremonially unclean. Ritually, he wanted to be right. He did nothing, therefore. He cared more about the law and reputation than about mercy and compassion.

 In addition, if the man were indeed dead, the priest would be ceremonially polluted, and then, he would be prohibited from performing the services in the temple. Indeed, according to the Levitical law, even if he came close enough to a dead man that his shadow would fall upon the body, the priest would be contaminated and, therefore, be precluded from his liturgical services. This is why the priest did not dare to come close enough to discern if the man was dead. The lawyer would have understood this and seen this as a legitimate loophole.

Likewise, another man, a Levite, came along the road. He, too, would have been a figure held in high regard as an educated pious Jew of one their twelve venerable tribes. The Levites assisted the priests in temple worship. In the case of the Levite, he evidently was not as worried about blood or the dead body, as was the priest, for Scripture said: “he arrived at the place, came, and looked,” before passing by on the other side.

Perhaps the Levite was afraid it was a trap, and the thieves were still there waiting to pounce upon another unsuspecting traveler. He thought only of himself and not of the other. Self-preservation was his motive. Again, the lawyer, looking for a way out, would have accepted this rationalization not to help this stranger. By his training the Levite’s action was understandable and legitimate.

Lastly, the third figure arrives. (Oftentimes, in these lessons, the listener identifies with the third person in the story.) He was a certain Samaritan. Unlike the priest and the Levite, the Samaritan would not be considered a respectful, worthy person. Indeed, the Samaritan would have been viewed as a half-breed, heretic, and race polluter. A Samaritan was one to be shunned. This certain Samaritan would have been ostracized, marginalized, and alienated from the likes of this certain lawyer. The Samaritan was not a fellow Jew of his caliber. Jews had nothing to do with Samaritans.

 Therefore, for the lawyer and the audience, not much would have been expected of this Samaritan. He was the rejected, loathed, and despised one. However, surprisingly, this certain Samaritan did the right thing. The Samaritan came to where the man was dying. He saw him, had compassion upon him, and knelt alongside him.

He met the man where he was at, and at his level, to meet his need. Not concerned about the uncleanliness and ceremonial tainting of blood or even concern for his own safety, the Samaritan cleansed the stranger’s wounds with oil and wine, and then, carefully bandaged his wounds. Concerned for the other and not for himself, he did not rush out of fear.

Thereupon, the Samaritan sat him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. He did not just drop the suffering man off, having done his duty, and then, just leave him. To most, this would have been more than enough; but no, the Samaritan went beyond what was necessary, and he stayed with him to take care of him.

On the next day, the Samaritan paid the innkeeper to watch and care for him, and, furthermore, he told the innkeeper that no matter what the man needed, he would pay all his debts upon his return. In other words, like the good physician, the Samaritan was coming back to follow up. Thus, the Samaritan would pay all the debt, even after seeing to his present needs, and so, he provided for all his needs, and his future needs as well.

Through this story, Jesus led the lawyer not only to the proper conclusion or the true teaching, but Jesus also led the lawyer to open the eyes of his understanding and the recesses of his heart, so as to go beyond being right in order to be merciful, for God requires mercy not judgment.

The priest and the Levite had everything, and they could have helped, but they did nothing by their rationalizations. The lesson was clear. Jesus asked the lawyer: “So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” To which the lawyer replied: “He who showed mercy upon him.” Then, Jesus said to the lawyer: “Go, and do, likewise.” After all, in His Infinite Mercy and Compassion, Jesus condescended to be with us for redemption, not condemnation.
Whereas before the lawyer was right, now he understood. The letter of the law was not just meant to be ink on a page that eventually fades away silently into oblivion. The law is not a possession to be hoarded and lauded over anyone. The Law was to protect them, keep them together, and bring them to the Messiah like a pedagogue brings one not of age to the master. In this case, the Law was to bring us to The Master, and the Master wills mercy, not sacrifice, compassion, not conviction.

The Embodiment of Love, Jesus Christ is the Fulfillment of the Law. The Law was good and to be revered, but it was not sufficient. Only the Grace of God is Sufficient. We cannot save ourselves through merit. We are infinitely unworthy of God’s Grace. We cannot possibly justify ourselves before God the Judge. That would be the height of folly and the epitome of hubris.

Being right means nothing if we do not act rightly. God wants us to go and do in order to truly be and live up to the ancient image and likeness that is now tarnished by sin and corruption. He told His Disciples to “go and do,” not just agree, accept, teach, or preach. In order to truly be, we must be relational by manifesting sympathy and empathy through sharing, giving, and sacrificing. We are inauthentic on our own. We are nothing on our own. We need God, and we need others.

We must be vigilant. Memorizing and learning can become material possessions and sources of pride. As with wealth, knowledge is worthless without proper application. The lawyer, the priest, and the Levite did not share, give, or sacrifice. They knew, but they had not compassion. God requires mercy not sacrifice. They valued ceremonial over compassion.

However, now, in the New Covenant, the Law and bloody sacrifices have been eclipsed by the Grace of Christ. There is no need for senseless butchery of defenseless animals and condemnation of others who are not like us. A New Era has dawned in the One Who is the Eternal Dawn, Who has brought Light to a people lying in darkness, and Who has brought hope and life to a suffering and dying world.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, quite simply, the Good Samaritan is Christ. Christ was despised and rejected by His own people as the Samaritan was rejected by His own people. Christ came from the Heavenly Jerusalem to earth as the Samaritan came down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Christ voluntarily risked suffering and death for you and me, as the Samaritan did for this certain man.

Christ came to a hurting and perishing humanity, as the Samaritan came to the suffering and dying man. Christ came for a humanity stripped of its dignity and the beauty of its ancient image and likeness, abandoned, having been set upon by the myriads of demons in their protean forms and chameleon stripes. The Samaritan came to a man stripped of his clothing and dignity, beaten, and abandoned, having been set upon by robbers.

The Samaritan cleansed the suffering man’s wounds with oil and wine and wrapped him in bandages. Christ cleanses us and reconciles us with the oil and the wine in the Holy Sacraments of Unction and Holy Communion in the Inn (His Church). The Samaritan brought the suffering man to the Inn for safety, healing, and comfort. Christ brings our suffering humanity to His Church (His Inn) for our safety, healing, and deliverance.

The Samaritan paid the bills of the suffering man and would return to repay any and all bills. The Samaritan did not abandon the suffering man. Jesus paid the Infinite Price for us, not just for now, but for eternity, and He will return again to reclaim us at His Second Coming. Jesus has not abandoned us. “Come, Lord Jesus.”

So, in answer to the lawyer’s question “And who is my neighbor?”: The Samaritan (Jesus) made it very clear who my neighbor is. Our neighbor is anyone whom Christ places in our path who is suffering and in need of mercy. Our neighbor is also the one for whom Christ came, became one with (“alongside”), suffered, and died, and thereby, paid the Infinite Price to reclaim them and make them infinitely and eternally valuable as children of God.

Our neighbor is not a pious a Jew or a fellow Hellene. Our neighbor is everyone whom Christ is One with, having providentially and lovingly assumed our human nature, that we all share equally with one another, and now equally in Christ. Through Christ, we are all spiritually from above—not by flesh and blood materially below—brothers and sisters, and children and heirs, of the One Father Who is in Heaven, in the eternal Fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

Through Jesus, our neighbors are our brothers and sisters, through our shared humanity, a humanity created, assumed, and redeemed by God, and all we need do to be deemed worthy of the title “neighbor” and worthy to be Christ-like, is simply imitate the type of Christ (The Good Samaritan) in today’s unforgettable parable, and show mercy.
 
Hence, may we go, and do, likewise. Oh, by the way, we are the “Innkeeper”, so we must take care of his Church and those whom He brings to us for spiritual healing, care, and comfort.

(Parenthetically, this is fittingly one of the Seven Gospels read during the Holy Unction Service.)

By His Mercy, I remain,
 †Father Jim