The Jews of Jesus’ day viewed themselves as being quite neighborly to their fellow Jews. Jesus constructed a parable to cut through this fake cloak of self-righteousness. A Jew fell victim to a robbery and a terrible beating on the Jericho road. A priest and a Levite would not take the time, nor would they allow themselves to be made unclean by contact with the blood of a robbery victim. Besides, they had to get on with their journey. Jesus made a hated Samaritan the hero of his story. That kind of story telling is dangerous. We must hear what Jesus is telling us and put it into practice.
“Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:36-37 (NRSV)
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