Are we more like the lawyer, Levite or priest than the good Samaritan than we admit?

mcarans

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Oct 10, 2018
539
226
47
Wellington
✟136,444.00
Country
New Zealand
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married

bekkilyn

Contemplative Christian
Supporter
Apr 27, 2017
7,612
8,475
USA
✟677,608.00
Country
United States
Faith
Methodist
Marital Status
Celibate
Politics
US-Others
The poor man stripped and beaten by robbers can indicate the one in need of God's grace, which would be all of us, because without Christ, even though we are physically alive, we are spiritually dead.

Also, there is imagery there of Christ having been stripped and beaten and dead on the cross. The priest and Levite reject Christ's message, but the Samaritan (the hated enemy) is the one who accepts Christ's message. Christ would then be instructing the lawyer to accept Christ as well vs. passing to the other side.

Also, a big point of the parable isn't so much just about showing other people mercy, but answering the question of, "Who is my neighbor?" and to the lawyer in particular, Jesus's message is that it is not just other Jews. Likewise for us, our neighbor is everyone, even including our hated enemies, and not just those who are other Christians or most like ourselves.

These parables are much deeper than they appear on the surface and there is typically more than one way of looking at them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mcarans
Upvote 0

Akita Suggagaki

Well-Known Member
Jul 20, 2018
6,714
4,885
69
Midwest
✟278,829.00
Country
United States
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
Also, a big point of the parable isn't so much just about showing other people mercy, but answering the question of, "Who is my neighbor?"

Right, so who is my neighbor today?
 
Upvote 0

com7fy8

Well-Known Member
May 22, 2013
13,648
6,107
Massachusetts
✟583,317.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Yes, ones could give all their attention and money to helping needy people. But Jesus came to save needy us. And now He wants us, too, to have compassion >

"He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness." (Hebrews 5:2)
 
  • Like
Reactions: mcarans
Upvote 0

Phil W

Well-Known Member
Apr 15, 2019
3,187
675
69
Mesa, Az
✟67,340.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
I would say that it is everybody regardless of social or economic status, country, tribe, religion etc.
I agree.
In actuality, all the folks involved in the parable were neighbors, but only one acted like it.
Only the Samaritan "loved his neighbor as he loved himself".
 
Upvote 0

mcarans

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Oct 10, 2018
539
226
47
Wellington
✟136,444.00
Country
New Zealand
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
Upvote 0

bling

Regular Member
Supporter
Feb 27, 2008
16,158
1,805
✟794,647.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
We like to think of ourselves as the good Samaritan, but perhaps we have more in common with the lawyer, Levite or priest than we care to admit. Here I look at the villains of the story.

Are we more like the lawyer, Levite or priest than the good Samaritan than we admit? : cruciformity

If you are completely honest with yourself, which of the characters do you think you mostly see yourself in?
The good Samaritan went to the person in need while the others distanced themselves from the person in need, so where do we move to? My wanting to live in the suburbs might say something?

I went to a very strange congregation many years ago, where a vice president of a fortune 100 company started attending with two teenage daughters and a lovely wife. He moved into a very large house on the golf course, pool and four Mercedes Bens for all his family, and I wanted to be just like him. We moved away for three years, but were drawn back partly to see if they were really like we thought or did we just imagine they were that spiritual. They had tripled in size and I saw the Vice President and asked if we could stay in his pool house, but he said he had sold his house and was living on Poke Street (which I knew to be in a very poor section of town). I told him I was sad to here that and he said it was wonderful, going great, he and his family were never better and he was still a VP. So, I asked a friend what happened and he explained. The family of the VP had become really active in the Church, so he went to some young men assigned to counting the money and paying the bills with his check book in hand, he wanted to make a sizable contribution and asked “how much can you use”. Without blinking an eye one young man said: “We really have more money than we can find good works to contribute to, but you can find a work to contribute to”, which caused the VP to be taken back and asked: “is there something else I can do?” Another young man said: “there is this new convert (a black young man), who needs a mentor.” So the VP started meeting with the new convert, who lived on Poke Street.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mcarans
Upvote 0

bèlla

❤️
Supporter
Jan 16, 2019
20,479
17,636
USA
✟933,094.00
Country
United States
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
In Relationship
The good Samaritan went to the person in need while the others distanced themselves from the person in need, so where do we move to? My wanting to live in the suburbs might say something?

Maybe that’s where you’re needed most. There are souls perishing in every nook around the world. It isn’t limited to the impoverished places. Their need makes them more receptive to the gospel than areas where lack isn’t common.

I’ve lived downtown for 26 years. But my daughter has never known an existence elsewhere. Both perspectives are useful to God. Meeting a person isn’t only physical. Your ministry must be able to meet them where they are internally. Sometimes that begins with common denominators. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: mcarans
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

charsan

Charismatic Episcopal Church
Jul 12, 2019
2,297
2,115
52
South California
✟62,421.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Republican
Yesterday my Priest gave his homily on the readings which were the good Samaritan and the title of the homily was "Who is your Samaritan". In other words who would you pass by on the other side of the road? Makes one think
 
  • Like
Reactions: mcarans
Upvote 0

Phil W

Well-Known Member
Apr 15, 2019
3,187
675
69
Mesa, Az
✟67,340.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Yesterday my Priest gave his homily on the readings which were the good Samaritan and the title of the homily was "Who is your Samaritan". In other words who would you pass by on the other side of the road? Makes one think
Shouldn't that have been entitled..."Who is your guy in the ditch"?
 
Upvote 0

Root of Jesse

Admiral of the Fleet/First Sea Lord
Supporter
Jun 23, 2011
18,910
3,646
Bay Area, California
Visit site
✟354,065.00
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Constitution
We like to think of ourselves as the good Samaritan, but perhaps we have more in common with the lawyer, Levite or priest than we care to admit. Here I look at the villains of the story.

Are we more like the lawyer, Levite or priest than the good Samaritan than we admit? : cruciformity

If you are completely honest with yourself, which of the characters do you think you mostly see yourself in?
I believe we are all of the characters, and I think that Jesus' parables were meant to show us ourselves in the different lights. Sometimes we're like the lawyer, sometimes we're like the priest, and sometimes we're like the Samaritan. Usually we are the Samaritan when it's convenient for us. Sometimes we just ignore the needs of others, like the Levite and the priest.
 
Upvote 0

mcarans

Well-Known Member
Supporter
Oct 10, 2018
539
226
47
Wellington
✟136,444.00
Country
New Zealand
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
I believe we are all of the characters, and I think that Jesus' parables were meant to show us ourselves in the different lights. Sometimes we're like the lawyer, sometimes we're like the priest, and sometimes we're like the Samaritan. Usually we are the Samaritan when it's convenient for us. Sometimes we just ignore the needs of others, like the Levite and the priest.
Yes I think that's right. We are also the person in need in need of help. If the article was of interest, you are welcome to join the subreddit: Cruciformity: the cross is where God is most clearly seen
 
Upvote 0
This site stays free and accessible to all because of donations from people like you.
Consider making a one-time or monthly donation. We appreciate your support!
- Dan Doughty and Team Christian Forums

sunlover1

Beloved, Let us love one another
Nov 10, 2006
26,146
5,348
Under the Shadow of the Almighty
✟94,511.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
Right, so who is my neighbor today?
Everyone is your neighbor.
We're TO love our neighbor?
Or how can we help but to love, if we're filled with His Spirit?
As HE is, so are we, in the world.
So it depends on who "the neighbor" needs HIM to be at that moment, that we become. UNLESS we're walking in the flesh. In that case, we're impotent and unsalted.
"HE IS"
 
  • Like
Reactions: Phil W
Upvote 0

sunlover1

Beloved, Let us love one another
Nov 10, 2006
26,146
5,348
Under the Shadow of the Almighty
✟94,511.00
Country
United States
Faith
Christian
Marital Status
Single
Politics
US-Others
Sorry. I just read your reddit post. I will now respond according to knowledge lol.
Any man who is born again of God will give OR receive help from any agent God cares to manifest through, including but not limited to donkeys.
IMO
 
Upvote 0