Pastor Scott Andrews | June 8, 2025
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Luke 10:25-37
Well, I have successfully avoided this text for 28 years. I knew, however, the time would come when we would get to it, and I knew I better get it right. You see, this morning we arrive in Luke 10 at the parable of the Good Samaritan. And my trepidation has been: what happens if the story is not what we’ve been told over the years? An awful lot of you would be mad at me. So, let me go ahead and put you at ease, Samaritan’s Purse is rightly named and biblically motivated.
But, this morning, we get to look at the parable in its context, which sheds even greater truth beyond loving your neighbor. Beyond the parable itself, we get to look at what prompted Jesus to tell it, and its primary purpose. You see, we must be careful with parables – particularly given familiar, allegorical approaches to parables in church history. For example, you could find many church fathers, culminating in Origen, and including none other than Martin Luther, taught the following allegorical interpretation of this parable:
- The man who was beaten, robbed, and left half-dead was Adam on his way to paradise – you know, Jericho.
- The robbers were the devil and his demons or simply temptations.
- The wounds they left were sin or disobedience.
- The Priest was the Law, the Levite was the prophets. Both systems of self-righteousness.
- The Samaritan was Jesus Himself.
- The oil was compassion.
- The wine was the communion wine given to the supplicant – although he was unconscious.
- The inn was the church.
- The two denarii were the two sacraments.
- The innkeeper was the bishop or the pastor.
- The Samaritan saying he would return was the promise of the return of Christ.
Does make me wonder what the donkey was – oh, Origen said it was the body of Christ who transported the man to the church. Again, assigning allegorical meanings to every aspect of a parable is beyond dangerous – it has no biblical support, is left to the imagination of the interpreter, and often misses the meaning of the parable entirely. We will dive into this one in a moment, after reviewing the all-important context. Luke placed it here for a purpose.
We have begun the next major section of the gospel of Luke – a section largely found only in this book. Yes, Luke is one of the three synoptic gospels, meaning there is much similarity between them. But about a third of Luke is not found in Matthew and Mark – and most of that is in this 10-chapter section called the travel narrative – an estimated six-month journey from Galilee to Judea – to Jerusalem and the cross.
You remember, the section began with Luke 9:51, a transition verse where Jesus, knowing that the days were approaching for His ascension, was determined – set His face – to go to Jerusalem. It was a long journey, with much teaching as He prepared His disciples for the cross, the resurrection, and the ascension – His departure when He would return to heaven, having completed the work of salvation for His people. And this fledging movement would then be left in the disciples’ Spirit-empowered hands.
Remember, after that verse, the first thing to greet this band of disciples and their Lord was a Samaritan village that turned Him away – rejected Him. It would set the tone for the next six months, culminating in His ultimate rejection by Jewish leadership. Of course, all of that was according to God’s eternal plan.
Well, the disciples didn’t understand the Samaritan rejection and two of them – Sons of Thunder, James and John – requested permission to call fire down from heaven to consume these villagers. They didn’t quite understand that Jesus came – not just for the Jews, but for the world. That, too, is a theme we will see through this section – for which, as Gentiles we should be deeply thankful.
As we follow the story line, after then turning away three would-be disciples because of the conditions they placed on following Him, Jesus sent out the 70 – found only here – to proclaim the kingdom of God. Remember though, opposition was to be their lot – I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. But they came back, rejoicing that even the forces of evil submitted to them in the name of Jesus.
To which Jesus said, don’t rejoice – the implication is, don’t just rejoice because the evil spirits are subject to you – find greater joy that your names are recorded in heaven. By grace through faith, you have been saved – and will inherit eternal life. This caused Jesus Himself to rejoice greatly that God had revealed these truths to infants – that is, those who recognized their inability to gain salvation for themselves – they were dependent on God’s provision. Further, Jesus rejoiced that God had hidden these truths from the wise and intelligent; those who thought themselves worthy – who thought they had the spiritual merit badges to earn their salvation. Salvation would only come to those who saw their desperate need.
Which brings us, in that context, to our text today. Don’t miss it – God’s saving grace is not for the deserving, but the undeserving. Enter the parable of the Good Samaritan. Let’s read the text: Luke 10:25-37.
This is one of Jesus’ longest, most detailed, and memorable parables – along with the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem. We don’t know exactly where He and His disciples were at this point – there are not a lot of geographical markers in this section – and the ones there reveal a rather round-about route. Now, verse 25 actually begins with, and behold, which is wording Luke often uses to introduce another story. We don’t know how soon after the seventy returned this story takes place. We do know the next story happens at the home of Mary and Martha, in Bethany on the western slope of the Mount of Olives right outside Jerusalem.
At any rate, the story which includes the parable is incredibly important. Let me outline the text as we get into it:
- The Lawyer’s First Question
- Jesus’ Answer/Counter Question
- The Lawyer’s Second Question
- Jesus’ Answer/Counter Question
So, at some time, behold, this is amazing, a lawyer stood up and put Jesus to the test. This setting seems to describe a time of teaching. The teacher or rabbi would sit with his disciples around him. To ask a question, the student would stand as a show of respect – kind of like raising your hand. A lawyer was Luke’s word for a scribe – that is, one trained in the Mosaic Law. They were seen as experts in the Law and were usually of the sect of Pharisees. So, it’s amazing he would be involved in this teaching session – that he would be sitting there listening to Jesus. But then we see his motive: like many others, especially the week of His passion – the religious leaders were testing Him, seeking to catch Him, trip Him up, to discredit Him.
The question was a good one – an important one, on the minds of many people then: Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? By the way, it’s in a tense that describes a singular event – what one thing shall I do to inherit eternal life? Clearly an important question then and now. Perhaps the most important of all questions. You see, God has placed eternity in the hearts of people, such that they know in their heart of hearts this is not all there is. There is an eternity to come – and typically people generally understand they will spend an eternity somewhere. Of course, today, many suppress or even deny that truth – but there is still the niggling in their hearts. If there is an eternity, where will I spend it? That’ll keep you up at night.
But notice, the lawyer asked the question this way: what must I do to inherit eternal life. Eternal life in Scripture and among the Jews at this time referred to heaven – eternal bliss in the presence of God. So, the guy was asking, what must I do to go to heaven. Again, an important question. What’s the one thing? But in addition to seeking to test Jesus, there was something terribly wrong with the question itself – and it is the error in most people’s hearts and minds today – that there is something they can do to merit eternal life – to gain or earn salvation.
This is the problem with most world religions – there is something that can be done to earn eternal life. If my good outweighs my bad; if I do enough religious things; if I give enough money; etc. What’s the one thing I must do? That’s the difference between true Christianity and other world religions. Christianity teaches that all are indeed sinners and guilty before God – and there is nothing you can do to inherit eternal life. I’ve said it this way many times before – Christianity is not spelled d-o, what I must I do – it is spelled d-o-n-e – what has Christ done to provide for my salvation. Well, this guy – again, likely a Pharisee and expert in the Law wanted to make sure, according to this rabbi – to make sure he’d done what was needed to inherit heaven.
Very interestingly, Jesus answered the question with a question. He was leading the man – you’re the lawyer, expert in the Law – what is written in the Law? How does it read to you? Which is also interesting – every day, twice a day, they would recite the Shema found in Deuteronomy 6, “Hear O Israel, the LORD is our God; the Lord is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all our might [or strength]. This lawyer knew that – Jesus even led him there. Further, the lawyer even knew enough to add Leviticus 19, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Stop right there. Jesus was later asked in Matthew 22 after He got to Jerusalem and was being tested by the religious elite, what is the greatest commandment? Jesus answered the same way, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength and the second is like it – you shall love your neighbor as yourself. By the way, Deuteronomy and Matthew have it heart, soul and strength; this man in Luke and Mark add, heart, soul, strength and mind. It’s not that big a deal – these faculties listed as 3 or 4 – simply mean you love God with everything in you – with your emotions, your inner being, your strength and your intellect – with all you are, you love God – and by the way, you also love your neighbor as yourself. Just a quick side note – the words are both agape, that is, you love both God and your neighbor with an extreme, self-sacrificing love.
So, yes, Jesus says, that’s it. You got it. So, here’s a question this morning: do we take from this and what Jesus said in Matthew 22 that we can be saved by loving God and loving others? In a manner of speaking, yes. You see, Paul says in Romans 13 that the law – the second part of the Ten Commandments – can be summed up in this – love your neighbor as yourself. Think about it – if you love God with everything, you’ll do what He says – you won’t have other gods before Him, you won’t take His name in vain, you won’t make any graven images to worship. If you love your neighbor as yourself, you’ll honor your parents, you won’t murder your neighbor, commit adultery with them, steal from them, lie about them, or covet what they have.
Do you see? The whole law can be summed up in these two commands. So do this, and you will live. But there’s a problem – we can’t keep the Law. We didn’t, and often don’t love God with everything, and our neighbor as ourselves. So, when Jesus says, you have answered correctly – do that, and you will live – that is, have eternal life, the problem is, we can’t. And so, we have sinned egregiously against God and others. Moreover, Paul says, by the law, that is keeping the law – no one will be justified – declared righteous before God. Not because there’s a problem with the law – no it’s good and perfect. The problem is, we are not good and perfect. We can’t keep these two laws. As a result, all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. We are all sinners in need of saving.
Which means, at this point, this lawyer should have fallen at the feet of Jesus and said, I haven’t done that, I can’t do that. He should have repented, as we should repent, and seek the only one who can forgive our sins. We’ve broken His law repeatedly, and we need His forgiveness.
But he didn’t. Notice verse 29, “But wishing [still] to justify himself, he said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” This whole conversation is the man’s vain attempt to discredit Jesus and exalt himself – justify himself. Which brings us to the story – the parable of the Good Samaritan. You see, this guy was still holding onto his acts of righteousness, as if they were somehow perfect, good enough to justify him before God.
Now, at this time, the Jews only gave consideration and care for one another – other Jews, even though the Law told them to care for aliens and strangers – foreigners in their midst. As they did with many of God’s laws, they reduced them to something they thought they could do and did. So this man no doubt thought he loved God, but needed to know if he loved his neighbor – fellow Jews – enough. Remember this, when Jews returned from Gentile areas, they would shake the dust/pollution off their feet. The faithful Jew would not enter a Gentile’s house, would not eat with a Gentile. Do I pass muster caring for my own, he asked Jesus. So, Jesus answered with this very long and memorable parable, before asking the man a counter question. But let’s look at the parable within that context and see its purpose – what Jesus is saying.
A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. A couple things about that. This journey was about 17 miles long and truly was down. Jerusalem is about 2600 feet above sea level; Jericho is about 800 feet below sea level – right by the Jordan River. Not only that, this well-traveled road was rocky and went around many bends and dips and turns with many caves and crevices along the way – places in which bandits, robbers could hide and come upon travelers. We’ve been there in our Israel trips – some suggest it includes the valley of the shadow of death. It was a notorious roadway which was equated with grave danger.
So, this man was going to Jericho when he fell among robbers/bandits, and they stripped him – when you didn’t have a closet full of clothes, clothing was valuable – they beat him and went away leaving him half dead. He was in desperate straights – if someone didn’t come along to help him, he would die. Now, his ethnicity, nationality, race are not mentioned. But, going from Jerusalem to Jericho – that’s Judea – it was assumed by all and likely he was an Israelite. Meaning, a neighbor, a fellow Jew, someone who desperately needed help.
No problem – the story continues, you’re not going to believe it, but by chance a priest was also going down on that same road. Yay – help was on the way. The priest as you know was of the tribe of Levi and the line of Aaron and served in a priestly capacity at the temple in Jerusalem. There were 24 divisions of priests who were required to serve when it was their time. By the way, Jericho was a large city at this time in a very fertile valley – vineyards, olive groves, fig trees, date palms. Even today, it’s known for what it grows. Further, it was known to have a large group of priests living there with their families.
So, it’s likely this priest had finished his spiritual duty in Jerusalem and is headed home. But he’s religious – he’s been there offering sacrifices, trimming the lamps, changing the shewbread – who knows – but what good fortune – he’s a good one, a spiritual one – no doubt he will stop and give this man aid. Again, the OT law required such neighborly love and care for the needy.
But nope, seeing the man, he passed by on the other side of the road. Lots of potential reasons are given for that. For example, we know – but the priest didn’t know – maybe the man was dead, and if he touched him, he would himself be unclean for seven days. Perhaps the bandits were still around – he couldn’t risk being attacked himself. Further, if he got too close, people might think he did it. Maybe he’d been gone a long time and missed his family. Maybe he just didn’t care. No one was around – he simply skirted around the man in need and continued on his way. As Jesus tells the story, our hopes are dashed, but we are not surprised by the self-serving reaction of the priest.
But not to worry. Behind this man came another religious person – this time, a Levite. The Levites were of the tribe of Levi, but not of the line of Aaron, so they didn’t serve as priests. But, they still had spiritual, non-priestly duties at the temple. Meaning, they were closer to God than most – this religious guy should stop to help, right? Our hopes are raised, but the man passes by on the other side as well. Hopes dashed.
These two men represented the religious life of Israel. Sure, there were various sects within Judaism – but the Mosaic Law established that descendants of Aaron would be priests, and Levites would have other religious duties – singers and gatekeepers and the like. Religious people, spiritual people, Jews. But they passed this neighbor in need. On the other side of the road – as far away as possible.
Now at this point, going down the Jewish pecking order, the hearers of the parable would have expected a normal, everyday Israelite, a Jew to be next in the story. But Jesus throws a curveball. But a Samaritan who was on a journey came upon him. A Samaritan? What? We call this the parable of the Good Samaritan – to the Jews, there was no such thing as a good Samaritan. We remember from a few weeks ago when we talked about the Samaritan village not letting Jesus come who they were.
Remember, the Jews and Samaritans were avowed enemies. Centuries before, the Assyrians had conquered Samaria, the region between Galilee and Judea. The Assyrians deported many of their people and imported people from other conquered nations. Later, Alexander the Great did the same thing. These imported people brought with them their pagan worship and intermarried with the remaining Jewish people of Samaria. Yes, eventually, the Samaritans renounced their pagan idolatry – but their hostility with the Jews was deeply entrenched. So instead of traveling to the Temple to worship as required, they built their own place of worship on Mt. Gerizim in 400 BC. They also developed their own perverted Judaism. It was a disaster.
To make matters worse, the Jews had destroyed the Samaritan place of worship about one hundred and fifty years before this. There’s much more, but the Jews and Samaritans hated each other. I told you earlier, often when the Jews of Galilee would travel south to the Temple in Judea, they would avoid Samaria – they would cross over the Jordan and travel through the Decapolis and Perea and cross over the Jordan again at Jericho, and travel this dangerous road. It was better to be with unclean Gentiles than be polluted by those dirty Samaritans. Now, we’re not sure why this Samaritan would have been there that day – but he was. And if there was anyone who would skirt a wounded Jew, it would be him. In fact, he’d probably finish the job.
Keep reading – a Samaritan who was on a journey came upon him, and when he saw him, he felt compassion. That’s interesting – it sounds a bit like Jesus back in Matthew when He saw the crowds scattered like sheep without a shepherd, He had compassion on them. You may remember compassion is the word from which we get our word spleen – it was compassion so deep you could feel to the pit of your stomach. This Samaritan saw a man on the side of the road, naked and beaten, close to death, and felt compassion.
And that compassion moved him to do something. Some point out he did seven, totally unexpected things. First, he stopped. The other two didn’t. Second, he bound the man’s wounds – which would have taken strips of cloth – but the wounded man had none. So the Samaritan tore his own clothes to provide makeshift bandages. Third, he poured oil and wine, likely mixed together, on the bandages. These, again, were personal provisions for his journey. Oil to make bread, wine to drink. Mixed together, the wine was an antiseptic, the oil was for healing. Fourth, he put him on his own beast, which meant he had to walk. Fifth, he brought him to an inn – usually disreputable places, but it was available – to care for him. There, he spent the night with the man, caring for his needs. Sixth, the next day, he gave the innkeeper two denarii – a denarius was day’s wage – two would have been enough to care for this man for weeks. And last, he said he would come back to check on the man – and if the innkeeper incurred any further expenses, the Samaritan would pay.
This was incredible, generous mercy and kindness. Who would do this kind of thing? The one who loved his neighbor as himself. So, Jesus asked this lawyer seeking to justify himself, because he, no doubt, had cared for fellow Jews in some fashion, Jesus asked him, which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands? Stop right there! Jesus changed the question. The lawyer had asked, who is my neighbor – who do I have to love like I love myself? And Jesus asked, who was the neighbor to the man? The question, you see, is not, who is my neighbor, the question is to whom will you be a neighbor? That’s love. We don’t determine the worthiness of the person in need – we love. By the way, Jesus changes the question from a noun to a verb – who is my neighbor, to, to whom will you be a neighbor. You see, to be a neighbor involves the action of love – doing something – acts of kindness and mercy.
Notice, in one fell swoop, Jesus does away with all preconceived notions of ethnicity, race, nationality, religion and perceived worthiness and ability. This man sacrificed generously. This man, reading between the lines, had experienced the grace of God, and was willing to give the grace of God to all and anyone in need. This is evidence of a changed life – one that loves God with heart, soul, mind and strength; and loves his neighbor as himself. Because he was the neighbor to the one in need. The wounded Jew was not neighbor to a Samaritan – not by cultural reckoning. But by God’s reckoning, he was. By the way, that’s what Samaritan’s Purse does so well. Regardless of nationality, ethnicity, race, religion – of any perceived worthiness – they help in the name of Jesus to demonstrate the love of Jesus in hope to share the gospel of Jesus.
So that’s the question – to whom will you be a neighbor? God has changed us. We are no longer about ourselves. Who has needs around us that we can generously and sacrificially meet? That is evidence of a life changed by the gospel – it loves God and loves people. Jesus finished with a counter question to the lawyer: which man was a neighbor to the man in need? The lawyer answered, notice, he couldn’t bring himself to say, the Samaritan. He hated the Samaritan. So he said, the one who showed mercy toward the man. Then Jesus said to him, go and do the same.
This is important – that man asked, what one thing should I do, and Jesus said, go and do – present tense – keep on doing the same. Are we listening? The greatest commandments are, love God with everything in you, and love people. Yes, we show a special love for other believers – the Scripture says so in many ways and places. But that’s not the point here. We love people, thus keeping the commandments that are summed in this law, love your neighbor as yourself. It doesn’t produce salvation, because we couldn’t do that unless God changed our lives – unless He made us new creations through the gospel. By the works of the law shall no one be justified. This lawyer, wanting to justify himself, did not and could not justify himself.
Neither can we. But, we can demonstrate that we are the people of God, with changes lives, by loving God, and loving others. To whom are you being a neighbor, is the question. By the way, notice that the lawyer’s question was, who is my neighbor, implying that there was a category of non-neighbor. Are there people from whom we can withhold neighborly love?