The parable of the Good Samaritan is probably one of the best-known parables in the Bible. It’s very familiar to us. But it could also be one of the most misunderstood parables in the Bible. Usually, when people hear this parable, they think the message is: “Love your neighbor. Be like the Samaritan. Help people who are hurting.” And that is certainly true. We are called to love our neighbor and to help those in need.
But if that is all we hear in this parable, we have missed the most important thing Jesus is teaching us. If we understand the parable merely as a moral lesson about what we should do, we miss the central point of the text. The parable is about Jesus. The Good Samaritan is a picture of Jesus. He has mercy upon us and He saves us. Because Jesus has loved us, we are free to love one another, even our enemies.
The setting begins with a lawyer who asks Jesus, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Notice the question, “What shall I do?” The lawyer is looking for something he can accomplish. He wants to know what work he must perform to obtain eternal life. But there is a problem with the question. You do not earn an inheritance. An inheritance is received because you are a member of the family. You do not become an heir by doing good works.
In the same way, eternal life is not something we earn by doing good works. Eternal life is an inheritance freely given by God’s grace through faith in Christ. It is God’s gift to you and me. As a baptized child of God, you are already apart of God’s family. You freely receive the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ.
Jesus, however, does not immediately answer the lawyer by simply saying, “You cannot do anything to earn eternal life.” Instead, Jesus directs the man to the Law. Jesus asks him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” The lawyer knows his Bible. He answers correctly. He says that a person must love God with all his heart, soul, strength, and mind, and love his neighbor as himself. Jesus responds, “Do this, and you will live.”
There is nothing wrong with God’s Law. The Law is good. It tells us God’s will. It teaches us how God wants us to live. It protects life, marriage, family, possessions, and reputation. It teaches us to love God and to love the neighbor. Again, there is nothing wrong with God’s Law. It is good for us.
But listen carefully to what the Law requires. We are to love God with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our strength, all of our mind. And we are to love our neighbor in the same way we love ourselves. The Law does not say, “Do the best you can.” It demands perfection.
If we could actually keep the Law perfectly, then we would live. But have we loved God perfectly? Have we always put Him first? Have we always put our neighbor’s needs ahead of our own? Have we loved the person who annoys us or who has hurt us? No, we have not.
The problem is not with God’s Law. The problem is with us. We have a sinful flesh. We know what is good, but we do not do it perfectly. We know what is evil, and yet we find ourselves doing it.
The Law is like a mirror. God’s Law shows us our sin. It shows us that we cannot justify ourselves before God. And what do we do when the Law exposes our sin? We make excuses. We compare ourselves with other people. We say, “At least I’m not as bad as he is” or “I’m doing the best I can.” We look for exceptions. We try to lower God’s standard.
That is exactly what the lawyer does. He tries to lower God’s standard so that he can fulfill the law. He asks Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” But he was really looking for a loophole. He was asking, “I supposed to only love my family and friends, right? Samaritans don’t count as my neighbor, right?” He wants to narrow the definition of “neighbor” so that he can fulfill the law.
But Jesus will not lower the standard. He will not give the lawyer an excuse.
So, Jesus tells a parable. A man travels from Jerusalem to Jericho. Along the way, he is attacked by robbers. They strip him, beat him, wound him, and leave him half dead. Notice that he is half dead and not fully dead. The man cannot get up. He cannot walk to the inn. He cannot bandage his own wounds. He needs someone to help him.
The wounded man is a picture of you and me. Satan has wounded us. Sin has robbed us of our righteousness. And as a result, we cannot rescue ourselves. We cannot make ourselves righteous before God.
Then a priest comes along. He sees the man, but passes by. A Levite comes along. He also sees him, but passes by. The priest and the Levite represent the Law.
Just as the priest and Levite did not save the wounded man, so also, the Law cannot save us. The Law commands, but it does not save. The Law can tell us what we ought to do. It can say, “Love God and love your neighbor.” But the Law cannot give us the strength to fulfill it. It cannot forgive our sins. Only the Gospel can give us the strength to love God and the neighbor. Only the Gospel can forgive our sins.
Then comes a Samaritan. This is shocking because Jews and Samaritans were enemies. There was deep hostility between them. Yet the Samaritan sees the wounded man. He does not pass by on the other side of the road. Rather, the Samaritan has compassion on him. He cares about the wounded man. He goes to him. He binds his wounds. He pours oil and wine upon them. He places the man on his own animal. He brings him to an inn. He pays for his care. He promises to return and pay more if necessary. Notice that the Samaritan does everything for the man’s recovery. The wounded man contributes nothing.
Jesus is the Good Samaritan. Jesus is our Good Samaritan. He sees us in our sin and misery, and He has compassion upon us. He doesn’t say, “You should have been more careful. You made your bed; now lie in it.” Rather, He comes to rescue us.
The Son of God came down from heaven and became man taking upon Himself our flesh and blood. He fulfilled the Law perfectly for us. He loved His Father perfectly. He loved His neighbor perfectly. He even loved his enemies. Where we failed, Jesus succeeded. Where we were unfaithful, Jesus was faithful. Where we were guilty, Jesus was righteous.
The wounded man was stripped and beaten. Jesus was stripped and beaten. The wounded man was half dead. But Jesus was crucified and He died. And Jesus did all of this willingly in order to save us. He shed His holy and precious blood as a purchase payment for our sin. On the third day, He rose from the dead. He conquered sin, death, and the devil. He gives forgiveness and eternal life to you and me and to those who trust in Him.
Notice also where the Good Samaritan takes the wounded man. He takes him to the inn. The inn is a beautiful picture of the Church.
Jesus brings us sinners into His Church. In Holy Baptism, Jesus washes away our sins and gives us His righteousness. Jesus continues to care for us here in His Church. Here we hear the Gospel preached. We are strengthened by God’s Word. In Holy Communion, Jesus gives us His true body and blood for the forgiveness of all our sins.
The wounded man did nothing to deserve the Samaritan’s mercy. So also, we are unworthy to deserve God’s mercy. Yet, in Christ, God loves you. He has mercy upon you.
Salvation is not a reward for good behavior. It is a gift of grace freely given on account of Jesus. The Christian life is not ultimately on what we do for God, but about what God has done for us in Christ Jesus.
The lawyer asked, “Who is my neighbor?” He was hoping that Jesus would say that the Samaritans were not his neighbor and that he doesn’t have to love them.
But Jesus changes the question. He asks, in effect, “Who was neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” the answer is the one who showed mercy. If a Samaritan showed mercy to a wounded Jew, then the lawyer should love everyone, even a Samaritan.
Who is your neighbor? Who is the one who showed mercy to you? The answer is Jesus. Jesus had compassion upon you. He fulfilled the Law for you. He carried your burden. He paid for your sins. And He died and rose again for you.
Who is Jesus? He is your Good Samaritan. He is also your Good Shepherd who feeds you and protects you. He is also your one and only Savior. His is your righteousness. He is your hope and joy.
And now Jesus says, “Go and do likewise.” Jesus is not saying, “Go and do likewise so that you can earn eternal life.” Eternal life has already been given to you through Christ. He is saying, “I have shown you mercy. Now show mercy to others.”
We receive mercy from God, and therefore we show mercy to our neighbor. We receive love from God, and therefore we love others. We receive forgiveness from God, and therefore we forgive one another. We receive goodness from God, and therefore we do good to those around us.
First comes the Gospel. Then we freely and willingly do good works. The Gospel changes our hearts so that we can love and serve others freely, not to earn salvation, but because Christ has already earned it. Would that the lawyer had come to know Jesus as his Savior, then he would have truly loved his neighbor from his heart, not out of obligation to fulfill the law.
Dearly beloved, you are the man in the ditch. You cannot save yourself. But Jesus came to you. Jesus is your Good Samaritan. He had compassion upon you. He carried your burden. He paid your debt. He washed your wounds. He clothed you with His righteousness. He brought you into His Church. He feeds you with His body and blood. And He promises to come again to raise you from the dead.
So, “Go and do likewise.” Love your spouse, your children, your parents and your friends. Love the stranger and the person who needs help. Love your classmates or fellow students at school. It’s hard, but even love the person who has hurt you. Do not wish ill or evil upon them.
The lawyer asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” The answer is: You do nothing to earn eternal life. Christ has done it all. He suffered and died for you. He rose from the dead. He forgives you. He gives you the gift of eternal life.
And now, having received His mercy, you are free to go and do likewise. In so doing, others see Christ in you. To God be all the glory. Amen.
