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The Good Samaritan was one of the Parables of Jesus, according to the Gospel of Luke (10:25-37).

Overview

The question is about salvation ("What must I do to inherit eternal life?"). Jesus' answer confirms that love for God and love for your neighbor are the requirements. When solicited to clarify what "love for your neighbor" means, Jesus replies with a parable. The protagonist is not a Jew, but a Samaritan, that is, a member of an "other" religious community, somebody who was not "expected" to be saved. The Samaritan is presented as a person, whose righteousness is superior to that of the Jewish priest and the Jewish levite who saw the man in need but passed by. The Samaritan instead "was moved with pity" and "took care" of the man in trouble. The Samaritan is the example of a righteous person who "inherited eternal life" since he was "the one who showed mercy."

The point of the Parable was not that "your" neighbor includes those who were outside the community of faith of Israel, but that salvation was open to all those who love their neighbor, regardless of their community of faith.

The Good Samaritan in ancient sources

Gospel of Luke

Luke 10:25-37 (NRSV) -- 25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" 27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." 28 And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live." 29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" 30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.' 36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" 37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

The Good Samaritan in Scholarship

The Good Samaritan in Fiction

External links

• Wikipedia