There is another possible way to interpret the Parable of the Good Samaritan, and that is as a metaphor. In this interpretation the injured man is all men in their fallen condition of sin. The robbers are Satan attacking man with the intent of destroying their relationship with God.
Like this lawyer, he also thought that he could earn eternal life by doing some good thing. Jesus answers this lawyer in the same manner as He did the rich young ruler and that is by pointing them back to the law. By why did He do this?
Jesus answers the question using what is called the Socratic method; i.e., answering a question with a question: “He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?’" ( Luke 10:26 ). By referring to the Law, Jesus is directing the man to an authority they both would accept as truth, the Old Testament.
When people approached Jesus from a legalistic viewpoint, He gave them the law in its purist standard to show men how impossible it is to obtain righteousness by the law. The Bible says that the law cannot justify (Galatians 2:16, Rom 3:28), rather it accuses (John 5:45) and gives sin-consciousness (Romans 3:20).
So going back, the lawyer stood up, and asked him a question: “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Like you and me, the Jewish people believed in life after death and were very much concerned of what they should do to deserve it.) So Jesus answered the question with a question.
Given the historical enmity between the two groups, the moral of the Parable of the Good Samaritan becomes even clearer: namely, that a member of a despised 'other' group can still behave in a morally superior way to a member of one's own group.
The Samaritan bandages his wounds, takes him to an inn, cares for him, and leaves money with the innkeeper to continue the care. When Jesus asks which of these three – the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan – acted as a neighbor to the robbed man, the lawyer answers “The one who showed him mercy.”
As Luke puts it, he wanted to “justify himself.” And so he asks the one question he believes will do just that: “Who is my neighbor?” He thought he knew what Jesus would answer, and he assumed that the response would shine a light on his respectability, would show him for what he was, a man on the right side of things.
The Samaritan, through merciful actions, restores the human dignity of the anonymous man on the dangerous Jericho road. The parable clearly reveals virtues such as compassion, mercy, solidarity, generosity, hospitality, etc.
Your neighbours are the people who live near you, especially the people who live in the house or flat which is next to yours.
The typical interpretation of loving of a neighbor as oneself is affinity for kindness, patience, gentleness etc. in relations with neighbors. This interpretation of course is right. The easiest way to avoid doing of wrong to others is focus on doing of what is right.
It is important to understand that loving your neighbors is not just a simple task. Instead, it requires your entire self to be selfless. It requires you to show compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and provide service and meet needs to and for your neighbors.
In Luke 10 the lawyer is an individual “learned in the law.”. However, he is learned in holy law. The Torah, or Five Books of Moses, is the core of that Law. Here’s where it gets tricky, though. A lawyer who was also a Pharisee – as many of them were – would regard the oral law as equally binding. (This oral law eventually became ...
The Pharisees, on the other hand, tended to be interested in politics only when it affected their religious practices. The term Pharisee itself seems to stem from the idea of separation. This concept fits well with the Pharisaic practice of separating themselves from other people.
Adherence to the law, both the Torah and the oral law, was foremost in importance to this party. The Pharisees did not seem to object to the name Pharisee. This is somewhat surprising since the word was probably a term of derision.
As noted above, the Pharisees separated themselves from any potential source of defilement. They refused to associate with anyone who did not observe the law as scrupulously as they did. Fellow Pharisees were their principal associates, and they viewed their group as a community, calling themselves neighbors.
On one level, Jesus' answer about the good Samaritan pointed out that this man didn't love like he should. It pointed out that he was actually like the priest and the Levite in the story who were only willing to help those they liked. But the story was used to teach this lawyer much more.
Here is the very familiar story of the good Samaritan. A man has been beaten, robbed and left for dead. It is of a story that would have been familiar to Jesus' hearers for it was common for thieves and muggers to hide along the road between Jerusalem and Jericho.
Luke 10:30-35 NIV In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. (31) A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. (32) So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. (33) But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. (34) He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. (35) The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
He knew that when the law has done it's work in the heart of a man or women they will come asking for mercy, not for direction on what good things they could do to gain eternal life. We see this quite often in the gospels: If a person comes by the law, Jesus answers them with the law.
He used oil (Holy Spirit) and Wine (his blood) to bring healing. The Inn: Just as the Good Samaritan tended to the wounds of the beat man and brought him into the inn, so Jesus brings those that are beaten and robbed into His church where they can be taken care of.
Just as the Samaritan gave provision to the keepers of the inn so they can look after the man, so Jesus gives gifts and provisions to His shepherds to look after His sheep. That is the plan of God for this age. The church is to look after those that the Lord seeks and finds using the resources that Jesus gives.
The man: He is robbed and left for dead. The man represents humanity where the enemy, who comes to kill, steal and destroy, has left mankind for dead spiritually at the fall.
So, Jesus told this story, in response to the question by the lawyer about who he should consider and relate with as his neighbor; in this case, a Samaritan.
Since the lawyer wanted to know “what to do,” Jesus gave him a summary of the law, ““‘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, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”.
Jesus did not tell the story to teach us about brotherly kindness or good neighborliness but to show the lawyer how impracticable it was to perfectly keep the law, because that lawyer would never have accepted a Samaritan as his neighbor (Luke 10:25-37).
The Bible says that the law cannot justify (Galatians 2:16, Rom 3:28), rather it accuses (John 5:45) and gives sin-consciousness (Romans 3:20). We can only receive the righteousness of God by grace through faith. It is not of works, lest any man boasts (Romans 3:22-24,28; Romans 5:1-2; Ephesians 2:8-9). Spread the love.
God in the Old Testament spoke to the people through prophets using parables. Jesus, being a “Prophet”, used this method to communicate certain lessons to the audience of His day. One of such parables that was told by Jesus was that of the Good Samaritan. What was the parable about?