The Good Samaritan

<p>THE GOOD SAMARITAN Wherever Jesus walked with his disciples, crowds would follow him, and he would sometimes instruct them and sometimes pray for the people and sometimes answer their questions. On this particular occasion there were Lawyers and Pharisees in the crowd and a Lawyer asked Jesus a question. Luke 10:25 Now, a lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?” 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.’ Jesus said, ‘You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.’ (IE. a fulfilled life, not just an existence!) But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered, “A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing and wounded him and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a priest came down that way. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to that place, looked at him and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine. Then he set him on his own donkey and brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day when he departed, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said to him, ‘Take care of him. I will repay you whatever else you spend when I return.’ “Now which of these three do you think was a neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” He said, “The one who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” </p> <p>This seems like an abrupt ending, “Go and do likewise.” as if Jesus had given a perfectly tidy answer and was ready to look at the group and say, ‘Next question?’ But what he said was a stinging blow i