Skip to main content

Go and Do Likewise!


The story of the “Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:25–37) is a popular, yet fascinating, story in the Bible. Probably because it is shocking, against societal norms, and makes the “bad guy” out to be the hero and the “good guys” end up looking like real jerks.

To fully understand the story, one must first realize how despised and mistreated the Samaritans were in Bible-times. They were outcasts….literally, shunned “half-breeds” and hated with a passion.  Much like the Serbs and Muslims in Bosnia or the Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland….there was definitely no love towards them at all.

That’s what makes this story of the “Good Samaritan” so special. It is a call for us to rise above ALL descriptions, labels, acronyms, races, religions and all other attributes given to humanity that segregates us into so many different categories and just simply love each other unconditionally. No matter what color….what country we’re from….whether they are even good, bad, illegal, or our out-right enemy….we love…unconditionally.

The Lawyer talking with Jesus in the “Good Samaritan” story (Luke 10:25-28) did answer correctly when asked to define “what the law says” about eternal life. It was all about loving! He stated, “…“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 tells His interrogator the same thing: “Do this and you will live.” The Lawyer, however, wants to know where he can draw the line…perhaps compromise…arbitrate the regulations….even be justified to exclude certain people. That’s the motive behind his question: “Who is my neighbor?”

In his compassion, the Samaritan in Jesus’ parable reveals the boundless mercy of God—who came down to us when we were fallen in sin, beaten up by the world, clobbered by our own self-inflicted choices, close to dead, unable to pick ourselves up.

Jesus is talking about God, but using the image of the Good Samaritan to explain the love that God has for us. It crosses all boundaries….of every nation and continent. In Him, the love of God has come very near to us.

Jesus gave His all for us. By the “blood of His Cross”—by bearing His neighbors’ sufferings in His own body, being Himself stripped and beaten and left for dead—He saved us from bonds of sin, reconciled us to God and to one another. He crossed over every boundary line known to humanity.

Like the Samaritan, He takes the initiative….He pays the price for us, heals the wounds of sin, pours out on us Himself through the sacraments, entrusts us to the care of His Church, until He comes back for us. Now, don’t you see it??? WE are the man lying on the road….Jesus is the Samaritan who came to save us….to pick us up off the road (this world) that so easily beats the life out of us and wants to lead us directly to Hell.

Here is an important lesson of the “Good Samaritan”….because His love has known no limits, ours cannot either. We are to love as we have been loved, to do for others what He has done for us—joining all things together in His Body, the Church.

It doesn’t matter who they are….what color they are….what part of town they’re from….what gender they identify with….illegal immigrants….ISIS terrorist….Iran…Afghanistan….no matter what, who or where….love passionately as Jesus loves you!

This is the love that leads to eternal life, the love Jesus commands today of each of us—“Go and do likewise.”

Popular posts from this blog

Learn from Lydia

  There are a lot of interesting mentions of women in the Bible. Whether it is the Old Testament or New Testament, there are many strong, yet oddly missed, lessons from women that we can familiarize ourselves with to strengthen our faith.   One such woman is named Lydia. She provides a very powerful lesson for us. We find one particular mention of her in the book of Acts. Acts 16:14 , says that Lydia “reverenced God, and the Lord opened her heart to accept what Paul was saying.”   Lydia is actually a significant person in the New Testament. She is described as “a dealer in purple goods” (Acts 16:14). Pointing that out is quite a clue. Dealing in “purple goods” was considered a luxury in the ancient world.   It is probably safe to say that she was both a woman of great financial means and able to deal successfully with the influential people of her time. She was also noted as having a great gift of persuasion.   I think she might have been the only perso...
Read more

Tetelestai!

Just before Jesus gives up His spirit on the cross, He utters a very powerful word. The word that He cries out is “ tetelestai” (tih-tellis-tie). When literally translated, this word means, “It is finished.” It can also refer to something completed or accomplished. The word occurs in  John 19:28  and 19:30 and these are the only two places in all of the New Testament where it is found. In the John19:28 passage, it is translated, “After this, when Jesus knew that all things were now  completed , in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, he said, ‘I thirst.’” Two verses later, he utters the word himself: “Then when he received the sour wine Jesus said, ‘ It is finished ,’ and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”   Did you know that the word  tetelestai  was also written on business documents or receipts in New Testament times to show indicating that a bill had been paid in full? The Greek-English lexicon (by Moulton and Milligan) sa...
Read more

Accepting Martyrdom

We are still in the season of Easter as we await its culmination in what is known as Pentecost . There is another event in the Church which we commemorate at the forty-day mark of the Easter season where many denominations recall the “ Ascension ” of Jesus Christ. Mark 16:19-20 , “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” This event marked by the Church is also stated in the Apostles’ Creed: “…He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father.” When Jesus ascended to Heaven after rising from the dead, He promised us that we would never be left all alone here on earth to “fend for ourselves.” We have the Holy Spirit of God always with us. John 14:16 , “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever….” We w...
Read more