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. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. Luke 10:30-37.
Most retellings of the Parable of the Good Samaritan focus on the hated Samaritan being the one who showed genuine compassion and generosity toward the wounded man. But there are two other important players in this parable: the one that most translations call “a priest,” and the one called a “Levite.” These also deserve some attention.
Roads in Jesus’ day were not paved, safe, or convenient. Brigands often hid near roads and robbed passersby. In the case of the man in the parable, they also beat him up. For the sake of the parable, it doesn’t matter why, just that he wounded, bleeding, and maybe in desperate conditions. He can stand for any person that needs help whose station in life intersects ours.
It could be the homeless person or a mother who can’t buy all the food she took to the check-out counter or even the undocumented family that is scared to death that they will be deported.
Jesus told this parable in answer to the question, “Who is my neighbor?” The person who asked that question was probably feeling smug because he had just replied to Jesus, “love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said, “Bingo. That’s correct.” But the man went one question too far. “And who is my neighbor.” He was expecting that it would be someone he knew – a friend, a fellow worshiper, or someone in his social sphere.
By telling this parable, Jesus showed how a hated Samaritan was the true neighbor in this story. Why? Because of the loving attention he gave to a wounded man. The priest and the Levite saw the wounded man and scurried by on their way to their duties. They missed an opportunity because they did not consider themselves to be neighbor to the wounded man.
A friend of mine once told about a group of college students who had returned to campus after being away for Spring break, which they used to visit a community in another state to perform acts of service and mission. On return to campus a week later, they regaled teachers and friends about all the doors “that the Lord opened for them.” My friend commented that the difference between that community and the community where their college was, probably lay in the fact they had heightened attention and sensitivity. The same opportunities were also in their college community, but they weren’t paying attention.
The Samaritan was probably as busy as the priest and the Levite. The difference was that he regarded himself as a neighbor to the wounded man. What else could he do but help?
Prayer: Jesus, you showed us what it means to be a neighbor. You did not miss opportunities to be compassionate and neighborly to those in need around you. Help us to focus more on our own neighbors and, by doing so, give them the needed help and attention. In your name we pray. Amen.