The Good Samaritan was a man from Samaria who showed compassion on a man who was hurt when others wouldn’t.
Jesus shares the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37.
The Good Samaritan teaches us to love and care for all of those around us, regardless of who they are, where they’re from or what they have.
Who Was the Good Samaritan in the Bible?
In Luke 10, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. This was a man from Samaria who showed compassion on a Jewish man who was beaten, broken and bruised when others wouldn’t.
Why does it matter that the man was a Samaritan? In that time, Samaritans were considered outsiders by the Jewish people. They were hated. Despised. In fact, Jewish people would often go out of their way to avoid Samaria and the people who called the town home.
But when the Good Samaritan saw a Jewish man in need, he didn’t see someone who had hated and mistreated him. Instead, he saw a neighbor who needed his help. And this unlikely hero saved the Jewish man’s life.
Where Is the Parable of the Good Samaritan in the Bible?
The parable of the Good Samaritan is found in Luke 10:25-37. The story begins when an “expert in the law” wanted to test Jesus by asking a question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus answered the man with another question: “What is written in the Law? (Luke 10:26, NIV).”
He answered, “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.” — Luke 10:27, NIV
The man had answered correctly. But he had another question for Jesus: “And who is my neighbor? (Luke 10:29, NIV).” Jesus responds by sharing the parable of the Good Samaritan.
“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.” — Luke 10:30-34, NIV
What We Learn From the Good Samaritan
When Jesus finished his parable, he asked the expert in the law one last question: “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers? (Luke 10:36, NIV)”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” — Luke 10:37, NIV
Through this parable, Jesus was teaching us the importance of loving and caring for those around us, regardless of where they’re from, what they have or who they are.
The Good Samaritan was selfless, doing what he could to help a man who had most likely ridiculed him in the past. He was also compassionate, taking it upon himself to not only see the man’s pain but to step in and stop it.
By saying “go and do likewise,” Jesus instructs all of us to do the same for those around us. He commands us to love our neighbors, even those who have hurt us and those we may feel don’t deserve it.
Who Is My Neighbor?
That’s a great question! In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus makes the answer clear: Your neighbor is anyone around you. Sure, this includes the neighbor that lives next door, but it also means:
The mom checking out behind you in the grocery store.
The man walking down the road as you drive by.
The child giggling next to you in the movie theater.
The woman sitting across from you in the hospital waiting room.
The man on your TV sharing the news from states away.
The father behind you in the school pick-up line.
The child living in poverty on the other side of the world.
Jesus calls us to love and care for everyone around us. In fact, it’s so important to Jesus that he says when we serve others, we’re serving him.
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’” — Matthew 25:40, NIV
Whenever we love on our neighbors, we’re loving on Jesus. Isn’t that beautiful? And doesn’t Jesus deserve it all? After all, he did exactly what the Good Samaritan did, but for all of us. He showed love, compassion and mercy when we didn’t deserve it by sacrificing his life on the cross.
When we serve our neighbors selflessly, we’re sharing that powerful gospel message of love and hope in Jesus. By simply loving others, we can change lives now and for eternity!
The Parable of the Good Samaritan Video: Brought to You by Compassion Tanzania
In this video, kids at a Compassion center in Tanzania tell the parable of the Good Samaritan in their own words. Join them as they tell the story of Mr. Akida who was attacked by robbers but then cared for by a Good Samaritan.
