A Certain Samaritan

Luke 10:30-37 - My Neighbour, A Certain Samaritan

The Lord spoke to a lawyer one day in response to a question: What must I do to inherit eternal life? The answer the Lord Jesus gave was going to mean that this man, devoted to the Law of Moses, was going to fall short. Bordering on the craftiness of today's lawyer, who study another type of law, the question came: Who is my neighbour?

The example of the man going beyond what the Jewish man would consider thinking would be possible, crossing tense cultural borders, must have in some ways been repulsive to the lawyer. Yet one, the Lord Jesus, did this very thing. He is the pictured "certain Samaritan," identifying himself with a people that were hated by the Jews for their place of worship, reducing the quantity of Scripture, and having Gentile blood flowing through their veins. We in our sins viewed God as repulsive, an enemy of His. Nevertheless, in my dead condition, the Saviour overlooked who I was, and took me up as His own to be cared for based on His own work as I lie in weakness.

This little poem exemplifies this:

Fell among thieves,

They robbed me, then leave.

The law and ritual can't aid; 

Hope of righteousness fade? 

A certain Samaritan drew near

He treated me so dear

Oil and wine poured in,

Righteousness! Saved from sin

Left in care to sustain,

Look now for him to come again.

Salvation through works not mine

That this glory and beauty might shine.