Parable of the Good Samaritan Continued - 8th Post.
The story continues with the Samaritan showing up and having compassion on the victim tends to his wounds and takes him to an inn, for further care. Jesus used a Samaritan to further make His point. Jews believed the Samaritans to be the least of men even though they were part Jewish. There in lies the problem. Jews prized the fact that they could trace their Jewish roots down both sides of their family tree. Jews believed that they were the "Chosen People of God", and because of this enjoyed a higher place with God than other people. The Jews were indeed chosen by God, but they were not to look on themselves as better, just different. This is why God requires them to dress a certain way, eat and to act and treat others a certain way. God taught that their neighbor was all people, they were to treat all people as they would like to be treated. The Samaritan in Jesus' story, not only treated the man's wounds, but took him with him to a place of protection, and continued to take care of this man. Its like Jesus anticipated our next question, how much assistance are we required to give to our neighbor. This like most of Jesus' other teachings are very hard to do, to God's level of commitment. Continued next post.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
546th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - Parable of the Good Samaritan Con't. - 7th Post Luke 10: 30 - 37.
Then the lawyer continues his test of Jesus by asking "Who is my neighbor?" Then Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. The lawyer, by answering Jesus' question concerning the Scriptures, tells us that the lawyer already knew who his neighbor was, and how he was to act towards him. Now this shows Jesus' ability to observe a situation and get to the heart of the problem. There was a disconnect between the educated people and the common people. This disconnect can happen in our churches even today, if we are not careful. In Jesus time, the educated people looked down on the common people as being sinful and not on the same level as they are. Jesus showed this by the way the priest and the Levite treated the poor man they met on the road. Jesus did not tell us how rich the poor traveler was before he met the robbers. He could have been a man of means like the educated people that could not recognize him and then treated him as a commoner. The fact that these two were the educated Religious Leaders, made this disconnect all the more obvious. Jews were called on in their Scriptures to show compassion towards all people, as illustrated in the She'ma Law, that the lawyer recited perfectly. Jews knew the law, but chose to obey it according to their own understanding. This is not just a problem for these Jews, but for us as well. We are required to do everything, not just that, that we are comfortable with. Continued next post.
545th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - Parable of the Good Samaritan 6th Post - Luke 10:30 - 37 Con't.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan Continued 6th Post. Luke 10: 30 - 37.
We have introduced the people in the story and told you something about them to help you to understand this parable. Now we are going to look at who asked the question that caused Jesus to tell this story. The story starts at Luke 10: 25. When you turn in your Bible to this verse it says that a lawyer stood up and put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" This account makes sure you understand that the person asking the question is a lawyer. This is a man who makes his living working in the world, and not a Religious leader. This man knows the Scriptures, as explained by his answer to Jesus' question to him in verse 26. "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?" And 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." This is the She'ma law passed down from Moses that all Jews were to teach their children. This was commanded to be written on their gate posts, door posts, on their heads and at their fingertips. This lawyer by answering Jesus in this way, showed that he was a believer in the law. I have run out of space again and will continue next post.
We have introduced the people in the story and told you something about them to help you to understand this parable. Now we are going to look at who asked the question that caused Jesus to tell this story. The story starts at Luke 10: 25. When you turn in your Bible to this verse it says that a lawyer stood up and put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" This account makes sure you understand that the person asking the question is a lawyer. This is a man who makes his living working in the world, and not a Religious leader. This man knows the Scriptures, as explained by his answer to Jesus' question to him in verse 26. "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?" And 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." This is the She'ma law passed down from Moses that all Jews were to teach their children. This was commanded to be written on their gate posts, door posts, on their heads and at their fingertips. This lawyer by answering Jesus in this way, showed that he was a believer in the law. I have run out of space again and will continue next post.
Friday, June 22, 2012
544th Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables - True Religion Section - Parable of the Good Samaritan Con't. 5th Post - Luke 10: 30 - 37.
Luke 10: 30 -37 Continued 5th Post - The Parable of the Good Samaritan.
We left last post identifying the rescuer. Of the three, the Samaritan would have the most reasons for not helping a Jew in trouble. This is Jesus' point. If you are living for God, you look at other people not as enemies, but as other of God's creation. Jesus tells us that the Samaritan saw the helpless victim lying there on the road and had compassion for him. He washed and bandaged his wounds, and took him to an inn and continued to take care of him. In the morning the Samaritan gave the innkeeper 2 denarii (2 days wages), and said take care of this man, keep track what you spend over this amount and I will repay you upon my return. This concludes the parable of the Good Samaritan. Now why did Jesus tell this parable? If you look in Luke where this parable falls, you will see Jesus had just sent out 72 of His disciples on a mission trip in two's. The Jews would look at Jesus' disciples and treat them in a similar way as if they were Samaritans. The disciples were not schooled in Religion, as the Pharisees and Sadducees are, nor did they have vast Scripture knowledge. The Religious leaders thought they were above the common people, and so would not try to help them if they were in trouble. Jesus was teaching that we all are equal, and only God is above us. We have to treat everyone like we want to be treated, even if they are our enemies. This is a very hard lesson to learn, but Jesus expects us to get it right. How do you score on this??
We left last post identifying the rescuer. Of the three, the Samaritan would have the most reasons for not helping a Jew in trouble. This is Jesus' point. If you are living for God, you look at other people not as enemies, but as other of God's creation. Jesus tells us that the Samaritan saw the helpless victim lying there on the road and had compassion for him. He washed and bandaged his wounds, and took him to an inn and continued to take care of him. In the morning the Samaritan gave the innkeeper 2 denarii (2 days wages), and said take care of this man, keep track what you spend over this amount and I will repay you upon my return. This concludes the parable of the Good Samaritan. Now why did Jesus tell this parable? If you look in Luke where this parable falls, you will see Jesus had just sent out 72 of His disciples on a mission trip in two's. The Jews would look at Jesus' disciples and treat them in a similar way as if they were Samaritans. The disciples were not schooled in Religion, as the Pharisees and Sadducees are, nor did they have vast Scripture knowledge. The Religious leaders thought they were above the common people, and so would not try to help them if they were in trouble. Jesus was teaching that we all are equal, and only God is above us. We have to treat everyone like we want to be treated, even if they are our enemies. This is a very hard lesson to learn, but Jesus expects us to get it right. How do you score on this??
Thursday, June 21, 2012
543rd Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - The Parable of the Good Samaritan Con't. - 4th Post - Luke 10: 30 - 37.
Luke 10: 30 - 37, 4th Post Parable of the Good Samaritan Continued.
We left last post with the two religious leaders crossing over to the other side of the road without stopping and giving any help. Jesus then tells us the next potential rescuer is a Samaritan. It is interesting that Jesus would use this group as the next potential rescuer. To a Jew, Samaritans are unclean and worse than other Gentiles (non-Jews). These people were not to be trusted, they were considered to be God-less, and untrustworthy. The ironic fact of the matter is that the Samaritans were part Jewish. Hatred of the Samaritans stems from the fall of the 10 tribes of the North of Israel, that were rounded up and moved from their homeland to the lands of Elam by the Assyrians. The Samaritans, are the ones who the Assyrians could not catch and they gave themselves in marriage to the group the Assyrians put in place of the Jews they deported. Not only did they give themselves in marriage, but they also adopted the gods these new people brought with them. I have run out of space again. Continued next post.
We left last post with the two religious leaders crossing over to the other side of the road without stopping and giving any help. Jesus then tells us the next potential rescuer is a Samaritan. It is interesting that Jesus would use this group as the next potential rescuer. To a Jew, Samaritans are unclean and worse than other Gentiles (non-Jews). These people were not to be trusted, they were considered to be God-less, and untrustworthy. The ironic fact of the matter is that the Samaritans were part Jewish. Hatred of the Samaritans stems from the fall of the 10 tribes of the North of Israel, that were rounded up and moved from their homeland to the lands of Elam by the Assyrians. The Samaritans, are the ones who the Assyrians could not catch and they gave themselves in marriage to the group the Assyrians put in place of the Jews they deported. Not only did they give themselves in marriage, but they also adopted the gods these new people brought with them. I have run out of space again. Continued next post.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
542nd Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. True Religion Section Con't. - Parable of the Good Samaritan Con't. 3rd Post - Luke 10:30 - 37.
Luke 10: 30 - 37 Continued 3rd post - Parable of the Good Samaritan.
We left the story in last post, with the first would be rescuer coming upon the scene and crossing to the other side of the road. The next potential rescuer who comes is a Levite, who also is a religious leader of sorts and also works in the Temple. This one also crosses on the other side of the road, not wanting to get involved, or making himself a target in case the people who did the attack have not yet left the area. This could have been the reason the first one did not stop either. The road between Jericho and Jerusalem goes over the mountains and is filled with switchbacks as it descends from Jerusalem to Jericho. This type of road is an invitation for people wanting to use it for ambush purposes. The terrain provides falling rocks, and caves in which there are potentially many places to hide and wait for unsuspecting victims. These also provide a place to disappear to. There are other safer routes from Jerusalem to Jericho, but they take more time and take you way out of your way. This road was the most direct route between these two cities. I have run out of space again, will continue next post.
We left the story in last post, with the first would be rescuer coming upon the scene and crossing to the other side of the road. The next potential rescuer who comes is a Levite, who also is a religious leader of sorts and also works in the Temple. This one also crosses on the other side of the road, not wanting to get involved, or making himself a target in case the people who did the attack have not yet left the area. This could have been the reason the first one did not stop either. The road between Jericho and Jerusalem goes over the mountains and is filled with switchbacks as it descends from Jerusalem to Jericho. This type of road is an invitation for people wanting to use it for ambush purposes. The terrain provides falling rocks, and caves in which there are potentially many places to hide and wait for unsuspecting victims. These also provide a place to disappear to. There are other safer routes from Jerusalem to Jericho, but they take more time and take you way out of your way. This road was the most direct route between these two cities. I have run out of space again, will continue next post.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
541st Post Jesus Said Concerning Parables Con't. - True Religion Con't. - Parable of the Good Samaritan Con't. Luke 10: 30 - 37 - 2nd Post.
Luke 10: 30 - 37 Continued Parable of the Good Samaritan - 2nd Post.
Jesus had just sent out 72 of His disciples, not long before He told this parable. You probably noticed that Jesus again made a contrast between the sinners and the religious leaders of His day. The religious leaders could not relate to the common people; they considered the common people sinners, and themselves as sinless. This caused a major disconnect between the religious leaders and the common folk. The people perceived that God also was unknowable and disinterested in their lives. Jesus was trying to change the people's perception of God. Jericho was a place that had a large population of Priests and Levites living there because of its close proximity to Jerusalem, and they worked in the Temple. Jesus told us in His story which direction, the poor victim was traveling, but did not note the direction of any of the would be rescuer's. The first one who happened on the scene after the crime was committed, was a priest. Being a religious leader, he should have shown compassion on this poor helpless victim. Jesus did not give a reason for the priest to cross over to the other side of the road. I have run out of space, will continue next post.
Jesus had just sent out 72 of His disciples, not long before He told this parable. You probably noticed that Jesus again made a contrast between the sinners and the religious leaders of His day. The religious leaders could not relate to the common people; they considered the common people sinners, and themselves as sinless. This caused a major disconnect between the religious leaders and the common folk. The people perceived that God also was unknowable and disinterested in their lives. Jesus was trying to change the people's perception of God. Jericho was a place that had a large population of Priests and Levites living there because of its close proximity to Jerusalem, and they worked in the Temple. Jesus told us in His story which direction, the poor victim was traveling, but did not note the direction of any of the would be rescuer's. The first one who happened on the scene after the crime was committed, was a priest. Being a religious leader, he should have shown compassion on this poor helpless victim. Jesus did not give a reason for the priest to cross over to the other side of the road. I have run out of space, will continue next post.
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