BIBLICAL CRITIQUE: The Good Samaritan 1
Biblical Critique: The Good Samaritan
John Russick
School of Education, Liberty University
Author Note
John Russick
I have no known conflict of interest to disclose.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to John Russick
Email: jcrussick@liberty.edu
BIBLICAL CRITIQUE: Good Samaritan 2
Biblical Critique: The Good Samaritan
Luke 10:25–37 is a well-known Bible parable commonly known as the Parable of the
Good Samaritan. As the story opens, a lawyer asks Jesus what he needs do to receive eternal life.
The two greatest commandments, according to the lawyer, are to love God with all your heart,
soul, strength, and mind, and to love your neighbor as yourself. In response to the lawyer's
inquiry about who his neighbor is, Jesus narrates a story of a guy who was beaten and left for
dead by the side of the road. Priest and Levite both passed by without assisting the man, but a
Samaritan, who would have been despised by the Jewish audience based on his tribal affiliation,
paused to aid. The Good Samaritan bandaged the man's wounds, transported him to an inn, and
paid for his care. This parable emphasizes the necessity of demonstrating compassion and
affection to everyone, regardless of their background or social standing. It challenges us to be not
just willing to assist those in need, but to prioritize generosity and compassion over our own
prejudices and biases.
Read
Fact Verses
1. Lawyer asks Jesus what he must do to
inherit eternal life.
Verse 25
2. Jesus responds by asking the lawyer what
is written in the law and the prophets
verse 26
3. The lawyer correctly answers with the two
greatest commandments are to love God with
all your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and to
love your neighbor as yourself.
verses 27-28
BIBLICAL CRITIQUE: Good Samaritan 3
4. the lawyer asks Jesus who his neighbor is,
prompting the parable of the Good Samaritan.
verse 29
5. Parable begins with a man traveling from
Jerusalem to Jericho who is attacked by
robbers, beaten, and left half-dead
verse 30
6. describe how a priest and a Levite pass by
the man without helping, but a Samaritan sees
him and takes pity on him
Verses 31-32
7. Samaritan tends to the man's wounds, puts
him on his own donkey, takes him to an inn,
and pays for his care.
verses 33-34
8. concludes the parable with Jesus asking the
lawyer which of the three men was a neighbor
to the man who was attacked. The lawyer
answers, "The one who showed him mercy."
Verse 35
9. Jesus tells the lawyer to go and do likewise,
emphasizing the importance of showing
compassion and mercy to all people.
verses 36-37
10. The parable of the Good Samaritan has
become one of the most well-known Bible
parables and has inspired numerous acts of
generosity and goodwill throughout history.
Verses 30-37
Reflect
What do you see in the passage that relates
to God’s character, man’s character, or
Jesus?
Verses
BIBLICAL CRITIQUE: Good Samaritan 4
God’s character I see God’s character in the sense that God
wants all mankind to understand that the
greatest commandment is love Him
Verse 27-28
Man’s character Duality- Man has the capacity for love, and
hate all in the same universe.
Verse 27, Verse 30
Jesus Jesus teaches the Levite and the lawyer
that love is about doing the hard things too.
Love your neighbor as yourself
Verse 27
Respond:
The parable of Jesus in Luke 10:25–37 teaches us about the importance of sacrifice,
conflict resolution, and honesty. This story describes a man who was beaten and left for dead on
the side of the road, as well as the priest, Levite, and Samaritan who happened upon him.
Through their actions, each of these individuals teaches us valuable lessons about how to treat
others and approach difficult situations.
One of the central themes of this parable is sacrifice. The Samaritan, who was not of the
same social status or religious background as the injured man, sacrificed his time, resources, and
safety to aid him. Despite delaying his own journey and placing himself in danger, he treated the
man's wounds, brought him to an inn, and paid for his care. This act of sacrifice teaches us that
we must be willing to forego our own safety and comfort in order to help those in need.
The resolution of conflict is an additional major theme in this allegory. Significant
cultural and religious distinctions between the Samaritan and the injured man would have made
them opponents. The Samaritan, however, chose to set aside their differences and demonstrate
compassion for the man. He was able to reconcile the situation and end the conflict as a result.
BIBLICAL CRITIQUE: Good Samaritan 5
This teaches us that we should approach conflicts with an open mind, a willingness to listen, and
an effort to comprehend the other person's viewpoint, rather than with anger and violence.
Integrity is an additional major theme in this parable. Priest and Levite exhibited a lack of
integrity by passing by the injured individual without rendering aid. They were religious leaders
who were expected to show compassion and generosity toward others, but they prioritized their
own safety and comfort. In contrast, the Samaritan demonstrated a strong sense of integrity by
setting aside his own beliefs and biases and acting compassionately toward the injured man. This
teaches us that we must always act with integrity, regardless of how challenging or difficult the
situation may be.
Luke 10:25–37 teaches us essential lessons regarding how we should view others and
respond to challenging circumstances. It encourages us to live in accordance with these values by
emphasizing the value of sacrifice, conflict resolution, and integrity. As we strive to live the
Good Samaritan lifestyle, may we be inspired to show compassion and kindness to everyone we
encounter, and may we work to make the world more just, peaceful, and compassionate.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Jesus’ defines one of his important legacies of his ministry, outreach. He
teaches us the golden rule, treat others as yourself. As it is highly relevant in the world of
conflict resolution, treating others with respect and dignity is a valuable first step in defining
solutions.
References
BIBLICAL CRITIQUE: Good Samaritan 6
You will only include references that you cited. At a minimum you should include the Bible and
your textbook. Make sure all references utilize a hanging indent and follow all current APA
standards.
Example:
Authorlastname, A. B. (2019). Book title in italics with only the first word and proper nouns, like
Christian, capitalized: If there is a subtitle, the first word is capitalized. Publisher.
Authorlastname, A. B. (2019). Article title in regular font with only the first word and proper
nouns and proper adjectives, like European, capitalized: Subtitles may or may not be
used. Journal Titles and Volume Numbers Are Italicized, 15(2), 41-50.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2013.07.007
New American Standard Bible. (1995). New American Standard Bible Online.
https://www.bible.com/versions/100-nasb-new-american-standard-bible/ (Original work
published 1960)
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