The Good Samaritan
One day a man who knew the law very well stood up, hoping to catch Jesus off guard. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus didn't hand him a list. Instead He turned the question right back: “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?”
The man knew the Scriptures, so 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,” the man said, “and your neighbor as yourself.”
“You have given the right answer,” Jesus told him. “Do this, and you will live.”
But the man was not quite finished.
Luke tells us the man wanted to justify himself, so he pushed further: “And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus did not hand him a list of names. He told a story instead, one with a beaten man on a dangerous road, two people who walked right past him, and one person nobody expected to stop.
Jesus said a man was walking down the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, a road everyone knew could be dangerous, when robbers jumped him. They took everything he had, beat him badly, and left him lying there, half dead.
He simply places him on the road, hurt badly, and in need of help.
Stay with the story for a moment. A man has been attacked, his belongings taken, beaten, and left half dead beside the road.
If you were walking down that road and found him lying there, what is the first thing you would do?
We only know what Jesus tells us: this man needs help.
Then a priest came walking down that same road, and saw him lying there.
And here is exactly what Jesus tells us happened next: the priest crossed to the other side of the road, and kept walking.
He saw him. And he walked on by. Then someone else came down the road.
The next man was a Levite. He too came to the place, saw the injured man, and passed by on the other side.
We only know what he did: he saw the man, just like the priest had, and he did not stop either.
And then a third traveler came down the road: a Samaritan. When he got close enough to see the man, he stopped.
Luke tells us something important: the Samaritan had compassion.
This time, nobody walked past. He went straight to the man, and right here the story shifts, from someone simply seeing a need to someone actually doing something about it.
The Samaritan bandaged the man's wounds, pouring oil and wine on them.
Then he placed the injured man on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
Jesus gives us several concrete actions: the Samaritan does not only notice the injured man, but goes to him, treats his wounds, and carries him to a place where he can receive care.
And his help does not stop there.
The next day, the Samaritan took out two denarii, gave the money to the innkeeper, and said: “Take care of him.”
He also made a promise: if the innkeeper spent more than the two denarii, the Samaritan said he would repay the extra cost when he returned.
He had already helped the injured man on the road, and now he made arrangements for his care after he left.
Three travelers saw the injured man: the priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan. But their actions were not the same.
Which of the Samaritan's actions stands out most to you: bandaging the wounds, placing the man on his animal, bringing him to the inn, or paying for his care?
After telling the story, Jesus returned to the expert in the law, who had asked: “Who is my neighbor?”
Now Jesus asked him: “Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?”
The expert answered: “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus replied: “Go and do likewise.”
And that is exactly where Jesus leaves it.
Notice something here: the question at the start of this story is not quite the same as the question at the end.
The expert had asked: “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus asked: “Which of these three was a neighbor?”
The story moves the attention from deciding who belongs inside the word “neighbor” to noticing who acted like one.
The expert himself gives the answer: “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus tells him: “Go and do likewise.”
How to Talk About This Story With Your Child
The Good Samaritan is easy to turn into a simple lesson: "Be nice and help people." That is not wrong, but Jesus' conversation is more specific.
It begins with an expert in the law asking: "Who is my neighbor?" And it ends with Jesus asking which person acted as a neighbor.
With a young child, stay close to what Jesus actually describes. Two people see someone in need and pass by. A third sees him, has compassion, and acts.
The Samaritan shows mercy through concrete help.
We also do not need to invent explanations for the priest or the Levite. Jesus gives none.
It is common to hear guesses about why they passed by. Some explanations may be possible. But they are not part of the story Jesus tells.
The same care matters when talking about the Samaritan. Luke explicitly tells us that he had compassion. Then Jesus shows that compassion through actions.
If your child asks why the Samaritan stopped, it is fine to say: "The story tells us that he had compassion, but it does not tell us every thought inside his mind." That is enough.
Pray Together
You do not have to use these exact words. You can talk to God together in your own words. Or you can pray:
God, thank You for Jesus' story about mercy. Help us notice when someone needs help. Help us not only see, but also choose kindness and mercy when we can. Give us wisdom to ask a trusted adult for help when a situation is too big for us to handle alone. And help us remember Jesus' words: "Go and do likewise." Amen.
An expert in the law asked Jesus: "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus answered with a story.
A man was attacked and left half dead. A priest saw him and passed by. A Levite saw him and passed by. A Samaritan saw him and had compassion.
He treated the man's wounds, brought him to an inn, cared for him, and paid for his continued care.
Then Jesus asked: "Which of these three was a neighbor?" The answer was: "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said: "Go and do likewise."
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