The Good Samaritan

The Savior can be found in about ninety percent of His parables if examined closely. The parable of the Good Samaritan is no exception. Most of the Lord's teachings can be discerned on at least three or four levels, corresponding to the degrees of glory.

There is the telestial level of not getting it, or absolutely no interest in any of its contents. There is the terrestrial level. This is the level of human interaction and code of moral ethics. For this parable, it is the obvious message of being kind and caring for one's neighbors, which includes everyone.

There is the celestial level. As disciples of Christ, we don't get to skip the terrestrial and go straight to the celestial level, because the celestial level always deals with the quest to become like God. But for this post, we are going to bypass the obvious Good Samaritan message and look at the message of the Atonement buried deep in this parable, because it's Easter weekend.

In just eight verses there are volumes of doctrine. The parable is given in Luke, chapter 10, verses 30-37.  So let's dig in.

In response to the lawyer's question of "Who is my neighbour?" the Savior begins.

"A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho."  Defining the "certain man" is key to understanding this parable. So perhaps we should start with someone whose name means "man or mankind," and that would be Adam. Click here for a link to his name.

Jerusalem sits on a mountain top about 2,500 feet above sea level. The descent from Jerusalem to Jericho is about 3,300 feet downward. Click here for Bible Map 14 which graphically illustrates this concept. 

Because Adam is a prototype for each of us, it represents the Fall and our descent into mortality. So place yourself in this story in place of the "certain man" or "certain woman."

"And fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed."  The thieves are Satan and his followers. But notice how they are only interested in one thing. Satan wants to strip you (remember your part in this story) of your raiment. He wants to strip you of your covenants. The "certain man" must have had a watch, or jewelry, or money, but that's not what these thieves are interested in. 

In the original Greek the word raiment is ekduo. Click here for the original meaning, and note the description that raiment is the "clothing of the soul." It is the undoing of a similar Greek word given here. Ekduo is to undo the enduo, and enduo is where we get the English word endowment. This thief wants to undo your covenants, and especially those made in the temple. This thief can leave us wounded.

After Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, Satan was cast out of the garden with similar language to that given in the above verse. Lucifer had to depart.

"Leaving him half dead." After the Fall, Adam, Eve, you, and me were left physically alive, but with the promise of imminent death (see Genesis 2:17). Man is left physically alive, but spiritually dead since he is now shut out from the presence of God (see Moses 5:4).

"And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side."

On the terrestrial level of this story, it's easy to blame the apathetic priest, but on the celestial level, don't get angry with him. He's doing the best he can. Once each year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the presiding priest of the Levitical order would go alone into the tabernacle (or temple) and make an atonement for all Israel (see Leviticus 16). But this priest can only guess what you and I are going through in life. He might imagine, but he can only see from the "other side" of the street. The Levite, who assists the priest, described in the next verse has the same problem.

"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed" Samaritans were considered unclean by the Jews, since they had intermarried with Gentiles and the kings of Assyria had repopulated Samaria with Babylonians and other outsiders (see 2 Kings 17:24). Thus, they were half Israelite and half Gentile. The identity of this "certain Samaritan" is symbolically certain. Jesus was half mortal, having a mortal mother, and half immortal, having an immortal Father. Jesus Christ becomes the "Good Samaritan" in this story. During His mortal ministry, He journeyed through mortality like Adam, Eve, you, and me.

"Came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him" The Good Samaritan is not limited in His understanding of temptation and suffering experienced by Adam, Eve, you, or me. Unlike the priest, He doesn't have to guess. He experienced every temptation, disappointment, heartache, and pain you and I would ever have to suffer. Thus, He "came where he was." You are never alone. Jesus is right there with you.

The word compassion means "moved in the bowels" or "torn in the gut." Here is a link.

"And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine"  The "anointed One," Jesus Christ, is foretold in Isaiah. "The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted" (Isaiah 61:1). Only He can bind up the wounds. Moses was told to "take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is therein, and shalt hallow it, and all the vessels thereof: and it shall be holy" (Exodus 40:9). The name Gethsemane in Hebrew means "oil press." In a scriptural sense, oil can only come from God. When one receives an anointing with oil, it is to enable that person to become holy like God.

The wine represents His blood which was shed for Adam, Eve, you, and me. It is sacramental imagery, suggesting how we can be healed only through the Atonement.

"And set him on his own beast" The beast would represent a mortal body. This may sound a bit strange, but I believe in Gethsemane, each of us took a turn "riding upon the beast," as our pains, sufferings, shortfalls, and temptations were placed upon the only completely pure body. "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53:4).

"And brought him to an inn, and took care of him."  The inn represents His Church. Through His restored Church we receive those teachings and ordinances that will enable us to become like Him and to be exalted. On a conference weekend, like this one, we can feel "taken care of" and watched over.

"And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee."

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the keys and authority were committed into the hands of the apostles. Those same keys were restored in the latter days. But in the parable, the innkeeper is given a blank check to take care of Adam, Eve, you, and me. The phrase, "whatsoever thou spendest" demonstrates the infinite nature of Christ's Atonement. It covers all and any costs, and is infinite in scope. Those who assist in this work will be well repaid!

The phrase, "When I come again," surely speaks of His Second Coming when He will reign as King of kings.

We are all blessed through His atoning grace. 

Happy Easter!