Teachings of Christ
35
for his selfishness. So he asked Jesus: “Who is my neighbor?”
Luke
10:25-29
.
The priests and rabbis often disputed about this question. They did
not call the poor and ignorant their neighbors, and would show them
no kindness. Christ took no part in their disputes; He answered the
question by a story about something that had happened a short time
before.
A certain man, He said, was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
The road was steep and rocky, and passed through a wild, lonely region.
Here the man was seized by robbers, and stripped of all that he had.
He was beaten and bruised, and left for dead.
As he lay thus, a priest and then a Levite from the temple at
Jerusalem came that way. But instead of helping the poor man, they
passed by on the other side.
[64]
[65]
These men had been chosen to minister in God’s temple, and they
ought to have been like Him, full of mercy and kindness. But their
hearts were cold and unfeeling.
After a time a Samaritan came near. The Samaritans were despised
and hated by the Jews. To one of these people a Jew would not give so
much as a drink of water or a morsel of bread. But the Samaritan did
not stop to think of this. He did not stop even to think of the robbers
who might be watching for him.
There lay the stranger, bleeding and ready to die. The Samaritan
took off his own cloak, and wrapped it about him.
He gave him his own wine to drink, and poured oil on his wounds.
He put him on his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of
him all night.
The next morning, before going away, he paid the innkeeper to
care for him till he should be strong again. So Jesus told the story.
Then turning to the lawyer, He asked:
“Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him
that fell among the thieves?”
The lawyer answered, “He that showed mercy on him.”
Then Jesus said, “Go, and do thou likewise.”
Luke 10:35-37
. So
Jesus taught that every person who needs our help is our neighbor. We
are to treat him just as we ourselves would like to be treated.