Why is it that so many people now ignore this parable, or act as if they have ignored it? Jesus was trying to make a point (woah that sounds arrogant, well this is how I interpret it anyway!) that the religious leaders and so-called 'good people' are not always the good people, and people often perceived as irreligious and discriminated against e.g. the Samaritans, can be better than all those 'religious' people out there.
Isn't there still a lesson to be learnt here, judging by this section of yahoo answers?
2006-11-15 07:45:25 · 9 answers · asked by lady_s_hazy 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Perhaps that good deeds and a good heart are more important than arrogant 'righteousness?'
2006-11-15 07:46:06 · update #1
And, since this always seems to happen, I'm not referring to the Christians who tactfully answer questions, dont try and convert and are good souls out there.
x
2006-11-15 07:46:54 · update #2
No one would expect the Samaritan to stop there because the wounded person belonged to Judaism, a different caste, the followers of which considered themselves superior to the Samaritans. Nobody would have blamed the Samaritan if he had walked away without helping. In spite of the enmity and the contempt that existed between the two castes, the Samaritan was willing to help because who he saw there was not a Jew but a human being--a fellow being. There existed a thick wall between the Jews and the Samaritans; however, such a wall of separation didn't exist in the mind of this saintly Samaritan. A saint sees no walls that separate one human being from another human being. By supporting the oppressed, this saint puts his own life in danger. He might as well have been robbed. But he takes the risk. One needs courage to stand up for the truth.
2006-11-15 07:58:28 · answer #1 · answered by John 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People do ignore it! That's why racism is still around :( Jesus preached a message of hope and love- he wanted his followers to have love for God and neighbor, no matter who their neighbor was. He used the example of a Samaritan because the Jews and Samaritans were prejudiced against each other because they had slightly different beliefs. Jesus wanted true Christians to treat all people with respect and concern, even those they disagreed with, because " God is not partial." Acts 10:34
2006-11-15 15:59:09 · answer #2 · answered by danni_d21 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look for the Radical Jesus when you read the Gospels, instead of the Sacharine Jesus.
Many many of the teachings of Jesus turned conventional thinking on it's head. Look in Luke 16 at the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man (Dives). Jesus' hearers would have assumed that thet rich man would be the one to go to Heaven because God's blessing was so obvious on his life: he fared sumptiously every day. Lazarus was so poor, that the dogs came and licked his sores; Lazarus was the obvious candidate to go to Hell, because God had cursed him so much in his lifetime. Whoops! Jesus turned the whole thing on it's head.
Luke 16:22-23 "Now it came about that the poor man died and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. 23 "And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom."
Read the rest of that story for your self.
2006-11-15 15:53:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, it goes deeper even than that. The priest and the pharisee put their rules and man-concocted regulations before compassion. It was not so much that Sumaritans were better people than religious people, but that people can set up religion as being more important than the love and compassion the religion is supposed to be about.
2006-11-15 15:50:35 · answer #4 · answered by Tim 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are absolutely right. God made all in his image and there are many nonreligious people who have true loving behavior. Christians should always be humble and gracious to others because we are no better than any other. We only accepted God's salvation and if that was sincere our behavior should be changing also. I would really question ones salvation who is always judging others and critical. That person does not understand who sinful they are.
2006-11-15 16:08:01 · answer #5 · answered by handsomeworshipper 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i totally agree
one does not have to be Christian to be Christ like ... and quite often those who are supposed to be , are far from it
you do get both sometimes , which is lovely
2006-11-15 15:49:07 · answer #6 · answered by Peace 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it was the parable that impressed me the most, made me sick, as for the rest!
2006-11-15 15:51:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are absolutely right.
2006-11-15 15:47:37 · answer #8 · answered by Piper 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Exactamundo!
Peace be with you.
2006-11-15 15:51:42 · answer #9 · answered by Arf Bee 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋