What do you know about the real Samaritans?

Question

The story in the New Testament is based on a real people that lived in Samaria. Please, no answers about good samaritans. A good samaritan is general description of someone doing a good deed. The Samaritans I'm asking about are an ethnic group.

Please don't tell me to look it up at wikipedia. I want to know what people think. I already know who the Samaritans are. Do you? That's why I'm asking.

Answer 1

Samaria is a city located in the center of Israel. It was inhabited before the time of Abraham, and as yielded hundreds of clay tablets from that era that give many details about life at that time. There is even a mention of the Hebrew people in one of the tablets.

Samaria became important following the Babylonian captivity, when the Jews returned to Jerusalem. The high priest at that time, Ezra, called on the returning Jewish males to divorce their babylonian wives to prevent the babylonian culture and religion from following them back to Jerusalem.

Those who refused were exiled and resettled in Samaria. They developed their own brand of the Jewish religion and their own temple. They were still fueding at the time of Jesus, with the Jews calling the Samaritans half-breeds. Read about Jesus' encounter with a Samaritan woman in John chapter 5. You will see the bigotry and the woman (and the disciples) expressed towards each others. Also her attempt to defend her beliefs against the Jewish beliefs.

So when Jesus features a Samaritan (filthy, Jew hating, half-breed) as the hero of his story, it was probably a shock to most of his audience.

Answer 2

If I recall correctly, in the time of the New Testament, the Samaritans still worshipped their gods, thus they were not always welcomed by the Jews. Jesus used the example of the Good Samaritan in his parable to show compassion for all, including those we do not agree with.

Beyond that they lived in the MIddle East and worshipped many gods, I know nothing else.

Answer 3

The Samaritans ,if I recall correctly, were a group of people who were actually half Jewish in heritage. Desceded from Jews and the Arabic people who lived in Palestine before the Jews invaded under Moses, Aaron, and Joshua. I beleive they actually practiced Judiaism but since they were only partly descended from Jews they were looked down on. I know its something like that.

Answer 4

They are an ethnic group still around today:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaritans

Answer 5

just look in wikipedia www.wikipedia.org

Answer 6

they weren't retarded morons like you!