“Go and Do Likewise” - Parable of the Good Samaritan

 

Scripture Reading: Luke 10:25–37

Brothers and sisters in Christ, the parable of the Good Samaritan is one of Jesus’ most well-known teachings, but its radical challenge is often overlooked. This parable was not just a call to kindness but a bold confrontation of injustice, prejudice, and the failure of religious and social systems to uphold mercy.

When the lawyer asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?” he was trying to define the limits of his responsibility. Jesus answered with a story that shattered those limits. A man is beaten and left for dead on the road. A priest and a Levite—both religious men—pass by without helping. Then comes the Samaritan, the last person anyone would expect to show compassion. Samaritans were despised by the Jews, yet it was this outsider who embodied the mercy of God.

The cry of the prophets throughout Scripture echoes in this story. Micah 6:8 reminds us: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” The prophets condemned religious rituals that lacked justice and acts of worship that ignored the suffering of the oppressed. The Good Samaritan does exactly what the prophets called for—he acts justly, loves mercy, and moves humbly in the presence of God.

Throughout history, we have seen entire societies create systems that dehumanize and exclude others. Slavery, colonization, racial segregation, and economic exploitation have been justified by those in power while the wounded lay in the streets, ignored by those who should have helped. Even today, the suffering of refugees, the poor, and the marginalized is often met with silence or indifference. But Jesus calls us to be different. He calls us to go and do likewise.

This parable forces us to ask: Who are the wounded lying on the roadside today? Who are the ones we pass by because they make us uncomfortable, because they do not fit within our social or political categories? The love of God does not allow us to walk by. It compels us to stop, to kneel, and to bind the wounds of the broken.

Let us not be like the priest or the Levite, using religion as an excuse to ignore injustice. Instead, let us be like the Good Samaritan, crossing boundaries, breaking down walls, and loving with a mercy that reflects the very heart of God. Amen.

More: Sabbath School Lesson 12: The Two Greatest Commandments