What we fail to understand about the parable of the good Samaritan
Among the many parables that Jesus told, there are few as famous as that of the good Samaritan. It’s so well known that we still call helpful people good Samaritans to this day.
It’s a story to stir the heart for sure. A man who has every reason to pass an injured, helpless person by stops and does everything he can to help. The parable of the good Samaritan seems straightforward enough, and many Christians think that they understand the message clearly. But do we really?
God’s Word isn’t supposed to be easy to understand
The Bible makes it clear that God’s Word isn’t supposed to be easy to grasp or understand. We have to really work at it. There is also evidence that we can twist the Scriptures to fit our own needs and not God’s. After all that’s exactly what Peter claims when he says:
Some things Paul writes are difficult to understand. Irresponsible people who don’t know what they are talking about twist them every which way. They do it to the rest of the Scriptures, too, destroying themselves as they do it. (2 Peter 3:15-16 MSG)
It’s even possible to do such twisting with a parable as well known as the good Samaritan.
Two things many fail to understand about the parable of the good Samaritan:
1. The Samaritan isn’t the hero — Looking at this parable, many people, even many Christians, might say that the Samaritan is a hero. He helps someone whom he’s supposed to hate, and he does it without seemingly a thought. Many of us imagine that such actions should result in a parade or some other display of gratitude toward the Samaritan.
Yet, if we dig a little deeper, we may start to realize that there’s no indication that the Samaritan does what he does for any sort of reward. The fact is, the hero of this story is God.
It was God who moves the Samaritan to help the injured man and to do so in a way that ensures that the Samaritan gets no earthly reward. The Samaritan even leaves before the man is well, so he doesn’t even get a thank-you. And it was God who called the Samaritan to this level of selflessness.
2. The story isn’t really about the Samaritan at all — We often get so focused on the Samaritan that we forget that the story isn’t really about him at all. What it truly represents is an example of how God can use people as vessels for His will. If we look at the Samaritan as God’s vessel, then we see that it was not the Samaritan who saved the injured man — it was God.
Centerpoint Church is ready to walk with you on your faith journey
At Centerpoint, our community believes in purpose and passion, and we would love to walk with you on your journey in finding yours. We understand how it feels to struggle to find a place to belong, which is why we strive to welcome people of all types and backgrounds into our community.
Do you want to grow in your faith, or are you simply curious about who this Jesus guy is? You’re not alone. We encourage you to listen to our series online and welcome you to come to one of our Sunday morning services in Valrico, Florida.