One of the most famous characters in the Bible is not identified by name but just about every Christian has heard of him and his story. Matter of fact, the United States even has a law named after him. He’s the Good Samaritan.
The Bible may not name the Good Samaritan but if we consider the details of the story told by Jesus, we just may be able to identify who he is. The story is found in Luke 10:25-37. A religious expert asked Jesus how he could obtain eternal life. Jesus told him to love God and then to love his neighbor as himself. Trying to justify his bigotry, he asked Jesus, “Who is my neighbor?”
Jesus then tells him a story of a man who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. The man was attacked by robbers which left him “halfdead”. While he was in his half dead condition, a priest and then a Levite passed by, avoided the man, and refused to render this poor man aid. Then a Samaritan, a group despised by the Jews, came to the man giving him aid of oil and wine for his wounds. He then took him to an inn and gave the keeper two days’ wages, promising to return and pay any additional costs incurred. Jesus then asked the religious leaders, which one loved his neighbor as himself. He reluctantly admitted it was the despised Samaritan.
Let’s consider just who the players in this story may be. In the garden of Eden, a man named Adam begin his journey in wonderful place but would soon go “down” into a bad place. Adam was visited by a thief, Satan, who would leave him half dead! The Bible says the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. When Satan was finished with Adam, he was half dead! While he was physically alive, Adam had died spiritually, separated from God. Like Adam, we all find ourselves in the same condition. We like Adam are visited by religion, but it is not able or willing to render us the aid we need to live.
Then along came a Samaritan, a half breed who was Jew and gentile and he ministered with oil and wine. Consider Jesus who came to earth to save mankind is the son of God and the son of man. Jesus finds us all in our half dead condition and he applies oil and wine. As Jesus proclaimed at the last supper, wine is a picture of the blood he shed on the cross for our sins. Then he administers oil which is a type of Holy Spirit which he sent to provide us with guidance, comfort, and peace. The good Samaritan brought the wounded man to an inn to be cared for until he could return. The inn is a type of the church which cares for wounded people until he returns. He gave the inn keeper two days wages. The Bible tells us that a day is like a thousand years. Jesus has been gone for approximately two thousand years (two Bible days) and has made a promise to return. The Good Samaritan is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ!
