Template/Outline #1: Parable of Good Samaritan

1. Describe the social/cultural context and the main characters

First-century Judaism (especially note aspects of the culture/characters that correspond to Luke 10):

Jesus and his disciples:

Jesus had many followers who chose to believe in his teachings, but within that multitude, he had an inner circle of a dozen men that he selected for the mission of helping him to spread his message.

The names of the twelve disciples of Jesus are Peter, James (the son of Zebedee), John, Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James (the son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot. (Matthew 10:1-4 and Luke 6:12-16)

Peter
James
John
Andrew
Bartholomew or Nathanael
James, the Lesser or Younger
Judas
Jude or Thaddeus
Matthew or Levi
Philip
Simon the Zealot
Thomas

Samaritans vs Jews:

The Samaritans originated in the 8th century BC as the offspring of three patriarchs; Ephraim, Manasseh, and Levi, and the foreigners settled by the Assyrians in Israel. As antagonists to the people of God, they were rightly rejected by the Jews in the 5th century BC. As a result, they built their own temple atop Mount Gerizim (4th century), which was destroyed in 129 BC. The Samaritans had their own dialect of Hebrew, with its own script, as well as their own customs. They also rewrote the Pentateuch. The most notable change is that a new commandment was added to the Decalogue, mandating that God be worshipped in Mt. Gerizim (see John 4:20). Despite their heterodoxy, Jesus seems often to have made them the heroes of his stories (Luke 10:33; 17:16; John 4:39).

2. Describe the genre of writing

It is a ‘Gospel’ passage:

Various explanations of the possible literary genre of the four gospels have been offered. Most Christians approach the gospels as biographies of Jesus. They have some biography-like elements, but they are not biographies by the standards of the modern world.

It is from the Gospel of Luke:

“Based on Luke 1:1-4, it is possible to read the Gospels as historical documents.”

Luke claims in the prologue to his Gospel. The stories are not created by Luke is evident in his claim to have sought the eye witnesses to the events.

It a clear historical and theological agenda and makes one wonder who Jesus is? And how he is presented by the gospel writers.

It is a parable:

By definition a parable is “a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, as told by Jesus in the Gospels.”

The writing is in fact a parable as is a story from the past, told to give a moral lesson about religion. It has been explained earlier that it is from the Gospels and is a tale from the first century.

3. Describe the wider context

The book of Luke (Luke 1-24)

The Gospel According to Luke, also called the Gospel of Luke, or simply Luke, is the third of the four canonical Gospels. It tells of the origins, birth, ministry, atonement, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.

The wider context (Luke 9:51-19:27):

“Luke 9:51-19:27”, the verses are a parable and in a wider context they talk about Jesus and his journey towards Jerusalem along with his disciples and the various cities they passed through and the rejection and difficulties they faced along the way after which Jesus finally sent forth seventy two others, each in pairs to go ahead and they came back successful. The verses also talk about the visit to Martha and Mary.

The immediate context (Luke 10:25-42):

“The Parable of the Good Samaritan”

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b]”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

“At the Home of Martha and Mary”

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[d] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

4. Explanation of Text

What the text (Luke 10:25-42) means:

In the first part of the verses, “the Parable of the Good Samaritan” describes how Jesus advices an expert in law how to be able to inherit eternal life by worshipping the lord and having them in his heart and to be kind to his neighbor, upon which the expert in law questions who is his neighbor that he must be kind to. As an answer it is said that Jesus replies with a parable to explain what is meant by “be good to your neighbor”.

The text simply means that any one that you come across in life who may be in need of your help you must help that person to the best of your abilities.

In the second part, “At the home of Martha and Mary”

The text explains that listening to the Lord and his teachings is more important and should be prioritized.

What the text cannot mean:

The text does not mean that all one must do is serve the Lord but forget about humanity. It requires a balance to inherit an eternal life. It does not mean that one should give up the Lord and his command either.