Luke 10:33
But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The phrasing "came down to him" highlights a deliberate, personal movement toward the wounded man, contrasting with the Levite's more passive approach of simply coming to the "place" where he was. This subtle shift reveals the Samaritan actively engaging with the suffering, not just encountering it passively. It underscores that true compassion isn't just seeing a need, but actively moving towards it.
Following a lawyer's attempt to trap Jesus into defining the absolute minimum requirements of eternal life, Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan. This story contrasts the callousness of a priest and a Levite, who pass by a man beaten and left for dead, with the unexpected compassion of a Samaritan, an ethnic and religious outsider to the Jews, who stops to help.
Think about the deepest divides in our world today. Now imagine someone bridging that gap with radical kindness. That's what we see here.
The parable of the Good Samaritan is famous for challenging the idea of 'neighbor.' The priest and Levite, who should have helped, walked by.
But the Samaritan? He was from a group hated by the Jews, a community they had 'no dealings with.' Yet, when he saw the injured man, his journey stopped.
His compassion wasn't limited by race, religion, or social standing. It overflowed, breaking down the walls that separated them. This wasn't just kindness; it was a profound act of seeing shared humanity in someone utterly unlike himself.
Compassion isn't just a feeling; it's a powerful engine for action. See how this Samaritan’s heart moved his hands.
The verse doesn't just say the Samaritan felt bad for the man. It says he 'had compassion,' and the rest of the parable shows what that compassion looked like.
He didn't just look; he came to him, as the text notes with the phrase 'came to where he was' – a deliberate movement toward the suffering.
This wasn't a passive sympathy. It was an active, engaged response that led to binding wounds, providing transport, and ensuring care. True compassion always moves us to act, to bridge the gap between suffering and relief.
Understand the original words
Samareitēs · Greek Noun
An inhabitant of the region of Samaria. Due to historical, religious, and ethnic tensions, Jews and Samaritans typically avoided each other; this group was often viewed with contempt or hostility by first-century Jews.
splagchnizomai · Greek Verb
A deep, visceral feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the suffering of others, often accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate that suffering. In the New Testament, it is frequently used to describe the divine mercy of Jesus.
The bitter historical animosity between Jews and Samaritans, fueled by centuries of religious and political conflict, makes the Samaritan's compassion in Jesus' parable a radical and unexpected act, challenging the lawyer's narrow definition of 'neighbor'.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Conquest of Israel
The northern kingdom of Israel is conquered by the Assyrian Empire, leading to the deportation of many Israelites and the resettlement of foreigners in the land. This event sows the seeds of deep animosity between Jews and Samaritans.
c. 538 BC
Return from Babylonian Exile
Jews return from exile in Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem. They refuse to allow the Samaritans, who had intermarried with foreign settlers, to participate in the rebuilding of the Temple, further solidifying the division.
c. 128 BC
Destruction of Samaritan Temple
John Hyrcanus, the Jewish High Priest, destroys the Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim, intensifying the already bitter hatred between the two groups.
c. AD 30-33
Jesus' Ministry and Rejection by Samaria
Jesus' ministry begins, but his initial outreach to Samaria is met with rejection, as seen when the Samaritans refuse to welcome him on his journey to Jerusalem.
This passage highlights that the entire Law is fulfilled in the command to love your neighbor as yourself, directly linking to the lawyer's question and the parable's core message. The Samaritan's action embodies this fulfillment by showing selfless love to someone outside his own community.
1 John 4:8This verse states that anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. The Samaritan's compassionate act demonstrates true knowledge of God, contrasting with the priest and Levite who, despite their religious standing, failed to show divine love.
Matthew 25:40Jesus states that whatever we do for the 'least of these brothers,' we do for Him. The Samaritan's compassion for the wounded man, whom he likely would have considered an enemy, shows he was treating Christ Himself with mercy.
John 4:9This verse mentions that 'Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.' This historical and cultural animosity makes the Samaritan's compassionate response even more profound, directly challenging the narrow definition of 'neighbor' that the lawyer was trying to establish.
Matthew 22:39This verse explicitly states that the second greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself. The parable of the Good Samaritan serves as a powerful illustration of this commandment, showing that true neighborly love transcends social barriers and prejudice.
vincentLuke 10:33: "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,"
Came where he wasThere is a strong contrast with the other cases, and a downright heartiness in the words, κατ' αὐτὸν, down to him. The Levite had come κατὰ τόπον, "down to the place."
calvinLuke 10:25-37: "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
- But when the Pharisees heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they assembled together. 35. And one of them, a doctor of the law, put a question to him, tempting him, and saying, 36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37. Jesus saith to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.…
The phrasing "came down to him" highlights a deliberate, personal movement toward the wounded man, contrasting with the Levite's more passive approach of simply coming to the "place" where he was. This subtle shift reveals the Samaritan actively engaging with the suffering, not just encountering it passively. It underscores that true compassion isn't just seeing a need, but actively moving towards it.
Following a lawyer's attempt to trap Jesus into defining the absolute minimum requirements of eternal life, Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan. This story contrasts the callousness of a priest and a Levite, who pass by a man beaten and left for dead, with the unexpected compassion of a Samaritan, an ethnic and religious outsider to the Jews, who stops to help.
Following a lawyer's attempt to trap Jesus into defining the absolute minimum requirements of eternal life, Jesus responds with the parable of the Good Samaritan. This story contrasts the callousness of a priest and a Levite, who pass by a man beaten and left for dead, with the unexpected compassion of a Samaritan, an ethnic and religious outsider to the Jews, who stops to help.
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c. AD 33— this verse
The Parable of the Good Samaritan
Jesus tells the Parable of the Good Samaritan in response to a lawyer's question about who his neighbor is. The parable highlights the selfless compassion of a despised Samaritan towards a wounded Jew.
"But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion." — The phrasing "came down to him" highlights a deliberate, personal movement toward the wounded man, contrasting with the Levite's more passive approach of simply coming to the "place" where he was.…
