Author: Bill Hall

So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

Luke 10:34

The Samaritan doesn’t do this thing halfway. He is thorough and gives the man exactly the care that he needs.

The oil and wine both had properties that would help in the healing. The wine was likely just fermented grape juice and would cleanse the wound. The oil was like cooking oil, though more raw/pure than what we use today. It helped avoid infection.

Care at an inn would not necessarily have cost an arm and a leg, but it wasn’t cheap. The Samaritan, rather than continuing his journey, stays at the inn that evening to see to the man’s needs.

Heavenly Father, thank You for saving our souls! As we look at the world around us we are amazed at Your mighty power. And yet, this is a world impacted by sin. We can only imagine what it was like before the consequences of sin. You are truly the Marvelous Creator. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion.

Luke10:33

Like the others, this Samaritan sees the wounded man by the roadside. Unlike them he has compassion.

Compassion is a sympathetic pity in this case. The Samaritan recognized that what had befallen this man could easily have befallen him.

Jesus introduces a Samaritan into the story because the Jews and Samaritans didn’t like each other. This strongly teaches that we are not treat others poorly on the basis of their birthplace or nationality.

Heavenly Father, thank You for being so kind to us! You have saved us and given us so much in Christ. We will thank You forever! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.”

Luke 10:32

The Levite, unfortunately, performs no better than the priest. He takes the time to look at this poor wretch, but passes by on the other side of the road nonetheless.

Keep in mind too that had the wounded man been conscious, or someone important, he might have been helped by his countrymen. Surely, had there been a crowd present, something would have had to be said. But even at that, the Jews believed misfortune was always punishment; he may still not have been assisted.

Heavenly Father, thank You for helping us in our wretched condition. You have offered salvation to the robber and the hypocrite alike. Thank You for allowing us in from the dangerous road to the high way. You are merciful and just. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.”

Luke 10:31

Jesus is the Master storyteller. The priest avoids this man completely. Even if there were not any priests in attendance when Jesus told this parable, the lawyer likely knew some of them.

In any case, everyone listening got the point here right away. One of the most well respected leaders of the Jewish people avoided helping this person altogether.

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us family and friendship. Having other people to share this life with is a great blessing. Your care for others is a model for us. You are the caring, compassionate Shepherd. We love You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 10:30 "Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead."
The lawyer’s question was no trouble for Jesus. Instead, Jesus used it as the perfect setup for one of the most memorable stories in the history of the world.
This parable, which begins with the man among the thieves, is quite amazing and influential. This man that Jesus tells us about we see from the wording here comes upon a band of robbers. Presumably they had habitually stayed in that area to come upon travellers by surprise and take their valuables.
Heavenly Father, thank You for this day in which to serve You. Protect us from the evil one that we may praise You and serve You with all of our hearts. Your creation is glorious, but shows us only a fraction of Your glory. You are amazing! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 10:29 "But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

The lawyer didn’t expect the answer Christ gave him. Rather than be embarrassed by Christ, he wanted to save face. As a result he asks one of the most ridiculous questions ever. But, he comes off looking smart, and others have asked the same question since.
This happens all the time. People are embarrassed by their inability to understand God. They think they should be able to outsmart Him. But we cannot. The Lord is so much more intelligent than the most intelligent of His created beings that there is absolutely no comparison.

Heavenly Father, You are so incredibly smart! We often forget just how amazingly clever you are. It isn’t a characteristic of You that we think about a lot. But, You are tremendously knowledgeable, and wise beyond all reckoning. Thank You for Your Omniscience! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 10:28 "And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”

The lawyer answered the question very well. But why does Jesus respond the way He does? Why doesn’t He say something specific about believing in Him?
The fact is that what Jesus tells this lawyer is a good lesson for us even today. Salvation occurs when a person responds in obedience to the message of the gospel. Now, if a person loves someone, they will want to please that person. And, in order to please God, we obey His commands. So if we love Him, we listen to Him.
What Jesus is doing here is building a bridge from the law to the gospel. Those who truly loved Yahweh among the Jews of His time recognized Christ and embraced Him.
In our day, the second commandment, the golden rule, has been taken as an equivalent for all that Jesus and the Scriptures teach. Though loving one’s neighbor is vital, leaving out the first and greatest commandment is catastrophic. Loving our neighbors without loving the Lord our God will not make us good people. It will just deceive us into thinking we are ok. And we will die in our sins.

Heavenly Father, thank You for this country we call America! It is still free. We may still sing Your praises in public. Thank You for that privilege! Thank You for all those that You helped to give their lives to keep us free. Thank You for working good in the lives of our forebears to begin this nation. All praises to You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 10:27 "So he answered and said, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

The lawyer made a direct quote. He offered no commentary. He knew Jesus wanted him to reveal his interpretation of this passage. But, he wanted to know what Jesus thought first.

This man was actually one of the smartest of Jesus’ questioners. And yet, his lack of understanding of the idea of loving one’s neighbor is disappointing.

Heavenly Father, thank You for making this world. And, thank You for making it the way You did. We get hung up on this world, and not You. But the true privilege is not to live in Your world, but to know You in it. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 10:26 "He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”

Jesus is literally asking this man what he thinks the law has to say about eternal life. Why? This man was a lawyer, an expert in Jewish law, and was very familiar with the Scriptures. Jesus wanted to start out by getting this man to reveal his stance towards the truth.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your truth, and for Your faithfulness and patience with us. You are love, and You are justice. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Luke 10:25 "And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"

The question of questions! Notice the wording here, how may I ‘inherit’ eternal life. This lawyer understood that eternal life would have to be granted by lot. It is not something to be purchased. It can’t be ‘found’, but must instead be given.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus! We never would know the truth or have hope of life eternal without Christ. Thank You, Father, for Your perfect plan for this world. You are so wise! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.