The parable of the Good Samaritan is a fantastic example of Jesus’ ability to see behind motives, address the underlying concerns and reveal the truth of God among those who only want to cover it up. Most likely the lawyer is sent by the religious leaders to use his cross-examination skills to put Jesus to shame and reduce the threat he posed to the “I’ve got God in my Pocket” religion of the day.
A lawyer is supposed to ask questions in such a way so as to lead the person being questioned to the inextricable conclusion that favors the lawyer’s client. Jesus turns the table on the lawyer by telling a story and asking questions of the lawyer. He does to the lawyer what the lawyer was supposed to do to him. In the end, Jesus asks the question: “Which of these do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the neighbor?” and the lawyer has to say: “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus 1, Lawyer 0. Truth 1, hidden agenda 0. God’s love for all 1, our need to discriminate 0.
The lawyer comes representing those who believe that THERE ARE NO GOOD SAMARITANS! A corollary of this is that the Samaritan would not be a neighbor in the sense of one we have to love. So, in fact, Jesus has three answers to the man’s question about the neighbor – the one in need is the neighbor you should love; the Samaritan you despise and malign is the neighbor you should love – the more important question is not who is the neighbor, but who acts like a neighbor. Jesus 3, Lawyer 0
If Jesus lived in the United States the man, in the parable, who fell among thieves might have been on a lonely road in the south of Arizona and the first to pass would probably have been a Christian Minuteman out looking for illegal aliens crossing the border to abuse and the second might have been a legislator who voted for the recent discriminatory immigration law of that state. And, you guessed it, the one who stopped and helped would have been a Mexican who had just crossed the border to look for work and who had no legal papers. That is what is missing from our debate about immigration – mercy and a recognition that immigrants, legal and illegal are children of God, our neighbors for whom we are asked by god to love just the way God loves us.
But, don’t forget the original question: “What must I do to inherit Eternal Life?” There is a presumption here that Jesus does not agree with. “Inherit” is not something that belongs in the same category as “eternal life,” despite the fact that many believe that because they are American, rich, Lutheran or Pentecostal or some other category of status that they should enjoy, if not eternal life, then privilege in relationship to others. The answer to the first question is the same as to the second question and if right out of the Sermon on the Mount, Luke, chapter 6: “Be Merciful , just as your father is merciful.”
Tags: Good Samaritan, illegal immigrant, mercy
