THE GOOD SAMARITAN – Charles Spurgeon
The Good Samaritan
Introduction to the Parable
“And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the Law? How do you read it? And he, answering, said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself. And He said unto him, You have answered right; do this, and you shall live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbor? And Jesus, answering, said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatever you spend more, when I come again, I will repay you. Which now of these three, do you think, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, he that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do you likewise.” (Luke 10:25-37)
The Practical Teachings of the Parable
Our text is the whole story of the Samaritan, but for the sake of memory, let us focus on the exhortation in the 37th verse: “Go, and do you likewise.” There are some people in the world who will only accept preaching on doctrinal statements concerning the way of salvation—what is commonly known as “the Gospel.” If the preacher focuses on virtues or practical graces, they will quickly claim that he is not preaching the Gospel, but is instead a moral teacher. We do not fear such criticism, for it is clear that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself would have come under this criticism many times. Consider the Sermon on the Mount and ask whether certain people would be content to hear such teachings in church. They would likely condemn it as lacking in the Gospel and too focused on good works. Our Lord was a practical preacher. He often spoke in ways that addressed the needs of questioners, gave direction to seekers, and admonished offenders. He highlighted practical truths in His teachings in a way that some ministers today may be hesitant to imitate.
Jesus frequently told us how to live toward one another, emphasizing the love that should characterize the Christian life. The story of the Good Samaritan illustrates this perfectly, as Jesus explains how to live in love with our neighbors. The question posed to Jesus, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” is a legal one, and Jesus’ answer is direct. However, let us not forget that what the Law demands from us, the Gospel empowers us to fulfill. The Law tells us what we should be, and the Gospel raises us to that standard. Therefore, Jesus’ teachings, though practical, are always in service to the Gospel. Even in explaining the Law, He always has an underlying Gospel purpose.
The World is Full of Affliction
Let us now look at the parable. The first observation to make is that the world is full of affliction. This story represents just one of countless situations based on unfortunate occurrences. “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves.” He was going on a short journey and nearly lost his life in the process. We are never truly secure from trouble—affliction finds us in our homes, at work, or on the road. It comes when we least expect it. “Although affliction comes not forth of the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground; yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.”
Often, the greatest afflictions are not caused by the fault of the sufferer. The poor Jew in this parable did nothing to deserve being attacked by thieves, stripped of his clothes, wounded, and left for dead. He was a victim of pure misfortune. Much of the suffering in the world does not arise from the sins or mistakes of the people enduring it; rather, it is allowed by God for purposes beyond our understanding. This type of distress calls for Christian sympathy, and it is often the kind of suffering we encounter in hospitals and care facilities. The wounded man in the parable did not cause his own misery—he had no part in the violence inflicted upon him. He lies there helpless, unable to do anything for himself. There is no way for him to address his wounds or save himself. He cannot even seek shelter. If no one comes to help him, he will die.
While some suffering is the result of personal folly or vice, there are many instances of suffering that are not caused by the individual’s sin. Much of the distress in the world is caused by the wickedness of others. People suffer because of the actions of the drunkard, the oppressor, the cruel, and the slanderer. If human wickedness were removed, much of the world’s pain and suffering would also cease. Many children suffer from their parents’ mistakes, and many wives and families endure hardships due to the laziness or cruelty of their breadwinners. These are the individuals who most need our sympathy when they find themselves in hospitals or in need of aid.
Those Who Fail to Relieve Affliction
The second observation is that there are many who never relieve affliction. In the parable, we see two individuals—the priest and the Levite—who “passed by on the other side.” It’s likely that if Jesus had chosen, He could have extended the parable to include even more heartless individuals, for the good Samaritan is rare compared to the many who avoid helping the suffering. Notice that both the priest and the Levite were divinely placed on the scene to help. The priest was brought to this position by God’s Providence, so that he might offer assistance. The same could be said for the Levite. Yet, both failed to act.
Likewise, wealthy individuals in society are often placed in a position to help those in need. The wealthy are sent into society to relieve suffering and meet the needs of the poor. Too often, however, they regard wealth as an opportunity for indulgence or as something to hoard, rather than to use for the benefit of those in need. People offer excuses for not helping, just as the priest and Levite did in the parable. The priest may have been in a hurry, worried about getting home, or concerned about the risks of staying in the area. The Levite might have had his own reasons, but both failed in their duty. If you make excuses for not helping, you are no better than these individuals.
The Samaritan as a Model of Compassion
The third observation is that the Samaritan is a model for those who help the afflicted. The Samaritan, unlike the priest and Levite, saw the wounded man and acted. First, note who the person was that the Samaritan helped. While the parable does not explicitly state that the man was a Jew, it strongly implies it. The Jews and Samaritans had a long-standing animosity, yet the Samaritan, despite these divisions, chose to help the wounded man. He didn’t ask about the man’s faith or background. He didn’t consider whether the man was a Jew or a Samaritan; he saw a person in need and responded with compassion.
This should be a model for us. We are not called to help only those who share our beliefs or our status, but to help all who are in need, regardless of their creed. Whether the person is a fellow Christian or not, their suffering requires our compassion. We should not pass by those in need simply because they do not meet our personal standards or expectations. As Christians, we are to show mercy and act in love, just as the Samaritan did.
The Samaritan’s compassion did not stop at the immediate relief he provided. He didn’t simply give the wounded man temporary help; he took him to an inn, provided for his care, and even promised to repay any additional costs. He demonstrated a willingness to meet not only the immediate needs but also the ongoing needs of the man. He acted with both generosity and foresight.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the parable of the Good Samaritan teaches us about compassion, duty, and selfless service. It challenges us to go beyond our own comfort zones, to help those in need, and to act out of genuine love and mercy. The Samaritan is a model for us in every way—he shows us how to be kind and compassionate, how to give without seeking repayment, and how to care for others even when they are strangers or different from us. Let us go, then, and do likewise.
The Good Samaritan
Introduction: The Call to Compassion
The thieves might have been upon him, but he cared nothing for thieves when a life was in danger. Here is a man in need, and the man must be relieved—thieves or no thieves—and so he does it. He does it with self-denial, for he finds oil and wine and money at the inn—and everything, though he was by no means a rich man, for he gave two pence—a larger sum than it looks, but still a small sum. He did not fling his alms about because he was rich. He is not said to have given a handful of pence, but two, for he had to count his pence as he expended them. It was a poor Samaritan who did this rich and noble act! The poorest can help the poor—even those who feel distress themselves may manifest a generous Christian spirit and give their services. Let them do so as they have opportunity. This man helped his poor neighbor with great tenderness and care. He was like a mother to him. Everything was done with loving thought and with whatever skill he possessed. He did the best he could.
Brothers and Sisters, let what we do for others always be done in the noblest style! Let us not treat the poor like dogs to whom we fling a bone, nor visit the sick like superior beings who feel that they are stooping down to inferiors when they enter their rooms. But in the sweet tenderness of real love, learned at Jesus’ feet, let us imitate this good Samaritan! And what did he do? Well, first, he came to where the sufferer was and put himself into his position. Then he put forth all his skill for him and bound up his wounds, no doubt tearing his own garments to get the bands with which to bind up the wounds. He poured in oil and wine, the best healing mixture that he knew of, and one which he happened to have with him. He then set the sick man on his mule and, of course, he had to walk, but this he did right cheerfully, supporting his poor patient as the mule proceeded. He took him to an inn, but he did not leave him there and say, “Someone else will take care of him now.” No, he went to the manager of the establishment, gave him money, and said, “Take care of him.” I admire that little sentence, because it is first written, “He took care of him,” and next he said, “Take care of him.” What you do, yourself, you may exhort other people to do. He said, “I leave this poor man with you, pray do not neglect him. There are a great many people in the inn, but take care of him.” “Is he a brother of yours?” “No, I never saw him before.” “Well, are you at all under obligation to him?” “No!—Yes, yes, I feel under obligation to everybody that is a man. If he needs help, I am obliged to help him.” “Is that all?” “Yes, but do take care of him. I feel a great interest in him.”
The Samaritan did not cease until he had gone through with his kindness. He said, “This money may not be sufficient, for it may be a long time before he is able to move. That leg may not soon heal. That broken rib may need long rest. Do not hurry him away. Let him stay here, and if he incurs additional expense, I will be sure to pay it when I come back from Jerusalem.” There is nothing like the charity which endures even to the end! I wish I had time to enlarge on all these things, but I cannot do so. Exhibit them in your lives and you will best know what they mean. Go and do likewise, each one of you, and thus reproduce the good Samaritan.
A Higher Model: Our Lord Jesus Christ
But now, fourthly, we have a higher model than even the Samaritan—our Lord Jesus Christ. I do not think that our Divine Lord intended to teach anything about Himself in this parable, except insofar as He is the great Exemplar of all goodness. He was answering the question, “Who is my neighbor?” and He was not preaching about Himself at all. There has been a great deal of straining of this parable to bring the Lord Jesus and everything about Him into it, but this I dare not imitate. Yet, by analogy, we may illustrate our Lord’s goodness through this story.
This is a picture of a generous-hearted man who cares for the needy. But the most generous-hearted man that ever lived was the Man of Nazareth, and none ever cared for sick and suffering souls as He has done. Therefore, if we praise the good Samaritan, we should much more extol the blessed Savior whom His enemies called a Samaritan and who never denied the charge, for what cared He if all the prejudice and scorn of men should vent itself on Him?
Now, Brothers and Sisters, our Lord Jesus Christ has done better than the good Samaritan because our case was worse. As I have already said, the wounded man could not blame himself for his sad estate—it was his misfortune, not his fault. But you and I are not only half dead, but altogether dead in trespasses and sins! And we have brought many of our ills upon ourselves. The thieves that have stripped us are our own iniquities! The wounds which we bear have been inflicted by our own suicidal hands! We are not in opposition to Jesus Christ as the poor Jew was to the Samaritan from the mere force of prejudice, but we have been opposed to the blessed Redeemer by nature—we have, from the first, turned away from Him. Alas, we have resisted and rejected Him! The poor man did not ignore his Samaritan friend, but we have done so to our Lord. How many times have we refused Almighty Love! How often, by unbelief, have we pulled open the wounds which Christ has bound up! We have rejected the oil and wine which in the Gospel He presents to us. We have spoken evil of Him to His face and have lived, even for years, in utter rejection of Him!
And yet, in His infinite love, He has not given us up, but He has brought some of us into His Church, where we rest as in an inn, feeding on what His bounty has provided! It was wondrous love which moved the Savior’s heart when He found us in all our misery and bent over us to lift us out of it, though He knew that we were His enemies!
The Samaritan was akin to the Jew because he was a man, but our Lord Jesus was not originally akin to us by nature. He is God, infinitely above us, and if He were “found in fashion as a man,” it was because He chose to be so. If He journeyed this way, via Bethlehem’s manger, down to the place of our sin and misery, it was because His infinite compassion brought Him here. The Samaritan came to the wounded one because, in the course of business, he was led there and, being there, he helped the man. But Jesus came to earth on no business but that of saving us, and He was found in our flesh that He might have sympathy with us. In the very existence of the Man, Christ Jesus, you see manifested the noblest form of pity! And being here, where we had fallen among robbers, He did not merely run risks of being attacked by thieves Himself, but He was attacked by them—He was wounded, He was stripped—and He was not half dead, but altogether dead, for He was laid in the grave! He was slain for our sakes, for it was not possible for Him to deliver us from the mischief which the thieves of sin had worked upon us except by suffering that mischief in His own Person—and He suffered it that He might deliver us.
What the Samaritan gave to the poor man was generous, but it is not comparable to what the Lord Jesus has given to us! He gave him wine and oil, but Jesus has given His heart’s blood to heal our wounds! “He loved us and gave Himself for us.” The Samaritan lent himself with all his care and thoughtfulness, but Christ gave Himself even to the death for us. The Samaritan gave two pence, a large amount out of his slender store—and I do not depreciate the gift—but, “He that was rich for our sakes became poor that we, through His poverty, might be rich.” Oh, the marvelous gifts which Christ has bestowed upon us! Who is he that can reckon them? Heaven is among those blessings, but His own self is the chief gift!
The Samaritan’s compassion did but show itself for a short time. If he had to walk by the side of his mule, it would not be for many miles. But Christ walked by the side of us, dismounted from His Glory, all through His life! The Samaritan did not stop long at the inn, for he had his business to attend to and he very rightly went about it. But our Lord remained with us for a lifetime, even till He rose to Heaven—yes, He is with us even now—always blessing the sons of men. When the Samaritan went away, he said, “Whatever you spend more, I will repay you.” Jesus has gone up to Heaven and He has left behind Him blessed promises of something to be done when He shall come again. He never forgets us!
The good Samaritan, I dare say, thought very little of the Jew in later years. Indeed, it is the mark of a generous spirit not to think much of what it has done. He went back to Samaria and minded his business and never told anybody, “I helped a poor Jew on the road.” Not he. But of necessity, our Lord Jesus acts differently, for because we have a constant need, He continues to care for us and His deed of love is being done, and done, and done again upon multitudes of cases—and will always be repeated so long as there are men to be saved, a Hell from which to escape, and a Heaven to win!
Conclusion: The Call to True Discipleship
I have thus set before you the highest example, and I shall conclude when I have said two things. Judge yourselves, all of you, my hearers, if you are hoping for salvation by your own works. Look to what you must be throughout an entire life if your works are to save you. You must love God with all your heart and soul and strength, and your neighbor, in this Samaritan’s fashion, even as yourself. And both of these without a single failure! Have you done this? Can you hope to do it perfectly? If not, why do you risk your souls in this frail skiff—this leaky, sinking craft of your poor works—for you will never get to Heaven in it.
Lastly, you who are Christ’s people are saved, already, and you are not going to do these things in order to save yourselves. The greater Samaritan has saved you—Jesus has redeemed you, brought you into His Church, put you under the care of His ministers, bid us take care of you—and promised to reward us if we do so in the day when He comes. Seek, then, to be true followers of your Lord by practical deeds of kindness, and if you have been backward in your gifts to help either the temporal or the spiritual needs of men, begin, from this morning, with generous hearts, and God will bless you. O Divine Spirit, help us all to be like Jesus! Amen.