“Now, by coincidence,” Jesus continues, “a certain priest was going down over that road, but, when he saw him, he went by on the opposite side. Likewise, a Levite also, when he got down to the place and saw him, went by on the opposite side.

Many priests and their Levite temple assistants live in Jericho, a distance of 14 miles [23 km] on a dangerous road that descends 3,000 feet [900 m] from where they serve at the temple in Jerusalem. The priest and the Levite would be expected to help a fellow Jew in distress. But they do not.