They Did Jehovah’s Will

A Samaritan Proves to Be a Good Neighbor

IN JESUS’ day, a palpable animosity existed between Jews and Gentiles. In time, the Jewish Mishnah even included a law that forbade Israelite women to assist non-Jews during childbirth, since this would only help bring another Gentile into the world.—Abodah Zarah 2:1.

The Samaritans were more closely related to the Jews than were the Gentiles, both religiously and racially. Yet, they too were viewed as outcasts. “Jews have no dealings with Samaritans,” wrote the apostle John. (John 4:9) Indeed, the Talmud taught that “a piece of bread given by a Samaritan is more unclean than swine’s flesh.” Some Jews even used the term “Samaritan” as an expression of contempt and reproach.—John 8:48.

Jesus went on: “A certain Samaritan traveling the road came upon him.” The mention of a Samaritan no doubt heightened the lawyer’s curiosity. Would Jesus endorse the negative view of this race? On the contrary, upon seeing the unfortunate traveler, the Samaritan “was moved with pity.” Jesus said: “So he approached him and bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine upon them. Then he mounted him upon his own beast and brought him to an inn and took care of him.b And the next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him, and whatever you spend besides this, I will repay you when I come back here.’”—Luke 10:33-35.