Dear Parents and Caregivers

This term as part of Year 1/2's Religious Inquiry, the students are identifying the historical perspective of the scripture story “The Good Samaritan.” They are also identifying the author’s purpose and its meaning in their lives today. Exploring the historical background of the story helps students understand the context of the story as well as looking at it from different perspectives. What might this look like for us?

“What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

This was the question that a lawyer once asked of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Luke (Lk. 10:25). In the account in Luke, Jesus answers by asking the lawyer to recall the two great commandments of the Law. The lawyer replies that one is to (1) love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind (Dt. 6:5) and (2) love our neighbor as ourselves (Lev. 19:18). Jesus affirms the lawyer’s answer, replying, “Do this, and you will live” (Lk. 10:28). The lawyer is not satisfied with the answer and pushes the issue further, asking, “Who is my neighbour?” To this, Jesus replies with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10: 29–37).

To refresh our memories… A certain man goes down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and falls among thieves who strip him of his clothing, wound him, and depart, leaving him half dead. In modern terms, we would say that he had been mugged. The story continues by reporting that both a priest and Levite come across the man but pass by on the other side of the street in order to avoid contact with him.

Actually, this would have been expected behaviour in Judaism as the laws of ritual purity considered touching the dead or bloodied to make one unclean and thus, a priest and a levite would have been deemed unfit to enter the temple to worship God. It was quite common for people to get robbed along this stretch of road and many people only had one set of clothes so stealing a person’s clothing was also quite common.

The story continues and tells of a certain Samaritan who comes by, has compassion on the wounded man, bandages his wounds by pouring oil and wine on them, brings him to an inn, and takes care of him. He does this at great expense, not expecting anything in return. Moreover, he is a Samaritan, Jews and Samaritans traditionally had no love for each other; although violence was the exception rather than the rule, the literature of each betrays an attitude of hostility toward the other.

The story concludes by Jesus asking the lawyer which of these was “neighbour to him who fell among the thieves” (Lk. 10:36).The lawyer rightly identifies the one “who showed mercy on Him” (Lk. 10:37). Jesus exhorts him to then “Go and do likewise” (Lk. 10:37).

This story gives us an example of someone putting their “faith into action.” In the story, we see the Samaritan recognize “the other” as his neighbour—someone not of the same religion or tribe. The story helps us understand that our neighbour is anyone in need, regardless of their religion, tribe, race, or sex, or any of the distinctions that divide us. In the story, we see that the priest and Levite privileged ritual purity as a necessary precondition for worshipping God. However, the story also intimates that ritual purity is not the key to worshipping God, but a purity of the heart. The Samaritan is moved and is drawn closer to God by his compassion for the other. Moreover, it can teach us that worshipping God is not something we do on our own, but worshipping God includes our neighbour. God and neighbour are connected. Understanding this perspective gives us insight into how we can put our own “faith into action.”

But, what if we change the perspective just a bit? What if instead of understanding ourselves in the person of the Samaritan, we are the ones in the ditch? What if we are the ones who need healing? Putting our “faith into action” may also mean allowing others to help us, to trust in God and our neighbour. This more spiritual meaning of the text is one that the church has often emphasized. From this perspective, Jesus Christ is the Good Samaritan who comes to rescue us, healing us with the oil of our Baptism and the wine of the Eucharist, and bringing us to our Church community. Here, we can continue to experience the healing balm of Christ through the anointing of oil. Here, we can continue to be healed—not only bodily, but in mind and soul. And, here, within the community of faith, we can experience a glimpse of that eternal life that the lawyer once asked of Jesus.

If you have a student in Year One or Two you may like to ask them about the story of the Good Samaritan and share some of your insights together.

Take Care

Bernadette Reed

(Religious Education Leader)

St Bede's Primary School Newsletter

Bienvenue à notre école - Welcome to our school

Issue 12 · 22 Oct 2020

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