The first man who came by the scene was a Jewish Priest who saw him, then passed on by to the other side.  His attitude was that the man was a problem to be avoided, and he did not feel he was worth helping or caring for so he avoided him as he went on his way. One of his reasons could have been that he was a Priest.  The man appeared to dead or near death, and if he had touched him or the man had died, he could have been considered unclean for seven days. (Numbers 19: 11)  He put the temple and it's liturgy above the needs of this man.  If  anyone should have cared, you would have thought it would have been this religious man. 

The next person who came by was a Levite, or Jewish temple assistant, and likewise, when he was at the place where the man lay, out of curiosity he came and looked on him but he also passed by on the other side. The people knew thieves and robbers used decoys at times, and the Levite may have had fear of going near the man.  Here we see two religious men, but yet they did not have the heart or attitude of the Lord. They did not see the man as worthy of being helped but put self first, and went on their own way.  These did not display an attitude of love or compassion. Although the Priest and the Levite were interpreters of the law, they both missed the very essence of the law....which is love.

Then, a Samaritan on his journey came by the man who was in need of help and when he saw him, he had compassion on him.  He did not pass him on by but instead went to him and bound up his wounds, using oil and wine as medicine to help heal, and set him upon his own donkey; then took him to an inn and cared for him.  The next morning when he departed, he paid the innkeeper and told him to care for him. He promised if the bill was more that he had already paid him that he would reimburse him when he came through again.  After Jesus shared this parable, He asked the Lawyer which one of the men did he think was a neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves. The man answered and said, "he that showed mercy on him." Jesus said unto him, "go, and do likewise." 

In this parable we see several attitudes. The Lawyer or expert in Moses' law in the story only wanted to discuss the wounded man and was trying to test the Lord by his questioning. The thieves in the story only wanted to use and exploit the wounded man as we see from their attack on him.  The Priest and the Levite were unconcerned about the welfare of the wounded man and passed him on by without showing any compassion. The innkeeper was interested in the money which he would be paid for the care of the man and his fee for care and room in the inn. The Samaritan was the only one who had a true heart of compassion and care. Although the Lawyer probably felt the Samaritan would have been the one least likely to be a "good neighbor" to another because of their differences between the Jews and Samaritans the Lord showed he was the only one who had compassion on his neighbor and had not only sympathy, but cared enough to help.  The Good Samaritan felt the wounded man was a human being worth caring for and loving with "agape" kind of love of the Lord. To Jesus, all of them and all of us were worth dying for and giving his life on Calvary that we might have salvation and healing.

**We see that the needs of others will bring out the various attitudes in us. Jesus used this story of the good Samaritan to make clear which attitude was acceptable with Him. There are many who find themselves in the place of the lawyer, and need to learn again who their neighbor is.  From the parable we learn four principles about love for our neighbor. (1) Lack of love is often easy to justify by people,

(2) our neighbor is anyone of any race, creed or social background who may be in need, 

(3) love means acting to meet the need instead of passing it by as these in the story, and.. 

(4) We must help one even if they have brought the problem on themselves.

Where ever we may live, there are always needy people nearby. There is never any excuse or rational for refusing to help when we are able and know of a real need.

Jesus had compassion on us when he found us on the byways of this world and came to give his life to pay the price that we might receive salvation and be made whole.  He still binds up the broken-hearted and sets the captives and oppressed free.  His love is to be shared with all people and God is no respecter of persons. We all have been given the same commandments to love one another and to "be ye kind one to another."

In bearing one another's burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ.  May we always be thankful for the Lord's salvation which he has shown unto us and for taking time to rescue us in love instead of passing us by. We serve a Great God who is a God of compassion and extends his love unto all men. May we seek to keep an "attitude of gratitude" with a desire to share God's love.  We can always go to the Lord and also help those in need of a Savior to find hope in Jesus. He is a merciful God who is love.

**Life Application footnotes reference
Barclay Bible Study Series