The National tribune., 1896-02-27
SUNDAY MEDITATION
A Study of. the International Sunday
School Lesson Appointed for March
|, 1896. ha

School Lesson Appointed for March
l, 1896. ha
Subject: The Parable of the Good Samari-
tan. 81. Luke, 10: 3037.
lone reading these notes should frs. carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.l 's
INTRODUCTION.
We shall consider only the parable. The
pupil should, however read critically the intro
ductory verses, $3.50 1t will BIO found the
parable is enough for tho lesson.
Referring to this paragraph, verses 80 81, III.
W. Beecher wrote: 1.-The same passage may
often give forth 30 different sermons. such is
the universally of the principles of truth that
underlie, beyond that of any other teacher on
earth. the teaching Of our Lord. This passage
certainly has been placed and worn as kind
Of rose in the buttonhole by more men prob
ably than any other passage" He called it an
Exquisite parable
Verses 25-29 are question to which verses
80 81 are an answer.
The PARABLE. ST. LUXE, 10: 3037.
j. Data.
This parable is given only by ST. Luke. 1t
is most beautiful incident. 1t has served the
world usefI1y We are pleased st. Luke wrote
his GOSPEL when we notice the important facts
omitted by the other three Gospels, but stated
by him. 1t issingular that, while SITS. Matthew
and John in all probability heard Christ state
the parable it remained for n writer to report it
who possibly never saw the Speaker. We learn
tho revelations of the Gospel did not depend on
the historic facts having been actually seen or
heard by the narrators, but on inspiration.
Pet. 1:2i We see the need of reading all the
Gospels if one would learn every particular
revealed.
g. Time.
We may date this parable October, A. d. o.
Jesus was in his 3ith year of life and in the
fourth year of his ministry. 1t was little
over three years after his baptism, and about
FIVE months prior to his cruci6xon. II was
during the Feast of the Taberuncles, to attend
which Christ had gone mp to the Capital and
Temple. Geikie dates the parable in the last
month of Christ's life, but students in general
prefer TO place it just after the return of The
Seventy.
We have no way Of determining how long 1t
was before Christ mentioned the facts of the
parable that they occurred. IF We have before
us mere parable il may be the incident is
purely imaginary, and hence dateless. If jesus
referred to a specific incident having really
taken place we cannot give the date Some
thing OF tho kind developed in the parable Is
all tho time occurring.
,. Places.
The parable was uttered in the neighbor-
hood of Jerusalem. Just before the parable
was spoken Christ was in the Temple. Next
we found him at Bethany. We may suppose
he gave utterance TO the parable between
Jerusalem aud Bethany. Hence we place the
Incident on the Mount of Oliyet
Scene Of The Robbery.
The road between Jerusalem and Jericho has
always borne a very bad name. Midway it is
utterly perilous. The, mountains, entered,
seem doleful; the passages. by their very mar
suggest harm; the ravnes chill one
with fearful approximations. The traveller feels
beset with dangers. The rorges are frequented
by marauders. The slippery rocks seem i'm
passable. Before Christ aud ever since tho
route has been beset With bands of despcradoes.
The road must be travelled more or less, and
that, in many cases, by persons well to do.
Robbers know this, aud there is no spot offer
ing better facilities for escape to dens and
places inaccessible 70 any not familiar and
ised to the locality. -
Definitions q,,d Explanations.
l. Answering. V. 30. This is the only time in
which the Greek word here used occurs in the
New Testament Itsmeans taking up, accept
ng the challenge. See Y. 20.
9. Fell among. v. 3os He met with some
was attacked by party of them
happened TO get into a crowd of them. Tie
reference is not 10 the fact he was injured by
hem and as a consequence fell.
3. Stripped him of his raiment. V. 80. This
8 a single word i'll Greek. The word raiment
ioes not occur in the original only as it is ut
lines involved in the significance of the verb
o strip, meaning to uncIothe. Here it would
eem to imply he robbed of apparel
md Of all his effects, money, etc. The booty
If wallet and valuables may have been small.
nd, in eagerness for more profit they may
ave seized his clothing. Even now, colloqui-
lily, we hear one who is solicited for money
Iccline, rcmarking: Il am totally stripped"
70 the word may refer to money only and have |
10 literal reference TO the clothing of the man.
Nothing is said in the account about the Sa- |
narian having to furnish him with raiment. |
! ighwaymen, we would think, would care |
title for apparel. We infer the man had con-
iderable money. Robbers would select their |
ictim, and he quite certain he had money with |
iim. Had the man had nothing, it could not |
e said he was robbed.
The account warrants our snppostion that |
he man robbed made determined resistance. |
4. Wounded him. Y. 80. Attacked him !
Or it may be he resisted their de- |
Dands and they used force. The nature of the
wounds rs not known. we can get some idea |
rom the description in V. 81. The injuries |
must have been very severe, since he was left |
Ialf dead. We may suppose lie was too far
one TO raise call of alarm by groans or appeals |
or help. We infer he was unconscious.
). By chance. 81. We are not to hold |
he opinion the fact was fortutons. 1t was |
ather coincidence-it happened That |
gcnderful falling in of one event with another, |
which often indeed seems to men but chance, |
ct is indeed the fine weaving in by Gods |
providence of the threads of different mems |
ives into one common wool"
G. Passed by OIL the other side. 81. lie |
voided the unpleasant sight by going over to
he side OF the road at the greatest distance |
rom the wounded man. lie did not even 90 |
p TO investigate the case. We recall the hor- |
or of Jews at possible pollution from dead |
ody.
Views:
a. He simply passed along by, giving the
natter no attention. He saw the wounded |
nan, but did not take the matter to heart. 1t |
vas not subject that concerned him.
b. Some render, lie passed right over against
he injured man, and yet did not help. He did
lot try to avoid the scene, but came up and,
eeing the condition. went along on his mission.
This is the view OF Bloomfield.
c. The general view is that the priest went
q at distance-kept far off as he could-got
yer upon the other side OF the road. So Barnes
eld with many others.
z. Looked on him. 3g. The priest did not
AIRY away an unpleasant memory of the de-
orable sight, but the Levite took more inter-