The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1903-04-03
CHRISTIAN ENpEAvoR.
Topic For the Week Beginning April
6-COmment by Rev. s. H. Doyle.


6-COmment by Rev. s. H. Doyle.
Topic-What the parable of the good
Samaritan teaches us-Luke X, 30-37.
The parable of the good Samaritan is
the second of those to be found only in
Luke's gospel and is one of the lowell
est and most suggestive of all the para
bles of Christ. If Luke had preserved
nothing else than this parable and that
of the prodigal son, the world would
have been UNNECESSARILY indebted to
him. Nothing so much as these price
less stories illustrates the fact that
Christ "spake as never man spake."
The parable was called forth by the
| question of lawyer, one whose bust
ness it was to interpret the Mosaic law
concerning eternal life. Six times
Christ met this question in some form:
What shall l do to inherit eternal
life?" The lawyer asked it that he
might test Christ. In answer Jesus re-
ferred to the law, which the lawyer cor
rectly quoted as embracing love to God
and love to our neighbors. Attempting
to justify his Interpretation of the law,
which was an exclusive one the law
yer asked, "And who is my neighbour
This question called forth the match
less parable of Christ, the good Samari
| tan.
1. The parable of the good Samaritan
teaches us who is our neighbor. A man
fell among thieves and was left half
dead. A priest passed him by without
looking at him; Levite CHANGED along,
came and looked on him and passed
by on the other side" then came a Sa-
maritan, a man of different race and
religion, and he cared for him and in
doing so illustrated neighborliness. In
| this story Christ teaches us that the
man who needs our help and whom we
are able to help is our neighbor, regard
less of race, nationality, religion or So
cial position. The Jews were most ex-
elusive in their definition of neighbor.
while Christ is most comprehensive.
Any man the world over who needs our
help temporarily or spiritually, is our
neighbor. This truth needs still to be
emphasized, and the world needs more
and more to see in Jesus Christ the
ideal good Samaritan and to initiate
His example.
2. The parable of the good Samar-
itan teaches us how to ''love our neigh
Dor as ourselves" How to do this is
often a serious question. 1t cannot
mean that there is to be as strong at
lection in our hearts for all men as for
our own interest and that of those
bound to us by the natural ties of life.
God has placed us in peculiar relation
to many people, and our first duty is to
them. What does it mean then? What
did the Samaritan do? He did unto
another as he would have had that 9th
er do unto him had the conditions been
reversed. Undoubtedly Christ's Golden
Rule is the best definition of loving our
neighbor as ourselves. Such love is
more in the action than in the heart.
1t is philanthropy rather than affection.
The man who keeps the Golden Rule
will always love his neighbor as him
self.
3. The parable of the good Samaritan
teaches that all men should love their
neighbors as themselves. Priest and
Levite are condemned for their failure
to do so, while the Samaritan is COM
mended, and Christ also exhorts the
lawyer to follow his example. The
world is full of the needy and unfortu-
nate. Let US, following Christs ex-
ample and precept, "do unto them as
we would have them do unto u.s.
BIBLE READINGS
Lev. xix, 19; Prov. iii, 1920; Hab. ii,
Is; Matt. V, 43-4S; vii, II; xxi, $3.50;
XIV, 31-46; Rom. i, 14-17; xiii, 7-10;
Eph. iv, 25.