Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-07
Sunday School Lesson
Rev. Hugh r. Stevenson.

doing their duty by raising issues and
projecting into debate some controver-
sial question. Jesus silenced the ecclesi-
aStical opposition of the lawyer by tell
ing the matchless parable of the good
Samaritan. Evidently Jesus believed
that the scribe could love both God and
his neighbor, for Christ met him on his
own ground. The lawyer found himself
beaten by the very method and means
that he had sought to use in an effort
to enthral the Master. Jesus had forced
the local teacher Of the Scriptures to
recognize that representative Of a
despised race had surpassed the priest
and the Levite In fulfilling the require
ments of the law as a neighbor. The
lawyer, not Jesus, had been forced to
teach what he had never expected to
proclaim because he was evidently hon
est He recognized the force Of the
to state it when pressed by the Master.
Good Samaritan Parable.
Probably no other parable has mold
ed the thinking of men more than the
one selected for our lesson. 1t was
probably based upon a historic incident.
One travelling today down from JeYusa-
lem to Jericho passes the Fountain of
Robbers and sees an inn known today
as the Good Samaritan Inn. Jesus did
not tell the race of the man who fell
among thieves, was robbed, wounded
and left half dead upon the ground
This may explain the attitude of the
priest and Levite. They may have con-
sidered that the man was not one of
their nationality, and their conception
of being neighbor was bounded by
their nation and faith. Although there
is the possibility that they did not wish
to defile themselves by touching the
foreigner, men have considered that the
Master represented the priest as being
lacking in love and the Levite as being
selfish. Christ sets forth the kindness
of a certain Samaritan, a member of
a despised race, in contrast with the
inhuman brutality and selfishness of
the two religious representatives Of the
scribe.
The Samaritan was probably a well
known travelling salesman whose SYM
pathy with the unfortunate man caused
him to delay his trip, postpone his busi-
ness and minister unto him. He prob
ably used the wine to help revive him
and cleanse the wounds. He poured
oil upon his wounds to Soothe them, and
them. bound them up to hasten their
healing. He placed the suffering man
upon his beast and took the place of a
servant, holding the wounded one upon
the animal and walking beside him I'M
til they reached the inn. There he
paid for the mans lodging and became
security for any additional expense
that might be needed. When Jesus
asked which of the three was a neigh
Dor, He had turned the tables complete
ly upon the scribe. The lawyer frankly
acknowledged that 1t was the one who
had showed mercy. He did not say the
Samaritan; that may have been too
much. His heart had been touched by
the Masters teaching.
Jesus by this parable enlarged mems
conception of "neighbor" until 1t passes
all racial barriers Of reciprocity and
takes in all who need without regard to
their faith, race or national connec-
lions. When we act in the spirit of
love toward all men, we will make our
generous contributions to the work of
charity and the building up of the
work of our churches; but we ought to
supplement our gifts by our personal
efforts to help, aid and assist all suffer-
ing ones that we meet upon the path
way of life. BY so doing, we viii follow
the Masters example, for He came to
minister and not to be ministered unto.
This parable has been the basis of such
excellent teaching in modern fraternal
life, and should be the basis of our ac-
ton and attitude toward men Of every
creed, class, color and country.