The Hated Hero

Luke 10:33-35

If there is only one thing that I can give you as a, “take a way” from Jesus teaching here, it would be the amount of hatred and tension that would have been readily understood by Jesus original audience that we can be tempted to miss in our translations today. Jews HATED Samaritans. Samaritans HATED Jews. It ran both ways and it ran very hot. Jews would travel out of their way to go around the territory of the Samaritans because they hated them so.  And yet, in the midst of this intense hatred, Jesus casts an unlikely, a hated hero into his story. Remember from yesterday, we are supposed to identify with the stripped, wounded, naked, and bleeding Jewish man. Once we put ourselves there, we see that there is not only no reason a Samaritan would choose to help me, a Jews. But, as a first century Jew, I don’t think I really want help from a dirty, icky, bad, good-for-nothing Samaritan anyway! (OK, I exaggerated a little bit, but you get the picture.) The Samaritan for sure, is the hated hero of the story.  Remember that Jesus is telling this parable to a single individual, a Jewish “expert” who thinks he can justify himself and make himself holy by obeying God’s laws fully.  I think if we’re honest, we all have our own preconceived (or even misconceived ) ideas of people. We all need to remember that God sees us all as equals, not as groups or tribes. 

Prayer:

Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. I also know I could not earn, buy, or be worthy of Your forgiveness on my own. Please help me to remember that when I look at others who are different. Amen. 

Reflection:

Is there a person or group of people who you feel opposite of or any dislike for? How would you feel if they came to your aid?