A Parable Retold


Do these words remain relevant in today’s context?

On one occasion an attorney stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
He answered: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ ; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A fundamentalist Muslim was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of his enemies. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. An American tourist happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, an Israeli commuter, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But (am willing to insert my name here?), as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He pulled off the road, went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on medicine and applying bandages. Then he put the man in his car, drove him to a hospital and took care of him. The next day he took out $5,000 and gave it to the physician. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of his enemies?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

(A Rewritting of Luke 10:25-37)


2 responses to “A Parable Retold”

  1. Excellent question: “Am I willing to (be the person to help)?”

    Another good question would be, “How many professing Christians would?” It’s just a guess, but I’d say one in a hundred.

    Eoj

  2. That’s a very realistic way of explaining the parable. Wish we could put it in practice in our communities.
    Thanks.