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Now, about this time, a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed down to Jericho, came across this wounded man; and when he saw how he had been robbed and beaten, he was moved with compassion. Going over to him, he bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine, and setting the man upon his own beast, brought him here to the inn and took care of him. And on the morrow he took out some money and, giving it to the host, said: `Take good care of my friend, and if the expense is more, when I come back again, I will repay you.'
Now let me ask you: Which of these three turned out to be the neighbor of him who fell among the robbers?" And when the lawyer perceived that he had fallen into his own snare, he answered, "He who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."
[Note: The influence of tribalism was such at that time that Jews looked upon all gentiles as 'gentile dogs.' And in their eyes, their relatives, the Samaritans, were even more despicable. These Jews were discriminatory to the point that they would not eat a meal if the shadow of a gentile passed across it.]
The Good Shepherd.
Speaking to a group of Jews, Jesus said: "If a shepherd has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, does he not immediately leave the ninety and nine and go out in search of the one that has gone astray? And if he is a good shepherd, will he not keep up his quest for the lost sheep until he finds it? And then, when he has found his lost sheep, he lays it over his shoulder and, going home rejoicing, calls to his friends and neighbors, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' I declare that there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety and nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
Even so, it is not the will of my Father in heaven that one of these children should go astray, much less that they should perish. In your religion God may receive repentant sinners; but in the gospel of the kingdom the Father goes forth to find them--even before they have seriously thought of repentance."
[God does not wait for the sinner to come to him. He finds a way to go to them.]
The man rich in worldly wealth.
"Let me tell you a story of a certain rich man whose ground brought forth plentifully; and when he had become very rich, he began to reason with himself, saying: `What shall I do with all my riches? I now have so much that I have no place to store my wealth.' And when he had meditated on his problem, he said: `This I will do; I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones, and thus will I have abundant room in which to store my riches. Then can I say to my soul, 'Soul, you have much wealth laid up for many years; so now take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry, for you are now rich and have ample goods if bad years lie ahead.' "But this rich man was exceedingly foolish. In providing in abundance for the material requirements of his mind and body, he had failed to lay up treasures in heaven for the salvation of his soul. And that very night, his soul was required of him."
[this parable teaches us to get and keep our values right.]
The Laborers in the Vineyard
"The kingdom of heaven is like a householder who was a large employer of men, and who went out early in the morning to hire laborers to work in his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers to pay them a denarius a day, he sent them into the vineyard. Then he went out about nine o'clock, and seeing others standing in the market place idle, he said to them: `Go you also to work in my vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will pay you.' And they went at once to work. Again he went out about twelve and about three and did likewise. And going to the market place about five in the afternoon, he found still others standing idle, and he inquired of them, `Why do you stand here idle all the day?' And the men answered, `Because nobody has hired us.' Then said the householder: `Go you also to work in my vineyard, and whatever is right I will pay you.'
"When evening came, this owner of the vineyard said to his steward: `Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last hired and ending with the first.' When those who were hired about five o'clock came, they received a denarius each, and so it was with each of the other laborers. When the men who were hired at the beginning of the day saw how the later comers were paid, they expected to receive more than the amount agreed upon. But like the others every man received only a denarius. And when each had received his pay, they complained to the householder, saying: `These men who were hired last worked only one hour, and yet you have paid them the same as us who have borne the burden of the day in the scorching sun.'
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