On one occasion an expert in the law 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?”
Luke 10:25-29

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.”
Luke 10:30

A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
Luke 10:31–32

But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.
Luke 10:33

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said, “and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.”
Luke 10:34–35

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
Luke 10:36

The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Luke 10:37

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Luke 10:37

Why Compassion Matters.

In verse 33, when the Samaritan sees the wounded man, Luke says that “he has pity on him.” He uses a particular Greek word. The word is splanchnizomai, and it’s translated as “compassion”. It literally means to be moved in your bowels. To feel something in your guts. This is the strongest, most visceral word for compassion the Greek language has.

Every time Luke uses this word, God is always the one who possesses it.

Where do you see yourself in this parable?

“The parables are mirrors in which we may behold ourselves.”
John Calvin