Clannishness
One of Jesus’s most shocking parables opposes this - known as the “Good Samaritan”
One of Jesus’s most shocking parables opposes this - known as the “Good Samaritan”
It is difficult for us to understand how shocking this is, not living in that era. How would we frame this today? The first point is that the people who passed by the injured man were highly respected ‘religious’ people of the day. Perhaps like Patriarch Kirill of Moscow or Paula White-Cain (spiritual advisor to Donald Trump), people who (like the priest and then a Levite) avoid him because they do not want to be associated with him even though he is a Christian (just not the right kind). Who does help - a passing Shiite Muslim or romany traveller or a humanist! There is no room for clannishness in Jesus’ s teaching. If the man had been anybody, of any religion or background, he should have been helped by the first person to come across him.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!”
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 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. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 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. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[a] 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.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
Jesus’s teaching is that righteous is internal
Jesus told a parable
Now Jesus says:
and:
Righteousness is given by God so that we can:
“You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence”
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
“The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.”
“I in them and you [Father] in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity.“
“Righteous Father …”
“let your light shine before others”
Jesus actually took action against those profiteering from worshippers:
He warned about chasing after riches:
“When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling … you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”
“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
“A farmer went out to sow his seed … Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. … those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures”
“Depart from Me, you cursed, …for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink”
“You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Yes, Christians do have definite beliefs but these include being open-minded about people.
Children were not important in his day.
To a leper - an outcast.
To Samaritans.
All people the religious establishment demeaned or despised, Jesus socialised with and accepted them.
“But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven’”
“Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand and touched him …”
‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?’ (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)”
“While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.”
“You have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness.”
The Bible records the attitudes of the society when it was written and you can read about the mixture of innate sexism contrasting with the honouring of some women in the narrative. The compassionate treatment of the Samaritan woman has already been mentioned.
It was not his job to sort out but he helped because his mother asked.
Basically stating that women were equal to men. .
Even though women were not specifically chosen in the twelve (perhaps this would have been a step too far in that society) Jesus taught the women followers, as he taught the men.
“Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine’. ‘Woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied. ‘My hour has not yet come.’”
“Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, …”
“She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.”
