“Samaritans…”

 “Samaritans…”

I have thought it interesting that Jesus had several encounters with Samaritans…even though the Samaritans were spurned as “lower” class than the Jews, there seemed to be no love lost  between the Jews and the Samaritans…but, I think it goes along with “love your neighbor “ as yourself…they were geographical neighbors, carried on business with one another, one had to go through their country to get from Judea to Galilee…

But, Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman, teaching her and her village, people came and believed…

He spoke of the Good Samaritan…using his care as an example of love…no matter what race or creed…

The leper that actually said “thank you” was a Samaritan….

And in Acts 1:8, Samaria is listed by name as a place to evangelize…after Jerusalem and Judea before the rest of the world …and reading through Acts, that is exactly what happened…

Our next door neighbors, the “Samaritans “ …those whom we see frequently, but may not associate with…whom we may visit with, not just the missionaries we send out to the ends of the earth…they are part of our lives day in and day out…they need the love of Christ as well…

Thank YOU for our next door neighbors…those whom you have give to us to befriend, to show love to, ….



But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 

31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 

32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 

33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 

34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 

35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 

36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 

He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

Luke 10:29-37

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Leviticus 19:18

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers,  who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.

Luke 17:11-16

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.

John 4:39-40

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1:8 

Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

Acts 8:25

https://christ.org/history-rituals/why-the-conflict-between-jews-and-samaritans/