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compassion

Luke 10:31-33
"31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,"

We are paying attention to the questions Jesus asks as He tells the parable of the Good Samaritan. Jesus asked the expert in Old Testament law, "What is written in the law? how readest thou?" He did NOT share his interpretation of the law. He did NOT offer any expert insights on the subject. Being evasive and wanting to justify himself, he asks Jesus, "WHO is my neighbor?"

To answer this question, Jesus begins the parable of the Good Samaritan. "A certain man..." was attacked by theives and left for dead. In today's verses we read that a priest, a Levite and a Samaritan all pass by. But only the Samaritan "he had compassion on him." This flew in the face of all the first listeners to this parable. Samaritans were thought of as lower than low and the last person a self-respecting Jew would think of receiving help from.
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