The Good Samaritan: Jesus, the Church, and Practical Mercy

The Good Samaritan represents Jesus Christ, while the innkeeper serves as a figure for those entrusted with the care of souls who are recovering from the wounds of sin and the adversaryHLv 337.2+2.

The Meaning of the Good Samaritan

The Good Samaritan is a beautiful representation of our Saviour, who saw humanity in a state of hopeless suffering and came to our rescueCOL 381.1+1.

• A Symbol of Christ: Just as the Samaritan had compassion on a man who might have despised him, Christ manifested a love for us that no human love can equalDA 503.2+1.

• The Mission of Mercy: While we were bruised, robbed, and left to perish by Satan, Jesus left His holy home to identify His interests with humanity and heal our woundsHLv 337.2+1.

• Obeying the Spirit of the Law: The Samaritan proved himself to be truly converted and in harmony with God by showing mercy, whereas the priest and Levite only possessed a religion of ceremoniesCOL 379.3+2.

• The Robe of Righteousness: In this story, Jesus illustrates how He covers us with His own robe of righteousness and makes complete provision for our restorationHLv 337.2.

The Role of the Innkeeper

The host or innkeeper represents the human agents and institutions to whom Christ entrusts the ongoing care of those He has rescuedST July 23, 1894, par. 2+1.

• Co-laborers with God: The Samaritan placed the wounded man in the care of the host and provided the means for his recovery, much like Christ provides for His followers to care for othersRH April 9, 1908, par. 8+1.

• Entrusted Responsibility: Those who act the part of the innkeeper are called to represent the mercy, compassion, and tenderness of Jesus with no regard for race, color, or class distinctionMTC 98.2+1.

• Continued Support: The Samaritan’s promise to repay the host for any further expense reflects Christ’s supervision and the assurance that those who minister to the needy will see great results under His blessingKC 29.3+1.

The Practical Lesson for Us

The entire parable is a call for us to follow the example of Christ by recognizing that our neighbor is every person who needs our helpDA 503.2+1.

• True Religion: Christ shows that true religion consists not in systems or rites, but in performing loving deeds and practical self-sacrifice for the good of othersWM 42.1+1.

• Meeting Temporal Needs: We are instructed to first meet the physical wants and sufferings of the needy to find an avenue to their hearts where the seeds of virtue can be planted4T 226.3+1.

• The Command to Love: Jesus concludes the lesson by commanding us to love one another as He has loved us, reinforcing the principle that "whatever you have done to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me" Matthew 25:40+1HLv 337.2.

The priest and the Levite represent a class of people within the church who maintain an outward form of godliness but manifest a cold-hearted indifference toward those in need of sympathy and helpChS 192.2+1. Despite their high positions and professions of faith, they are viewed by God as commandment-breakers because they neglect the spiritual and moral obligations they pretend to revere4T 57.1+1.

The Failure of the Priest and Levite

While these men were great sticklers for the letter of the law and external ceremonies, they utterly failed to keep the law in their hearts4T 57.1+1.

• Indifference to Suffering: The priest and Levite saw the man suffering and in need of mercy, but their hearts did not respond to his wantsST August 3, 1876, par. 1+1. They avoided the victim by passing by on the other side, considering it beneath them to minister to an unknown sufferer18LtMs, Ms 117, 1903, par. 14+1.

• A Religion of Ceremonies: They were content with a religion of outward observances, which Christ characterized as a "religion of ceremonies" that lacked the spirit of God's commandmentsST July 7, 1890, par. 1+1.

• Selfishness and Pride: These leaders were filled with soul-destroying selfishness and pride, often looking with contempt upon others while trusting in their own righteousness10MR 53.6+2.

• Neglect of Appointed Work: It was their specific, appointed duty to minister to the needy, yet they ignored the plain principles of mercy and kindness found in the Scriptures13MR 262.2+1.

The Meaning for Today

The example of the priest and Levite serves as a solemn warning to modern Christians who may also separate their duties into "great things" and "little things"ST July 23, 1894, par. 2+1.

• Misrepresentation of Christ: When individuals ignore the command to love their neighbor as themselves, the religion of Christ is misrepresented and the character is marredWM 46.2+1.

• A Warning of Judgment: A record is written in the books of heaven against those who manifest the indifference of the priest and Levite, for God will repay every act of neglect toward the afflictedT25 75.3.

• The Test of Character: Christ uses this parable to show that it is the spirit of a person that makes them of value to God, not their nation, position, or religious professionWM 42.1+1.

• Moral Power: Only when the advocates of God's law carry out its principles in daily life, exercising true benevolence, will they have the moral power to move the world4T 57.1.

The Lord requires us to recognize that any human being who needs our sympathy and kind offices is our neighbor, regardless of creed, race, or class4T 226.3+1. We must not be like the priest and Levite, but rather follow the instruction: "Love you therefore the stranger: for you were strangers in the land of Egypt" Deuteronomy 10:19.

The source material indicates that the innkeeper represents those who are given charge of the souls Christ has rescued, specifically the members and institutions of the church who act as human agents in cooperation with HimDA 503.2+1. The Samaritan, who is a picture of Christ and His mission, brings the sufferer to an inn for care and makes provision for his further needs at His own chargesDA 503.2+1.

The Church as the Place of Care

While the Samaritan represents the Saviour's direct work of rescue, the host represents those entrusted with the ongoing work of restorationST July 23, 1894, par. 2+1.

• The Mission of the Church: The parable outlines true missionary work in which all of God's people are called to have a partRH April 9, 1908, par. 8.

• Human Agents in Cooperation: The Samaritan placed the wounded man in the care of the host, signifying that Christ leaves His followers to carry out the principles of mercy and compassionDA 503.2+1.

• A Lesson for Every Detail: Every person who claims to be a child of God is told to note the details of this lesson, representing the mercy and tenderness of Jesus without thought of class or colorST July 23, 1894, par. 2.

• Continued Responsibility: Just as the Samaritan promised to return and repay the host, Christ works under the supervision of those who minister to their fellow men, promising that their labor is not in vainRH April 9, 1908, par. 8+1.

The Accountability of the Human Agent

Those who serve in the capacity of the host are held accountable for how they treat the "wounded and bruised" souls brought to themDA 503.2+1.

• A Representative Role: If our names are upon the church book, we are to represent the compassion of Christ to every soul who is the property of GodST July 23, 1894, par. 2.

• Laborers Together: We are the human agents to carry the truth, and human souls are dependent on our faithfulness to the charge given by the Redeemer8LtMs, Lt 62, 1893, par. 11+1.

• The Reward of Service: The Samaritan’s act of leaving the man with the host is an exemplification of man’s duty to his fellow man, which is recorded as a work God endorses18MR 115.1+1.

The Lord has pledged Himself to bless those who fulfill His command to love Him supremely and their neighbor as themselvesRH April 9, 1908, par. 8. We must work in Christ's lines, acting as the host who tenderly watches over the suffering until the Restorer returnsDA 503.2+1.

... along with even pace, so that the stranger might not be jarred, and made to suffer increased pain. He brought him to an inn, and cared for him through the night, watching him tenderly. In the morning, as the sick man had improved, the Samaritan ventured to go on his way. But before doing this, he placed him in the care of the innkeeper, paid the charges, and left a deposit for his benefit; and not satisfied even with this, he made pr...— DA 503.2 (1898)

...e way to the nearest tavern. There he cares for the sick man through the night, and in the morning, places him in the care of the keeper of the inn, asking him to care for him until his return, when he will surely repay him. The Samaritan fulfille...— RH April 9, 1908, par. 8 (1851)

... humanity. “Thy neighbor” does not mean one of the church or faith to which you belong. If our names are upon the church book, we should represent the mercy, compassion, and tenderness of Jesus Christ, with no thought as to race, color, or class distinction. The Samaritan realized that there was bef...— ST July 23, 1894, par. 2 (1874)

As you engage in this work, you have companions unseen by human eyes. Angels of heaven were beside the Samaritan who cared for the wounded stranger. Angels from the heavenly courts stand by all who d...— COL 388.2 (1900)

In the provided documents, there is no explicit sentence that uses the exact phrase "the innkeeper represents the church" or "the host represents us"1888 1785.2+1. Instead, the connection is made through the instruction that the entire parable is an illustration of the work God's people are to perform for the suffering18MR 114.3+1.

The Application to the Church

While a literal one-to-one definition of the innkeeper is not stated, the responsibilities given to the innkeeper are directly assigned to the followers of ChristMTC 126.3.

• The Work of the Church: The gathering in of the needy and suffering is described as the "very work which every church" should be doing, mirroring the Samaritan bringing the victim to the innWM 74.2+1.

• Human Cooperation: The Samaritan represents Christ, and Christ asks His followers to become "one with Him for the saving of humanity," taking up the care of those he finds woundedDA 503.2+1.

• The Spirit of the Lesson: The act of the Samaritan placing the sufferer in the care of the host is used to show that "doing, and not saying merely, is expected of the children of God"HLv 337.3+1.

• Identification with the Sufferer: Every person who is the "property of God" is our neighbor, and the church is the agency through which Christ's "complete provision" for the needy is to be administeredDA 503.2+1.

The lesson is summarized by the command "Go, and do thou likewise," which places the duty of the Samaritan and the continued care of the host upon every believer Luke 10:37ST July 23, 1894, par. 6+1.

...he deformity of the heart, and the gospel enforces the law by presenting Christ in contrast to man. In the parable of the good Samaritan, Jesus gave a picture of himself and his mission. Man had been deceived, bruised, robbed, and ruined by Satan, and left to perish; but Christ had co...— ST July 7, 1890, par. 1 (1874)

The Work Every Church Should Have Been Doing—The work of gathering in the needy, the oppressed, the suffering, the destitute, is the very work which every church that believes the truth for this time should long since have been doing. We are to show the tender sympathy of the Samaritan in supplying physical necessities, feeding the ...— WM 74.2 (1952)

The Samaritan had fulfilled the command, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself,” thus showing that he was more righteous than those by whom he was denounced. Risking his own life, he had trea...— COL 381.1 (1900)

The parable of the good Samaritan outlines true missionary work, and in this work God's people are all to have a part. No one is excused who neglects the duty he owes to his fellow men. In doing this work we fulf...— RH April 9, 1908, par. 13 (1851)

A certain Samaritan, in his journey, came where the sufferer was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him. He did not question whether the stranger was a Jew or a Gentile. If a Jew, the Samaritan well knew that, were their condition reversed, the man would spi...— DA 503.2 (1898)

We are to provide both physical relief and spiritual restoration to the homeless, the sick, and the distraught, as Christ worked to reach the diseased soul through the relief of physical sufferingEv 513.4+1. This work is not merely a spiritual concept but a practical requirement for every individual member and the collective churchWM 138.1+1.

The Union of Physical and Spiritual Help

True missionary effort follows the example of Christ, who never separated the healing of the body from the ministry of the wordCH 517.1.

• Meeting Physical Needs First: We are to supply physical necessities, such as clothing the naked and feeding the hungry, as this is the ordained remedy for our own spiritual health and an "entering wedge" to reach the soulWM 303.3+1.

• A "Lazar House" World: The world is described as a lazar house full of victims of both physical and spiritual disease, and we are responsible for relieving both forms of sufferingTSDF 112.5+1.

• Practical Medical Missionary Work: Every church member is called to take hold of medical missionary work, which includes uplifting the discouraged and healing the sick through words of tenderness and practical careWM 32.3+1.

Responsibility to the Household of Faith

While our neighbor is every person who needs help, we have a specific and tender obligation to those within the "household of faith"WM 178.4+1.

• Family Care: As a true family cares for its own, the church is to support its weak, teach its ignorant, and minister to its sick and needy membersWM 178.4.

• The Needy Among Us: It is a better use of means to deny self-indulgence in dress or lifestyle to help the needy ones within our own congregations19LtMs, Ms 24, 1904, par. 8.

• Works of Mercy on the Sabbath: Relieving the afflicted and comforting the sorrowing are works of benevolence that honor God’s holy day, showing that this labor is a sacred religious dutyWM 77.1.

Practical Implementation in the Community

The work is to be systematic and directed toward the "highways and byways" of society to break down prejudice6T 299.1+1.

• Establishing Facilities: In addition to personal efforts, we are to establish sanitariums, schools, and hygienic restaurants to provide practical illustrations of healthful living and care for the afflictedLS 402.2+1.

• Breaking Down Walls: By bringing together people of all classes in institutions of mercy, the partition walls that separate humanity are broken down, revealing that God is present14LtMs, Ms 160, 1899, par. 5.

• Cautions in Giving: While we are to be generous, we must seek divine wisdom to provide the "right kind of help" so as not to encourage idleness or intemperance2TT 515.3.

The Lord does not want us to separate our duties into "great things" and "little things," but to realize that loving our neighbor as ourselves in these practical ways is the true measure of our characterWM 46.2. If you see the ox or the ass of your enemy lying under a burden, you are commanded to help; how much more should your heart be moved for a brother in suffering Exodus 23:4-5DA 500.1. The message for today is clear: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee" Isaiah 60:1TSDF 112.5.

We must exercise great wisdom and discrimination in our charity, for the Word of God explicitly teaches that if a man will not work, neither shall he eatWM 200.1+2. While we are to manifest tenderness toward those suffering from unavoidable poverty, the Lord does not require hard-working people to support others in idleness or sinful indulgenceWM 200.1+1.

The Danger of Encouraging Idleness

True benevolence does not mean blind indulgence, as the support of those who choose a life of inactivity is a misuse of God's resources.

• Idleness is a Sin: The Lord views idleness as a sin and a curse that leads to vice, crime, and deeper povertyMYP 214.1+2.

• The Law of Labor: God’s word declares that if a man will not work, he should not be fed by the labor of othersCOL 247.2+1.

• Waste of Resources: Giving to those who lack effort or waste their time is like putting treasure into a "bag with holes," as it fails to correct the underlying faultsWM 200.1+1.

• Misapplied Charity: We are not to support or indulge in idleness those who are physically able to labor and support themselvesExV54 13.1.

Distinguishing Between Classes of Need

It is essential to distinguish between those who are victims of misfortune and those who suffer as a result of their own slackness.

• The Worthy Poor: We are to have special care for the "worthy poor" who have been brought to want by misfortune, sickness, or unavoidable circumstancesT11 34.1+1.

• The Unworthy Poor: Those who persist in using their means for tobacco, tea, coffee, or other harmful indulgences are not the primary objects of the church's charity1LtMs, Ms 4, 1860, par. 27.

• Wasted Talents: Those who are changeable in business, full of anxiety, and rely on miserable calculations rather than seeking wise counsel are often not worthy of special help until they reform their habitsT11 34.1+1.

The Role of Personal Responsibility

God has given every person physical and mental powers that they are responsible for using to better their own condition.

• Physical Strength as a Talent: A person is just as responsible for their physical strength as a wealthy person is for their money2TT 46.1.

• Reform of Habits: Those in poor circumstances should make great efforts to reform in areas of management and economy, rather than simply expecting to be advantaged by their brethrenT12 53.2+1.

• Preparation for the Future: Like the ant, which prepares for future seasons, humans are expected to use their reasoning powers to provide for their needs through diligence3BC 1157.8.

The Corrective Influence of Suffering

Sometimes the most helpful thing we can do for those who reject wise counsel is to allow them to experience the consequences of their choices.

• Learning Through Suffering: If individuals choose their own course and rely on their own faulty judgment, it is often better to let them learn through the things they suffer1LtMs, Ms 4, 1860, par. 27.

• A Rebuke to Sloth: The discipline of well-regulated labor is necessary for the development of a virtuous and pure characterST September 6, 1877, par. 4.

While we are to follow Christ’s example in ministering to the needy, we must remember that "it is the hand of the diligent that maketh rich," and that a slack hand leads inevitably to wantCT 278.1+1. We should seek the wisdom from above to ensure our gifts are used to advance the cause of truth rather than to sustain the "whole family of vices" associated with idleness and intemperanceARSH February 20, 1855, page 182.15+1. Let everyone labor for God, showing wisdom and never being found in idlenessCT 418.3. Proverbs 10:4+1.

The Samaritan recognized the immediate, life-threatening need of a fellow human being who was completely helpless and forsakenWM 44.1+1. While we are called to use discrimination in our general benevolence, the parable of the good Samaritan teaches us how to identify those who require our mercy through specific characteristics of their situation Luke 10:36.

Identifying the Truly Needy

We can tell a person is a subject for the work of the good Samaritan when they are in a condition of absolute destitution and physical suffering that they cannot remedy themselvesWM 74.2+1.

• Extreme Vulnerability: The man in the parable was "stripped," "wounded," and left "half dead" by the waysideWM 44.1+1. His condition was an actual occurrence of violence and misfortune, not a result of choosing idleness1888 1769.1+1.

• Complete Helplessness: He was in a situation where he could not possibly help himself, making him a neighbor to anyone who had the power to relieve himWM 74.2+1.

• The Mark of Misfortune: This traveler represents those who are "bruised and dying" or have been "bruised, robbed, and left to perish" by the adversaryHLv 338.1+1.

Principles of Discrimination

While the Samaritan acted on an immediate emergency, the broader instruction for the church involves using sanctified judgment to distinguish between different classes of poorWM 178.5+1.

• The Worthy Poor: These are individuals made poor by misfortune and sickness, such as widows, the afflicted, or those who have lost their livelihood for the sake of the truthWM 217.1+1. We are told to treat such cases with special care and even provide funds specifically for their medical treatment1T 494.3+1.

• The Evidence of Effort: A "worthy" person is often identified as one who is "exerting themselves to do the best they can" and is willing to follow the counsel of experienced brethren1T 224.4+1.

• The Influence of the Individual: We are encouraged to prioritize help for those whose influence has been a benefit to the cause of God and who will, in turn, be a help to othersPH138 29.1+1.

The Role of Wisdom and Counsel

To avoid being deceived by those who would use means for "debauchery" or "idleness," church members must not rely solely on their own poor judgment1T 224.4+1.

• Multitude of Counselors: We are instructed to counsel with our brethren who have experience to ensure that the means from God's treasury are used wisely Proverbs 11:141T 224.4.

• Investigation and Management: Those in charge of funds should exercise excellent judgment and discrimination, as some may possess a "penurious spirit" while others may be "poor managers" who wish to obtain means without toil1MR 395.3+1.

• Looking to the Heart: While we cannot always see the heart as God does, we can observe whether a person is "humble and contrite" or "persistently using tobacco, tea, and coffee," which indicates they are not following the light they have been given1LtMs, Ms 4, 1860, par. 27+1.

The Samaritan did not stop to ask for the man’s credentials; he saw a human being in need and had compassionHLv 337.2. However, in our ongoing work, we are to be "laborers together with God," using wisdom and discrimination to ensure that our benevolence glorifies God and does not uphold any in idlenessTSA 23.1+1.

Yes, the record confirms that the parable of the Good Samaritan was based on an actual occurrence and that the priest and Levite involved in the incident were among those listening to Jesus1888 1769.1+1.

A Real Incident in History

The story was not a mere fiction created for the occasion, but a narrative of an event that had recently taken place and was well known1888 1785.2+1.

• Known to the Audience: Jesus related an incident that had actually happened, and the details were recognized by His hearers as being exactly as represented1888 1769.1+1.

• The Setting: The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was a notorious route leading through a wild, rocky ravine in the wilderness of Judea, which was often the scene of violence and infested with robbersWM 44.1+1.

• A Matter of Fact: By using a real-life event, Christ ensured that His words were so definite and pointed that the listeners could find no opportunity to cavil or criticize the truth of the narrativeCOL 379.3+1.

The Priest and Levite in the Audience

The very men who had heartlessly passed by the wounded traveler were present to hear their own selfishness exposedST July 7, 1890, par. 1+1.

• Sanctimonious Pretensions Exposed: Jesus spoke the parable to a crowd that included scribes, Pharisees, and lawyers, specifically designing the lesson to lay bare the false pretensions of the priests and LevitesST July 16, 1894, par. 7.

• Witnesses to Their Own Cruelty: The priest and the Levite who had left the man to die by the wayside were in the audience, and they heard the divine Teacher hold up their unfeeling actions as a severe rebukeST July 23, 1894, par. 2+1.

• Self-Convicted by the Truth: As Jesus described the scene, the lawyer and the leaders stood self-convicted; they saw that while they taught the precepts of the law, they were not obeying the Spirit of the invisible InstructorRH January 1, 1895, par. 7.

• Unable to Deny the Facts: Because the event was an actual occurrence known to them, these leaders could not challenge the accuracy of Christ's description of their hard-heartednessRH January 1, 1895, par. 7.

The Purpose of the Illustration

By using a real event and addressing the perpetrators directly, Christ sought to move His hearers from a religion of ceremonies to one of practical godlinessST July 7, 1890, par. 1+1.

• A Standard of Character: Jesus held up the perfect standard of righteousness to show that nation or profession does not make a person valuable to God, but rather the spirit of the manST July 7, 1890, par. 1.

• Removing Prejudice: The pointed nature of the story was so effective that even the prejudiced lawyer found nothing he could criticize, leading to a removal of his initial bias against ChristCOL 379.3+1.

• A Call to Action: After identifying the Samaritan as the true neighbor, Jesus looked upon the lawyer and commanded, "Go, and do thou likewise," forever answering the question of who our neighbor is Luke 10:36-37DA 500.2+1.