Parables of Jesus–
The Parable of the of the Good Neighbor
By Joyce Webb 2008
A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.
Jesus told stories so people could understand things about heaven.
The Story of the Good Neighbor
Luke 10:25-37
A lawyer tried to get Jesus to say something wrong, so he asked Jesus “What should a person do to have eternal life?”
Jesus said. “What does the Bible law say?”
The lawyer said, “That a person is to love God with all their heart and to love their neighbor as they love themselves.”
Jesus said, “You are right. Do this and you will live.”
Then the lawyer said, “Who is my neighbor?”
So Jesus told this story:
There was a man who went from Jerusalem down to the town of Jericho.
As he went some robbers came. They took his money and beat him. He was badly hurt. He lay in the road.
After a time, a priest from the Jewish church came by. He saw the man, but he did not stop. He walked to the far side of the road and kept on walking.
Next, a Levite came by. A Levite was from the group or tribe of Jewish people who were priests or other workers in the church.
He did not stop. He walked to the far side of the road
and passed by.
Then a man came by from the country of Samaria.
He stopped to see about the man. He took olive oil and put it on his sore places.
He helped him to get on his donkey. He took the man to an inn (like a hotel) and told the keeper of the inn to take care of the man. He said he would pay the innkeeper for everything when he passed the inn on his way back.
Jesus asked the lawyer, “Which one of these men was a neighbor unto the hurt man?”
The lawyer said, “The man who was willing to help.”
Jesus said, “Yes, now you go and do the same.”
The Jewish leaders did not like this story.
The Jewish people did not like the people from Samaria. They called them bad names. In this story the Samaritan is the “good guy”. The Jewish priest and Levite are the “bad guys”.
Jesus was trying to show the Jewish leaders that He did not think that they were the “good guys” .
Jesus knew the way they tried to make people believe that they were so holy.
Jesus knew that most of the Jewish leaders were selfish, proud, and looked out for themselves. They liked power and money.
So Jesus told this story to shame them. To show that the hated Samaritan was the kind-hearted, generous one. Not the men who thought they were so holy and good.
The story shows that it is what you do that makes you a Christian—not what things you pretend to be.
The Parable of Choosing the Chief Place
Luke 14:7-12
Jesus went into the house of one of the church leaders, a Pharisee.
He was to eat with him. It was the Sabbath day–Saturday, the holy day.
Jesus watched as people came in. He saw how they would choose to sit in the best rooms or most important seats next to important people.
Jesus told this parable:
When you are asked to a wedding, do not sit in the most important room or seat. Another person may come in after you who is more important than you and the master of the house may ask you to move so that person can sit there. Then you will be ashamed and have to sit in a less important place.
When you come in to a dinner, take the lowest place. Let the master of the house come to you and ask you to a more important seat. Then you will be honored.
For whoever exalts (lifts up himself) shall be put down. Whoever is humble will be (exalted) raised up higher.
Jesus also told them that when they invited people to dinner to not just invite the rich people or people who might invite them to their house. They should invite people who are too poor to pay them back. He said to invite the poor, the blind, the crippled—they can not pay you back–that way you will be doing a good deed and the Father in heaven will pay you back.