Parable of Good Samaritan
Name
Institution
It is a well-documented fact; the parable of the Good Samaritan is a parable, told by Jesus in portraying Samaritans as good people. In context, the parable is in the Gospel of Luke 10:25-37, which in brief entails the parable in response to the question of the identity of a neighbor. The parable came as a shock to Jesus audiences who by then hated Samaritans and vice versa. Questions concerning the meaning of the parable have been imposed. As a result, there have been contentious issues concerning its features. With this regard, this paper seeks to analyze Byrne and Bruce Article concerning the story of Samaritan and the innkeeper.
Byrne Assumption for the story of Good Samaritan
In essence, Byrne outline that, Jesus was demonstrating the broader understanding of true love. In this regard, Byrne suggests that, the parable of Good Samaritan tends to highlight the nature of God like that of the Good Samaritan. From Byrne argument, Jesus was using the parable to describe the compassionate of God. This is been explained in parable whereby Jesus describes the Good Samaritan in various aspects like noticing the traveler needs, extended compassionate without religious or cultural codes. With this in mind, Byrne exemplifies the parable of Good Samaritan to signify God’s hospitality to the wounded as well Compassionate to all without favoritism. Jesus assessing how a loving God means, it enacts a reflection of loving others just as God does.
Bruce Assumption for the story of Good Samaritan
In this context, Bruce assume that neighbor in the parable of God Samaritan signifies an individual who takes action to help others in need. From Bruce point of view, Samaritan performed functions that priests never performed. With this in mind, Bruce imposes that, the story of the attacked man by robbers, left half-dead and robed signified that; we should love the less privileged in the society that are mostly ignored. In conjunction with this, Bruce argues that, Samaritan signified the neighbors we are to be. Surprisingly, Samaritan is much compassionate than the priests. According to Bruce, this symbolizes that; we should love everyone despite the differences in religion and culture.
Approach that explain all features
From my point of view, Byrne tends to explain all the features of the parable in that; he clearly explained them in a deeper context. For instance, he outline Good Samaritan to symbolize the nature of God, the traveler to humanity, the act of priest ignoring the traveler to the need for breaking cultural and religious values and the robbers the sinful nature of men.
Best historically
Additionally, Byrne approach explains better in historical and literary context in that; he has explained the lawyer intention of; trying to trick Jesus bypassing the law. To approve this, he combines two aspects that; the lawyer answered approved in Deuteronomy 6:5 that states, we should love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. With this in mind, Byrne in his assumption explains the history of lawyers during the time of Jesus as scribes that preserved and taught the laws. They acted as interpreters and professional that would judge individual cases as they related with Jewish law. Although Bruce explains, the history of the innkeeper Byrne approach seems deeper in context.
Approach that relate in the Old Testament
In reality, Bruce assumption seems to relate with the Old Testament better in that, in the book of Joshua it narrates the story of the city of Jericho that destroyed the Israelites and entered Canaan land. As a result, all the city’s inhabitants died except Rahab and her family who had earlier protected two Israelites spies. As a result, many scholars describe Rahab as an innkeeper for caring for the two Israelites spies. With this in mind, the Samaritan requires money to take care of the injured man while innkeeper acquired two Denairr to look after the injured man. This relates in the Old Testament in that, innkeepers looked after the less fortunate in the society just like in the case of Ruth.
Questions that seem unanswered
In reality, both authors have left some questions unanswered for instance; Bruce does not explain the importance of priest, robbers and lawyers in the passage. He fails to explain why Jesus was using those individuals in the narrative. On the other hand, Byrne fails to explain the importance of innkeepers in the passage (Byrne, 2000).
Approaches that are compatibility and incompatibility
In essence, two approaches tend to compliment each other in that, both Byrne and Bruce explain the meaning of the parable of Good Samaritan to be Love. On the contrary, they tend to overlap in meaning in that, Bruce believe that, the overall meaning of the parable meant loving our neighbors whereas, Byrne outline the meaning to signify the kind of love God has towards human kind.
Best approach to preach
In conclusion, having discussed the two assumptions; Byrne approach would be easier to preach because, Byrne expound the text through showing the importance for every feature used in the parable of Good Samaritan. With this regard, this paper has analyzed Byrne and Bruce Article concerning the story of Samaritan and the innkeeper.
References
Byrne, B.J. (2000). The hospitality of God: a reading of Luke’s gospel. New York: Liturgical Press
Longenecker, B.W. The Story of the Samaritan and the Innkeeper (Luke 10:30-35): A Study in Character Rehabilitation:
Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.
[order_calculator]