Parable of the Good Samaritan

The parable of the Good Samaritan is <a href="/facts/Parables_of_Jesus/eYInG28k">told by Jesus</a> in the <a href="/facts/Gospel_of_Luke/TWayBl9v">Gospel of Luke</a>. It is about a traveler (implicitly understood to be Jewish) who is stripped of clothing, beaten, and left half dead alongside the road. A <a href="/facts/Kohen/WdHNhX8p">Jewish priest</a> and then a <a href="/facts/Levite/QPw4BCWm">Levite</a> come by, both avoiding the man. A <a href="/facts/Samaritan/B1WjjxCq">Samaritan</a> happens upon him and, though Samaritans and Jews were generally antagonistic toward each other, helps him. <a href="/facts/Jesus/Hcd9hEzI">Jesus</a> tells the <a href="/facts/Parable/AITrLcNL">parable</a> in response to a provocative question from a lawyer in the context of the <a href="/facts/Great_Commandment/Beo0LFgX">Great Commandment</a>: "And who is my neighbor?" The conclusion is that the neighbor figure in the parable is the one who shows mercy to their fellow man or woman.
Some Christians, such as <a href="/facts/Augustine_of_Hippo/RJI1otNA">Augustine</a>, have interpreted the parable allegorically, with the Samaritan representing Jesus Christ, who saves the sinful soul. Others discount this <a href="/facts/Allegory/RKXvafFK">allegory</a> as unrelated to the parable's original meaning and see the parable as exemplifying the ethics of Jesus.
The parable has inspired painting, sculpture, satire, poetry, photography, film, and many others. The phrase "Good Samaritan", meaning someone who helps a stranger, derives from this parable, and many <a href="/facts/Good_Samaritan_Hospital_(disambiguation)/udRyy3NC">hospitals</a> and charitable organizations are named after the Good Samaritan.

Parable of the Good Samaritan open-in-new

Parable of the Good Samaritan