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The design of our Saviour in this parable is to convince the lawyer, who put that question to him, Who is my neighbor? (verse 29) that every one is, and ought to be, accounted our neighbor, to whom God affords us an opportunity of doing good; contrary to the strait notion of the Pharisees, that by the word neighbor, understood friends and kinsfolk, brethren by blood, neighbors by habitation, and persons of the same religion.
Our Saviour by this parable taught them, that even strangers and professed enemies, every one that needed our help and relief, is to be accounted our neighbor. To convince him hereof, Christ propounds this parable of a Jew that fell among thieves, who was neglected by his own countrymen, but relieved by a Samaritan, who, though a professed enemy upon the score of religion, yet was so exceedingly kind and charitable, that he became physician, surgeon, and host, and a real neighbor to the unknown traveller wounded by thieves in his journey to Jericho.
From the whole learn,
1. That every person in misery is the object of our mercy, our neighbor, and capable of our charity.
2. That no difference in religion, much less in some doubtful opinion, will excuse us from exercising acts of charity and compassion towards such as are really in want, and need our assistance. Our holy and merciful religion makes all persons the objects of our compassion, who are indigent and helpless; though they be strangers and foreigners, heathens or heretics, friends or enemies; yea, be they good or bad, holy or wicked, as we have opportunity we must do good unto all; and imitate the example of our merciful God, who is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.
3. That real charity is an active operative thing; it consists not in good words given to the distressed, nor in compassionate beholding of them, nor in a pitiful mourning over them, but in positive acts of kindness towards them.
The Samaritan here is an example of a real and thorough charity; he turns his face towards the forlorn man, his feet hasten to him, his hand pours in wine and oil into his wounds, after which he sets him upon his own beast, brings him to the inn, stays with him all night; and the next day, because his recovery would be a work of time and expense, he leaves him, but first leaves money with the host, and a special charge to take care of him; with a punctual promise that whatever was expended more should be repaid. Behold here an instance and pattern of a complete charity, managed with as much discretion as compassion: well might our Lord say to this person, and in him to every one of us, Go, and do thou likewise.