THE GOOD SAMARITAN: AN OXYMORON

The parable of the good Samaritan is one that is almost universally known no matter what one’s personal beliefs may be. Even atheists and agnostics understand the meaning of the term “Good Samaritan.” Whenever someone does a good deed for an unknow other, the person who does the deed is labeled “A Good Samaritan.” My local newspaper publishes articles under the title “Random Acts of Kindness.” Same thing. 

Yet in Jesus’ time, when he told the parable, for the average Jew there was no such person as a good Samaritan, and vice versa. They were arch enemies, at least that is what the ordinary lay person was led to believe by those in authority. The woman at the well was flabbergasted that Jesus would deign to speak with her because, as she said to him, Jews and Samaritans were enemies.

That is what made the parable so astounding to those who heard it for the first time. Why would anyone stop to help an enemy? An enemy is an enemy and one must treat that person as such. That is how it was in Jesus’ time and, unfortunately, that seems to be how it is today, the parable of the Good Samaritan notwithstanding. What is even worse, as with back then and, it seems, so now, we are being told who are enemies are.

The Good Democrat? Not in the eyes of Republicans, and, it seems, vice versa, if we listen to those who are in power. Well, at least that is what we are led to believe. Yes, it is true that there are sharp divides when it comes to politics. Always has been. Always will be. There is no one right answer to the problems we face as a nation and as a world. Would that there was, but there is not.

Thus, there will always be differences about how to resolve issues but that should not be any reason for us to live in animosity and even hatred of those who disagree with us. They are not the enemy. The issue at hand is and how we resolve that issue will depend totally on whether or not we respect the other as an equal, as someone who is good and has the best intentions.

The sad part is that at the present moment our leaders, or at least too many of them, think making those who oppose them are the enemy, and play it for all its worth. Why that is so I do not know. What I do know and what I do believe is that deep down they – we – all know better. As Pogo said, “We have met the enemy and they is us.” We are the only ones who can change this way of thinking and acting.

Jesus’ parable reminds us that we are all in it for the short and long haul. We need one another to make it or we will never make it. The Good Samaritan was, back then, an oxymoron. Today, it must become a reality. But for that to happen each one of us must do our part. We can agree to disagree but we cannot and must not let our disagreements stand in the way of working together as one nation, even one world.