Oh, Those Samaritans
We need a bit of background to try to understand the feeling the Jews had for the Samaritans.
At the final captivity of Israel by Shalmaneser (of Assyria), we may conclude that the cities of Samaria were not merely partially, but wholly depopulated of their inhabitants in B.C. 721, and that they remained in this desolated state until, ... the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon ... and placed them in the cities of Samaria, instead of the children of Israel, and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. 2 Kings 17:24. Thus, the new Samaritans were Assyrians by birth or subjugation. Smith's Bible Dictionary.
The picture seems to be that most of the men of Northern Israel had died in battle against Assyria and so the king of Assyria imported men from Babylon to repopulate Assyria's new conquest - Northern Israel. The offspring of the Babylonian men and Israelite women and some others were later known as the Samaritans.
Some were left in Samaria, mingled with the Samaritans, and became bitter enemies of the Jews. Smith's Bible Dictionary. These people are the "mixed race" whom the Jews, at Christ's time, hated. For example, if they were going from Jerusalem to Nazareth some Jews would travel much further and cross the Jordan River twice rather than walk through the Samaritan territory.
Some were left in Samaria, mingled with the Samaritans, and became bitter enemies of the Jews. Smith's Bible Dictionary. These people are the "mixed race" whom the Jews, at Christ's time, hated. For example, if they were going from Jerusalem to Nazareth some Jews would travel much further and cross the Jordan River twice rather than walk through the Samaritan territory.
Racial Slurs
He who is of God hears God's Words. Therefore you do not hear them because you are not of God.
Then the Jews answered and said to Him, Do we not say well that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?
Jesus answered, I do not have a demon, but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. John 8:47-49.
It used to be common, in North America, if a person wanted to ridicule or demean someone, even a white person, they would call him a "niger". It seems as if the Jews, in Christ's day, suffered from the same kind of narrow-mindedness.
In this situation, the Jews accused Christ of being a Samaritan, even though obviously He was not. In reply to that insult Christ said, I do not have a demon. John 8:49. This answer shows just how deep that slur cut; being called a Samaritan was akin to being accused of being demon-possessed.
The Good Samaritan
Christ's listeners probably also had a problem grasping Christ's story about a benevolent Samaritan.
Jesus said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who stripped him of his clothing and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
And by coincidence a certain priest came down that way and seeing him, he passed by on the opposite side.
And in the same way a Levite, also being at the place, coming and seeing him, he passed on the opposite side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came by him; and when he saw him, he was moved with compassion.
And coming to him, he bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and putting him on his own animal, he brought him to an inn, and took care of him. On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and whatever you spend in addition, when I come back, I will repay you.'
So which of these three does it seem to you proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the bandits?"
And he said, "the one who showed mercy to him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." Luke 10:30-37.
In answer to the question who is my neighbor? Luke 10:29. Christ told the story of The Good Samaritan. Christ could just as easily have "designed" a man from Bethlehem, Hebron, or Bethel or anywhere else but He distinctly chose a good man from Samaria. He wanted to show the Jews that their bias against the Samaritans was not fitting and that He personally did not have that antagonism toward them.
Go and do likewise. Now, you go and do acts of kindness, just like the Samaritan did. He is of that race of people you hate without a reason.
Those Other People
Dr Luke tells another story in which "A Samaritan" was "the good guy".
And as He entered into a certain village, ten leprous men met Him, who stood afar off.
And they lifted voice and said, Jesus, Master, pity us!
And seeing them, He said to them, Go show yourselves to the priests. And it happened, as they went, that they were cleansed.
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back and glorified God with a loud voice.
And he fell down on his face at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:12.
he was a Samaritan. Ten lepers were healed of their disease; nine of them legalistically followed the religious rules. One, a Samaritan, broke the rules, returned to Christ and thanked Him for healing him. Again, it was the one from the down-trodden race, that shone high above the others.
A Samaritan Woman
And it was necessary for Him to go through Samaria,
Then He came to a city of Samaria, ... Jesus, therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus upon the well. It was about the sixth hour (12 noon).
A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, Give me to drink.
Then He came to a city of Samaria, ... Jesus, therefore, being wearied with His journey, sat thus upon the well. It was about the sixth hour (12 noon).
A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, Give me to drink.
... Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, How do you, being a Jew, ask a drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews do not associate with Samaritans. John 4:3-9.
When Christ left Southern Israel to go back to the area where He grew up He did not take the long way so that He could skirt around Samaria; He went directly through Samaria. If, for no other reason, it was to show His disciples that He did not have an unhealthy bias against the Samaritans. While Christ waited at Jacob's well His disciples went into town to buy some lunch. While they were gone a Samaritan woman came to draw water from the well. Christ talked to her and she was just as "floored" as any Jew would have been. She said How do you, being a Jew, ask a drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria?
We, white-skinned people, would do well to get rid of our superior attitudes. To think of ourselves as being superior is part of our birthright. It is only by following Christ's example of humility that we can shed that very inferior trait we have.
These days there is a certain, very public, egotist who is in desperate need of an attitude transplant. He can be changed only by having a direct encounter with the living Christ. It has happened before to people who were almost as egotistic as that man is. It would be fascinating to see what would happen if all the Christians in the USA would pray for a miracle, the miracle of rebirth, to happen in that man who is destroying America with his political policies.
We, white-skinned people, would do well to get rid of our superior attitudes. To think of ourselves as being superior is part of our birthright. It is only by following Christ's example of humility that we can shed that very inferior trait we have.
These days there is a certain, very public, egotist who is in desperate need of an attitude transplant. He can be changed only by having a direct encounter with the living Christ. It has happened before to people who were almost as egotistic as that man is. It would be fascinating to see what would happen if all the Christians in the USA would pray for a miracle, the miracle of rebirth, to happen in that man who is destroying America with his political policies.
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