Who is the Neighbour?

Abstract

"The story we have in Luke 10:30 - 37 was told by Jesus in a literary genre we call “parable” ( parabol ! ) . A parable is a story told alongside a point one would like to communicate to those who are listening to the story. It may be based on facts or real happenings or just possible happenings within a particular context. During Jesus’ time, mention of a Priest , Levite, and Samaritan would trigger something in the minds of the hearers. The hearers related to the parable because these were characters familiar to them. If it was being told for the first time today, Jesus would probably have used such terms as “a B ishop”, “a Reverend”, “a Pastor” or similar terms in place of the Priest and the Levite. In the place of the Samaritan he could have used a prostitute, an outcast or such other categories of persons in our societies. "