The Parable of the Good Samaritan

Introduction

The Parable of the Good Samaritan, recorded in Luke 10:25-37, is one of Yeshua’s[1] most cherished parables. Over the years ministers have shared it with their congregations hoping to instill in them a greater sense of brotherhood and compassion. While this teaching is commendable, the parable contains a much deeper meaning based on the Hebrew Roots of the faith.

The story begins when a lawyer, who was well-versed in the Law of Moses, the Torah,[2] challenged Yeshua with this question, “…Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” After Yeshua’s reply, the lawyer asked a second question: “Who is my neighbor?” Many people focus on this question as if it were unrelated to the first. This is a mistake, as it is a follow-up question to the first, which is about eternal life. So, to understand the parable, we must first understand that the follow-up question only speaks of brotherhood and compassion as they relate to eternal life.

First, Paul tells us that Yeshua’s sacrifice was “once for all” (Heb. 9:11-12). Yet, the parable tells us that the Good Samaritan, who represents Yeshua, made three payments for the care of the man who was left half dead. This begs the question, "Why?" Second, the three payments prove to be based on the meanings of the Holy Days.

Historical Background

To fully understand the meaning of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, we must first understand the historical, cultural, and religious backgrounds of Judea and Samaria. When the Israelites settled in the Promised Land, they named their kingdom after their forefather, Israel, who was formerly known as Jacob. They divided the land by lot between the twelve tribes (Num. 26:55; Josh. 7:14; 14:2; 1 Sam. 14:42). Later, during the reign of King Rehoboam, the ten northern tribes seceded from the two southern tribes (1 Kings 11:13-13, 31-37; 12:1-24). They retained the national name of Israel, and referred to themselves as the House of Israel, or the House of Ephraim, after their predominant tribe. The two southern tribes referred to themselves as the House of Judah, after their predominant tribe, Judah… the Jews.

After the House of Israel seceded from the House of Judah, they broke their covenant with God. They stopped going up to Jerusalem to worship Him in the temple during the Feast Days (Ex. 23:14-17; 1 Kings 12:31-32; 13:32-33; 2 Kings 17:28-30). They practiced idolatry (1 Kings 12:28-33; 14:15-16) and broke the Sabbath (Ezek. 20:10-24). Thus, when the House of Israel broke their covenant with God, God terminated His covenant with them and sent them into captivity in Assyria (2 Kings 17:5-29; 18:9-12) around 720 B.C. In other words, He divorced them (Jer. 3:6-11; Isa. 50:1-2).

The Assyrians had a strategy of uprooting a large proportion of the population from the nations they conquered and resettling them in other nations they had conquered. The purpose of this strategy was to promote intermarriage between conquered peoples so that they would lose their national identities, thereby decreasing the threat of nationalistic revolts. To this end, the Assyrians deported a large proportion of the citizens of Israel to Babylon and, conversely, a large proportion of the citizens of Babylon to Israel (2 Kings 17:24).

The Israelites who remained in the land not only intermarried with the Babylonians, but they also mixed their religion in with the Babylonian Mystery Religion (Rev. 17:5). The people of Judea regarded the Samaritans as half-breeds, both physically (2 Kings 17:24-41) and spiritually (John 4:20). The Jews hated them so much that they would bypass Samaria when traveling from Judea to Galilee.

Just before telling the parable, Yeshua had shared the good news in Samaria. However, the people rejected Him (Luke 9:51-62). Although many other communities in Judea and Galilee had also rejected Yeshua, James, and John were willing to overlook their offenses. But in the case of the Samaritans, they were prejudicially eager to send fire down from heaven to consume them. Yeshua rebuked them, saying, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them...” (vv. 55-56). Unlike the Jews who looked down on the Samaritans, Yeshua loved them and made sure they knew that salvation was available to them. This must have infuriated the Jews, who later accused Him of being a Samaritan (John 8:48).

It was in a tense atmosphere that a Jewish lawyer stood up and asked Yeshua: “…Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (vs. 25). Yeshua could have answered the lawyer’s question immediately just as He answered many other adversarial questions, but instead, He turned the question back on him. He knew that the lawyer, who had a reputation for being an authority on the Torah, knew the answer to this question. It was fundamental to the faith (Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18) and was based on the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20; Matt. 22:35-40; Rom. 13:8-9). So, He asked the lawyer, “What is written in the Torah? How do you read it?” (vs. 28). The lawyer’s answer was straight and to the point: “You shall love יהוה, your Elohim, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself” (vs. 27). Yeshua responded, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live” (vs. 28). The lawyer’s follow-up question “…Who is my neighbor…” (vs. 29) suggests that he didn’t accept Samaritans as being his neighbor and the fact that Yeshua cast Himself as a Samaritan in the parable all but confirms this point. It was at this time that Yeshua shared the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

The Parable Account

The account of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which is recorded in Luke 10:25-37 reads: “Behold, a certain lawyer[3] stood up and tested Him [Yeshua], saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Torah? How do you read it?” He answered, “You shall love,[4]יהוה your Elohim,[5] with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’” He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.” But he, desiring to declare himself righteous, asked Yeshua, “Who is my neighbor?” Yeshua answered, “Behold, certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Torah? How do you read it?” He answered, “You shall love יהוה your Elohim, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.’” He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.” But he, desiring to declare himself righteous, asked Yeshua, “Who is my neighbor?” At this point, Yeshua shared the parable with the lawyer. He said, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Then, by chance, a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way, a Levite also, when he came to the place, came and saw, and passed by on the other side. Then, a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came to where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and 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 host, and said to him, ‘Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.’ Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?” He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Yeshua said to him, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:25-37).

The Feasts of יהוה

Before interpreting the parable, we need to understand the Holy Days of יהוה listed in Leviticus chapter 23. They represent God’s plan of salvation for mankind. Passover symbolizes Yeshua’s sacrifice for the sins of mankind, which enables us to accept Him as our Savior (John 1:29). The Feast of Unleavened Bread starts the day after Passover and lasts for seven days. During this time Believers remove leaven from our homes. This symbolizes the responsibility of Believers, once we accept Yeshua as our Savior, to put sin out of our lives. By going through this exercise, though, we learn the lesson that it is impossible to do so (Rom. 3:23). The Feast of Weeks, which is also known as Pentecost, symbolizes Believers receiving the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), our “helper” (John 14:16-17, 26; 15:26; 16:7-8), by which we are enabled to overcome sin (Phil. 4:13; 2 Tim. 1:6-7). The period from the Feast of Pentecost to the Day of Trumpets symbolizes the second “harvest of Believers.” The Day of Trumpets symbolizes Yeshua’s return at the sound of the seventh trumpet, which will occur on the Day of Trumpets in the year of His return when He resurrects the saints. The Day of Atonement symbolizes the day when Believers will be reconciled to God. The Feast of Tabernacles, which corresponds to the fall harvest in Israel, symbolizes the second “harvest of Believers,” which will occur during Yeshua’s millennial reign. And finally, the Last Great Day symbolizes judgment day, the Day when God will judge His people.

Why Did Yeshua Speak in Parables?

Many people believe that Yeshua spoke in parables to clarify His teachings. This is not so. Matthew 13:10-17 tells us that “The disciples came, and said to Him [Yeshua], “Why do You speak to them in parables?” He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever does not have, from him will be taken away even that which he has. Therefore, I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear, neither do they understand. In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand. Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive. For the hearts of the people has become callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes, or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and should turn back, and I might heal them.’ “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For amen, I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear, and did not hear them.”

Just before Yeshua told the parable, Luke said, “In that same hour Yeshua rejoiced in the holy spirit, and said, “I thank You, O Father, Master of the heavens and the earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in Your sight.” Having turned to the disciples, He said, “All things have been delivered to Me by My Father. No one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and he to whomever the Son desires to reveal Him…” (Luke 10:21-24).

Parable Interpretation

The phrase “A certain man” is, no doubt, a reference to the Jewish lawyer (Luke 10:25). The fact that Yeshua told the parable to the lawyer suggests that he represented the man who was beaten, robbed of his clothes, and left half dead. And the fact that Yeshua addressed the parable to him suggests that he had “ears to hear.”

The city of “Jerusalem,” which is in the mountains of Judea, symbolizes salvation (Luke 23:33; Ex. 19; Matt. 5-7; 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-10; Luke 9:28-36). It is a type of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12), which comes down from heaven at the end of the millennium (Rev. 21:2).

The city of “Jericho,” which is near the Dead Sea and is known for being the lowest point on Earth symbolizes death.

The lawyer “going down from Jerusalem to Jericho” symbolizes him being on the path of sin and death (John 8:12-24). This phrase is contrasted with the phrase, “up to Jerusalem,” which appears twenty-eight times throughout the Scriptures. Since the temple of God was in Jerusalem, the phrase “up to Jerusalem” symbolizes being on the path of life and salvation. Proverbs 15:24 describes this contrast this way: “The path of life leads upward for the wise, to keep him from going to the grave below” (cf. Prov. 2:12-13; 4:14-19; Ps. 1:1).

In fact, 15 of the biblical Psalms (120-134) bear the label “song of ascent.” They’ve also been called “songs of steps” and “pilgrim songs.” Many scholars believe that these psalms were sung by worshippers walking up the road to Jerusalem at the time of the three great pilgrimage festivals: Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast of Tabernacle.

The phrase “fell among robbers” is an allusion to Adam’s fall. It symbolizes that the lawyer had succumbed to the temptations of Satan and his demons and sinned. At the time of Yeshua, the road between Jerusalem and Jericho was known as the “Way of Blood” because it was notorious for being a place where robbers would shed blood. Here, the word “robbers” symbolizes Satan and his demons, whose goal is to rob us of our salvation. In contrast, Yeshua states, “The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life and may have it abundantly” (John 10:10).

The phrase “stripped him of his clothing” symbolizes that the lawyer had been stripped of his white robes of righteousness (Isa. 61:3, 10; Rev. 6:11; 7:9, 13-14; 19:7-8) by breaking God’s commandments.

The phrase “wounded him” symbolizes the lawyer’s sin. Psalm 38:3-5 states, “There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation, neither is there any health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head. As a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. My wounds are loathsome and corrupt, because of my foolishness…” (cf. Jer. 30:15-17; Micah 1:8-16; Zech. 13:1-6).

The phrase “leaving him half dead” symbolizes that the lawyer was physically alive, but spiritually dead in sin. Paul tells us that Yeshua is the “…mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises…” (Heb. 8:6), including the “promise of the eternal inheritance” (Heb. 9:15). Of course, to receive the promise of eternal inheritance, one must live eternally.

Death during Old Testament times was understood physically (Heb. 9:27-28), whereas death during New Testament times is understood spiritually (2 Cor. 4:18). The following Scriptures are examples in which death is described in spiritual terms in the New Testament: Yeshua said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the being. Rather, fear Him who is able to destroy both being and body in Gehenna” (Matt. 10:28). Yeshua also said, “…Follow Me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead” (Matt. 8:22; cf. Luke 9:60). Yeshua told the Pharisees, “I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins, for unless you believe that I AM, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24; cf. vs. 21). Paul told the Ephesians, “You were made alive when you were dead in trespasses and sins…” (Eph. 2:1-2). Paul told the Colossians, “You, who were once dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him…” (Col. 2:13). Paul told Timothy, “But she who lives in self-indulgence is dead while she lives” (1 Tim. 5:6). Yeshua told the congregation of Sardis, “I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead” (Rev. 3:1). Thus, the difference between the two types of death is that when one is killed physically, he ceases to exist, and when one is killed spiritually, he is “separated from Elohim” (Isa. 59:1-2; cf. Ps.51:11; Rom. 8:9).

The phrase “by chance” as it relates to the priest, symbolizes that he was not faithfully performing his responsibilities.

The phrase “certain priest” is a reference to Caiaphas, the High Priest, who presided over the temple during Yeshua’s lifetime.

The word “saw”, as it relates to Caiaphas, means that he saw the man through his natural sense of vision, without spiritual discernment (Matt. 13:10-17; Luke 10:21-24; cf. Luke 2:30; 24:45; 19:42; Rev. 3:17-18).

The phrase “he passed by on the other side” suggests that the priest, Caiaphas, assumed that the man was a Samaritan and crossed the road to pass him by on the other side, just as the Jews bypassed Samaria when traveling from Judea to Galilee.

The phrase “In the same way” means in the same way the priest did it, meaning “by chance,” which symbolizes that the Levite was not faithfully performing his responsibilities as well.

The word “Levite” is a reference to a descendant from the tribe of Levi, who is Annas, Caiaphas’ father-in-law (John 18:13). Annas served as High Priest before Caiaphas and continued to be influential during Caiaphas’ time in office (Luke 3:2).

The phrase “when he came to the place” refers to the place where the man sinned.

The phrase “came and saw” means that, like Caiaphas, the Levite saw the man through his natural sense of vision, without spiritual discernment.

The phrase “passed by on the other side” suggests that like the priest, Caiaphas, the Levite Annas assumed that the man was a Samaritan and also passed him by on the other side, just as the Jews bypassed Samaria when traveling from Judea to Galilee.

The phrase “a certain Samaritan” is a reference to Yeshua. A short time after Yeshua shared the message of good news with the Samaritans some Jews in Jerusalem rejected Him, saying, “…Do we not say well that You are a Samaritan, and have a demon?” (John 8:48; cf. Isa. 53:3).

The phrase "As he traveled" refers to Yeshua's commitment to His ministry, which is contrasted with the phrase "by chance," which refers to both Caiaphas and Annas' indifference to their ministries.

The phrase “came where he was” symbolizes that the lawyer would come to repent of his sins that separated him from God, the Father (Isa. 59:1-2).

The phrase “when he saw him” symbolizes that Yeshua spiritually discerned the lawyer’s humble and contrite condition. Isaiah 66:2 reads, “…but to this man will I look, even to him who is humble and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word” (cf. Ps. 34:18; 51:17; Isa. 57:15). This phrase is contrasted with the word “saw” as it relates to both Caiaphas and Annas, who did not have spiritual discernment (Matt. 13:10-17).

The phrase “he had compassion”[6] symbolizes that Yeshua would come to forgive the lawyer of his sins (John 3:16; cf. Matt. 9:35-38; 14:15-21; Mark 1:40-45).

The phrase “came to him and bound up his wounds pouring on oil and wine” symbolizes that Yeshua would come to heal the lawyer both physically and spiritually. The word “oil,” refers to olive oil, which was used for anointing and healing (James 5:14-15). The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states, “Olive oil has certain curative qualities and is still used in modern medicine.” The terrible beating that Yeshua endured on our behalf before He was nailed to the stake, was endured so that we might be physically healed. The word “wine” refers to Yeshua’s shed blood, which was shed so that we might be forgiven of our sins (Matt. 26:28; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 10:43) and be spiritually saved (Matt. 26:28; Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 10:43). The terms oil and wine symbolize Passover, a time when the lawyer would come to accept Messiah Yeshua as, “…the Lamb of Elohim, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29; cf. 1 Cor. 5:7). Notice that there was no charge for the lawyer’s treatment during his first night at the inn. This is because Yeshua paid the price for him (1 Cor. 6:19-20; 7:22-23; 1 Pet. 1:18-19), both physically and spiritually. In prophesying about Yeshua, Isaiah prophesied, “Surely, He has borne our sicknesses and carried our sorrows, yet we counted Him smitten, struck by Elohim, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed” (Isa. 53:4-5). Thus, Yeshua would come to heal the lawyer both physically and spiritually. Also, just as the oil and wine were applied only to the wounds that were present on the man at the time, Yeshua’s beating and sacrifice would have only been applied to the lawyer’s past sins (Rom. 3:23-25). Consequently, if the lawyer would come to receive Yeshua as his Savior, that does not mean he would have already received salvation, as most professing Believers maintain. Any sin that he would have committed after accepting Yeshua as his Savior would have necessitated the application of more oil and blood.

The word “animal” symbolizes a kingdom (Dan. 7:17, 23).

The phrase “he set him on his own animal” symbolizes that the lawyer would come to become a citizen of the Kingdom of God, Yeshua’s “own” kingdom.

The word “inn” symbolizes the Body of Messiah. Paul wrote, “So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of Elohim, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Messiah Yeshua Himself being the chief corner-stone, in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in יהוה, in whom you also are built together for a habitation of Elohim in the spirit” (Eph. 2:19-22).

The phrase “brought him to an inn” symbolizes that the lawyer would come to be immersed into Yeshua’s congregation (Matt. 16:18), the Body of Messiah. 1 Corinthians 12:13 states, “For in one spirit we were all immersed into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free, and were all given to drink into one spirit.”

The phrase “took care of him” symbolizes that the Good Samaritan would come to meet the lawyer’s needs, both physically and spiritually.” After defeating the devil in the wilderness, Yeshua entered a synagogue in Nazareth and read from the Book of Isaiah, saying, “The spirit of יהוה is on Me because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim forgiveness to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of יהוה’” (Luke 4:18-19).

The phrase “On the next day” is a reference to the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which occurs the day after Passover (Lev. 23:5-6) and symbolizes coming out of sin.

The phrase “when he departed” symbolizes the lawyer’s responsibility, once he accepts Yeshua as his Savior, to put sin out of his life and learn the lesson that it is impossible to do so on his own (Rom. 3:23).

The word “host,” which refers to the innkeeper, symbolizes God, the Father.

The words “two denarii” represent the payment of a slave at the time of Yeshua. According to the NIV Study Bible, p. 1560, the “two denarii” are the equivalent of, “two days’ wages, which would keep a man up to two months in an inn.”

The statement "He took out two denarii and gave them to the host and said to him, ‘Take care of him…’" tells us that the Good Samaritan’s predetermined payment of two denarii represented a full payment to take care of the man for up to two months at an inn. This implies that the man was unable to take care of himself during this entire period.

During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Israelites were commanded to remove leaven from their homes, which was impossible to do. This symbolizes our responsibility to put sin out of our lives after we accept Yeshua as our Savior, which is also impossible to do (Rom. 3:23). So, the man's inability to take care of himself during this entire period of up to two months at the inn symbolically corresponds to the lawyer’s inability to keep God’s commandments for over fifty days, from the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Feast of Weeks. Thus, the statement "he took out two denarii and gave them to the host and said to him, ‘Take care of him…’" symbolizes Yeshua's predetermined payment for all the lawyer's sins for over fifty days, from the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the Feast of Weeks.

The statement “Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I come again…’” refers to a third payment for the man’s care. However, unlike the second payment, which was a full, predetermined payment paid for by the Good Samaritan, the third payment, which was paid for by the innkeeper, was not. The reason why is that during this stage of the man’s recovery, the more his health improved, the more he was expected to care for himself, which would reduce the innkeeper’s cost. This left the Good Samaritan to pay an undetermined, adjusted payment for the man’s care. Of course, at any point during this period, if the innkeeper was convinced that the man was willfully taking advantage of him, he could stop his care and throw the man out of the inn. Paul wrote, “If anyone will not work, neither let him eat.” (2 Thess. 3:10).

This symbolizes God, the Father, as the Judge who will determine if the lawyer faithfully used the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome sin to the end and whether he would receive salvation when Yeshua returns at the sound of the seventh trumpet on the Day of Trumpets in the year of His return (Rev. 11:15).

Yeshua declared, “If you love Me, keep My commandments. I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper to be with you forever,- the spirit of truth… But the helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in My name, it will teach you all things and will remind you of all that I said to you.” (John 14:15-17, 26, cf. 15:26; 16:7-8). Notice that Yeshua made a connection to the keeping of His commandments with the receiving of the helper, the holy spirit, which enables us to overcome sin to the end (Phil. 4:13; 2 Tim. 1:6-7). Why? The answer is found in Acts 1:8, where Yeshua states, “But you will receive power when the holy spirit has come upon you.” Thus, since we cannot keep the commandments of God perfectly on our own (Rom. 3:23), our Father helps us keep them by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In speaking of Messiah Yeshua, Paul wrote, “…in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the good news of your salvation, in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, to the redemption of the own possession of Elohim, to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:13-14). He also wrote, “Now He who establishes us with you in Messiah, and anointed us, is Elohim; who also sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts” (2 Cor. 1:21-22). He adds, “Now He who made us for this very thing is Elohim, who also gave to us the earnest of the spirit” (2 Cor. 5:5). In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “earnest”, includes the meaning, “…something of value given by a buyer to a seller to bind a bargain.” Of course, this would also include the meaning “down payment.”

Thus, in the end, Yeshua’s payment to God, the Father would be proportional to how much the lawyer overcame sin through the power of the Holy Spirit during the period between the Feast of Weeks and the Day of Trumpets when Yeshua returns (Rev. 11:15).

Luke 12:48 states, “…To whomever much is given, of him will much be required...” As we “walk by the spirit” (Gal. 5:16), we should be steadily gaining victory over sin. Of course, even with the help of God, there will be times when we “walk by the flesh” and sin (Gal. 5:16). Consequently, if the lawyer were to continue to confess his sins and repent (1 John 1:9), it would be necessary for Yeshua to make a second payment to Father God toward his salvation. Thus, the amount of the final payment would be proportional to the degree the lawyer would have failed to overcome sin.

After telling the parable, Yeshua asked the lawyer, “Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?” He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Yeshua said to him, “Go and do likewise”[7]

In Isaiah 46:9-10, God states, “...I am El, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning...." A careful examination of this declaration will reveal a hidden code in the seven days of creation in the Book of Genesis, which in Hebrew means “Beginnings.” The code contains seven corresponding spiritual equivalents that begin with truth and end with salvation as displayed in the image to the left. Incredibly, this code proves to be the key to unlocking major, end-of-the-age Bible prophecies, like the great tribulation, the abomination that makes desolate, and the second Exodus, etc. The fact that God is revealing these prophecies now proves that we are living at the end of the age (Dan. 12:8-9).

In Isaiah 46:9-10, God states, “...I am El, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning...." A careful examination of this declaration will reveal a hidden code in the Book of Genesis, which in Hebrew means “Beginnings.” The code is based on the seven days of creation which contains seven corresponding, spiritual equivalents that begin with truth and end with salvation as displayed in the image to the left. Incredibly, this code proves to be the key to unlocking major, end-of-the-age Bible prophecies, like the great tribulation, the abomination that makes desolate, and the second Exodus, etc. The fact that God is revealing these prophecies now proves that we are living at the end of the age (Dan. 12:8-9).

Conclusion

In the Introduction of this document, I asked the question, If Yeshua’s sacrifice was ‘once for all,’ why did the Good Samaritan, who represented Yeshua, make three payments for the man who was left half dead, the third one being reimbursement of an adjusted payment to His Father?

Despite the fact that Yeshua’s sacrifice was indeed “once for all,” the parable teaches that He doles out His sacrifice in three distinct payments based on the meanings of the Holy Days.

May יהוה bless you!

Stephen Otto

[1] Hebrew personal name for Jesus.

[2] The Law of Elohim, meaning His commandments.

[3] The term “lawyer” does not mean one who practices law as it does in today’s culture. It means one who is learned or skilled in the Law of Moses. While Luke refers to the person who questions Yeshua as being a lawyer (Luke 10:25-37), Mark refers to him as being a scribe (Mark 12:28-34). The Pulpit Commentary reads, “Verse 35 - A lawyer; νομικός, called by St. Mark “a scribe” - a term of wider signification, which would include “lawyers.” So, while the term scribe was inclusive of the term lawyer, the term lawyer was not inclusive of the term scribe. Also, while the King James Version and many other translations call this man a lawyer, the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions call him a scribe.

[4] The Hebrew personal name for God.

[5] The Hebrew title for God.

[6] The Greek word translated “compassion” appears two other times in the New Testament, both times in parables (Matt. 18:27; Luke 15:20).

[7] Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem, which was the highest court in ancient Israel. John tells us, that Nicodemus came to Yeshua, “by night,” and said to Him, “…Rabbi, we know that You are a Teacher come from Elohim, for no one can do these signs that You do, unless Elohim is with Him.” This implies that Nicodemus was a follower of Yeshua to one degree or another. However, as a result of his nighttime visit, Yeshua admonished him for loving the “darkness rather than the light” (John 3:16-21). Later, Yeshua encountered a lawyer who was challenging Him in public and implying that He was a Samaritan. It was at this point that Yeshua told the Parable of the Good Samaritan, in which he cast Himself as a Samaritan and completely concealed the lawyer’s identity. Why? Yeshua stated, “Everyone therefore who confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 10:32-33). It was not until the lawyer accepted Yeshua as his Savior, which is hidden in the symbolism of the parable, that Yeshua took him to His Father’s house (the inn). Again, after telling the parable, Yeshua asked the lawyer, “Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?” He said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Yeshua said to him, “Go and do likewise” If the lawyer and Nicodemus were the same person, then Nicodemus followed this command upon Yeshua's death when he provided the customary embalming spices and assisted Joseph of Arimathea in preparing Yeshua's body for burial (John 19:39-42).