1274 ®u * I « ay u n to y o u , *Love y o u r en em ies, b less th e m t h a t c u rse y o u , do grood to th em th a t h a te y o u , a n d p ra y fo r th em w h ich d e s p ite fu lly u se y o u a n d p e rse c u te y o u .” (4) THE HEART-SATISFYING ANS WER, vs. 30-37 “A certain man went down to Jericho.” The law does not answer th e question, but the gospel does, and this beauti ful parable is the gospel in action. Jesus takes up an incident which, had, no doubt, actually occurred, and through it He illu strates a tru e neigh borly heart. “A certain man”-—who may stand for the first Adam and rep resentative of all men— goes from Je ru salem (the city of God) to Jericho (the city of judgm en t). It is down hill all the way,— a perilous road, infested by robbers. A man sta rts in life w ith his, back tow ard God and his face hellward (Rom. 3:23) “F ° r a ll h a v e sin n e d a n d com e s h o rt of th e g lo ry o f God.” We have pictured th e man as falling among thieves, stripped, wounded and left to die. The devil is a highway robber. He allows no one to pass by w ithout Fobbing him, even though it may be pne of his own children. He loves to give a deadly wound. “A certain p riest” ,—-either on his way to or from Jerusalem , perhaps go ing up to ta k e his tu rn in the temple service perceived the man and passed by. The law demanded th a t a man should help lift even his neighbor’s beast if it fell into a pit. Love demand ed th a t he should help his neighbor in his extremity. The law of love is al ways the same (Prov. 21:13) “W h o so s to p p e th h is e a rs a t th e c ry o f th e p o o r, h e a ls o s h a ll c ry h im se lf, b u t s n a il n o t be h e a rd .” ‘‘Likewise a Levite” came, looked upon the man and left him. He follow ed in the steps of th e priest. It would not do for him to recognize any call which his superior had overlooked. The priest perhaps left him to th e Levite and the Levite left him to his fate. The priest may symbolize th e law,
T HE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S which is ineffectual to help the sinner. It can only say, “ Get up and go on&| The law knows no pity, no mercy: The Levite represents the forms and ceremonies of a religious life. They, too, are powerless to help. They can lift no one who has fallen. (Matt. 23: 23) “W o e u n to y o u , sc rib e s a n d P h a rise e s , h y p o c rite s! fo r y e p a y tith e o f m in t a n d a n is e a n d cum m in , a n d h a v e o m itte d th e w e ig h tie r m a tte r s o f th e la w , ju d g m e n t, m e rc y a n d f a ith ) th e s e o u g h t y e to h av e done, a n d n o t ¡to le a v e th e o th e r u n d o n e.” “A certain Sam aritan” ,— not by chance bu t 'guided, as are the steps of a good man, by the Lord, came where he was. He saw him. He did not pass by on th e other side. He stopped and saw what the priest and th e Levite missed-—an opportunity to bestow a blessing. (Luke 7.: 13) “A nd w h e n th e L o rd sa w h e r h e h a d com p assio n on h e r, a n d sa id u n to h e r, W eep n o t.” He sympathized w ith him. The word used is “ compassion” , said to be one of the strongest words in th e Greek language to represent deep yearning of soul. He stooped down. Dismounting from his beast, he got down by th e side of the man. He came into living, lov ing touch w ith him. The man was not his friend, but his enemy who, no doubt, had he been able would have despised th e proffered help of a Samari tan. He succored him, washing away the blood, pouring oil into his wounds and wine into h is mouth, and then binding the wounds w ith a tender touch.» (Isa. 61:1) “H e h a th s e n t m e to b in d u p th e b ro k e n h e a rte d , to p ro c la im lib e r ty to th e c a p tiv e s, a n d th e o p e n in g o f th e p ris o n to th e m t h a t a re b o u n d .”
He sub stitu ted him, lifting him to his own place on the beast and tak ing his place on the road. He will not leave him in a' place of danger, bu t having begun a good work, he finishes it. (Phil. 1:6) “B e in g co n fid en t o f th is v e ry th in g , th a t h e w h ic h h a th b e g u n a g o o d w o rk in y o u w ill p e rfo rm i t u n to th e d a y o f J e s u s C h rist.” He supplied his needs; conveyed him LET US HELP YOU SELECT YOUR CHRISTMAS
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