764 Even though they he his own children, he loves to give a deadly wound. “A certain p riest” by chance (o r b et ter, by Providence, for th ere is no such th ing as chance in God’s dealings w ith m en ), eith er on his way to or from Jerusalem , perhaps going up to take , his tu rn in th e temple service,— per ceived th e man and passed by. The law demanded th a t he should help lift even his neighbor’s beast if it fell into a pit. Love demanded th a t he should help his neighbor in his extrem ity. But th e man m ight be dead and so defile him ; he must move on. E ith e r he was preoccupied w ith his own thoughts, or he pretended not to see him, or th e per functory perform ance of his service was more to him th a n mercy. “Likewise a Levite” came and looked upon him , and left him . - He followed in the steps of the priest. It would not do for him to recognize any call which his superior had overlooked. The p riest left him to th e Levite,' and the Levite left him . to his fate. The p riest may symbolize th e law which is inef fectual to help th é sinner. It is power- ■ less. It can only say “ Get up and go ahead.” The - law knows no pity, no mercy. The Levite represents th e forms and ceremonies of a religious life. They, too, are powerless to help. They can lift no one who has fallen. There is no life in them , no touch of sympathy. “A certain S am aritan ,’V—no t by chance, h u t guided, as are th e steps of a good man, by th e Lord,— came where he was. He saw him . He did no t pass by on th e o ther side. He stopped. He saw w hat the p riest and th e Levite missed,— an opportunity to bestow a blessing. He sympathized w ith him . The word is “ compassion,” said to be one of th e strongest words in th e Greek language to rep resen t deep yearning of soul. The h e a rt of Jesus Christ is ever draw n ou t to th e helpless one. He stooped down. D ismounting from his beast he got down by th e side
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NE S S of th e man. He came into living and loving touch. He was no t his friend, b u t ra th e r his enemy. No doubt, if able, he would even have despised the proffered help from a S am aritan. He succored him . He washed away the blood, poured oil upon his wounds and wine into his mouth. He hound w ith tend er touch th e bleeding wounds. He m inistered to his every need. He sub stitu ted him— lifted him to his own place on th e beast and took his place on th e road. H aving begun a good work he prosecutes it to th e end. He will not leave him where he will he in fu rth e r danger. He supplied h is needs — conveyed him to th e inn, p u t him into the safe-keeping of th e ho st and made provision for th e fu tu re. He le ft no th ing undone which could he done. He made full paym ent and prom ised to come again to settle any un settled ac count. This is the Lord’s pictu re of a neigh borly act. This silenced th e scribe and should in stru c t us. P ity th e man who eannot see in th is picture of th e Samar ita n the work of the Son of God in be h alf of fallen m an; who cannot see the manifold compassion of th e g reat h ea rt which journeyed from Heaven’s glory to life’s highway to m in ister to our need; to tak e our place on th e cross, and give us H is place on the throhe. Here is love whose only lim it is the extrem ity of hum an need, and h ere is admonition from th e lips of Him who is pictured as th e S am aritan, h u t who, indeed, is th e gracious Saviour. “ Go, thou, and do likew ise.” PRACTICAL POINTS ■ (1) God tu rn s many of our questions back upon ourselves. (2 ) It is sometimes wise to answ er an inqu iry w ith an interrog ation . (3 ) You can always silence a scribe w ith a word of Scripture. (4 ) Many a man has been so absorbed w ith church activities th a t he has
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