1. For those of you unfamiliar with the term ‘Good Samaritan’, Google “what is a good Samaritan”. In 21st century terms how do we understand the meaning of calling someone a ‘good Samaritan?’Our understanding is very different from how Samaritans were viewed during the time of Jesus.
2. Who were the Samaritans? What was their history in relationship to Judaism at the time of Jesus? Why were they views with such derision and contempt?
3. What was a ‘Levite’? Why would they be concerned with touching an injured man? (Hint: look up ‘ritual cleanliness’)
4. What was the trap the lawyer was attempting to set for Jesus when he asked; ‘who is my neighbor’? How would you answer this question in light of refugees, racial and religious discrimination and human rights violations around the world?
5. “A parable may appeal to the hearer’s sense of justice before they realized the parable applied to them.” How does this parable of the Good Samaritan do just that? Who would be offended by hearing this parable? Why?
6. Now that you have researched the main characters in the parable, and have learned how Jews viewed Samaritans how does this change the meaning of the story now that it means more than ‘just doing a good deed for someone in need.’
7. If you were to ‘up date’ this story for the 21st century who would you place in the role of the injured man? The Levite? and the ‘good Samaritan?
