Pa.s.sing Through Samaria

CHAPTER 52

AFTER MOST of those who were going up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tents had left Capernaum, Jesus began his journey with his disciples.

All who saw him going toward Jerusalem, and even his disciples, thought that now he was surely on his way to take his throne and rule the people as king of Israel.

Just as they were starting, a man who was one of the teachers of the law came to Jesus and said:

"Master, I will follow you wherever you may go." He thought that by following Jesus he might have some high place in his kingdom. But Jesus saw that this man was following him only for gain. He said to him:

"You will gain nothing by following me. The foxes have holes, and the wild birds have their nests; but the Son of Man has not a place where he can lay his head."

To another man, Jesus said, "Follow me!" The man answered, "First let me go and bury my father."

Jesus said to this man, "Let those who are dead bury their dead; but do you go and spread everywhere the news of the kingdom of G.o.d."

Jesus meant by this that such matters as the burial of the dead could be cared for by others, even though they did not have a knowledge of the truth which gives life; but Jesus wanted this man to go at once and preach his gospel.

There was another man who said to Jesus, "I will follow you; but let me first go and say 'good-bye' to my friends at my home."

"Whoever looks back," answered Jesus, "after he has put his hand to the plough is of no use for the kingdom of G.o.d."

For his work Jesus wanted men who were single-hearted, giving up all, that they might follow and serve him.

On this journey to Jerusalem Jesus did not take the road down the Jordan valley, the way usually followed. He made up his mind this time to go through Samaria, perhaps because he did not wish to have a crowd of people with him, and few of the Jews went to Jerusalem by way of Samaria.

As he drew near a Samaritan village, he sent some of his disciples to find in it a lodging place. But the Samaritan people would not allow Jesus and his disciples to come into their village, because they saw that they were Jews on their way to Jerusalem. The Samaritans and the Jews hated each other and would not show kindness to one another.

James and John, two of the disciples, were exceedingly angry at these people, who would shut out their Master. They said to him:

"Lord, shall we call down fire from heaven, as the prophet Elijah did, and burn up that wicked village?"

But Jesus said to them, "Your spirit is not right. I did not come to destroy the lives of men, but to save them. Let us go to some other village."

While he was still on the border of Galilee and Samaria, as he was going into a village, he met ten men who had the terrible disease of leprosy.

They stood at a distance, for lepers were not allowed to come near people; and they cried aloud, saying:

"Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"

"Go," answered Jesus, "and show yourselves to the priests."

In the Temple was a room where a man went who had any disease like leprosy, with a breaking out upon his skin. At this room he was kept for a time; and if it was found that his disease was not leprosy, after certain offerings and washings, he was allowed to go home and be among men. These men started for their Temple; those who were Jews for the Temple in Jerusalem, any that were Samaritans for their Temple on Mount Gerizim, near the city of Shechem. As they went, and by going showed their faith in Jesus, they found all at once that their leprosy was gone and they were entirely well.

Nine of these ten men, after they were cured, went on their way toward the Temple. But one of them, when he found that he was a leper no longer, stopped with a loud voice praised G.o.d; and ran to Jesus' feet and fell on his face before him, giving him thanks for his cure. This man was a Samaritan.

"Were there not ten men cured?" said Jesus. "But where are the nine? Was there only one to turn back and give thanks to G.o.d, and that one a stranger?"

And Jesus said to this grateful Samaritan, "Rise up, and go your way; your faith has made you well."

[Ill.u.s.tration: The priest and the Levite walked past on the other side, but the Samaritan felt a pity for the poor man lying in the road and came down and poured oil on his wounds and bandaged them.]

The Scribe's Question; and Mary's Choice

CHAPTER 53

WHILE JESUS was on his way to Jerusalem one of the teachers of the law--whom the Jews called "scribes"--came to him with a question. These Jewish scribes were everywhere enemies of Jesus, and were continually asking him questions, not that they might learn, but that in some way they might give him trouble.

This scribe said to Jesus, "Teacher, what shall I do that I may have the life everlasting?"

"What is said in G.o.d's law?" answered Jesus. "What do you read there?"

He answered, "You must love the Lord your G.o.d with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and you must love your neighbor as yourself."

"That is a right answer," said Jesus; "do that and you shall live."

But the scribe, wishing to make an excuse for himself, and thinking to puzzle Jesus, said, "But who is my neighbor?"

Then Jesus told to this man the parable or story of "The Good Samaritan."

"There was once a man," said Jesus, "who was going down by a lonely road from Jerusalem to Jericho. The robbers who hide among the mountains in that region rushed at this man, stripped him of everything, and beat him near to death; then ran away and left him almost dead on the roadside.

It happened that a priest was going down the same road. He saw the man lying there, but instead of coming to help him, walked past him on the other side of the road. Then a Levite, one of those who help the priests in the services of the Temple, came to that place; and he too went by on the other side, carefully keeping away from the suffering man.

"But soon after, a Samaritan, one of those people whom all the Jews hate and despise, came down the same road. This man, when he found the poor man lying in the road, got off from the a.s.s on which he was riding and stood over the man. He felt a pity for the sufferer and put bandages on his wounds, after pouring into them a little oil and wine. Then he lifted up the man and carefully placed him on his own a.s.s, and walking by his side, brought him to an inn and cared for him all that night. On the next morning he took out from his purse two pieces of silver, handed them to the inn-keeper and said to him, 'Look after this man until he is well; and if you spend more than this, I will repay it to you when I come this way again.'

"Now," asked Jesus, "which one of these three men, the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan, do you think showed himself a true neighbor to the poor fellow who fell among the robbers?"

The scribe answered, "The one who showed kindness to him."

Jesus said to him, "Then go and do as this man did." He meant to show the scribe that "our neighbor" is the one who most needs our help, whoever he may be.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "Martha, Martha," replied the Lord, "you are anxious and troubled about a great many things."]

When Jesus drew near to Jerusalem, he did not at once enter the city and find a lodging place within its walls, for he knew well that it was filled with his enemies; and that the priests and rulers would try to seize him and put him to death. He expected after some months to die at Jerusalem, as he had so many times told his disciples--although they could not believe it--but the time for his death had not yet come. For a home while attending the Feast of Tents, he went to a village about two miles from Jerusalem, on the east of the Mount of Olives. This village was called Bethany, and in it was living a family all of whom were strong friends of Jesus: Martha, her sister Mary and their younger brother Lazarus. With this family he stayed while he was visiting Jerusalem.

Martha was the older sister and the head of the house. She gave Jesus a hearty welcome and made herself busy in attending to his needs. But Mary, her younger sister, left everything and seated herself at the feet of the Lord, eager to listen to his words. Martha, somewhat worried by her many cares, especially in making ready a dinner for Jesus, was not pleased at her sister's conduct. She came to Jesus and said:

"Lord, do you think it right for my sister to leave all the work to me?

Tell her to help me."

"Martha, Martha," replied the Lord, "you are anxious and trouble yourself about a great many things. Only one thing is really needful.

Mary has chosen the best dish, and she will not be dragged away from it."