Bible Studies/Ancient times

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Expert: - 3/22/2007


Question
Why did the Jewish High Priest not stop and help the hurt man in the story of The Good Samaritan?I mean was there a law stopping him?

Answer
I am unaware of any law which would have prevented him helping the man. I think that in the parable what Jesus was trying to show was the same thing that we see in society today - people do not want to get involved. Perhaps the priest may have seen it as below his place in society to have help an injured and beaten man. Maybe he would have seen the man as beneath his place in society.

Matthew Henry provides the following comments:

"Dr. Lightfoot tells us that many of the courses of the priests had their residence in Jericho, and thence came up to Jerusalem, when it was their turn to officiate there, and so back again, which occasioned abundance of passing and repassing of priests that way, and Levites their attendants. They came this way, and saw the poor wounded man. It is probable that they heard his groans, and could not but perceive that if he were not helped he must quickly perish. The Levite not only saw him, but came and looked on him v. 32. But they passed by on the other side; when they saw his case, they got as far off him as ever they could, as if they would have had a pretence to say, Behold, we knew it not. It is sad when those who should be examples of charity are prodigies of cruelty, and when those who should by displaying the mercies of God, open the bowels of compassion in others, shut up their own.
(from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

I hope that this helps.

As an aside, there are Samaritans still alive today but there are very few. Here is some additional information on them:

http://www.the-samaritans.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samaritan
http://www.tagnet.org/spiritquest/Samhist.htm

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Tom Smith

Expertise

I am able to answer a wide range of questions regarding orthodox Christian theology as well as those of many of the more common cults and religious movements (inside and outside of the church). This includes Protestantism, Charismatic movement, New Apostolic Reformation, Strategic Prayer/Spiritual Warfare, Catholicism, Mormonism, Jehovah Witnesses, Calvinism, Reformed Church, Baptist Church, Pentecostalism, and Oneness Pentecostalism. I have been a member of or have attended many of the above. I have studied the beliefs and literature of the remaining through a variety of means, including in most cases interacting with members and/or leaders in these organizations. I also maintain a significant library/resource of information on these movements and organizations.

Experience

I have been a lifelong student of the Bible. In addition, I have been saved through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, and believe in the truth of God's Holy word in the Bible as the inerrant and infallible word of God. I have been a believer for over 43 years. Other qualifications include:

- Former member of the counril of a local church
- Speaker at the "Last Days Bible Conference" and other functions.
- Researcher into religious movements and cults (maintain website with information on some of these movements and cults)
- Member of the Apologetics Coordination Team

I hold to the view that the Bible is inerrant and infallible, and I belief that the Bible is our sole authority on matters of faith and doctrine (Sola Scripture, Sola Fide).

Organizations
Apologetics Coordination Team (http://op.50megs.com/act/) Network of Christian Apologists in Calgary (http://www.whyjesus.ca)

Publications
Website, accessible by means of http://discern.ca or http://www.religioninfo.org; and Audio files of talks at Last Days Bible Conference available at http://ldbc.ca

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.)

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