RPG Adults
THE GOOD SAMARITAN – THE LEVITE!
SATURDAY, MAY 30
Luke 10:25-37
Memory verse: Luke 10:32
“…which stripped him of his raiment,
and wounded him, and departed,
leaving him half dead.”
THE GOOD SAMARITAN – THE LEVITE!
Like the priests, the Levites devoted their lives to the work of the Temple. They assisted the priests during offerings when worshippers brought their sacrifices. They also studied and taught God’s Word in Old Testament times. That was why they were not given any land but lived in 48 Levitical cities. They were supported by the tithes of the twelve tribes of Israel. They taught the Word of God and assisted the priests in spiritual work at the Tabernacle and later in the Temple.
In the time of Christ, some of the Levites were probably also scribes since scribes were the experts in the Law of God. Verse 32 said, “likewise a Levite,” which implies that he, too, came down from Jerusalem after assisting the priest at the Temple. The Levite did better than the priest in that he came and looked. He stopped and went closer to the injured man to look at him. If the man were dead, he would not have contaminated himself spiritually as long as he did not touch him. His response was the same as the priest’s; he ignored the injured man and passed by on the other side.
The Levite also had no legitimate reason not to help the injured man. Even if he had, like the priest, would the spiritual uncleanness that prevented them from doing the work of the LORD be a legitimate reason not to help an injured man?
We are busy people rushing from one place to another with a purpose; otherwise, we would not leave home. How vital is that purpose to us in an incident requiring immediate attention, and would we forgo or delay our important business to help? The help rendered must come with no expected return of personal gain or praise.
In this parable, we may look askance at the priest and Levite as “bad” or “uncaring” people, but we are often more like them than we care to admit. How frequently have we stopped to help someone at the expense of fulfilling our personal agenda?
THOUGHT: Is there an agenda so critical to you that you would not forfeit it to help someone in trouble?
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, prepare me always to help others.