This study is to examine the Good Samaritan parable, and to give notes with a view to inspect the Luke community life in the parable and to determine its meaning and mission theological characters.
The parable of the Good Samaritan appears, after the section in which Luke Jesus sends out a missionary group to the gentiles(Luke 10:1-6). and the incident reported before that section in which the messengers sent by Jesus was rejected in Samaria(Luke 9:51-56) is recorded after dispatched his twelve disciples to preach to the Jews. This contextual flow shows the missionary direction and function that was unfolding in the Luke community and, by extension, the parable of the Good Samaritan is Mediate social conflict it from a missionary of good perspective in the cause Luke community.
As was stated above, Luke community had been at odds with three social conflict. First, There was much racial discrimination and women or multiculturalism in Luke community.
Secondly, The conflict in Luke community was economic Problem widen the gap between rich and poor.
Thirdly, The Luke community was in the faced of religious difficulties. these conflictual factors have caused the missionary identity of the Luke community fell into confusion.
Therefore, To thrive in missionary, That is the balancing act they must all achieve. Above all, Luke 10:25-37 has a unique role in Gospel of Luke. If my guess is right, this text appears to resolve the problem of 'the envy and hatred' between Jews and Samaritan. That is to say, the parable of the Good Samaritan is a story that Luke introduced in order to express his position on the Samaritan mission and to resolve the conflict within the community that arose from that mission.
Through the parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke shows an inversion of a salutary lesson. also, the Samaritan mission through an inclusive missionary strategy obtains a justification and shows his support that tears down class and racial discrimination within the Jews society regarding Samaritans. This teaching of Jesus is an invitation for the new life. And those who respond to this invitation shall be able to live the new life.
The teaching of 'loving and almsgiving with all together' reappears again in the Gospel of Luke. The Luke theological intention of the mission is continually proclaimed as the new life to Jesus contemporary, the Luke community, and those living nowadays. But, It is not such an easy thing to respond.
Nevertheless, We must remember what we learned in the Good Samaritan Parable. This teaching of Jesus is an invitation for the new life. The good Samaritan Parable play a fundamental role for one who strives to live in the new life. And It is the only disciple who understands true missionary life.
Like the good Samaritan.