Now this parable is not a contrast in black and white between a callous, almost brutal, priest and Levite, and a decent humane Samaritan. If we had been in the place of the priest and Levite we might well have acted as they did.

The victim of the bandits’ assault was on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho along the 20 mile road, which, because of the numerous attacks on travellers, was called the Ascent of Blood. It was on this notorious highway that the man was beaten up and robbed and left half dead – and those two words “half dead” are important for a full understanding of the parable.