In this parable Our Lord teaches two great truths: first, that our neighbour is anyone with whom we have to do, and secondly, an opportunity to help such a person is not one which we can shift on to someone else.

The Samaritan in the parable was not in his own area. He was in hostile Judea. He was in danger, not only from bandits but from any passing Jew; in danger, even, of being charged with himself having robbed the man and of being punished accordingly. And who was this man whom he was moved to help? It was someone who in all probability would have spat when he passed him. In a word the Good Samaritan was helping an enemy, and current Jewish teaching was that one should hate one’s enemy.

This parable, therefore, is an immortal illustration of Our Lord’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy’. But I say to you, ‘Love your enemies…’ “ (NRSV, Matthew 43,44) and here love means to show the same practical goodwill to our enemies as we would to our friends.