What is a good samaritan?

Answer 1

A Samaritan is a person from Samaria. In the Biblical story of the Good Samaritan, Samaritans were a demographical group of people who were Gentiles. He helped a Jew, which was not a normal thing to do in those times because of the differences.

Answer 2

'The Good Samaritan' is a parable sourced to Jesus. It relates the story of a man who, after being beaten and robbed by bandits, is left lying on the side of the road to die.

Passersby who ignore his condition or choose to not help him include rich persons and those high in the church hierarchy. The only one to actually help him is a Samaritan - in those times, a foreigner viewed as suspicious for holding contrary religious views and therefore unreliable or even evil.

The tale is meant to exemplify why generalisations are harmful (a person supposedly inhuman is actually the most caring of all and thus the most human) and that hypocrisy is quite possible even in those with the most fervent claims of belief (priests and rich people are highly hypocritical, while a simple commoner does not express their faith by word, but by action).

It also implies that one should take help from whatever source and provide assistance to any sufferer, whenever necessary, regardless of any personal opinion of the source or receiver of that help.

Answer2: CAN we recognize tendencies toward prejudice in ourselves? For example, do we draw conclusions as to the character of a person based on his skin color, nationality, ethnic group, or tribe-even though we do not know that person? Or can we value each person for his or her unique qualities?

In Jesus' day people who lived in Judea and Galilee generally had "no dealings with Samaritans." (John 4:9) A saying recorded in the Talmud no doubt expressed the feeling of many Jews: "May I never set eyes on a Samaritan."

Even Jesus' apostles may have harbored a degree of prejudice against Samaritans. On one occasion they were not received kindly by a Samaritan village. James and John asked if they should call down fire upon the unresponsive people. By his rebuke, Jesus showed them that their attitude was improper.-Luke 9:52-56.

Jesus related a parable of a man who had been set upon by robbers during his journey from Jerusalem to Jericho. Two religious Jewish passersby were not inclined to help the man. A Samaritan, however, stopped and bandaged the man's wounds. Then he arranged for the man's care so that he could recover from his injuries. That Samaritan proved himself a real neighbor. (Luke 10:29-37) Jesus' parable may have helped his listeners to realize that their prejudice blinded them to the good qualities in others. A few years later, John returned to Samaria and preached in many of its villages-perhaps including the village that he once wanted to have destroyed.-Acts 8:14-17, 25. ( fr 9/8/04 Awake "End of Prejudice" on Jehovah's Witnesses official website)

Answer 3

The Samaratin man is a man in the parable told by Jesus. In it a man is attacked by robbers and a priest and another man passed by , but this samaritan had compensation on him and took him to a inn.

Answer 4

A good Samaritan is one that does nice things for other. This person will often give everything they have for someone less fortunate.