The Good Palestinian
If Jesus was teaching his people today, I wonder if he’d tell a story along these lines:
“This guy was driving east from Jerusalem, down the winding road towards the rift valley, when another car came hurtling around the corner and ran him off the road.
“The next car didn’t stop to help. It was a family rushing to a Bat Mitzvah.
“The following car didn’t stop either. It was a Rabbi with responsibilities.
“The third car stopped. A Palestinian stepped out. He helped the injured driver out of the wreck, put him in his own car, and drove him to hospital. He told the admissions clerk, ‘I’ll pay his bill for two nights now, and if he needs more I’ll cover that too. Here’s my contact details.’
“Now, which of the three do you think fulfilled the Torah command, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself?’”
Who do you think? The guy who stopped to show mercy? Could we call him the good Palestinian?
(See Leviticus 19:18 and Luke 10:30-37.)
Seeking to understand Jesus in the terms he chose to describe himself: son of man (his identity), and kingdom of God (his mission). Riverview Church, Perth, Western Australia View all posts by Allen Browne
