Friend of StrangersEsimerkki

In ancient Hebrew culture, Israelites believed you should love your neighbor but hate your enemy. Jesus is clear that you should not only love your countrymen but also your enemies and everyone in between.

To illustrate this, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, who, unlike the two pious religious Jewish leaders passing by, helps a battered Israelite. The Jews and the Samaritans were enemies and hated each other, both from a racist and religious perspective. The Jews considered the Samaritans to be a half-pagan mixed race who worshiped God in the wrong way.

When the priest and the Levite passed by their battered compatriot, they did not even meet the narrow interpretation of loving their neighbor. But when the Samaritan walked past the man, he showed love and mercy to his enemy.

Instead of thinking about who my fellow man is and trying to limit it to fellow countrymen, Jesus turns the tables and says that the question is not who is my fellow man but how I can be a good fellow man.

Who our brother and sister, neighbor, and fellow human beings are is not limited to nationality, social status, or gender. All people, from compatriots to enemies, are our fellow human beings.

As a bonus, Jesus teaches it is not only Jews who can be a blessing to other native Jews or foreign-born strangers, but strangers can also be a blessing.