J.D. Vance & The Good Samaritan Parable

On Wednesday in an interview with Fox News, JD Vance (see link below) uses the parable of the good Samaritan to explain the MAGA isolationism policy. If you don’t know the story, this is it in a nutshell.

Luk 10:30  Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.

Luk 10:31  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.

Luk 10:32  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

Luk 10:33  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.

Luk 10:34  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.

Luk 10:35  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

Luk 10:36  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”

Luk 10:37  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

From the above biblical text Vance interprets its meaning by stating, “there is a Christian concept that you love your family then you love your neighbor, then you love your community, then you love your fellow citizens and then after that prioritize, the rest of the world. 

As you can see, he completely misses the point. Christ advocates that everyone is our neighbor, and we are to love everyone. 

But the true message of this parable contains a strong, political rebuke to the religious leaders regarding their prejudice, racism, and hate. You see, the ancient Jewish leaders hated Samaritans. So, when Jesus made the Samaritan the hero in the story, it really pissed them off. That said, someone, politician, religious leader or anyone, that wants to use this parable, here is the true way it should be presented:

A CEO on a journey fell among robbers and was beaten and robbed and left for dead. Per chance, a MAGA pastor driving down the road, saw the injured CEO lying on the side of the road. Not wanting to get involved the MAGA pastor drove on by. Likewise, a Republican senator known for his Christian beliefs, also saw the man and didn’t stop. But an undocumented immigrant, noticed the dying man and stopped his car and gave first aid. He then called an ambulance and went with the CEO to the hospital. The immigrant told the hospital that he would pay the bills for CEOs care and gave them a large deposit.

So the question that God asks is “who was this man’s neighbor?”

• The CEO represents a rich merchant (many in the Priesthood were very rich and powerful.)
• The MAGA Pastor, epitomizes the Priest (who represents the community of the Priesthood. These religious leaders hated and spoke constantly against the Samaritans.)
• The Republican Senator, represents the Levite (who had responsibility over aspects of tabernacle or temple worship.)
• The Undocumented Immigrant represents the Samaritan; a people seen as outsiders and unwanted in the Jewish community. (The Samaritans, created a religion for themselves that the Jews considered heresy. To the Priesthood, Samaritans were revolting and seen as outsiders, not part of their country or religion; They saw Samaritans defiling their true religion.)

Jesus was often very political, but in this case He was speaking to all of us.  His message is a hard one. It confronts our deepest fears and prejudices with Divine Love and Holiness. The parable demonstrates that love must overcome hate. Don’t you think it’s time we listened?

Luke 6:35-36

³⁵ “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. ³⁶ You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

New Living Translation

JD Vance’s view of ‘ordered love’