31. The Samaritan ~ The Messiah
The Good Samaritan as the Shepherd of Israel

The Parables of Jesus are said to have been used by the Savior as they could convey information and understanding upon many levels and degrees pending upon the background, nature, state of mind, intellect, understanding and spirit of the various listening audiance members and inspriations thereof received by the Holy Spirit. Upon one level, the parable of the good Samaritan was but a story as to who was and who was not a 'good neighbor' in relationship to one's fellow man. On another level of understanding and universal application, a parallel comparison to heaven, earth, the Messiah and Man [Adam] could be drawn. And yet on another level of understanding one might well come to the learning and understanding that Messiah, Jesus Christ Jehovah, was indeed the very Good Samaritan being spoken of in the parable and that he indeed was actually 'well might we state, he was a Samaritan'.

Now understanding that the coming Messiah would have to be of a mixed origin if he was indeed true based on his ancestry set out in the Book of Ruth, the Savior and those who understood who and what he was, also knew him to be just such a Messiah and could well be labeled 'Samaritan', and though perhaps few would have given that Label in the negative to King David or King Solomon, they were not beyond so labeling any proposed future Messiah of that line as but a Samaritan in nature.

The Good Shepherd and Good Samaritan

Christ understood all this and through his parables he did answer the question to those who were so inspired to understand what it was that he did say. The parables where given in story form as examples before the people to be able follow and to be easily remembered. But they also had various levels of meaning from the simple story to the deeper symbolic truths of understanding, which they did reveal to those who would study them. Thus the listeners and readers would gain understanding and knowledge based upon their own level of developed understanding and learning. And so it was with the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

In its surface level it was a simple story about being a good neighbor and the importance of truly loving one's neighbor and keeping the laws of God. On another level, it was an out and out attack upon the hypocritical leaders of the Jews, as their Priests and Levites members included were not truly committed to God, but the Good Samaritan was so dedicated to God. And on even a deeper level still, Christ was answering and revealing that he was indeed the Good Samaritan, even the Messiah Ben Joseph as had been looked forward to, now having come.

In the parable story, the basic level of the story was based upon physical injury and the need for someone to act as the man's physical redeemer and savior in order for the injured party to be saved from his fates of misfortune experienced along the road way. In a spiritual level of understanding relative to the Gospel Plan, the Good Samaritan would be Jesus Christ as he has provided the means for healing from sin spiritually and is the saver of men. Christ is the Good Samaritan of the world, providing the healing of the injured by his atonement. And he it is that has paid the price to take care of all the people of the earth.

Consider now how one scholar has taken apart the symbolism and revealed just how the Good Samaritan was Jesus Christ. And even then this scholarly person likely only considers that Christ was but metaphorically the Good Samaritan. And he does not relize that Christ was the Samaritan Messiah being the same as Messiah Ben Joseph who was also Messiah Ben David as held out in this discussion. This symbolic or allegorical approach to the parables was held by the Catholic Church and one of the most profound insights is given here by St. Augustine.

While this symbolic interpretation does have a flavor of Catholicism about it, it is quite spiritually inspired and can be seen as one who truly was seeking the truth of the matter. Certainly a good LDS inspired and insightful interpretation could do worse than to begin with this one upon which to base itself upon and further deliniate. And here in can be easily seen that Christ was indeed of whom the Good Samaritan was. And when one considers that it was Christ who taught the parable, it must be thought that he was indeed revealing himself through it that he was the Good Samaritan, the Good Shepherd of the promised blessing of Joseph by Jacob in that patriarchal blessing. And that he was the stone of Israel, even the very corner stone upon which the gospel and Church must be based and aligned, even the Messiah Ben Joseph, who is also Messiah Ben David as David was as much an Ephraimite by right and Law as was the Savior who descended from him, though of the bloodline of Judah.

Now, with this background and understanding of the parable of the Good Samaritan, let us qoute it here and insert the implied or understood representation and applications of the parable to Christ and his ministry.

Christ's work and glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man (Moses 1:39). In this story of the Good Samaritan, it is reflective of Christ and Christ's servants going about and doing the work of God, bring men to redemption and caring for them in the process. We are his sheep, he is the Good Shepherd, he is the Good Samaritan.