Most of us more or less have heard about some of Aesop’s fables in which the story teller use animal stories to teach morals  and values to the readers. By the same token, in the New Testament, Jesus often spoke in parables so that his audience themselves could draw out  the moral or spiritual lessons from those stories.

One favorite parable told by Jesus to an expert in religious law is a good Samaritan, whom the Jews have long despised and wouldn’t make friends with. The parable goes like this (Luke 1025-37):

A man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took off his clothes, beat him up and left him severely injured beside the road. Meanwhile, a priest walked by, saw him but turned away to the other side of the road. Then a Levite, an temple assistant, walked over but ignored him. Later a Samaritan happened to travel by, saw him and showed his compassion on him. He bandaged his wounds and took him to an inn and told the innkeeper to take good care of the injured man. He would reimburse the innkeeper for the extra cost.

At the end of the story Jesus asked the religion scholar who his neighbor was. Jesus used this parable to illustrate the true neighbor is the person who is willing to offer help and sympathy in times of trouble. Indeed Jesus redefined the meaning of “neighbor”.