The impact of Jesus’ Good Samaritan ethic

We have heard so much talk about “Good Samaritans” these days – especially with the Daniel Penny case in the news. Penny was just cleared of charges in the Manhattan criminal case against him.

Penny physically subdued Jordan Neely, a homeless, allegedly mentally ill man, who was threatening other riders in a subway in New York City in May 2023. Neely, who had previously been arrested 42 times, including three times for assaulting women on the subway, died shortly after the incident, which was recorded on video by a bystander. Penny is white; Neely was black.

Many opine that it’s criminal that Daniel Penny was ever even charged, with Neely’s death having been a clearly unintentional tragedy occasioned by Neely’s threatening behavior. Others call Penny a vigilante racist. Already some critics have noted that any potential would-be Good Samaritans might think twice before trying to help. Why get involved?

To many, it was tragic that Daniel Penny had to go through the anguish of the case. To Black Lives Matters protesters, Penny is a racist.

But step back a moment from this particular case, and look at the notion of a “Good Samaritan,” which is deeply imbedded in society. Where does this ideal even come from?

Jesus told a parable one day, and He changed all of history. It is the parable of the Good Samaritan. It’s found in Luke 10.

To paraphrase the story, a traveler is robbed and left for dead on the side of the road. A priest walks by and goes to the other side, ignoring the poor man. So also does a Levite – a Levite being a man of the tribe of Levi who served as an assistant to the priests.

But then another stranger sees the man in danger and stops to help him and to bring him to safety. The kind man was a Samaritan. And the parable concludes with Jesus telling His hearers, “You go, and do likewise.”

Today we think of a Samaritan as one who goes around doing good, precisely because of the influence of this particular parable. But Samaritans were viewed as “half-breeds” whose blood and worship were no longer Jewish, and therefore looked down upon by the Jews. Thus, the parable of Christ had a twist for its first-century audience. The hero of his story was a hated Samaritan.

Jesus changes everything. He changed our views on charity, and He changed our views on treating others with dignity, regardless of their socio-economic class.

The Good Samaritan ethic, showing kindness to a stranger in need, has become a hallmark of our civilization. And like many aspects of our culture, it gets back to the Bible.

This influence is even recognized by legal scholars. For example, in a U.S. District Court case from 1983, Crockett v. Sorenson, the judges wrote of the influence of the Scriptures on American law – including the concept of the Good Samaritan.

They wrote, “Anglo-American law as we know it today is also heavily indebted to principles and concepts found in the Bible. … The ‘good Samaritan’ laws use a phrase lifted directly out of one of Jesus’ parables.”

Jesus went around doing good, taught others to do the same, and thereby unleashed the forces of charity in our society – through the Luke 10 parable and others as well.

The link between believing in Jesus and charitable giving and volunteering is well-documented.

Dr. Byron Johnson, a Baylor professor of social sciences, who is the founding director of the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion, has been documenting the positive impact of practical Christianity.

For example, one of his 2021 research papers is entitled, “How Religion Contributes to the Common Good, Positive Criminology, and Justice Reform.” He writes of the “staggering economic benefit to American society” by volunteers.

And whence come the volunteers? “As it turns out, religious affiliation and participation is one of the key factors predicting volunteer engagement, both in sacred and secular organizations. In sum, the more religious people happen to be, the more likely they are to volunteer.”

Johnson adds, “Americans not only give financially, but they are also generous with their time. Volunteers donate to charity at considerably higher rates than non-volunteers.”

As the late Mother Teresa, a quintessential Good Samaritan, once said: “Today God has sent us into the world as he sent Jesus, to show God’s love to the world. And we must sacrifice to show that love, just as Jesus made the greatest sacrifice of all.”

Good Samaritanism is good for society, even if some naysayers abide by the principle that “no good deed should go unpunished.” Above all, Jesus’ imprimatur of the Good Samaritan ethic alone makes it worthwhile, whatever the cost.