This essay will conduct an exegesis of the sacred text “The Good Samaritan” and explore the theme of caring for strangers. This is evident in contemporary Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's controversial artwork, "Haunting," which highlights the tragedy of failing to uphold the sacredness of human life. The artwork articulates this aspect of the artist by posing as a lifeless Syrian child who drowned after attempting to seek refuge. The worlds behind, before, and before the sacred text must be critically analyzed to illustrate the theme of caring for the stranger. Sacred texts convey timeless ethical and moral messages about the treatment of others, which are still relevant and imperative in contemporary society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayIn an article in the January/February 2012 issue of Biblical Archeology Review, Dr. Amy-Jill Levine highlights the importance of understanding the times and concerns of first-century Judea to understand the full meaning of the story (Levine, 2012 ). The parable of the Good Samaritan takes place along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Israel's landscape places Jerusalem geographically higher than Jericho, meaning the road gradually gets steeper on this trip. Traveling along this road towards Jericho leads to rugged desert terrain, with its surroundings consisting of large barren hills and small mountains. Because of this, people were often robbed of their possessions along this stretch of road. During this period, the Jewish social structure was divided into a cultural and social hierarchy. The priest in this parable would have had a high social status, meaning he most likely rode a donkey during his journey. The Jewish Temple in Israel, which was located in Jerusalem, had strict laws that prohibited priests from coming within two meters of a dead body. This meant that if the man died and the priest touched him, he would be considered ritually unclean and forbidden to enter the temple. The priests had to solve this problem by purchasing and sacrificing a heifer, which meant he would have to return to Jerusalem to purchase one. However, the priest could still have assisted the man as Jews consider the preservation of life above observance of the law (Stower et al, 2017). Furthermore, the text describes the priest as "travelling that road", implying that he was moving away from Jerusalem, where the temple was located. The Levites were considered priests as their main obligations were to teach Torah and pour oil and wine on offerings to prepare for sacrifice, meaning Jewish law was less strict for them. Despite this, however, the Levite did not want to become impure since his work would have required his presence in the temple. At the time of Jesus, the Samaritans were the despised enemies of the Jews because "each's literature betrays an attitude of hostility towards the other." The Samaritan in this parable is traveling in Judean territory, which means he is in more danger than the priest or Levite was and has more reason not to assist the man who is probably Jewish. Furthermore, since the parable is set in Judah, the inn to which the Samaritan takes the man is Jewish. This illustrates another risk that the Samaritan had taken because if anyone at the inn had recognized him, a violent riot could have broken out. The lack of adequate medical resources during this era led to wine and oil being commonly used to wash and disinfect wounds. The fact that theSamaritan poured his own wine and oil, which were considered precious and revered in Jesus' time, on this man who didn't know exemplifies the sacred text's theme of caring for the stranger. The intent of Luke's sacred text was to demonstrate how Jesus' behavior regularly went beyond the narrow views set out in the Book of Sirach, considered an expression of the Jewish mentality. 'wisdom' written around 200 BC (Fallon, 2013). Michael Fallon (2013) described the Book of Sirach as a “sort of behavioral catechism for many Jews in the time of Jesus,” which proposed that one should be a devout and observant Jew. Jesus' teachings commonly used familiar analogies and folktales to explain God's behavior or the Kingdom of Heaven. The parable of the “Good Samaritan” offers a vision of life rather than death. Jesus tells the story of a man who is robbed, stripped, beaten and left half-dead on the side of the road. Michael Fallon (2013) also stated in his homily that all we find out about this person is that he is a man, illustrating that this is enough to be considered a “neighbor.” The priest does not feel the need to assist the man because it is not clear whether he is his "neighbor" and he has an obligation to help him. Furthermore, Jesus also outlines the hypocrisy of the Levite who gives sacrifices but not of the needy man. The priest, the Levite, and the Samaritan all saw the man, but the text describes the Samaritan as “moved with pity” (Luke 10:33). Jesus often used this phrase before healing as it refers to a deep level of compassion in one's being. According to the development of the plot of the parable, it was expected that the third person who would meet the man would be an Israelite. However, the story takes an unexpected turn and shocks Jesus' audience when the hero is a Samaritan. The lawyer who originally questioned Jesus at the beginning of this sacred text would hate the Samaritans as they were ostracized by the Jerusalem establishment (Beitzel, 2006). However, when Jesus asks him who the neighbor in the parable was, he is forced to follow the moral example of a Samaritan in the story of Jesus. The modern view and interpretation of this sacred text ensures that the central themes established by the parable remain relevant in a contemporary context. The appropriation of the text for new contexts is inevitable as the hermeneutics of this parable varies at different times and for different audiences. Students of the Hebrew Scriptures recognize the central values ​​of love, but have values ​​aligned differently than someone of the Christian faith who coincides with the Good Samaritan. The deep meaning of this sacred text is to love your neighbor as yourself and manifest that love in action. This is expressed by Dr. Amy-Jill Levine (2012), who insists that the text teaches that “not only should we love our enemies, but we should also provide free medical services to foreign citizens.” Furthermore, Michael Fallon (2013) also stated that “If we truly want the life that comes from God, we have no choice but to do what the Samaritan did.” It is clear that there is no place for prejudice or sectarianism, as well as for avoiding the demands of love by hiding behind laws that regulate the relationship with God. Even if this mentality seems simple, people often find excuses like the priest and the Levite to avoid social issues. Understanding this reality brings out the powerful message of the parable, which “insists that enemies can prove close, that compassion has no boundaries, and that judging people based on their religion or ethnicity will leave us dying in a ditch.” .".Remember: This is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now..