Luke 10:33 Meaning and Explanation
“But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Then a Samaritan, the last man the audience expects, sees the wounded traveller and is moved with compassion.
What Does Luke 10:33 Mean?
Jews and Samaritans despised one another across centuries of religious rupture; a Samaritan in this story should be the villain. Jesus makes him the rescuer. He journeys, he comes where the man is, he sees — the same verbs as before — and then everything turns: he had compassion.
The Greek word names a mercy felt in the depths, the inward wrenching the Gospels elsewhere ascribe to Jesus himself before the harassed and the grieving. Compassion is the hinge of the parable, and it is the place where the despised outsider most resembles the Lord telling the story. Mercy does not check pedigree before it moves — in the giver or the receiver.
Luke 10:33 in the Original Language
splanchnizomai (σπλαγχνίζομαι), 'had compassion' -- to be moved in the depths, mercy felt in the gut.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luke 10:33
What does Luke 10:33 mean?
Then a Samaritan, the last man the audience expects, sees the wounded traveller and is moved with compassion.