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How Jesus Treated the Samaritans and Lessons for Today

How Jesus Treated the Samaritans and Lessons for Today

The Samaritans are most likely the mixed remnants of the ten northern tribes of Israel and other groups conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BC.

According to Wikipedia, a small group of Samaritans numbering less than a couple thousand still persist today. They are considered by some in Israel to be Jews; by others, they are considered a separate group. They also have distinct beliefs from the Jews, some of which are:

  • They believe in only the first five books of the Bible, written by Moses, and in a different version of the book of Joshua.
  • They believe that the high priest Eli was a scammer and false priest who made a counterfeit ark of the covenant and created a false worship center at Shiloh to keep people from worshiping at the true center in Mount Gerizim.
  • They believe the messiah has not yet been born.
  • While they believe that the promised messiah would come through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, they do not believe he would come through Judah. Instead, they believe he will be a descendant of Joseph; this is likely because the Samaritans are thought to be descendants of Joseph’s two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh.
  • They believe that when their messiah, whom they call the Taheb, comes, he will be a prophet like Moses and prophesy/lead for 40 years; that he will bring all true Israelites back to the Promised Land, and then the resurrection will happen; that he will find the original tent of meeting constructed by Moses on Mt. Gerizim and then he will die and be buried on that mountain.
  • They observe the weekly Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset and observe all the feast days described in Leviticus.
  • They have their own high priest.
  • They believe Mt. Gerizim is the most holy site.
  • Most important, this group, like the Jews, denies that Jesus Christ is the Messiah.

Most Jewish religious leaders through history, including in Christ’s day, believed that the Samaritan religion was a false one, a counterfeit of what God gave through Moses and His prophets.

While I agree with this conclusion, the question I want to ask today is: How did Jesus treat the Samaritans?

Did Jesus condemn them because they were caught up in a system of beliefs that were erroneous in many ways? Did Jesus refuse to present the truth to them because they had a different understanding of the Bible and the instructions contained in it?

What does Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan tell us regarding what Jesus thought about their divergent doctrines? In the story, there was the injured person and the Levite, Jewish priest, and Samaritan. Who did Jesus intend to convey was the one right with God? The Samaritan—yet He would also have agreed that the Samaritan held many erroneous doctrinal beliefs and failed to do the correct religious instructions, sacrifice in the right way, pay tithe to the right organization, etc. But how could the Samaritan be right with God while holding to erroneous doctrinal beliefs and doing the wrong religious activities?

Conversely, to the listening audience, the Levite and priest both would have been regarded as holding the correct doctrinal beliefs and engaging in the correct religious practices—paying tithe to the right organization, sacrifice in the right place and the right way, etc.—yet Jesus inferred that they were not right with God. How can it be that in their believing the right doctrines and doing the right behaviors, these men were not right with God?

Being Righteous

Well, what makes one right with God? The Bible is clear—it is being reborn to have fear and selfishness replaced with God’s law of love, to love God with all one’s being and others as oneself.

What about today? In your church organization, what has been the emphasis on what makes one right with God? Is it on believing the correct doctrines; paying tithe to the right organization; getting baptized in the right way, with the right words, by the right authorized person; doing communion in the right way; going to church on the right day; etc.?

Or is the emphasis on having a right heart attitude and living lives that demonstrate a love for God, others, and truth and, thus, have a willingness to be corrected and follow unfolding truth as our infinite God of truth reveals it to us? Didn’t the Samaritans embrace Jesus and the truth He revealed by asking Him to stay longer with them? (John 4:39–41). Their response revealed that their hearts were open to truth and were longing to advance in the truth.

But the Jewish leaders were hardened against truth because they were defending their own doctrinal beliefs, orthodoxy, and practices. The Bible describes those who are lost as not loving the truth—they love their religion, doctrines, ceremonies, and organization utmost, so they resist advancing truth that would call them to change their doctrines, ceremonies, and practices (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

Those who hold to doctrines and ceremonies often reject truth that would change their current beliefs or their religious practices—ending up as enemies of God and their fellow humans under the guise of being godly. We see this all through the Reformation as the orthodoxy police persecuted those advancing biblical truth.

What does Jesus’ attitude toward the Samaritans tell us about the things they and the Jews fought over? When the Samaritan woman at the well tried to raise such religious disputes, Jesus said:

Believe me, dear woman, the place where one worships God is not important; it is the condition of the heart of the worshiper that matters. Very soon, you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship a confusing tradition of rituals that does not enlighten the mind and have no ability to heal the worshiper; we worship the Creator God, and our minds are enlightened and healed by him because all he asks of us is sensible and reasonable. The plan to heal humanity from the infection of selfishness and sin is provided through the Jews. The time has now come that all true worshipers will worship the Father with an intelligent and reasonable understanding of who he is, respecting, admiring and loving the truth about his nature, character, and methods. These understanding worshipers are the kind the Father seeks. God is intelligent and reasonable, and his worshipers must worship him intelligently and reasonably, appreciating and valuing the truth of God’s methods and principles (John 4:21–24 REM).

What was it that the Samaritans needed? Was the saving message for the Samaritans different than what the Jews needed? What about the rest of the world?

That’s why Jesus said to His disciples:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8 NIV84).

The true gospel message is the exact same message for every human being, whether Jew or gentile, black or white, free or slave, man or woman, for we are all suffering from the same sin-sickness and all need the same Remedy—Jesus Christ!

As a follower of Jesus Christ, look past the superficial—past race, past national origin, past denomination, past ritual and ceremony, past creed—and see reality for what it is. Every single human being born into the world is born infected with the terminal sin condition inherited from Adam and Eve (Psalm 51:5), and every single person needs the same healing Remedy of Christ. Let people know they are loved, valued, cherished, and that in Jesus, there is real healing for their hearts, minds, and souls. This is the message that the world needs. This is the truth that sets minds free. This is the truth that unites hearts in the bonds of eternal love.

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I would just like to add my voice to the many people who, I believe, must have contacted you to express their appreciation for the “Healing the Mind” DVDs. I’ve been listening to your Bible study class discussions for many years and I’ve been personally blessed by your research and teaching about the character of God.

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Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

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I’ve been very blessed by “The God Shaped Brain” and this ministry, through video and podcast, over the last few years. It’s truly opened up my eyes more to the truth about God and the importance of that truth in the present world. The message is so inviting, freeing and enlightening and MORE people need to know about it. I believe it is the last message that can truly, not only prepare a people for salvation and translation, but vindicate the character of God.

Michael V., Yonkers, NY, USA

 

Testimony 53

I was so blessed by a friend who gave me your book, “The God Shaped Brain,” while I was sitting in church asking God to please help me learn more about Him and help me not to be so confused and scared. That was about 2 years ago. Your books have helped me to love God even more. I’m not confused or scared anymore! I have listened to all of your bible study classes and feel like I know the wonderful people that attend every week. Thank you for all that you’re doing in spreading the true message about God and His law of love. God bless you and your whole class.

Elssy P., Modesto, CA, USA

 

Testimony 30

God lead me to your book “The God-Shaped Brain” while I was searching for another book about the brain and then to your interview about your book on HeartWise Ministries [where] I found out about [Come And Reason Ministries]. I’m now devouring the webcasts of your Bible studies. I have been so greatly blessed and I thank God so much for your courage to speak the Truth in love no matter what. Listening to you contrast the two opposing systems (laws) and digging deep to unearth the hidden treasures in the Bible makes me so incredibly happy and I feel very blessed to be part of your Bible Study Group although I live far away. I am just so excited that there is a group of people that is spreading the Truth about the character of God and it saddens me how few realize what our Father in Heaven is really like.

Kessy B., Australia

 

Testimony 40

I was brought up in a different faith and have been petrified my whole life of God. I believed that I would burn in hell for eternity. When I was 12 I started pursuing the things of this world, but for the next 45 years the Spirit was always calling me, as I knew there was a God through nature. I could see the vast sea of stars in the universe and knew there was something bigger out there. Five years ago, through a Revelation seminar, I was blessed to learn about God’s character and government.

Then I found Come and Reason Ministries and have come under some extreme pressure when I speak about the ministry. One time a member sent me an internet article titled “Whats wrong with Tim Jennings?” I asked her what she thought of it and she said “I don’t know, I didn’t read it.”

I have always wanted to find out for myself the truth about God, so I stayed with the Design Law construct and have been liberated to understand the big picture. Once we consider Design Law, all other Bible stories and prophecies seem to fit perfectly. It is truly beautiful to see people grasping how God operates this Universe of Love and the liberation it has provided in their lives. It blows my mind to see how consistent Design law is with what our founders believed. I hear statements like “This makes so much sense.”

Tom W., Mt. Pleasant, MI, USA

 

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I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

Testimony 66

I am incredibly grateful for the transformative impact you’ve had on my life, and words cannot fully express my appreciation. Over the years, I have been an avid listener and follower of C&R and extend my heartfelt thanks for creating the C&R mobile app. It has allowed me to immerse myself in your lessons repeatedly, enabling me to grasp the profound significance about the Character of God, Design Law, the protocols for life, the reasons behind the current chaos, and Christ’s mission to restore everything. They have deeply touched me. Having studied with various churches, I came away with the perception that God is no different from the deities of ancient Greek or Roman mythology—demanding sacrifices and taking pleasure in bloodshed. Thanks to your transformative teachings, I have experienced a profound awakening to the true nature of God and the immense power of His love. It is truly a remarkable and liberating sensation to finally grasp the truth and embrace the empowering nature of God’s laws. My self-perception has become brighter and more infused with love. My journey of growth continues on a daily basis.

Chris P., Lake Mary, FL, USA

 

Testimony 32

The message [of Come And Reason Ministries is] for all Christians (and those who may become Christians) and not just Adventists or any other group. It is difficult to imagine why any [anyone] with intellectual and spiritual honesty could find fault with the way you explained the healing substitution concepts and the truth about God’s character, though I know some will reject and criticize. On behalf of those in our group near Tacoma, WA, thank you and your staff for all of the hard work and for sharing the Gospel in this manner. God’s message of healing love will be carried to the whole world and then Jesus will come – He promised it.

Terry U., Tacoma, WA, USA

 

Testimony 48

I just want to tell you how blessed I have been reading “The Remedy!” It has become a daily part of my devotional relationship with God. In it I have found a God of love and a God that loves me! The bible has come alive for me! It is the first time that I can say that I have felt hope fill my heart as I have read God’s word. This is good news I can share! Thank you, Dr Jennings! Thank you for your heart for others. I can’t put into words how this has set me free! It has strengthened my trust and love for God.

Jason H.

 

Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

Jill L., Midwest, USA

 

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I just want to say thank you so much for your conversations via YouTube. I regularly tune in to your lectures, “Let’s Talk” sessions, and many others. Through these I’ve found greater depth and meaning to God’s word. Thanks for all that you do and please continue. I’m currently working in the middle of Silicon Valley at Stanford University. I feel like God really has me in the right place right now and I’m sensing that your teachings might be part of it.

B. F., Silicon Valley, CA, USA

 

Testimony 11

I would love to have a copy of “Healing the Mind” DVDs to have in my therapy office. I enjoy having clients check out materials to enhance their therapy experience. I have sat under Dr. Jennings’ teaching at an American Association of Christian Counselors convention and respect his work greatly.

K.B., LA, USA