Episode Details

Jesus doesn't ask the question you'd expect. In Part 3 of this "Best Of" devotional, Pastor Mike Woodruff finishes walking through the Parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:34–37 — and shows how Jesus flips the entire conversation with one brilliant question.

The Samaritan bandages the injured man's wounds, puts him on his own donkey, pays for his care at an inn, and promises to cover whatever else it costs. Then Jesus asks the expert in the law: "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor?" Mike unpacks why that question is not the one anyone expected — Jesus isn't asking who deserves your help, he's asking how you'd want to be treated if you were the one lying in the road. And notice how the religious expert still can't bring himself to say the word "Samaritan" out loud.

We're bringing this devotional back because the ending of this parable is the part that actually convicts.

📖 Scripture focus: Luke 10:34–37
🎙️ Speaker: Pastor Mike Woodruff
📅 Part of our "Best Of" Devotional Series — classic devotionals, revisited

In this devotional you'll learn:

• What the Samaritan's care for the injured man actually cost him (time, risk, money)
• The genius of Jesus' question — and why it's not the one you'd expect
• Why the expert in the law refuses to even say the word "Samaritan"
• What "go and do likewise" really demands from us today
• Why Jesus doesn't leave much room for qualifications or excuses

This is the final part of our short series walking verse-by-verse through the Good Samaritan parable. Missed the earlier parts? Catch up below to see how the whole story unfolds from the very first question.

👉 New to our devotionals? We post short, daily devotionals designed to help you start your day grounded in Scripture. This "Best Of" series brings back some of our most impactful past devotionals for anyone who missed them the first time — or wants to revisit them.

Frequently asked:
What does "go and do likewise" mean in the Good Samaritan parable? It's Jesus' final instruction after the expert in the law admits the Samaritan — the one who showed mercy — was the true neighbor. Jesus tells him (and us) to act the same way: with mercy, toward anyone in need, without qualification.
Why does Jesus ask "which was a neighbor" instead of "who is your neighbor"? This is the twist Mike unpacks — Jesus reframes the question from "who deserves my help" to "how would I want to be treated if I were the one who needed help," which changes the whole point of the parable.
Where is this story found in the Bible? Luke 10:25–37; this devotional covers verses 34–37, the conclusion of the parable.

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