First the Parable:

Luke 10

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

30Then Jesus answered and said: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. 31Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. 34So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35On the next day, when he departed,[j] he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, “Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.’ 36So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” 37And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Now the hidden spiritual meaning of the passage:

“A certain man”

The man is Adam. The Hebrew term “Adam” literally means ‘man’. The man also represents all of mankind who are represented in Adam.

“went down from Jerusalem to Jericho”

Went down describes the fall of mankind in the garden of Eden, where Adam fell from grace through sin. Jersualem is the heavenly Jerusalem, the Holy Mount of God where Adam had aforetime resided in God’s presence, but his sin had made him go out, down from heaven to the earth as it were.

“fell among thieves”

The thieves are the demons. The Devil caused Adam to be tempted and ultimately to sin. The Devil and his demons are thieves, they steal eternal life from wayward man and accuse the brethren before God of the sins of mankind.

“who stripped him of his clothing”

Adam’s clothing was his virtue, his purity, his sinlessness. Adam was naked and knew it not and God clothed Adam due to his knowledge of his nakedness. Here man is returned to his nakedness by the devils. This teaches us that all mankind is naked before God, in sin and sorely affected by the devils.

“wounded him”

This refers to the sin nature, our propensity to sin rather than to reject evil. mankind is wounded by the darts of the evil one and they have hurt us and we are unable to heal them ourselves.

“departed, leaving him half dead”

Notice the man Adam is -NOT- dead, or spiritually dead as some later Protestant denominations declare, but the demons leave him ‘half dead’. This shows us that mankind is not completely dead to God because of sin, but that he is poor naked, alone and unable to help himself, but the spark of Life is still in him, that is the Divine spark of Life of God. We note also the demons, after having done their evil depart as they have caused that soul to fall and become lost and naked. their job is done here and go on about the earth looking for who else they may devour.

“Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.”

The priest in this parable represents the priesthood of Aaron; Moses gave the temple priesthood but the Temple priesthood was unable to save the man from his predicament. Likewise the next visitor to the scene:

“Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side.”

The Levite represents the law of the Old Testament. The law was also given by Moses and was unable to assist the man in his predicament. Thus Jesus our Lord was giving a brief history of mankind, from Adam in the Holy City/garden, through the fall affected by demons, naked and poor lost and hurt mankind, then Moses with the Aaronic Priesthood and the levitical laws were unable to help this man at all and left him in his state…Then the Saviour comes along…

“But a certain Samaritan,”

Why does Jesus choose a Samaritan to represent Himself? Because Samaritans were despised and hated from among the Hebrews. Jesus was saying he was going to be hated and rejected among the Jews as well, even though He did good and came to save the lost sick and naked humanity.

“as he journeyed, came where he was.”

This teaches us that Jesus left the area He was from (heaven) and journed (was Incarnated in St Mary) and became Man, that He might save those called after His Name. Thus God came to man to save mankind. man was unable to journey to God in his sick and wounded state.

” And when he saw him, he had compassion.”

God in Christ had compassion on mankind and did not leave mankind in its sick sin stained naked state. God is compassionate on His creation and strives with mankind his whole life always there ready standing by able to help.

“So he went to him and bandaged his wounds,”

Jesus approached the man and dresses his wounds. This tells us that it is Christ Himself who takes away the sins of mankind. Jesus places bandages upon his wounds, which means He has cleansed and washed the wound of its pus and infections as a doctor does before he dresses wounds. Jesus heals us, is the Great Physician, our healer. We are healed from our wounds by washing as well, which is baptism by Christ, where Jesus cleanses our wounds of sin and gives to us a new robe/clean bandages.

“pouring on oil;”

Jesus Himself brings to the sick man, oil, which represents the Holy Spirit, Jesus himself anoints the man with the Holy Spirit, which is His Chrismation. The man is now restored to his original state, clean and free of the corruption of the devils and has the Holy Spirit indwelling him.

“and wine;”

Wine represents the blood of Christ which covers the man and protects him from sin and evil and the darts of the devils. The Old Testament refers to the “Blood of the grape”. This is why the Church only uses the red wine in the Holy Copmmunion, for by the word of Christ it is for us the Blood of God. The Lord Jesus in these words have shown us that he takes the sinful man through from the grasp of the devils and sin through washing, regeneration, anointing and communion with God, all are the sacraments of the Church Mysteries as we call them).

“and he set him on his own animal,”

The animal represents where mankind is lifted up and is carried by the angels which minister to mankind and carry us and our prayers to the throne of God. Angels are sometimes referred to as living creatures or living beasts (four living creatures for example) 🙂 The angels are servents to those who will inherit salvation. but they carry us at the bidding of Christ who is alongside the whole time directing the work.

” brought him to an inn, and took care of him.”

The Inn is the Church. All that Christ has are brought to the Church. The Church is like a hospital for the sick where Jesus Himself brings sick souls to. Jesus has ‘saved’ the man but knows that in the future the man will need to be tended to and encouraged in his healing and health. In doing this Jesus shows us all that we all need the ministrations of the Church. The Innkeeper (mentioned in a minute) is the pastor/Minister/priest of the Church who is ordained to care for the sick and weak souls of the Church under Christ’s appointment.

“On the next day, when he departed,”

This teaches us that the Lord arose on the following morning and He departed from the Inn. This speaks of Jesus resurrection and ascension where Jesus or Lord arose from the dead (sleep is a little death) and left (ascended).

“he took out two denarii,”

The two coins that you asked about Rowland. These represent two things. First, the Old and New testaments given by God for us and for our edification, but why two coins? Because the second coin represents the Church teachings and Traditions. Both were and are essential for the correct healing of the restored mans soul. Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition are both essential and the two coins teach this. They are as it were both sides of the same coin.

“gave them to the innkeeper,”

Notice that the deposit of Scripture and Tradition was given to the Innkeeper, initially the apostles. Who received the teachings and protected them from those demons and those outside who could never know it all simple by using the Scriptures alone. Notice that Jesus did not give the coins to the wounded man as he was too sick and would not have known what to do with them and may have become sick again by misuse. Here Christ trusts the care of souls to -man- and does so knowingly and willingly.

” and said to him, “Take care of him;”

Notice that Jesus commanded the Church Pastor/Priest to take care of the wounded soul. How often today have pastors -NOT- taken care of wounded and sick souls, rather choosing to tickle their ears, preach to them doctrines of demons of health and wealth, false teachings of immoral and atheistic teachings. On the contrary the pastors will have a stricter judgement for they were enjoined to take care of the souls not to scatter the sheep. Our Lord when He returns offers that He will repay in these words…..

” and whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'”

Here we see a reference to the Second Coming of the Lord, when I “come again”. The Lord tells the pastor/priest when I return I will repay you for whatever you have spent. This is a two edged sword for if the pastor/priest has misapplied the funds given to him and hidden the talents as it were, or worse, has abused the flock then Christ will most certainly repay kind for kind. however, if the servant of God has served the souls well and diligently applying both coins of Scripture and Tradition and healed the sick and continued on faithfully then the Lord Jesus will also reward him, some thirty fold, some sixty fold, some one hundred fold.

“So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among the thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

Jesus tells us to go and do likewise, obey His commands in this parable, love one another and those in the Church to continue the work He gave them to do irregardless of those outside who attack and mock. All the time having the rememberance that the Lord will return one day and ask for an account, woe betide any pastor/priest who has spent the reserves on himself and not on the flock of Christ.

This is the spiritual teaching of the Parable of the Good Samaritan to the best of my weakness.

Peace and grace always to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.

Athanasius,servant.

(An Orthodox deacon friend)