It is not often these days that I find a Bible story which I don’t remember reading before, and even less often that I find one which is clearly linked to a well known parable of Jesus. But I have just discovered, as if for the first time, 2 Chronicles 28:5-15, thanks to a post about this from Michael Barber. In this passage the people of Samaria, in response to a message from the prophet Oded, released some captive Jews (that is, Judeans), provided for them, put some of them on donkeys, and escorted them to a place of safety in Jericho. The parallels with the parable of the Good Samaritan are very obvious when you look for them.

Oded’s prophetic message is that the people of Samaria (actually at that time the northern kingdom Israelites, not the mixed people who later became known as Samaritans) should not oppress people from other nations. But the message which Jesus brings out of his parable is surely similar to the one which the Chronicler wanted to bring out by including this incident, that God is working even in other nations and that they should not be despised as entirely evil.

So, even though Michael is a Roman Catholic and gives clear reasons why I am not, his blog is great!