In what ways does Ezekiel 16:5 connect to the parable of the Good Samaritan? Abandoned at Birth – Ezekiel 16:5 • “No one looked upon you with pity or had compassion on you. Instead, you were thrown out into the open field, because you were despised on the day you were born.” (Ezekiel 16:5) • Israel is pictured as an unwanted infant, bloody and helpless, discarded where death is certain. • The verse underscores the total absence of human compassion—no eye, no hand, no heart moved to help. The Traveler Left for Dead – Luke 10:30–32 • Jesus describes a man stripped, beaten, and “left half dead” by the roadside. • A priest and a Levite come, see, and pass by. Like the onlookers in Ezekiel 16:5, they withhold mercy. Compassion Withheld vs. Compassion Shown Contrast the two scenes: ‒ Ezekiel 16:5: absolute neglect, life abandoned. ‒ Luke 10:33–34: “But when he saw him, he had compassion.” The Samaritan reverses the earlier pattern: – He approaches instead of avoiding. – He treats wounds with oil and wine. – He carries the victim to safety and covers the cost. The Samaritan supplies everything withheld in Ezekiel’s picture—pity, intervention, provision, and ongoing care. Seeing God’s Heart in Both Passages • Though Ezekiel 16 highlights human failure, the chapter quickly shifts to God Himself stepping in: “Then I passed by you and saw you kicking around in your blood, and I said to you… ‘Live!’” (Ezekiel 16:6). • The Good Samaritan mirrors that divine act. Jesus reveals God’s own character—moving toward the helpless at personal cost. • Romans 5:8 parallels the theme: “But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Broader Scriptural Echoes of Compassion • Titus 3:5—salvation rooted in “His mercy,” not our merit. • Psalm 103:13—“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.” • 1 John 3:17—true knowledge of God compels tangible aid to those in need. Living Out the Lesson Today • Recognize the depth of our own rescue: every believer was once the abandoned infant and the wounded traveler. • Extend proactive, practical mercy, crossing social, cultural, or personal boundaries to do so. • Measure compassion not by feelings alone but by sacrificial action, echoing both God in Ezekiel 16 and the Samaritan in Luke 10. |
    |