The account of the Good Samaritan in Luke has been examined by many scholars. Yet, in examining over 100 commentaries on the passage, very few even mention the account in the Hebrew Scriptures that Jesus drew from to present his teaching. These few that mention the account in the Hebrew Scriptures mostly only mention a possible relationship between the two passages. Far fewer still, acknowledge and examine the passage in the Hebrew Scriptures that the account in Luke comments upon, which is from a different passage yet. This pastoral commentary on the Good Samaritan(s) examines the different passages and the interactions between the different accounts. This new approach yields exciting new avenues for Scriptural study and preaching. Jesus never mentions why the man in Luke was beaten and robbed or who the robbers were and why they attacked the man. However, these inferences can be made to better understand Jesus’ teaching and Luke’s writing.
 
Eric W. Baker completed his Ph.D. in the Hebrew Scriptures in 2014. His previous book is the publication of his dissertation on the Jerusalem Temple. He has been in multiple lectionary study groups of pastors in different states examining the Scriptures. He teaches and researches in Washington state with his wife Jill and beagle Hannah.