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Curriculum links
Key Stage 2: New Testament; Stories that Jesus told; Circle Time/PSHE and SEAL themes using Bible stories Getting on and Falling out; Relationships
Introduction to this story:
The story of the Good Samaritan is so familiar that we can easily allow it to lose its original impact! The hatred between Jews and Samaritans was intense - a Jew would not even allow a Samaritan’s shadow to fall across his path - and Jesus knew he was stirring up a real hornet’s nest by casting a Samaritan as the third passer-by. But it is even more shocking than that!
The lawyer wanted to probe into whom we should care for as neighbour. As the first part of Jesus’ story unfolded, it seemed to be leading to the ‘acceptable truth’ that anyone in need is a neighbour, even if the circumstances are risky. But the twist is that it is only this ‘lowlife’ of an outsider who understood this truth. Respectable Jews missed the point. And what’s more, the man in need had to be willing to receive help from someone whose shadow almost certainly fell across him! This outsider shows the true compassion that turns enemies into friends and in turn shows the listeners how the world was meant to be.
The following lesson outline explores this upside-down thinking about friends and enemies that the parable introduces.
Use the story version of this in The Barnabas Schools’ Bible on page 281.
1. The parables of Jesus are stories designed to bring people up short and make them think again. They take an unexpected twist or illustrate a surprising paradox, in order to get people to think afresh about the kingdom of God. In some ways they are a bit like optical illusions. We think we see what's there, but then suddenly we realize that there is something else, too.
Print off some optical illusions for your class to tease them into this sort of thinking as a preparation for today’s lesson. There are some optical illusions in the training material from Barnabas in Core Skills for Children’s Work, or else visit the website of Sightsavers.
2. Tell the story of the Good Samaritan as a story circle with plenty of colourful description and action to give material for the children to mime. Then explore the story further as a choice circus in which you put the children into two groups. One group suggests reasons why the Priest/Levite/Samaritan should stop to help, whereas the other group suggests reasons why not. Be prepared for some interesting insights. Ask the person chosen to play the Priest/Levite/Samaritan which inner voice he/she will follow?
3. In Stories to teach about God there is a modern-day version of this parable, using characters who should know what to do for someone in need and one character who is a deadly enemy of the person in trouble.
Talk with your class about ideas for their own version of this parable that they can tell together.
4. There are some craft ideas for this parable based on the senses in Step into the Story.
Alternatively, you could incorporate some simple first-aid skills, such as learning to put someone in the recovery position or making a simple sling, as an activity linked to the story.
5. Extend the story further in groups by asking them to think what might have happened or have been said next. For example:
6. Turning enemies into friends is often about who is prepared to make the first move and what prompts them to do that. In the Samaritan’s case, the story says ‘he had compassion’ (Luke 10:33, RSV) to do something completely out of the ordinary.
Why do you think, on this occasion, he was prepared to act ‘out of character’ towards this Jew?
What might inspire us to care in this sort of way for others?
Explore the origins of the organization the Samaritans, as an example of Christians and others choosing to act differently. There are information and follow-up ideas on this in Caring for Others Today.
7. There is a Godly Play reflective story version of the Good Samaritan with wondering questions in The Complete Guide to Godly Play Volume 3.
8. Include a time of reflection in your session with a particular focus on some of the ‘so-called enemies’ within your local community and in the UK today.
Think through how true compassion can help us to act ‘out of character’ and turn enemies into friends.
To symbolize this during your reflection time, ask one child at a time first to move some simple outline figures from the edge of a circle into the middle to lie next to each other, and then to change one of their own hands from a fist shape to a high-five greeting with the children either side in the circle.
