The Parable of the Good Samaritan Quiz

Answer: False

The parable appears in only the Gospel of Luke. It can be found in the 10th chapter, verses 25 to 37.

Answer: Teacher

He addressed Jesus as "teacher". According to notes in the NIV Study Bible, an expert in the law was well versed in Scripture. On numerous occasions, Jesus is referred to a "teacher" in the four Gospels.

Answer: "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"

The correct answer is "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" Notes in the NIV Study Bible suggest by asking such a common question, the expert in the law was either taking issue with Jesus or simply wanted to see what kind of a teacher he was.

Answer: Jerusalem and Jericho

The man was traveling between Jerusalem and Jericho. Notes in the NIV Study Bible state the two communities are 17 miles apart and a traveler would descend from about 2,500 feet above sea level to about 800 feet below sea level. "The road ran through rocky, desert country, which provided places for robbers to waylay defenseless travelers," the study notes state.

Answer: No occupation is given

In the parable told by Jesus, no occupation is given for the man. In fact, no name is given for the man, as was the case with so many of the parables given by Jesus.

Answer: An anonymous person from Samaria

Scripture simply states a Samaritan, or a man from Samaria, stopped to help the victim. No occupation is given, as well. Notes in the NIV Study Bible provide interesting insight into the fact the man was neglected by a priest and a Levite and rescued by the anonymous Samaritan: "It is significant the person Jesus commended was neither the religious leader nor the lay associate, but a hated foreigner. Jews viewed Samaritans as half-breeds, both physically and spiritually. Samaritans and Jews practiced open hostility but Jesus asserted that love knows no national boundaries."

Answer: Put the man on his own donkey

Transporting the severely-beaten man on a donkey might be seen as an extremely uncomfortable way to travel, but in reality the Good Samaritan, and the robbery victim, had no other choice. The passage is basically saying the Good Samaritan opted to walk to the inn, to provide the best possible service to the man.

Answer: Two

Notes in the NIV Study Bible state two silver coins would be the equivalent of two day's wages, and enough money to keep the robbery victim for up to two months at an inn.

Answer: "Look after him and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have."

"Look after him and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have," is the correct answer. In other words, the Good Samaritan is doing everything possible to assure the man is well taken care of.

Answer: False

There is no indication the expert in the law had a change of heart, although parallel passages (Matthew 22: 34-40 and Mark 12: 28-31) suggest the expert in the law was impressed with Jesus' parable. The parable in Luke ends with Jesus asking the expert in the law in verse 36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" In verse 37, the expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him." And Jesus responded in the same verse by telling the expert in the law to "go and do likewise."