the parable of the inn on the way down

 

Today as the church gathers we will hear one of Jesus’ most well-known parables. A parable is a short story that allows Jesus to explore with us what it means for God to have come into the world as one of us, as a human being in search of his frightened friends, in a way that allows Jesus to remain hidden in plain sight.

In the parable we will hear today, Jesus is the road, the way, down from Jerusalem to Jericho. The way God leads us on is down, the way of self-emptying. This road was notorious, known as the Red Road because the blood of pilgrims and travellers, spilled by robbers, flowed so regularly. The Way is the way of self-sacrifice.

Next, Jesus is the man travelling the way, who fell in the midst of robbers, was stripped, wounded, and left for dead, ignored by the priest. Here the parable points to the cross where Jesus, having been stripped and whipped, is crucified between two robbers, one on his left and the other on his right, as the priests look on and mock.

Next, Jesus is the chance by which first a priest and then, in the same manner, an assistant to the priests, come across the man in need of assistance, as they are busy trying to make their way up, not down. The word Luke uses for chance literally means ‘with the Master,’ or divine coincidence. Who will Jesus bring across our path—or, whose path will Jesus bring us across—this week? And how will we respond?

Jesus is also the Samaritan, who enters into a covenant with the man in need, binding-up his brokenness.

And Jesus is the inn to which the Samaritan brought the man, and the innkeeper who would continue to minister to him. The Persian word for inn is caravanserai, or travellers’ palace. The Greek word Luke uses is pandocheion, or ‘all-receiving,’ the place where allmare welcomed. Elsewhere, Jesus uses yet another related word to describe the sheepfold to which he is the gate. Such inns provided rooms for traders, travellers and pilgrims, on one or more levels, around the four sides of a central courtyard, with one way in and out. Jesus is both the gate, and the innkeeper, the host who welcomes all.

Jesus is everywhere you look in this parable.

And the church is called to be those who accompany Jesus on the way down, who lay down our lives, who notice divine coincidences, who enter into covenant relationships with our neighbours, who bring them to the travellers’ palace, to the host who welcomes all, who receives all.

Today, I want us to pay particular attention to what it means for the inn to be the gathered church in the parable. For the building we come to on a regular basis, as a place of hospitality on our journey through life, to be a community that receives all who comes through the door.

What would that look like, in practice?

Luke 10.25-37

‘Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he said, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? What do you read there?’ He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’ And he said to him, ‘You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.’

‘But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while travelling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, “Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.” Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.’’