E ISSN: 2583-049X
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International Journal of Advanced Multidisciplinary Research and Studies

Volume 3, Issue 1, 2023

Who is my Neighbour?” A Study of Luke 10:25-37. In it's Lucan and Igbo"



Author(s): Martin Onukwuba, IP Ekpe

Abstract:

Often in society, we meet individuals lying at the roadside, strangers are not readily welcome. There is exclusion of an osu from full case participation in the life of the community. Too often we are at a loss as to what should be done in each. Situations like these have called for the study of the parable of the Good Samaritan, one of the parables where Jesus taught us how to love and how to be a neighbour to everyone without discrimination.

From the study of the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans and between the Jews and the Gentiles, and from the study or the Lucan Community, a similarity was discovered in relation to the Igbo community. The discriminatory treatment meted out by the Jews to others was likened to that meted out to an osu in the Igbo community. For instance, it was not possible for a Jew to marry a Samaritan and vice versa. Accepting food and drink from a Samaritan was against the law. Surprisingly, the osu suffer the same treatment from the hands of the freeborn.

From the exegesis of Luke 10:25-37, we discovered that there was a far-reaching difference between the lawyer and Jesus on the definition of neighbour. The lawyer regarded "neighbour" as a term not referring to everyone, and perhaps thought of what classes of people were excluded by it from the scope of the commandment. But Jesus declined to set any limits. A neighbour is anyone that needs one's love.

Since the parable is timeless, it claims that love in not words, but deeds. And these deeds involve risks, sacrifices, and sharing of one's possessions. From our fieldwork we found out that the major causes preventing people from rendering this expression of love in the society range from fear of dubious characters (popularly known as "419"), unnecessary interrogation by the police, fear of being beaten up while helping someone knocked down or abandoned along the roadside. The osu is not yet fully accepted, although the gods they were sacrificed to have been wiped out.

Therefore, in our recommendations, we have encouraged the Igho Christian to see the osu as a neighbour, as an object of love; welcome the stranger despite the fear of "419"; spend money and time to help an accident victim with all the risks involved. Our other recommendations include providing all citizens with national identity cards, formation of "Good Samaritan Corps". The police are to be well equipped with First Aid boxes. Christian Doctors should see it as a religious duty to stop at accident scenes and help out. In terms of societal awareness of the need for good morals, we have suggested the use of media houses and Churches to disseminate information. The most effective, however, is living a good Christian life.

It has been argued that insensitivity to the needs of others is due mainly to the way people have reacted to social crimes. But in the light of Jesus' teaching in the parable of the Good Samaritan, we have called for a rethinking of the whole situation bearing in mind Jesus' command to the lawyer, "Go and do likewise".


Keywords: Neighbour, Igbo Community, Parable, Teaching, Samaritans, Jews and Gentiles

Pages: 986-996

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