Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Luke 10:30

"Jesus made answer and said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead." — Luke 10:30 (ASV)

The characters of the story must have the same significance they had to the original hearers. The two religious persons act contrary to love, though not contrary to expectation. The priest, returning from Jerusalem, has been observing the Law, though studious readers will recognize the neglect of mercy (cf. Micah 6:8). Then a third character appears, but unexpectedly he is not just a layman (in contrast to the clerical characters) but a Samaritan (in contrast to the Jewish victim).

The distance from Jerusalem to Jericho is about seventeen miles, descending sharply toward the Jordan River just north of the Dead Sea. The road curved through rugged, rocky terrain where robbers could easily hide. It was considered especially dangerous.