Yesterday, we talked about broadening the types of activities we consider as fitting the definition of hospitality. Today, we are going to consider whom we are seeking to be hospitable towards. Remember, our Greek words most often translated as hospitality are, in their etymology, pointing towards foreigners or strangers. To be clear, the word seems to be used in a broader sense of friendship towards everyone, not just foreigners and strangers. This, we will talk about tomorrow. Today, however we will focus on showing hospitality to strangers.
I think the parable of the Good Samaritan is perhaps the best teaching on hospitality that we have in Scripture.
Luke 10:25–37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” 27 He answered, “ ‘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, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
The point of this parable is, remember, to answer the question of "who is my neighbor?" This question was asked by the expert in the law as an attempt to justify himself. Jesus, in his parable, casts the Samaritan as the hero and the pious Jews (the priest and the Levite) as the indifferent passers-by. This would have certainly offended the Jews listening to Jesus. The Jews and Samaritans hated each other over feuds that extended back generations. Jesus' point is precisely that loving your neighbor means being hospitable, even to those you are predisposed to despising.
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Reflection
Put yourself in the place of the Samaritan in this parable. What possible excuses would you come up with to not help and be hospitable towards the man along the side of the road? Would it have been natural for you to be so generous in providing for his needs? Are there any categories of people that you would have a more difficult time being hospitable towards?