Biblical performance critic Cliff Barbarick upends traditional interpretations of the Good Samaritan parable, arguing readers/ listeners should identify with the bleeding victim in the ditch—not the Good Samaritan. Drawing on Robert Funk's 1960s reading, Barbarick reveals how Luke weaponizes this story against the powerful, demanding they embrace vulnerability and accept help from their despised enemies. The Samaritans weren't just marginalized—they were hated adversaries with centuries of bloodshed between them. This isn't about charitable do-goodism; it's about self-emptying as salvation. Barbarick traces this radical theme through Luke's gospel, connecting it to the man with dropsy (whose disease symbolizes the wealthy's deadly hoarding) and challenging modern readers to identify their own enemies and imagine receiving care from them. Ancient text, still challenging.

COMPANION ARTICLE: https://scripturalworks.com/when-your-enemy-saves-your-life-the-good-samaritans-radical-reversal-luke-1030-35

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