I invite you to examine classic Christian art with me. 

Art can contextualize theological ideas within culture using a common motif. Art’s ability to transcend language summons empathy and confronts complex ethical issues by directly influencing an observer’s perception rather than lecturing, fostering a more visceral sense of shared humanity. While an academic uses words, an artist uses a brush. Both have a great skill. 

“But a Samaritan who was on a journey came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’”  Luke 10:34-35 

Théodule Ribot’s biblical scene “The Good Samaritan” was painted sometime in the mid-19th century. The story is extracted from the Gospel of Luke, in which a Jewish traveler is robbed, beaten, and left for dead and two people pass by, a Levite and a Priest, only to ignore him. Then a Samaritan, someone from a rival group, stops, tenderly helps him, bandages wounds, puts him on his own donkey, takes him to an inn and pays for his care. 

Notice how Ribot uses stark contrasts of light and shadow to evoke the gritty realism popular in France at the time. This artist conveys compassion for the poor and marginalized through facial expressions and touch. Ribot’s France was grappling with industrialization, class divisions, and a growing secularism. Ribot’s artistic venture serves as a poignant commentary on society’s moral obligations towards its most vulnerable members. Some topics are timeless.

Christ taught that the supernatural love of our neighbor is the exchange of compassion and gratitude, which happens in a flash between two beings, one possessing and the other deprived. All this is precipitated by a question posed by a lawyer to Jesus. In this case, the lawyer would have been an expert in the Mosaic Law, not like a court lawyer today. The lawyer asked, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answers the question using what is called the Socratic method: answering a question with a question: “He said to him, ‘What is written in the law? The Lawyer answers correctly but wants to justify himself, asking another question to limit Jesus’ answer: “Who is my neighbor?” 

In a perfect teaching moment. Jesus corrects the lawyer’s false understanding of who his neighbor is with the parable of the Good Samaritan.  

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The Samaritan had a physical presence. He had compassion; he gave medical care; there is transportation, shelter, and, not least, financial support. Artists are often drawn to subjects with rich narratives or historical context, which makes this parable compelling. 

This vibrant serograph by John August Swanson was first created in 1970 as a sgraffito crayon work, and he refined it over the years, completing it in 2002.  This image is one of three panels and tells the story of the Good Samaritan. 

Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, 

We lift up the greatest commandment in gratitude for those who live near us, with whom we can share Your love: “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 neighbor as yourself.” Amen