The answer is: Levite

Luke 10 - The first that passed by was a priest, secondly a Levite and then lastly, a Samaritan.

In the well-loved parable of the Good Samaritan from the Gospel of Luke, we witness established societal norms get flipped on their head! After the priest walks by the wounded man without offering assistance, we meet a Levite—someone thought to be a teacher of the law or an assistant for religious rituals. One would expect a Levite to be yielding compassion, but instead, he also chooses to ignore the plight of the injured man.

This positions the Samaritan—a member of a group typically looked down upon by the Jewish population due to historical animosities. Ironically, he becomes the unexpected hero of the story. It’s intriguing to note that Samaritans had their temple at Mount Gerizim, which the Jews rejected in favor of the temple in Jerusalem. This division creates a rich backdrop for the narrative, accentuating just how radical it was for Jesus to present a Samaritan in this light—as a symbol of love and mercy.

Notably, the key thrust of the parable hinges on two crucial themes: kindness and neighborliness that transcend human biases. This story echoes powerful reminders in other Biblical texts, such as Isaiah’s vision of invited nations and prophetic laws to love strangers (Deuteronomy 10:19). In contrast to rigid adherence to ritual, the heart of the narrative challenges us to act with love and compassion toward those we might otherwise overlook. Fancy that—a lesson on universal kindness wrapped up in an unexpected canonical tale!