Bible talk

[Core Imposter]

grumble grumble grumble grumble gr

 

[Gori the Grey]

Any of these interpretations would seem consistent:

• People who are nice to you
• People who are as close geographically/genetically as Jews and Samaritans
• Everyone

All perfectly fine answers, but not the answer that I'm looking for.

The answer I'm looking for is even more obvious than any of those, like brain-dead obvious, tautological even.

It builds on the previous super obvious answer.

Through the action taken by the Samaritan character in his parable, Jesus' implicitly defines a "neighbor" as . . .

 

[Samson]

All perfectly fine answers, but not the answer that I'm looking for.

The answer I'm looking for is even more obvious than any of those, like brain-dead obvious, tautological even.

It builds on the previous super obvious answer.

Through the action taken by the Samaritan character in his parable, Jesus' implicitly defines a "neighbor" as . . .

The Samaritan?

 

[Gori the Grey]

No, the answer I'm looking for generalizes from the details of the story. It draws on those details, but is a statement that could stand independent of the story.

A nigh-bor is . . . [insert action Samaritan took toward injured man]

(I suspect you have a block because you have the kind of mind that doesn't want to give a pure tautology as your answer.)

 

[Samson]

No, the answer I'm looking for generalizes from the details of the story. It draws on those details, but is a statement that could stand independent of the story.

A nigh-bor is . . . [insert action Samaritan took toward injured man]

You have a block because you don't want to give what looks like a pure tautology as your answer.

The last three lines are (NIV):

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Those who have mercy on you?

 

[Gori the Grey]

A perfectly fine answer (and we'll get to that in time), but not the answer I'm looking for just at this moment.

You're going to slap yourself. Or me. Probably me.

The action of the story in the parable of the Good Samaritan implicitly (if somewhat tautologically) defines a neighbor as . . .

 

[Moff Jerjerrod]

Is the answer to the question in this case one who hates you or you hate?

 

[Gori the Grey]

No, Moff! (Though of course the meaning of the parable does extend to that, in fact as its central meaning).

Samson's very close to the answer when he says "those who have mercy on you."

But in saying that, he's forgetting the earlier super-obvious answer he eventually gave about the precondition for that.

 

[Core Imposter]

We really need an answer here....

 

[Gori the Grey]

Remember I only gave Samson first crack at it. Moff has presumed to give his try.

I'm throwing it open. (Not least because I think Samson may have gone to bed)

I'd be amused, in a way, if it was you that gave the big reveal, CI, if you're sitting on it.

Or Summer earlier thought he knew where this was all trending.

Yet others may have their answer or the answer.

One might be helped by knowing something about my turn of mind, a certain puckishness in the mind that has conceived this whole exercise.

I myself will be headed to bed shortly. The suspense may become unbearable.

I really want to be here the moment someone gives the right answer, though (i.e. the answer phrased the way I want it). So I can say "ta-duh!"

 

[Kyriakos]

I personally don't agree, Gori. But possibly the term you are looking for is "the one who nears you".
I fear you create a bigger problem with the parable's audience, since you force yourself to accept that the gospel writer had no intent to influence his primary early audience -Greeks who would simply not be aware of the distinctions between jews and samaritans. We then go to the realm of having to treat this as a divine text, to assume that Jesus already would know about christianity getting established.

 

[Gori the Grey]

So close.

Built on the right principle.

We'll handle your disagreement as a separate matter once you feed me the answer I want a little more precisely the way I want it.

It derives from a meaning of πλησίον that you provided, in fact insisted on, when you first entered the chat. So whatever Greeks may or may not know about Jews and Samaritans. they're the ones who best know how to process this part of the riddle.

With whom is one a πλησίον, Kyr? Do I gotta go dig up the old post where you already made this point?

 

[Kyriakos]

(You are about to go to sleep, but I just woke up ^^)

So, due to the above, I am not sure. Maybe one who is already in the neighborhood of being potentially close. While this may not be what you seek as stated, if we go that route you'd need to treat the road as a metaphor too.

 

[Gori the Grey]

Now you're over thinking it, cluttering up your answer. Remember one clue is that the answer is simple to the point of obviousness, of tautology.

The simplicity of your first answer is part of what put you so close to the mark.

Who is my neighbor?

 

[Kyriakos]

I have to assume that the one who is near is part of my answer two posts ago
If not, we will have to wait for Samson. Protagoras never agrees with Socrates.

 

[Gori the Grey]

You keep stepping away from things that made that first answer so agonizingly close to the answer.

 

[Kyriakos]

You could always post my old post. I am content with being helpful in the past, and being credited for that in the present
(can't think of what you want currently)

 

[Gori the Grey]

It would be more fun if it could come in the moment.

Cuz it will feel like I'm answering if I post that old version of the answer.

And then my "ta-duh" will feel silly.

Go review your own posts on page 57, including how you thought you might fly all the way over from Greece to make me a visit.

 

[Farm Boy]

I'm enjoying this, at any rate.

 

[Gori the Grey]

How is it you don't have the answer, Farm Boy?

Of course, you're allergic to straightforward utterance, so even if you did have the answer, you couldn't give it in the form I need it.