The Prophetic Mystery in the Parable of the Good Samaritan

Based on the Bible lesson, The Good Samaritan: Hidden Prophecy About Jesus’ Return by Scott Mitchell

Most believers are familiar with the parable of the Good Samaritan as a call to compassion and mercy. Yet, embedded within this well-known teaching is a prophetic glimpse into the timeline of Christ’s return—a message often overlooked. When we examine the Scriptures through the lens of rightly dividing the Word of truth, we find that the Lord may have encoded something far deeper within this parable: a subtle reference to the span of time between His first coming and His second.

The Setting and the Wounded Man

In Luke 10:30, Jesus begins the parable with a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. This is more than just geography—it’s a spiritual descent. Jerusalem, the city of God, represents the presence of His law and truth. Jericho, by contrast, is a type of the world, cursed and under the influence of Satan. The journey downward signifies man’s fall into sin and spiritual separation from God.

This man is then attacked by thieves, stripped, wounded, and left for dead. The thieves represent the spiritual forces that rob mankind of life and truth—Satanic forces that blind the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4). He lies helpless, a picture of all humanity apart from Christ—bruised by sin and unable to recover through his own efforts.

The Priest, the Levite, and the Limits of the Law

When the priest and the Levite pass by, we see a representation of the law and religious ritual. Neither stops to help. They are powerless to heal. The law, though holy, cannot redeem. As Paul wrote, “By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified” (Romans 3:20). Only Christ has the power to bind the wounds of the sinner.

Jesus: The True Good Samaritan

Then comes the Samaritan, a figure despised by religious Israel yet moved with compassion. He stops, tends to the man’s wounds with oil and wine, and brings him to an inn. Here, Jesus is portrayed in a veiled manner as the One rejected by His own but sent to heal the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1).

The oil and wine are no arbitrary details. Oil represents the Holy Spirit, who seals believers and indwells them (Ephesians 4:30). Wine speaks of the New Covenant, the blood of Christ shed for the remission of sins. These are not religious forms—they are the essence of the gospel.

The Two Pence: A Prophetic Clock

It’s the payment to the innkeeper, however, that carries prophetic weight. The Samaritan gives two pence—two denarii—a coin commonly known in biblical times as a day’s wage (Matthew 20:2). This is not merely a financial gesture. Consider 2 Peter 3:8: “One day is with the Lord as a thousand years.”

If one penny equals one day, and the Samaritan gives two, we are looking at a symbolic 2,000-year span. This aligns with the age of grace, beginning with Christ’s ascension and continuing until His return. Hosea 6:2 offers a prophetic parallel: “After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.”

The implication is profound: the parable may be subtly indicating how long Christ would be “away” before coming again. He leaves the wounded man—us—in the care of the innkeeper, a type of the Holy Spirit who comforts and teaches us while we await the Lord’s return.

Watchfulness and Readiness

The end of that “two-day” period is drawing near. The Lord promised, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again” (John 14:3). We are not to sleep as others do but watch and be sober (1 Thessalonians 5:6). The innkeeper was told, “Whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee” (Luke 10:35). This speaks to the Lord’s return, His reward, and the faithfulness He expects in His absence.

A Call to Examine Our Faith

This parable is more than a moral tale. It’s a prophetic illustration of Christ’s redemptive work, the insufficiency of religious forms, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and the urgency of the time in which we live. We are living in the final hours of the second day. The Lord is coming soon.

Are you ready?

The grace of God has been extended freely. The wounds of sin can be healed by oil and wine, not by law or religion. Jesus, the Good Samaritan, has paid the cost. He will return to settle accounts.

Now is the time to be spiritually awake, rooted in truth, and prepared for His coming.

Watch the Bible Lesson The Good Samaritan: Hidden Prophecy About Jesus’ Return