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Jesus Teaches About "The Good Samaritan"

That Mitchell and Webb Look 2006 Season 1 Episode 4

SKETCH-O-VISION

A VERY GOOD USE OF YOUR TIME.

The setup

Jesus tries to teach the Good Samaritan parable, but his disciples are more concerned with the prejudice hidden in its premise.

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The premise

Here’s the bit.

Jesus expects a story about an unexpectedly generous Samaritan to teach his disciples a moral lesson. Instead, they challenge his assumption that kindness from a Samaritan should be surprising. Their objections turn the lesson into an argument about prejudice, and his attempts to soften his language make matters worse. He finally appeals to the story’s status as a parable, only to discover that his audience has taken it as a factual account. His explanation ends by exposing the same attitude they were challenging.

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Highly quotable.

It is only a parable.

What, it didn't really happen?

ScriptEnglish · 24 turns

Automatically generated script; wording may contain errors. Speaker labels are inferred.

00:00
Jesus
And he walked by on the other side, leaving the man helpless. But then, who should wander by but a Samaritan of all people? And he actually helped the man.
00:09
Disciple
Hang on, Master.
00:10
Jesus
No, he did. He went over and actually...
00:12
Disciple
No, sorry.
00:13
Jesus
No, no, no. I mean, this is what I'm saying. That a Samaritan, all right, so have a good think about your attitudes, went and helped.
00:21
Disciple
Yeah, no, I see.
00:22
Jesus
No, no, stick with it. Because what I'm saying is that he was a good Samaritan. that's good Samaritan if you could imagine such a thing
00:31
Disciple
yes yes I can I think we all can yeah I know there's a lot of prejudice against Samaritans which is terrible but I'm sure I speak for everyone in this room when I say that there are loads of really nice Samaritans
00:44
Disciple
yeah some of my best friends are Samaritans
00:46
Disciple
yeah me and the wife went on holiday to Samaria last year and they were lovely people wouldn't do enough for you
00:52
Disciple
so what I'm finding offensive
00:55
Jesus
offensive,
00:55
Disciple
and I'm sure I'm not the only one, is your unreflecting acceptance of this cliche that all Samaritans are wankers.
01:03
Jesus
No, I'm saying he was good.
01:05
Disciple
Yeah, but you're implying that the fact that he was good is worth a story in itself. It's some kind of weird curiosity, like an albino Nubian.
01:13
Jesus
No, I'm saying that goodness comes in unexpected places.
01:17
Disciple
Yeah, and I'm saying that the fact that you wouldn't expect goodness from a Samaritan betrays your inherent racism
01:22
Jesus
okay okay all right that's a big word let's just take a deep breath here anybody that's the last thing I intended I didn't realize there were any Samaritans in the room
01:33
Disciple
that's not the point
01:34
Jesus
or Samaritan sympathizers you know Sammy lovers I didn't realize it was such a PC environment here and I suppose I thought that having what was only intended as a fond pop at our our Samaritan neighbours, friends even, if you like, would not be inappropriate in the context of a story which is, after all, about goodness. And at the end of the day, it is only a parable.
02:01
Disciple
What, it didn't really happen?
02:02
Jesus
Well, of course not. A Samaritan tosser wouldn't do that for his own grandmother.
02:06
Disciple
Jesus Christ!
02:07
Jesus
What?