Among the Jews the question, "Who is my neighbour?" caused endless dispute. They had no doubt as to the heathen and the Samaritans. These were strangers and enemies. But where should the distinction be made among the people of their own nation and among the different classes of society? Whom should the priest, the rabbi, the elder, regard as neighbor? They spent their lives in a round of ceremonies to make themselves pure. Contact with the ignorant and careless multitude, they taught, would cause defilement that would require wearisome effort to remove. Were they to regard the "unclean" as neighbors?

Blandt jøderne var spørgsmålet: "Hvem er min næste?" årsag til endeløse diskussioner. De var ikke i tvivl, når det angik hedningerne eller samaritanerne, thi det var jo fremmede og fjender Men hvor skulle skellet være mellem folket i deres egen nation og blandt de forskellige klasser i samfundet? Hvem skulle præsten, rabbineren og de ældste betragte som deres næste? De tilbragte hele livet med at gennemgå en række ceremonier for at rense sig. De lærte, at omgang med den uvidende og skødesløse folkeskare ville, forårsage besmittelse, og at der krævedes besværlige anstrengelser for at de kunne blive rene igen. Skulle de regne "de urene" for at være deres næste?