Pulpit commentary: "The spurious holiness is that of the priest and Levite, two officially holy persons; - spurious holiness is sanctity divorced from charity. In the person of the Samaritan the nature of true sanctity is exhibited; - we are taught that the way to please God, the way to genuine holiness, is the practice of charity.In the allegory, the wounded traveller represents mankind at large, stripped by the devil and his angels grievously wounded, yet not dead outright. Priest and Levite were alike powerless to help. Moses and his Law, Aaron and his sacrifices, patriarch, prophet, and priest, - these were powerless. Only the true Samaritan (Christ), beholding, was moved with compassion and poured oil into the wounds"