Other statements made by Jesus Christ about the Samaritans reveal that they had a partly foreign, non-Jewish heritage. He specifically excluded them when instructing his apostles to concentrate their efforts on the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 10:5, 6) On another occasion he spoke of a Samaritan as a “man of another nation” or “race.”​—Luke 17:16-18, Kingdom Interlinear Translation.

The term “Samaritan” was even used as an expression of reproach. A case in point is when unbelieving Jews said to Jesus: “Do we not rightly say, You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”​—John 8:48.

Jesus Christ, however, did not adopt such a prejudiced view toward the Samaritans. Of the ten lepers he healed of loathsome leprosy at one time, one was a Samaritan. This Samaritan was the only one who returned to Jesus, thanking him and glorifying God with a loud voice. (Luke 17:16-19) Still another time, at Jacob’s fountain, Jesus spoke extendedly to a Samaritan woman and thereafter spent two days in the Samaritan city of Sychar to declare God’s truth. As a result many became believers. (John 4:5-42) Furthermore, Jesus’ illustration about the neighborly Samaritan made it clear that an uncompassionate view of Samaritans was wrong.​—Luke 10:30-37.