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After the Assyrians destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C., they deported a large number of Israelites. Others were left behind, and some of them may have intermarried with Gentiles who settled in the area. In Jesus' day the Jews regarded the inhabitants, now called Samaritans, as Gentiles, though the Samaritans themselves claimed to be of Israelite descent. The religious practices and beliefs of the Samaritans, though similar to those of the Jews, were different in some important respects. They recognized only the Law as Scripture and not the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures. They said that sacrifice should be performed on Mount Gerizim in Samaria, not in the temple at Jerusalem. Great hostility existed between Jews and Samaritans, which led to eruptions of violence between them.
Luke shows a special interest in Samaritans. His gospel includes the parable of the good Samaritan and the account of the healing of a Samaritan leper (10:25-37; 17:11-19). And in Acts he reports that the mission of the church to the gentile world would begin in Samaria (Ac 1:8; 8:4-25).
Jesus himself wanted to proclaim his message to the people of a Samaritan village. When they were unwilling to welcome him (9:53), James and John remembered how Elijah called fire down on two unfortunate companies of the Israelite army in Samaritan territory (2Ki 1:1-18). They suggested that Jesus should do the same to the inhabitants of the inhospitable village. But he rejected their suggestion. His way was different from that of Elijah.