Luke 17:11-19
11 While He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing between Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as He entered a village, ten men with leprosy who stood at a distance met Him;
13 and they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”
14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they were going, they were cleansed.
15 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice,
16 and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.
17 But Jesus responded and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine—where are they?
18 Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”
19 And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.”
Ten Men with Lepra that were Healed
Ten men that were healed
In the passage of Luke 5:12-16, I previously noted that the translation “leprosy” is not the best translation. The term “lepra” in biblical times referred to a wide range of skin diseases and has been confirmed to be different from what is now known as Hansen’s disease. At that time, those with “lepra” were isolated from society and were commanded to cry out, “Unclean, unclean!” as they walked along the road (ref. Lev. 13:45-46). Lepra was truly a disease that brought physical, social, and emotional suffering. Ten men with lepra cried out to Jesus from a distance, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” One of the ten was a foreigner, a Samaritan. Normally, Jews would not associate with Samaritans but the affliction of lepra was so devastating that it rendered even racial barriers meaningless. Let us pay attention to the way Jesus responded to their plea. (1) Jesus tested their faith. (2) They were asked to act as if they had already been healed, even before the healing took place. (3) The healing was given as a result. This is an important truth that should be applied to our own lives as well. Are you thinking that you will believe only after you see the result? Has the time come for you to act in faith, believing that your prayer has already been heard?
The foreigner who came back
They were healed on the way to show themselves to the priests. In that sense, all ten of them had faith. However, only one of them, the Samaritan, had a heart of gratitude. Before showing himself to the priest, he returned to Jesus to give glory to God. Jesus was astonished that not one of the Jewish people, God’s own people, returned, while it was the foreigner, the Samaritan, who came back. Jesus said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.” The word “made you well” carries a meaning that goes beyond physical healing. True healing is the restoration not only of the body but also of the soul. This Samaritan experienced a blessing that the other nine did not. As I meditate on his example, I am led to repentance, realizing how seldom I express gratitude myself. Faith and gratitude are like the two wheels of a cart. Without either one, we cannot bring joy to God.
Today's prayer
Father God of Jesus Christ, I humbly ask before You to please transform me into a person of faith and gratitude. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.