Luke 17:11-19

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

The Location

The story of 10 lepers being healed is found only in Luke’s Gospel and represents an event that takes place as Jesus and his apostles are travelling toward Jerusalem

The 10 lepers, are a group of people excluded from community life because of their medical condition, and one leper was considered to have been doubly excluded because of his ethnicity. He was a Samaritan.

The Healing

The lepers, “keeping their distance,” call out to Jesus, not specifically to heal them but to “have mercy on us!”

When Jesus sees them, he sends them to the priests, who will determine according to the law of Moses, specifically Leviticus 14, whether they have been healed of leprosy. The lepers immediately demonstrate their faith by following Jesus’ instruction even though they still have their disease.

Only as they are on their way, do we find out that “they were made clean.”

The Samaritan

The gospel says that only the Samaritan turns back to praise God and (literally translated) “fell before his feet” and thanks Jesus.

Jesus asks rhetorically, “Were not 10 made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?

Jesus then addresses the healed Samaritan: “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.” But was not the Samaritan already well even before he came back praising God and giving thanks to Jesus?

The Samaritan’s return allows Jesus to demonstrate that no one, not a leper, nor a Samaritan, is beyond God’s mercy.

Lessons

- God’s mercy is for all

- Jesus is there when we cry out to Him for his mercy

- Jesus is not a respector of persons

- It often takes a step of obedience before we see God’s miracles

- Our faith in Christ will cause us to fall at His feet in worship

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myeveningdevotional.substack.com/subscribe