Articles
The 10 Lepers – Luke 17
The 10 Lepers – Luke 17
It is interesting that this story is told so matter of factly. It had some rather uncommon parts for that day and time.
First, Jesus miraculously heals a leper, well actually 10 of them. I suppose it was not any more difficult for the Lord to heal 10 than to heal 1, but He did it.
Second, Jesus demands of these lepers a response. They were to ‘go and show themselves to the priests.”. This in fact was a demand of the Law of Moses in Lev. 14. This also shows that they, and Jesus, were yet living under that covenant.
Third, they were healed not immediately but ‘as they were going’. In our story, Jesus didn’t say they were to be healed, He told them to ‘go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Now, if they were familiar with the fine points of the Law, they may have deduced that they would be healed, but that is only a guess on our part. Whatever they thought, it shows a fourth point.
Fourth: when Jesus instructs, people need to respond in obedience of faith. What would have happened if one or more of them chose NOT to go and show themselves? We will never know!
Fifth, they all were cleansed. I cannot even imagine the joy and excitement that would have caused in each of these x-lepers. They would have been isolated from social life including their friends and family for as long as they have displayed the signs of such disease. NOW, they can see their family and even touch them!
Sixth, ONE returned to give thanks! Oh, how easy it is to RECEIVE blessings but how difficult it seems to be to be thankful for them, and even more difficult to EXPRESS such thankfulness. One did.
Finally (as far as this article is concerned), that one was a SAMARITAN. This yet again goes against the common social attitude of most Jewish people of that day. A Samaritan? Thankful? Glorifying God?
Take a lesson: remember to give thanks as you become aware of God’s blessings in your life.
Hugh DeLong
