December 8, 2023 – Does the Bible Say…?

“Does the Bible really say that only one of ten lepers returns to thank Jesus?” 

“On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19

While this story appears to be a simple story about thankfulness, we soon realize it has a few wrinkles we must address. This is one of the few healing stories where people are healed by Jesus without him touching them. In fact they are no where near Jesus when they are healed. They have all departed to go and do what Jesus told them to go and do: “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” There are questions we cannot get answered – like “How far did they have to go to see the priests?” Another question I would like to know is “Was the one who went back to Jesus the only Samaritan?” And finally, “Were they all healed at the same moment, or were some healed immediately, and others healed later?”

Now, you may say “Why does any of that matter?” It matters because this story is not just about thankfulness. This story is about obedience, thankfulness, community relationships, and faith. Only one leper returns to Jesus to say thank you, and he is a Samaritan. But did he actually see the priest like Jesus told him? And because he is a Samaritan what good Jewish Priest would have given him the time of day? The interesting point to me is that he appears to have stopped on his way to see the priest. He must have turned around when he realized he was healed and went back to see Jesus.

Another question I have is does it matter to us that the only one who returned to say thank you was a Samaritan? All of the lepers would have been ostracized by the community, and perhaps their families as well. Anyone with a disease like leprosy would be forced to live outside the community and would not be welcome without shouting out “Unclean”. If they were healed, and certified by the priest as being healed, they would finally be allowed back into their community, and allowed back together with their families. Who among us wouldn’t want to see our families and give them the unbelievable news before returning to say thank you?

In a world where more and more people feel entitled, having a heart of thankfulness seems to be a rare commodity. Perhaps that is the point – we need to live each day with a heart of thankfulness and not with the expectation that we deserve everything.

Pastor Dave