Luke 17:11-19 - The ungrateful ones

17:11-19

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem and was passing along the border between Galilee and Samaria. We are going to get another healing example, but this time the emphasis is on the reaction of the people. In the miracle stories there has been a progression of the emphasis. Early on in the gospel the main point is the simple fact that Jesus is doing amazing miracles, and having compassion on people. Then there is emphasis on the conflict with religious leaders, especially over Sabbath healings. Here the emphasis is on those who are healed, and they don’t do much better than the Pharisees! We have a tendency to beatify the poor and downtrodden. The Bible does not do that. It does teach that God has a special concern for the poor, and that we too should have concern for the poor. And Jesus most certainly does show compassion to the poor. However, the Bible, as here, is also equally clear that the poor and downtrodden are still sinners.

The lepers called out to Jesus to heal them. Interestingly they call Jesus “master”. They also stood at a distance, something they would be used to doing. There is no record here of Jesus touching the lepers, which He has done before (Matt 8:3), rather He just tells them to go to the priests. This is something they would have to do if they were healed, so that the priest could verify that the person was clean.

The lepers obeyed Jesus’ instruction, which shows some faith in itself, there was no complaint that Jesus had not touched them. On the way they were all healed. One of them, but only one of them, returned to Jesus to express his gratitude. And this one was a Samaritan. The plight of being a leper had brought the Samaritan and the other lepers, presumably Israelites, together, despite the enmity between them. However, the salvation from their plight brought separation, it was the Samaritan who acted in a godly manner.

This is symbolic of Jesus coming into the world, but it is the Gentiles who have welcomed Him, and the Jews who have, for the most part, rejected Him. Jesus commends the man’s faith and tells him that his faith has made him well.