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Author: Stephen Weller
790 words, 4 minutes read time

Only One Returns and Gives Thanks

Scripture: Luke 17:14-21

In the previous lesson we established that Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem and had stopped in a particular village where he was met by ten lepers who cried out for mercy. In this lesson we will learn how Jesus responded to those cries.

^{Lk 17:14} “When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. ¹⁵ Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; ¹⁶ and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.”

As the lepers cried out to Jesus from a distance, Jesus turn toward them and gives them instruction. He doesn’t go to them to touch them or to say something to heal them, he tells them to go and show themselves to the priests. Once a leper, you would not go to the priests unless you believed you were now free of leprosy. You would go to be checked to ensure that you were now clean.

These lepers obeyed the instructions of Jesus and started on their way to see the priests while they were still had leprosy, “and as they went, they were cleansed.” The fact that they obeyed Jesus and started on their way indicated a belief that this would happen. As they traveled on their way together, they experienced healing, and when one of them noticed that he was healed, he turned and went back to Jesus, praising God with a loud voice as he went. When he reached Jesus, he fell on his face at his feet, giving him thanks.

It was noted in verse 16 that the one who retuned to give thanks was a Samaritan. They were not pure Jews but a crossbreed as we learn from 2 Kings 17:24 ESV: “And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.” As those who were brought there lived there, they intermarried and produced offspring known as the Samaritans.

The Jews saw these Samaritans as unclean and avoided them, even to the point that when they traveled between Galilee and Judea, they would take the long route and go around Samaria so as to not have contact with them.

^{Lk 17:17} “Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? ¹⁸ Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”’

This Samaritan was the only one of the ten who was willing to take the time and put forth the effort to go back and give thanks. Jesus blesses him and sends him on his way, telling him that it was his faith that made him well.

^{Lk 17:20} “Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, ²¹ nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”’

After being thanked by the leper who returned to give thanks, Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come. I find the answer Jesus gives to be rather interesting because he implies two kinds of kingdoms: one that can be seen and one that cannot be seen. The Jews were looking for the one that could be seen; and earthly kingdom, maybe one led by Jesus that would overcome Rome and set them free from its bondage. A kingdom that could be seen would come later.

The kingdom that was coming first was one that could not be observed and was already being formed in their midst. It was being formed by those chosen by God, who would come to faith in Jesus and be born spiritually. This kingdom that Jesus speaks of is still being formed today as people come to faith and are born spiritually into it.

Conclusion

Again, Jesus demonstrates the importance of going to where people of need are (for example in Samaria) and provides help. The Jews, on the other hand, tend to see people in need as unclean and try to avoid them (especially the Samaritans). Jesus continues to emphasize that the kingdom of God will contain anyone who comes by faith and is born again.