Luke 17:1-10
11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” 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. 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.”
Ten were healed, yet only one showed gratitude. And in an even more dramatic twist, the transformed leper that did return to Jesus and express thanks was a Samaritan. Those who originally heard this account probably would have expected the nine non-Samaritans to return and worship Jesus, due to the low societal status Samaritans occupied during this period of time. However, at this stage in Luke’s Gospel, the reader should not be surprised. Surely we remember that it was the Good Samaritan who provided care for the man who had been robbed, while others passed by along the side of the road. Luke seems to provide his audience with an historical application of the parable given by Jesus only chapters before. And what is that lesson? This particular narrative appears to be telling us that it is not about who one is; rather, it is about how one responds to an encounter with Jesus.
Thus, we too are presented with a decision. Will we be like the nine who failed to give proper praise to the One who cleansed them, and changed their lives? Or, will we follow the model of the Samaritan, and become aware that an encounter with Jesus should elicit within us a desire to praise the living God. May we all begin to realize that it is through Jesus that we are transformed and made new.
Prayer: God of restoration, who takes we who were once outcasts and gives us a home, instill in us a desire to praise you with all that we have. Amen.
Scott Grantland,
Duke Divinity School Summer Intern
