Luke 17:11-19 (& 2 Tim 2:8-15)
The story of the 10 lepers, and only one returns to give thanks. And perhaps we only return a 10th of what we should to God in thanksgiving.
[11] On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee.
So here we have Jesus going on his way from the northern, Jewish area toward Jerusalem, with a pleasant meander through the rather unclean Samaritan area. Jesus himself is going through a sort of border region, and on his way to Jerusalem, where others will treat him as an outcast and a sinner. Jerusalem is a place of death (but also, eventually, of resurrection).
[12] As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, [13] they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"
What strikes me most about these verses is the dual posture of both approaching Jesus and yet keeping distance. On the first level, this is understandable. Perhaps the lepers are merely keeping up their duty not to get too close to anyone, lest they spread their infection. They know their place in the order of things. There are no explicit reasons given in the text, although some can reasonably be assumed. They are content just to get within “shouting distance” of Jesus, whom they call “Master”. As long as he can hear their cry for mercy, that is close enough.
And yet this dual posture strikes me as something which we can all engage in. Approaching Jesus, and yet keeping our distance at the same time. Just get close enough to be within “shouting distance” when we need something. Or perhaps we are so used to our position, feeling ourselves far from him and others, that we dare not get too close. Whatever the reason, it is a tendency of human hearts to draw close and then withdraw. Maybe we suffer from a bit of Christophobia – we don’t want to get too close to Jesus. There is something of this sentiment in Jesus’ plea as he completes his journey to Jerusalem: "How I long to gather you under my wings, and you would not.” Jesus is always approachable, but it is we who decide to pull back, lest we encounter the real Jesus, who as Paul says, “was raised from the dead, a descendant of David” – the Messiah.
[14] When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean.
No healing touch or magic words come out of Jesus. He simply gives them something to do. The priest was rather like the public health officer of the day: if the priest said you were cured, then you could be restored to your family, you could be restored to your community. “As they went, they were made clean” – it is in the journey of obedience to Christ that we are healed. This is a significant part of this healing story: there is something about simply obeying Christ which is part of the cure; they are not healed by a word, an action or a touch: they are healed as they respond in obedience to Jesus.
[15] Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. [16] He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him.
This fellow doesn’t quite follow the rules here: it appears that he did not makes it to the priest to get his official clean bill of health. The gift from Jesus evokes in him a more immediate response: praise of God and thanks to Jesus.
And he was a Samaritan.
[17]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."
It is worth noting that Jesus does not revoke the healing of the other “ungrateful” nine (“if we are faithless, he remains faithful-- for he cannot deny himself”) which tells us something of the nature of God's mercy. There is certainly a tie in to the epistle on this point. The Samaritan is now made well, or whole. The gift of Jesus has cured him, but it is faith that has made him well.
Later we might expand this outward to the greater them of "thanksgiving" throughout Scripture.
some neat insights. thanks, joe. have a good weekend.
Posted by: Gene | October 10, 2008 at 04:47 PM