Week 8 Ten Questions Jesus Is Asking Christians
Question 8. Those that were healed... Where are they?
Read Luke 17:11-19
Let's start with a little context:
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”
Leprosy is a horrendous, and highly contagious disease that affects the eyes, nose, skin, and peripheral nerves. Those who were afflicted with leprosy were isolated from the rest of society to avoid contaminating others. Jesus has mercy on them and sends them on their way to show themselves to the temple priests. It was the priests who would make the determination whether or not they were healed and declared clean. And “As they went, they were cleansed” (Luke 17:14b). One of the ten (a Samaritan) realizes he's been healed and is so filled with gratitude that he runs back to Jesus, praises God in a loud voice, and throws himself at the feet of Jesus to thank Him.
Then Jesus asks, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?
“the nine” started running toward Jerusalem, but one did not. The Samaritan turned around, and ran toward Jesus. There's so much to unpack in that. I'm guessing, but I believe the Samaritan did a little math as they walked toward Jerusalem. While he was still diseased he was in community with "the nine" (presumably Jews) and in shared distress they lived together in their mutual misery. Once they reach the temple in Jerusalem and are indeed verified as "clean" again by the temple authorities, he being a Samaritan will still be nothing more than a dog in the eyes of that Jewish culture. It's likely he realized that it was possible his brothers in affliction would also reject him. And being in community is a very powerful thing, it's why it is so crucial that we all find our way into communion with other believers and draw strength from one another. The Samaritan knew who he was before he became afflicted, and likewise his Jewish companions were anxious to return to their former positions within their families and society.
The Culture, Form And Function Of The Church Community:
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
This is Church plain and simple.
REGARDING FALLING ON YOUR FACE BEFORE GOD:
What insight can we gleen from a deeper understanding of the mention that this Samaritan, this former leper, falls to his face at Jesus' feet and praises God's name?
We see this a lot actually throughout the Bible when a supplicant is so overwhelmed by the glory of God, by His works and blessings, and so full of thanksgiving and awe that they can only fall to their knees and worship. By falling on his face at Jesus’ feet, the healed leper treats Jesus as he would a ruler—or a deity.
We see Angels falling on their faces around God’s throne as an act of worship (Revelation 7:11).
Abraham fell on his face in God’s presence (Genesis 17:3, 17).
When God spoke out of a cloud at the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter, James, and John “fell on their faces, and were very afraid” (Matthew 17:6).
So I get that this Samaritan man is so overwhelmed with love for God's healing that he just has to run back to him and thank him. But something else was going on here. I just feel it.
In the Greek language of that time "Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you” can also be translated "has saved you". Something more happened here with this Samaritan, this man was saved. Jesus healed ten and this one most definitely was soul saved. And that's made apparent by his worship, and thankful supplications. He who has much to be forgiven, loves much. This man is restored to health and in the balance has gained spiritual friendship with God. This thankful man no longer needs to go and show himself to the temple priests. His faith has saved him. And he has already gone and shown himself to Jesus who is in effect the chief priest. The Samaritan man's faith saved him, and distinguished him as well, because he returned his crown of faith to the One who saved him, he returned it with worship, praise, and thanksgiving.
Why is this deep and abiding expression of faith so crucial? Weren't the nine also healed and restored?
Yes.
And the day was coming, and is now here, when Christ was no longer going to be so clear and present, so available, so intimately approachable. The day was coming when faith will not only save us, but must sustain us. Our abiding faith has become our rebirth. Our love, awe, and appreciation for God is our restorative resurrection responsibility. We are called out from relying upon the world's judgment concerning our acceptability, and called into a relationship of faith and obedience in Christ Jesus. It's all well and good to be accepted by the culture, but to be saved for eternity? That's something even greater than inclusion into society.
Perhaps we can conclude this study and reflection from Luke's 17th chapter with this simple commentary: In Psalm 107 maybe we can see why Jesus might have been disappointed in the nine. The Jews loved reading the Psalms and would certainly have known this from Psalm 107,
“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble.”
“Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man!”
I don't know, and no one does, what the nine were thinking or their thoughts of gratitude for what Jesus had done for them. What we do know however is that one of the ten had wisdom.
As Psalm 107 states:
"Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things; let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD.”
All were healed, all received God's mercy. One was saved. And one, the wise one, gave thanks.
Let's us all give thanks and praise for the Holy One of God is good and righteous. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Amen 🙏🏼
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