Christian Art | Through Faith, Jesus Heals In Samaria | King James Audio Bible
Luke 17: 11-19 – Week 32 Ordinary Time, Wednesday (King James Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
11 ¶ And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.
19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Jesus has not confined his journey to Jerusalem to exclusively Jewish territories. He has wandered in Samaria, and indeed Galilee was what we might now call a multicultural environment, known as Galilee of the Gentiles. This would be greatly reassuring to those of Luke’s readership who were of Gentile rather than Jewish provenance. Christ’s physical journey to Jerusalem marks a journey from inward-looking and narrow sectarianism to a redemptive faith which is inclusive of all.
There was great mutual antagonism between Jews and Samaritans, but the lepers’ collective suffering has overcome such antipathy. The lepers are bound by the Law of Moses to live away from other people, and always to make it known that they are suffering from the disease, that they are ‘unclean’. This is why they shout to Jesus from a distance.
Jesus’ instruction to the lepers follows Leviticus 14. He tells them to go to the priests, which would normally be what a person would do to ask for ritual cleansing once the leprosy had healed. (Note: the term ‘leprosy’ was used for a range of skin conditions, not exclusively in the modern sense.) The lepers obey Jesus even though their leprosy has not yet healed, and it is on the way that they discover they are healed. This is a sign of their obedience and faith.
The challenge now to Jesus’ listeners is that the one who turns back to express his gratitude to Jesus is a Samaritan. It is an enemy who gives the proper response to this divine intervention in his life, while the others go their way, perhaps as if they feel they deserved no less than to be healed.
There is a warning here, to the Jews especially. Jesus is telling his listeners that no matter their observance of the Law, no matter their doing their duty, the gifts of God remain entirely undeserved and gratuitous. If we do not experience wonderful gratitude when we consider God’s works and the presence of Jesus in our lives, then really something is wrong with us. It is with the only true response to God that our faith makes us whole.
Concluding Prayer | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
BLESS the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul. (Psalm 103/102)
King James Audio Bible | Endnotes
Through Faith, Jesus Heals In Samaria
In Luke 17:11-19, we see Jesus passing through Samaria, an area considered to be outside of Jewish territory. For a Jewish person like Jesus, this was a significant act, as the Jews generally regarded the Samaritans with suspicion and animosity. This action by Jesus shows that he was willing to go beyond the boundaries of Jewish orthodoxy and reach out to all people, regardless of their background or social status.
When the ten lepers approach Jesus, they represent a group of people who were also regarded as outcasts by society. Leprosy was a disease that not only caused physical suffering but also led to social isolation and rejection. The fact that a Samaritan was among the lepers shows that Jesus was willing to heal anyone who came to him in faith, regardless of their social status or ethnicity.
The Samaritan leper’s response to his healing is significant. Jesus says: ‘Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.’ (Luke 17:17-18) Jesus’ use of the word ‘stranger’ is challenging. Jesus marks that we dare describe some human beings as such – as strangers. This is an aspect of Jesus’ deconstruction of such barriers between men. Let such oppositions go.
The story of the Good Samaritan, which Jesus tells in Luke 10:25-37, is also significant in understanding the Samaritan leper in his relationship with Jesus. In the parable, a Samaritan goes out of his way to help a Jewish man who has been beaten and robbed, even though Samaritans and Jews were typically enemies. This story again is of kindness and compassion and fellow humanity – and without prejudice.
The fact that Jesus heals a Samaritan leper and commends him for his faith and gratitude is a powerful statement about God’s love and acceptance of all people. Jesus challenges notions of exclusivity and invites Christians to embrace diversity and recognize the image of God in all people.
The story of the Samaritan leper also reminds us of the importance of giving thanks and recognizing the blessings in our lives. It’s easy to take things for granted and focus on what we lack, but the Samaritan’s response reminds us to be grateful for the blessings we receive and to recognize God’s hand in them.
Pope Benedict XVI commented on the story of the ten lepers in one of his weekly general audience addresses in 2006. In his address, Pope Benedict reflected on the faith of the Samaritan leper and how it demonstrated the importance of gratitude and recognizing God’s gifts in our lives. Pope Benedict noted the contrast between the gratitude of the Samaritan leper and the ingratitude of the other nine who were healed but did not return to give thanks.
Here is an excerpt from Pope Benedict XVI’s address:
‘The Gospel passage tells us that one of the ten lepers who were healed, a Samaritan, returned to Jesus to give thanks for his healing. He showed gratitude, a quality that is not only human but also deeply Christian. It is important to learn to recognize the gifts we receive from God, both big and small, and to give thanks to Him for them. Gratitude helps us to live in the present moment, to be more aware of God’s presence in our lives, and to develop a deeper relationship with Him.
‘The other nine lepers who were healed, on the other hand, did not return to give thanks. This is a reminder of how easy it is for us to take God’s gifts for granted and to forget to thank Him for them. We should strive to cultivate a spirit of gratitude in our lives, to be mindful of the blessings we receive, and to always give thanks to God for them.’
Psalm 69, attributed to King David, is a heartfelt and poignant expression of suffering and an earnest plea for deliverance. Unlike some of the more celebratory Psalms, this composition delves into the depths of despair and serves as a raw and unfiltered account of distress. The psalmist cries out for salvation in the face of adversity and persecution, making it a relatable and comforting text for those grappling with their own trials [ … ]
Saint Luke states that Jesus was born in Nazareth and that his parents had to travel to Bethlehem for a census, which was conducted when Quirinius was Governor of Syria. The reference to Quirinius as Governor of Syria is significant because historical records indicate that he held this position twice, first from AD 6-9 and again from AD 11-12 This means that Jesus’ birth would fall around these dates, and at least a decade after the date suggested by Matthew. [ … ]
The parable of the two sons is clearly, and explicitly, an attack by Jesus upon the chief priests and the elders of the Jewish people. In the parable, Jesus places before the Jewish authorities an astonishingly blunt analogy of their rejection of God the Father and of Jesus. There is no room for quibbling or intellectual sophistry here: one son does what his father wants; the other says he will and then doesn’t [ … ]
