“Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.And they lifted up their voices and said, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!’So when He saw them, He said to them, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.”
In Jesus’ day, leprosy was considered not only a physical illness but also a condition that brought ritual impurity under the Law of Moses. A leper was isolated from the community and declared “unclean” (cf. Leviticus 13:45–46). They had to live outside the camp and alert others of their condition by shouting, “Unclean! Unclean!”
Jesus told the ten lepers to go show themselves to the priests because, according to the Mosaic Law, only a priest could officially pronounce a person clean and restore them to society.
📖 Leviticus 14:2–3 (ESV)“This shall be the law of the leprous person for the day of his cleansing. He shall be brought to the priest, and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall look. Then, if the case of leprous disease is healed in the leprous person…”
This was more than a medical checkup—it was a spiritual and ceremonial restoration. Once declared clean, the healed person could return to worship at the Temple and rejoin the community.
By sending them to the priests, Jesus was not disregarding the Law—He was fulfilling it (Matthew 5:17). But more than that, He was inviting the lepers to take a step of faith. They had not yet been healed when He gave the instruction.
Jesus didn’t heal them instantly. Instead, He gave them a command: “Go…” And as they went, they were healed.
📖 Luke 17:14 (NKJV)“And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.”
This mirrors many biblical moments where faith and obedience precede the miracle:
Naaman the Syrian was healed only after he dipped in the Jordan seven times, as the prophet Elisha instructed (2 Kings 5:14).
The man with the withered hand was healed when he stretched it out (Luke 6:10).
The blind man was healed after washing in the Pool of Siloam (John 9:7).
This story is a vivid picture of James 2:17:
📖 “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
The lepers believed Jesus enough to act on His word—even before seeing any change. Their obedience opened the door to healing.
Out of the ten, only one came back to thank Jesus—and he was a Samaritan, a foreigner.
📖 Luke 17:15–18 (NKJV)“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.So Jesus answered and said, ‘Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?’”
The other nine may have continued to the priests and resumed normal life—but only one recognized the true High Priest standing in front of him: Jesus (cf. Hebrews 4:14). He not only received physical healing but came back to the source of his healing to worship.
Gratitude isn’t just polite—it’s powerful. When we return to thank God, we’re not just acknowledging the gift—we’re acknowledging the Giver.
Jesus emphasized the spiritual implication of gratitude in Luke 17:19:
📖 “And He said to him, ‘Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.’”(Greek: sozo – often translated as “saved” or “made whole”)
This hints that the Samaritan received more than just healing—he received salvation.
Don’t wait to see results before you obey God’s Word. Miracles often happen as you go, as you walk in obedience and faith—even when it doesn’t make sense at the time.
Have you thanked God for the things He’s already done in your life? Or are you like the nine who moved on without returning?
Gratitude honors God and opens the door for deeper fellowship with Him.
The priests could declare someone clean—but only Jesus, our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4:14–16), can cleanse us from sin and make us whole forever.
Have you received Him? Are you walking with Him? Are you ready if He returned today?
📖 Hebrews 7:25 (NKJV)“Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
🕊️ If this message has touched you, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it. Someone else may need the same healing, hope, or salvation you’ve found
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