The Thankful, Samaritan Leper (Luke 17:11-19)

James Tissot (Nantes, France, 1836–1902, Chenecey–Buillon, France). The Healing of Ten Lepers (Guérison de dix lépreux), 1886–1896.

As Jesus continues His journey to Jerusalem, and the cross, He continues to show compassion and mercy. Ten lepers cry out to Him from afar (they cannot approach clean people) and beg for His help. Jesus tells them to go present themselves to the priest to be declared clean. As they go, they realize that they are indeed healed!

One of the ten, a Samaritan, returns with gratitude to Jesus and praises God for his healing. Jesus uses the moment to highlight the fact that just one man responded to the gift of God with the kind of faith that changed him. The others had enough faith to give the healing a shot however, this man is not just healed. He is praising God and declaring what has happened to him to the world, glorifying God and Jesus.

Jesus tells the man, “Your faith has made you well.” I suspect this is more than a declaration of the healing. The other nine had faith too and were healed of their leprosy. This man’s faith is such that it has changed him. He is spiritually alive. He is saved. Many or offered God’s blessings, but it is the few who allow God to change them deep within.