Sunday 14 October 2007
- Bible Book:
- Luke
"On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance they called out, saying 'Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!'" (v.11-13)
Background
Luke's gospel is the only one in which the story of the tenlepers is found. Luke frequently highlights Jesus' concern forthose who are 'outsiders'. The focus of the story becomes the onewho was doubly an outsider, being both a leper and aSamaritan.
Realistic details of this passage:-
- Lepers tended to live in groups; they avoided contact withnon-lepers but they kept close enough to populated areas to receivecharity.
- Jesus' command that the lepers show themselves to the priests(v.14) was in accordance with the law of Moses (
- The border between Galilee and Samaria is a fitting locationfor a story involving both Jews and a Samaritan (v.16). Samaritanswere looked down on by Jews as being foreigners.
It is significant that the lepers were healed as they wentto find a priest - they needed to trust Jesus, and find thathealing occurred as they did what he told them to do.
We can understand this as a two-part story: verses 11-14 and15-19. The first part is a healing story with the usual elements: acry for help; Jesus' response; the healing. The second part is astory of the salvation of a foreigner. It is to the foreigner, aSamaritan, that Jesus says, "Your faith has made you well". Theverb translated "made well" is the same word often translated as"to be saved".
To Ponder
Why do you think only one of the 10 lepers cameback to thank Jesus after he was made clean?
What do we learn from the fact that one of thosehealed was a Samaritan - i.e. a foreigner?
What does this story tell us about attitudes tothose who are different? Remember this is 'One World Week'.