Wednesday 10 November 2010

Background

This story of the healing of the ten lepers is in some ways verystraightforward and speaks for itself. But on the other hand, itisn't ... 

As Jesus was travelling on the border between Galilee and Samariahe was met by a group of ten people who were made outcasts fromtheir communities because of their leprosy.

The lepers were directed by Jesus to go to Jerusalem and showthemselves to a priest. Under Jewish Law, it was only priests whohad the authority to certify they had been made well, which theywere as they made the journey.

In verses 17 and 18 Jesus questions whyonly one of them comes back to givethanks after he is healed. Why was it that the Samaritan - theforeigner from the despised northern territory of Samaria - was theone to return to Jesus in order to express his thanks to God?

We are told that all ten were cured, so why was it said of one onlythat his faith had saved him? Being cured of leprosy came from Godthrough Jesus, and gratitude demanded that the agent as well as thesource of the healing be acknowledged. God was acting throughJesus, and through him God must be thanked.

For the Gospel-writer Luke, the most important part of the storywas that the Samaritan, by his gratitude, showed up hisfellow-sufferers from the south who considered themselves to betrue Jews (although the Samaritans did follow the Jewish Law) and,by his 'otherness', gave an introduction to the opening up of thekingdom to the Gentiles (non-Jews).

To Ponder

What does 'healing' mean to you?

Are you full of gratitude to God? How can youshow it to God today?