-THE PEREAN MINISTRY

-Jesus Journeys Toward Jerusalem, The Ten Lepers

-Luke 17:11-37

-“As Ephraim was pretty certainly in the northern part of Judea, it has been reasonably supposed

 (Wiesler, Clark, and others) that, when the Passover was approaching, Jesus went from that

 region northward through Samaria into the southern or southeastern part of Galilee, so as to fall

 in with the pilgrims going from Galilee through Perea to Jerusalem.  We thus again combine

 Luke’s account with that of John in easy agreement.  And this explains Luke’s mention of

 Samaria first, which would be strange in describing a journey from Galilee through Samaria to

 Jerusalem, while the marginal translation, ‘between Samaria and Galilee,’ would be obscure and

 hard to account for.  From this point he is making his final journey to Jerusalem, for the

 Passover of the crucifixion” (Robertson, pg 139, fn).

-While entering into one of the villages, Jesus encountered ten lepers who called out to Him,

 “Jesus, Master, have mercy [pity - NIV] on us!” 

             -The Law required that lepers keep a distance from the general population (Lev 13:45-46).

             “They were not allowed to enter towns and villages, but were often found near the gates

             begging of the travelers who passed by” (Boles, pg 330).

            -“Ten lepers bound together in a common misery forgot their national differences.  Although

             one was a Samaritan and the other nine Jews, they were poor outcasts with one common

             need” (Lockyer, pg 230).

-Jesus instructed these ten men to go and show themselves to the priests.  Under the Law, a

 person cleansed of leprosy had to present himself before the priest to be declared clean and

 able to reenter society (see Lev 14).

            -On their way to see the priest, these men were healed of their leprosy.  “They received the

             blessing when they showed their faith by obedience” (McGarvey/Pendleton, pg 530).

            -Only one of the lepers, the Samaritan, returned to glorify God and humbly thank Jesus.

            -Jesus then asked, “...where are the nine?.”  Such a question brought public attention to the

             ingratitude demonstrated by the other nine who were healed. 

                        -“These lepers had come to Jesus in the extremity of a most loathsome and pitiful

                         disease; they pleaded with him to help, and he healed them; but nine of them never

                         even said, ‘Thanks.’ (Coffman, pg 376).

                        -May we always be careful to avoid an attitude of ingratitude toward our God!

-Jesus then said to the healed Samaritan, “Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.”

            -This one man then departed having been healed both physically and spiritually.  So, what

             about the other nine?  Did they enjoy the benefits of being purified physically yet miss the

             most important cleansing of all - the purification of one’s soul?  So it would seem.