Luk
17:11-19
God's ways are not our ways. Galilee is to the North of Samaria
and Jerusalem to the South of Samaria (see this map or this link to read more). So from our text it seems like the order is wrong,
first Samaria then Galilee and then back through Samaria and to Jerusalem.
Jesus did not use man's logic but obeyed His Father's voice.
Although He was on His way to Jerusalem He first had to pass by Samaria, then Galilee and
back towards Jerusalem.
The Lord Jesus obeyed God's voice and understood God's voice. Humanly speaking He went the
wrong way, but from God's perspective it was the right way.
He heard the Holy Spirit's prompting and obeyed instantly and went from Samaria first
through Galilee towards Jerusalem.
God's will meant everything to Him. Jesus was zealous to do God's will and help those in
suffering and need. It was because of His great love for His Father. The Bible says love
is strong as death (Song of Solomon 8:6). Death is strong but love even stronger. God's
love reaches to the lowest hell. Jesus was full of this Godly love.
In the same way we ought to love our Lord for His love towards us,
reaching even us. Our love for Him ought to grow daily.
Leprosy was a terrible disease and there was no cure for it in
those days. Such people endured great pain. Their whole body was covered with sores. It
was also terribly contagious. Such people were under quarentine, an outcast from society
and had to stay in the mountains. When people brought food for them they would put it down
and leave and only then would the leprous person come to eat of the food.
That's also why when they saw Jesus they stood afar off and
shouted their plea.
So when Jesus heard their plea He felt pity for them, even as He
felt pity for those thousands of people whom He fed after they were with Him the whole
day.
These 10 men had faith else they would not have cried to Jesus for
help, for they have heard about Jesus. When Jesus commanded them to show them to the
priests they also obeyed and was healed on the way. If they did not obey to go and show
themselves to the priests for examination they would not have been healed.
Among them there was a Samaritan, one of the most despised groups
of people by the Jews. But when he noticed that he was healed he turned around to Jesus
and gave thanks to God with a loud voice. Just imagine the longing he had to see his
family, but in stead he first went to thank Jesus, praising God. He humbled and denied
himself.
Jesus was grieved to see that only one turned around to give
thanks and praise to God.
It is terrible if someone does something good to you and you
cannot even say thank you.
Although the other nine were made well physically this Samaritan
also received salvation for Jesus said to him, "your faith has made you whole".
Jesus made his soul whole as well; he was saved because he returned to give thanks and
praise to God.
The other nine had a debt to God and if they did not repent from
their thanklessness after that they would be lost in hell today.
They were full of pride, going their own way to hell. As it is fitly said, a proud person
thinks that every good thing that's done to him was a debt to him, he ought to have
received it, he deserved it.
So this Samaritan was cleansed not only from physical leprosy but
spiritual leprosy as well.
The Bible says we ought to thank God at all times for all things
for that is the will of God.
In Romans 1 we read that because people did not thank God and gave
Him praise, He gave them over to all manner of perversions.
Thankless people are going satan's way and are on their way to
hell unless they repent.
Do you thank God every day for what He has done for you and done
for your soul? It is difficult for such a humble, thankful person to become unfaithful,
for he is ever mindful of the great mercies he receives from God.