Verse 11, And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed
through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
In whatever place Christ found Himself, he always displayed His Godhead. So
it should be with us.
This village is nameless, yet we know it is located between Samaria and
Galilee. These two areas were some 45-50 miles apart. There are many towns and
villages in this area. There are many places on this earth that are unknown to
mankind, but they are all known to Jesus Christ. There are many people who live
in these nameless areas, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t known to Christ.
It is no accident that Christ traveled this way. He "…must needs go
through Samaria", John 4:4. There the woman at the well lived, and Christ
would save her wicked, hell bound soul. Christ must go through this particular
nameless city because there are 10 lepers there that must be healed, and one
that must be saved.
Verse 12, And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men
that were lepers, which stood afar off:
There are 10 of these lepers, yet they all suffered individually. They might
all have had families before they were afflicted with leprosy. They all fall
equally under the condemnation of the law, regardless of their station in life
before they got leprosy. All of these men are equally unable to save themselves.
They have an incurable disease, which is similar to sin. There are many lost
people in this present world, but their companions in sin does not make their
condemnation any less. They are condemned individually.
They stood afar off as commanded in Lev. 13:44-46. They would cry
"unclean, unclean" to all within any distance of them. Sinners can be
taught to realize they are lost, but until the Holy Spirit of God touches them
with their utter sinfulness and helplessness before God they will not cry
"unclean, unclean" from their heart. Compare to Matthew 8:2 to the
leper who came to Christ, desiring to be healed. Both are right because both
came to Christ, and did not wait on Christ to come to them.
This is a pitiful sight. Describe leprosy.
Verse 13, And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have
mercy on us.
These ten lepers were united in their cry to God, because of their mutual
affliction. Many Baptists today are not united in their cry to God because we
seem to be self-satisfied, and complete in ourselves. Most of the crying we do
is not toward God for his help but against each other because of our petty
grievances against each other. I believe we are too much at ease to do much
crying to God. We are too self-satisfied and complacent with our present
situation and circumstance. One of the reasons God sends troubles upon us is
because we do not cry out to him in thankfulness, and sometimes we do not cry
out to him anytime, but rather complain when things do go our way.
They do not ask for justice, but for mercy. They probably didn’t
willingly expose themselves to leprosy, they just got the disease. Lost people
are born into sin, they don’t willingly become sinners. They find themselves
in this terrible condition. And they are condemned to death.
Verse 14, And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go show yourselves unto
the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
There is a simple remedy for sinfulness and for healing in our bodies. There
are two things Christ required for their healing. The first is faith in the Word
of God, and the second is obedience to the Word of God. This is what God
requires of lost people. They must first believe the Word of God, then their
believing will cause them to be obedient to the Word of God. If the men had
waited until they felt better to show themselves to the priests, they would
never get the job done.
It was by faith that the lepers went to the priest. They were healed …as
they went…, not before they went. They were healed as they went, therefore
the priests could take no credit for their healing. Levities 13 and 14 describes
how the priests could only declare what was leprosy and when it was healed.
Naaman was healed by obeying the words of the prophet.
Because the lepers were healed as they went, the priests could not take the
credit for their healing, but would know Christ has healed them.
It was necessary for Christ to direct the lepers to the priests because
Israel still had the oracles (or authority) of God, which would soon be given to
the newly formed Jewish church (before the day of Pentecost).
Lev. 14 gives the description of the proper cleansing as prescribed under the
law of Moses.
Verse 15, And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back,
and with a loud voice glorified God,
This man turned back to glorify God before or after he showed himself to
the priests. I personally believe he turned back to glorify God after he
showed himself to the priests because he was commanded to show himself to the
priest as a part of his healing. I do not disagree with those who believe the
leper returned to Christ before he showed himself to the priests, but it seems
more obedient to go to the priests first, then return to Christ.
The man glorified God with a loud voice. Just as loud a voice as he had
cried for cleansing.
The healing made the Samaritan very thankful, it also made him very humble.
Verse 16, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he
was a Samaritan.
He was a Samaritan. Remember the parable of the "Good Samaritan".
Many people that are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ never give themselves
totally and completely to the Saviour. They are saved, but never join the true
Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. They never follow Him in scriptural baptism
and faithful service by assembling themselves with other believers. They may
come on Sunday, especially Sunday morning, but seldom, if ever, on Sunday
night or Wednesday night.
Many are saved, but few will separate themselves from the world.
Rev. 3:4 - There are a few names in Sardis which have not defiled
themselves with this world.
Matt. 21:31,32 - Publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of heaven before
many of the Jews.
Verse 17, And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where
are the nine?
Jesus knew there were exactly 10 lepers, not just a group of lepers. Christ
also knows exactly how many people are on this earth, who they are, where they
live, and all about them. Nobody will ever be able to slip into heaven or hell
without his knowledge and/or consent. Christ is able to count the number of the
stars, therefore it is no small thing for Him to count the number of lepers He
healed.
Many call out to God when they are in trouble, but few return to God to thank
him for deliverance. Many are the prayer request we hear in our church, but few
are those that return to thank us or God for praying and for God’s
deliverance.
Verse 18, There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save
this stranger.
Thanking God for his blessings is the same thing as giving glory to God.
Many of us would like to glorify God, but we seldom remember to thank God for
his daily blessings and help. We somehow believe that giving glory to God is
done in church services, or other public places, but we forget that even in
public places, we must privately give glory to God.
The man was called a stranger because he was a Samaritan. It would seem
"natural" for the Jews to be thankful, but when a stranger to Israel
is thankful, that is indeed a marvelous thing. The Samaritan, the one most
hated by the Jews, is more thankful than the Jews.
Verse 19, And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made
thee whole.
Two things here:
If the man had not previously gone to the priest, then Christ instructs him
to go to the priest as he was commanded so he could return to society, or
Christ instructs him to go about his daily life, as the woman taken in
adultery (John 8:11) … Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
The man was not commanded to follow Christ, which would be some sort of
legalism or "reimbursement" for his healing. Neither the leper or
the woman taken in adultery was to return to the former life of wickedness and
sins, but the Holy Spirit of God would draw them to complete service to God.
It is good to follow Christ, but not out of obligation. We should all follow
Christ out of gratitude, because we want to follow him.
If this man had already received physical healing, what did Christ mean
when he said, "…Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole."
The tenth leper may have received healing of his soul, or salvation, after
he received healing of his body. There are many whose bodies are healed by
Christ, whose souls are not healed. Whatever the tenth leper received, he
received in addition to the healing of his body, and he received that which
the nine lepers did not receive.
There is a believing to the healing of the body, which the nine lepers had,
and there is a believing to the salvation of the soul, which the one had.
I am unsure what the tenth leper received, but I know that some receive
more from God than others. Part of the reason is that they do more than God
commanded. The ten lepers were all commanded to show themselves to the priests
and they would be healed. This they did. The one leper not only showed himself
to the priest, but returned to glorify God and to thank Jesus Christ. Today,
there are those that do exactly what God commanded, and receive exactly what
God gives them. There are also those that do more than God commanded, thanking
Him for the great blessings upon their lives, and therefore receiving greater
blessings than they previously thought possible.
The following three scriptures give evidence that a person can receive more
than they thought possible by simply returning to Christ, and thanking Him and
glorifying God for the blessings they have received.
The man with the palsy, who was healed and saved at the same time. Matt.
9:1-6 - And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own
city. 2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a
bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of
good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes
said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their
thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is
easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But
that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins,
(then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto
thine house.
Luke 7:48-50 - The woman who was healed of seven devils and was a sinner
(probably a prostitute) was told her sins were forgiven her after she quit
being a sinner (prostitute).
Luke 8:48 - The woman that had the issue of blood for 7 years and was
healed by Christ (unawares) was told to be of good comfort, her faith had made
her whole, go in peace.