“One came back and thanked him”

Read Luke 17:11-19

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Leprosy referred to a wide range of skin diseases, all of which meant that lepers were both sick and also considered unclean. The result was permanent social distancing, as seen here when these ten approached Jesus to ask for his mercy and healing (11-13). Usually Jesus instructed those he healed to tell no one, but lepers had to be pronounced clean by a priest before they could return home (Lev.14:1-32; Lk.5:14).

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So Jesus sent all ten of them to see a priest, even before any healing had taken place. “And as they went they were healed” (14). They had acted in faith, doing what Jesus told them to do (in contrast to Naaman the leper 2 Kgs.5:10-12). But the main point here is not their faith or even their healing. Rather it’s a story about gratitude – and the lack of it – in response to God’s mercy.

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Of the ten who were healed only one of them returned with praise to God and thanks to Jesus (15-18). That one was a Samaritan. Once again, it’s the foreigner rather than the Jews in the story who demonstrated God’s kingdom values (Lk.10:33-37). Here that value is thanksgiving. Being thankful for the mercy we’ve received is a sure sign of saving faith (19; Rom.7:14-15; 2 Cor.9:15).