Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When He saw them, He said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him — and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then He said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:11-19
“If the nine who failed to return were all Jews, then the irony of Jesus’ question was biting. Jews, after all, had been tutored to give thanks to God whereas no such expectation was associated with a Samaritan. We should be cautious about inferring the identity of the other nine, however, for Luke does not say the Samaritan who returned was the only Samaritan, or that the other nine were all Jews.
What can be said is that all ten were miraculously healed, but only one returned to glorify God and never Jesus — and the one who returned was the least expected to do so. The experience of Jesus reflects that of many ministers, evangelists, and missionaries who invest their lives in other people and situations and often see very little response. Skeptics often assert that, if only they saw a true miracle, they would believe. The story debunks that commonplace.
The other nine witnessed a miracle in their own flesh. They were doubtless convinced of the miraculous — and content with it — but it did not lead them to Jesus, faith, or salvation. The Samaritan experience the same miracle but encountered God in it. He returned to Jesus in gratitude, and in returning, Jesus declared him not simply “cleansed,” as a priest would, but “whole,” even “saved,” for the Greek sōzein combines both latter means.”
James R. Edwards in The Gospel According to Luke (PNTC; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2015) 484-85.
Notice the text begins with the statement that Jesus is making His way to Jerusalem. He’s nearing His triumphal entry. Palm Sunday is coming. As we journey with Jesus, we see Him do what He does all over: heal broken and hurting people. In this case, he heals ten lepers, and yet, only one returns to worship Jesus, a foreigner.
What does this have to do with generosity?
Many will journey to church this Easter. They might show up on Palm Sunday to welcome Jesus to Jerusalem and the following Sunday to celebrate the resurrection, but like the nine lepers, they may be convinced and content with the miraculous and then go on to live their lives as they did before.
In the story, the least expected one of the ten returned “came back” Jesus and was made “whole” and “saved” by faith.
If our response to Jesus is like the tenth leper, everything after Easter Sunday will be different. We won’t live “at a distance” from God or others in brokenness. We will return to Jesus in gratitude and throw ourselves at His feet. Our giving, praying, and fasting will serve to consecrate us for God’s service.
Which of the lepers will you be?