Study Bible
Luke
Chapter 17

Luke 17:11-19

Luke 17:11-19Luke: List of Major Bible Charts, Maps, & PicturesJesus' Journey to Jerusalem

Luke 17:11-19NIV11-EN

¹¹Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. ¹²As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance ¹³and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” ¹⁴When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. ¹⁵One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. ¹⁶He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. ¹⁷Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? ¹⁸Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

New International Version · Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Luke 17:11-19

This is the fourth of five miracles in Jesus' journey to Jerusalem (Luke 11:14; 13:10-13; 14:1-4; 18:35-43). While Jesus does a wonderful healing here, the emphasis is upon the reaction to it rather than the miracle itself. The emphasis is on proper thankfulness that is a "gift" too.

Jesus is moving east to west along the boundary between Samaria and Galilee. He comes in contact with some Samaritans - Gentiles, who were disliked by the Jews. Jesus also met some lepers (cf. Luke 5:12-16) - at least one being a Gentile (Luke 17:16).

Ten lepers stood before Jesus - at a distance "and called out in a loud voice, Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" (Luke 17:12-13). Jesus responded. He did not touch the ten, neither was there pronouncement, i.e "Be clean!" (cf. Luke 5:13). Jesus simply says, "Go, show yourselves to the priests" (Luke 17:14). This was a command of "faith." As Hughes says, "The command was to do what a cured leper would do, following the regulations stipulated in Leviticus 14, which required examination by a priest. If they were cured, they would joyfully undergo an eight-day ceremony and then be reunited with their families." Jesus spoke the Word - and thus these lepers were physically healed, but they could not see the effects of their healing but in time; they were healed "as they went" (Luke 17:14).

Only one leper returned to give thanks for the miracle that was done in his life. He was a Samaritan - a Gentile - to a Jew, a foreigner, pagan, or heathen (Luke 17:15-16). His day began before Jesus with a "loud" plea for mercy (Luke 17:13) and ended with "loud" praise to God (Luke 17:15). The Samaritan "came back, praising God in a loud voice" (Luke 17:15) and "threw himself at Jesus feet and thanked him" (Luke 17:16). Jesus is God (see below).

Jesus commented upon the other nine lepers that were healed (Luke 17:17-18). Apparently, God was not the center of their gratitude. Like the shrewd money-manager (Luke 16:1-13), their focus was earth-bound, but not upward; that is on their knees looking up to the Cross. Then he said to the leper that returned, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well" (Luke 17:19). God's common grace blesses and satisfies many, but his saving grace - given only to some for whom he died (see below) - ends in a relationship of thankfulness. Only one leper was given saving faith and turned to establish a relationship (now at his "feet" (Luke 17:16), where before he was at a "distance" (Luke 17:12)) indicating the presence of salvation (cf. Luke 7:50; 8:48; 18:42).

This account of a healed leper is similar to another healing recorded in 2 Kgs 5:1-15. In Jesus's day, it comes as a surprise that nine Jews were healed, but only the one Samaritan healed gives thanks. Many who should have received Jesus did not. Unexpectedly, many outsiders did trust him.

Luke 17:11

Jerusalem. See note on 9:51. Samaria. See note on 9:52.

Luke 17:12

lepers. See note on 5:12. far away. Because of their condition, these lepers had to live outside the city (Num. 5:2-4). They were declared ritually unclean. If anyone came with fifty paces, the lepers had to warn others by announcing: Unclean! Unclean! (Lev. 13:45-46). If touched by a leper, the healthy person would also be considered ritually unclean.

Luke 17:13

Master. More than an address of respect. This was a title only used by the disciples (5:5; 8:24, 45; 9:33, 49). The lepers recognized Jesus' authority and trusted he could give mercy. They were taking turns at taking a first step toward being disciples.

Luke 17:14

show yourselves. Jesus upheld God's word. Only when examined by a priest and found to be clean could a leper re-enter society (Lev. 13:9-17; 14:1-20). cleansed. They were healed and made ritually clean. This came from Christ's mercy (v. 13).

Luke 17:15

Praising God is always the appropriate response of those who have received mercy from his hand (5:25; Eph. 1:4-6; Heb. 13:15).

Luke 17:16

giving . . . thanks. The only place in the New Testament where this phrase is used of Jesus, not God. Together with his posture, this could be seen as an act of worship. As the Son of God in the human form, Jesus was worthy of worship (Matt. 28:9; Col. 1:15, 19; 2:9). Samaritan. A surprise for Luke's readers (see note on 9:52).

Luke 17:17-18

The Samaritan was considered a foreigner and apostate, and despised by the Jews (see note on 9:52). Yet, he understood better than the Jews who Jesus was and how he should respond to him (see 13:30; Rom. 9:2-5).

Luke 17:19

Jesus sent the healed leper away with a blessing. faith has made you well. This could also be translated as your faith has saved you. Jesus' acts of physical healing were metaphors for spiritual salvation. Jesus spoke these words to needy sinners who came to him for help (7:50; 8:48; 17:19; 18:42). Trusting Jesus rather than our righteousness or religious works brings us to God.

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