Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 11

Miracles Of Jesus In The Gospels- Bible Study- 11

Narrated In 1 Gospel

Gospel Of Luke

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? Was no one found to return and 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)

Leprosy is an infectious disease derived from the French work "leper" and from the Greek word "lepros" which means scaly, referring to the scales that form on the skin in some cases of leprosy. It corresponds in the main with the disease which is fully described in Leviticus 13:14. The ancient leprosy, in its more severe form, is to be regarded as a judgment from God, Deuteronomy 24:8.

Jews considered this disease as unclean and infectious; and also as being a punishment from Jehovah, as we know it to have been in the cases of Miriam (Numbers 12:10), Gehazi (2 Kings 5:27), and Uzziah (2 Chronicles 26:16-23). The suffered was commended to the priest and was separated from many of the privileges of society. 6 commands were given concerning a leper. He should rend his clothes, he should go with his head bare, he should put a covering on his upper lip, he should cry, “Unclean, Unclean” when he came near other people, he should be considered unclean all the days of his plague and he should stay segregated from clean and healthy people all the days of his plague. (Leviticus 13) To all others, lepers were sinners who deserved the death penalty.

Lepers associated chiefly with each other as we read in 2 Kings 7:8.and so it was in this case too. 10 of them met Jesus as he travelled between Samaria and Galilee. They stood far away and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!"When Jesus saw them, he just said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."

Luke doesn’t write of any of them asking or pleading with Jesus anymore. They just believed his words, obeyed and went. We need to see from the Word of God why a leper went to the priest. These 10 were already known as lepers to all so they were being sent to the priests who were given the rights to declare such a person clean and free from the disease. Leviticus 14 describes in detail the ceremonial cleansing for flesh leprosy for the rich and the poor. Jesus wanted the priests to declare them whole and thus give testimony to God’s power.

3 things stand out as we read this passage from the gospel of Luke. Firstly, faith in the words of Jesus, secondly, obedience to his words and finally gratitude. All the 10 lepers believed the words of Jesus and obeyed his command to go and show themselves to the priests. Luke writes, “And as they went, they were cleansed.”The healing was effected as they went. Faith in the promises of God and obedience to the Word of God is of paramount importance as we live the Christian life. And so is gratitude.

All the 10 were healed, yet only one of them, a Samaritan came back to Jesus to express his gratitude. He was thankful to God for the healing that he had received. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. Jesus, though he knew everything, asked a question to those following him, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"

Many seek the Lord for bodily healing and material benefits, but when their purpose is solved they rarely come back to thank the Lord or take up the cross and follow him. Getting a bodily healing or experiencing a miracle does not guarantee eternal life in heaven. Believing in the atoning work of Jesus on the cross and living for him, obeying the Word of God is the only way to salvation.

Faith in the words of Jesus had brought this Samaritan leper his healing and Jesus affirmed that by telling him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."