The Cleansing of Ten Lepers, Luke 17:11-19, New American Bible:

¹¹As he continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. ¹²As he was entering a village, ten lepers met (him). They stood at a distance from him ¹³and raised their voice, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” ¹⁴And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed. ¹⁵And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; ¹⁶and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. He was a Samaritan. ¹⁷Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?” ¹⁸Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” ¹⁹Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Warning: If irreverence offends you, stop here.

In my journey with Jesus, he has taken on more human form. I look at this passage in a contemplative manner, from where I am now. I find myself noticing nuances.

In the first verse (11), Jesus is travelling through Samaria and Galilea. As he enters a village he is met by ten lepers. Is he really met by them? They stand at a distance…why? Because they are lepers! They are diseased, considered unclean. But, they have hope; and, despite being marginalized, outcast from their communities, they dare to call out to Jesus. They call him by name, “Jesus!” They defer to him, calling him, “Master!” They ask for pity. Jesus SEES them. Jesus HEARS them. He does not ignore them, treat them as though they are invisible, worthless. No! He tells them, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And off they go. He gave them a direct order and they followed it.

I’m no Scripture scholar but I believe that when someone, a Jew, received a healing at that time, they were required to go show themselves to the priest, and, perhaps offer a sacrifice of some sort in thanksgiving. In any case, these guys did as they were told. However, a Samaritan among them, noticing he’s been cleansed, goes back to thank Jesus.

This is where I begin to get irritated. This man is grateful to Jesus. He returns to thank him personally because he is aware from where his healing came. I recall that Samaritans were looked down upon by “the Jews”. (Remember the woman at the well?) They don’t go to the temple to pray. They realize they can pray on the mountain.

So! The Samaritan, a foreigner, who by the way may be in his own land as Jesus is travelling through Samaria, goes back to Jesus as God’s representative, God’s human form, on earth! He has no obligation to go to the temple! But, Jesus asks, “Where are the other nine?” They’re on their way to the temple where you told them to go! They are being obedient!

I get it! It’s all about the personal relationship, but let’s cut the other nine a break. They may have been institutionalized by their religion. It may take them a little longer to get the personal relationship…or they may never get it. Does that mean they won’t enter the Kingdom? I don’t think so. They may just not be called to deeper healing, deeper relationship.