LUKE 17:11-1911And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. (Luke 17:11‑19).
THE Lord Jesus here shows that faith always finds it place of blessing with God, and proves Him superior to forms; but God is only found in Jesus.
In the ten lepers this blessed principle is brought out clearly. The healing of the Lord was equally manifest in all; but there is a power superior to that which cleanses the body, even were it desperately leprous. The power that belongs to, and comes out from, God is but a small thing in comparison with the knowledge of God Himself. This Alone brings to God in spirit (as it really did by the cross of Christ).
Observe, that he who exemplifies this action of divine grace was one that knew not traditional religion as the others did, that had no great privileges to boast of in comparison with the rest. It was the Samaritan in whom the Lord illustrated the power of faith. He had told the ten equally to go and show themselves to the priest; and as they went they were cleansed. One only, seeing he was cleansed, turns back, and with a loud voice glorified God. But the way in which he glorified God was not by merely ascribing the blessing to God. “He fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan.”
Apparently this was disobedience; and the others could well reproach their Samaritan fellow that he was unfaithful to Jesus. But faith is always right, whatever appearances may say; I speak not now of a fancy, of course—not of any eccentric humor or delusion, too often covered over with the name of faith. Real faith which God gives is never so far wrong; and he who, instead of going on to the priest, recognized in Jesus the power and goodness of God upon earth (the instincts of that very faith that was of God working in his heart and carrying him back to the source of the blessing)—he, I say, was the only one of the ten who was in the spirit, not only of the blessing, but of Him who gave the blessing. And so our Lord Jesus vindicates him. “Were there not ten cleansed?” said the Saviour; “but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.”
Faith invariably discovers the way to give glory to God. It matters not whether it be in Abraham or in a Samaritan leper, its path is entirely outside the ken of nature, yet faith does not fail to discern it; the Lord assuredly puts His seal upon it, and grace supplies all needed strength to follow.
W. K.