Luke 17:14
When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus commands the lepers to go show themselves to the priests before they are healed. This wasn't just a bureaucratic step, but an act of faith, requiring them to outwardly declare themselves clean based solely on Jesus' word, trusting that the cleansing would happen along the way.
Jesus encounters ten lepers who cry out to him for mercy, and in this moment, he sends them to show themselves to the priests. As they obey Jesus' command and journey to fulfill the requirements of the Law, they are miraculously cleansed of their leprosy. This event sets the stage for the remarkable story of the one Samaritan leper who returns to give thanks, highlighting themes of obedience, faith, and gratitude.
Jesus didn't just offer sympathy; He gave a command. What does this tell us about how faith works?
When Jesus encountered the ten lepers, He didn't immediately make them visibly well. Instead, He instructed them, 'Go and show yourselves to the priests.' This command wasn't just a suggestion; it was a direct order. The priests were the ones who had the authority to declare someone clean according to the Law of Moses.
This highlights a crucial aspect of faith: it's not passive waiting, but active obedience, even when the results aren't yet visible. They had to go to be cleansed.
Jesus healed them not by touch, but by word and a command. What does this reveal about God's power and our response?
The cleansing of the ten lepers is remarkable because Jesus didn't touch them or perform an obvious physical act of healing in front of them. His power worked in a different way.
Understand the original words
katharizo · Greek Verb
To be made ceremonially clean or pure; in the context of leprosy, it refers to the removal of the physical affliction and the restoration to community and worship fellowship.
hiereus · Greek Noun
The religious officials responsible for examining and certifying that a person was no longer afflicted with leprosy, thereby permitting their re-entry into the social and religious life of the covenant community.
Jesus' command for the lepers to show themselves to the priests directly engaged with the established Mosaic Law, emphasizing the seriousness of the disease and the religious system in place for its diagnosis. This highlights Jesus' respect for the existing law, even as he performed a miracle that bypassed the normal diagnostic process.
c. 8th-7th Century BC
Mosaic Law on Leprosy
The Mosaic Law meticulously outlines procedures for identifying, isolating, and declaring lepers clean or unclean, with priests serving as the official arbiters. This established a rigid system for managing the disease within Israelite society.
c. 1st Century BC - 1st Century AD
Roman Rule in Judea
Judea is under Roman occupation, with a Roman governor often present, alongside Jewish religious authorities like the Sanhedrin and the Temple priesthood in Jerusalem. This period sees a complex interplay of religious law and foreign political power.
c. AD 28-30— this verse
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Jesus is traveling and ministering throughout Galilee, a region known for its mixed population of Jews and Samaritans. This is the general period and location of the miracle described in Luke 17.
c. AD 28-30
Jesus' Journey Toward Jerusalem
This passage outlines the specific instructions from God for lepers who were cleansed, requiring them to present themselves to the priests for purification and sacrifice. Jesus directs the lepers to follow this very law, even though they were not yet cleansed, highlighting the importance of obedience and faith in God's established order.
Matthew 8:1-4Similar to Luke's account, Jesus encounters a leper and is asked for healing. Jesus touches the man and commands him to go show himself to the priest, which is the first step in the legal process of purification after being healed. This shows Jesus' consistent approach to upholding the Law while demonstrating His power to heal.
2 Kings 5:10-14Naaman, a Syrian leper, is instructed by Elisha to wash in the Jordan River seven times. Initially resistant, he eventually obeys and is cleansed, demonstrating that obedience to a divine command, even when it seems illogical, can lead to miraculous healing. This parallels the lepers' journey to the priests as an act of faith.
Hebrews 10:22This verse calls believers to draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience. The lepers' journey to the priests, trusting in Christ's word before seeing the cleansing, is a powerful earthly picture of this spiritual reality – moving toward God with expectant faith.
gillLuke 17:14: "And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed."
And when he saw them, he said unto them,.... When upon their loud cry he looked up, and towards them, and saw what a condition they were in, his compassion moved towards them, and he ordered them to do as follows; go show yourselves unto the priests. The Ethiopic version reads in the singular number, "to the priest", as in Matthew 8:4 whose bus…
barnesLuke 17:14: "And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed."
Go show yourselves ... - See the notes at Matthew 8:4 . By this command he gave them an implied assurance that they would be healed; for the "design" for which they were to go was to exhibit the "evidence" that they were restored, and to obtain permission from the priest to mingle again in society. It may also be observed that this required no…
Jesus commands the lepers to go show themselves to the priests before they are healed. This wasn't just a bureaucratic step, but an act of faith, requiring them to outwardly declare themselves clean based solely on Jesus' word, trusting that the cleansing would happen along the way.
Jesus encounters ten lepers who cry out to him for mercy, and in this moment, he sends them to show themselves to the priests. As they obey Jesus' command and journey to fulfill the requirements of the Law, they are miraculously cleansed of their leprosy. This event sets the stage for the remarkable story of the one Samaritan leper who returns to give thanks, highlighting themes of obedience, faith, and gratitude.
Jesus encounters ten lepers who cry out to him for mercy, and in this moment, he sends them to show themselves to the priests. As they obey Jesus' command and journey to fulfill the requirements of the Law, they are miraculously cleansed of their leprosy. This event sets the stage for the remarkable story of the one Samaritan leper who returns to give thanks, highlighting themes of obedience, faith, and gratitude.
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Nine were healed, but only one returned. What makes returning to give thanks so significant?
This story has a poignant ending: out of ten lepers who were cleansed, only one, a Samaritan, returned to give glory to God. Jesus points this out, highlighting a profound truth about human nature and our relationship with God.
Jesus is making his way towards Jerusalem for the final Passover. His route takes him through Samaria and Galilee, a journey fraught with anticipation and opposition.
"When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed." — Jesus commands the lepers to go show themselves to the priests before they are healed. This wasn't just a bureaucratic step, but an act of faith, requiring them to outwardly declare themselves clea…
