(11) And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. (12) And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: (13) And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. (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. (15) And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, (16) And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. (17) And Jesus answering, said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? (18) There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. (19) And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.
Our Lord was now, for the last time, going to Jerusalem, for the blessed purpose of finishing his redemption-work, by his sacrifice and death. It is very probable, that these ten men had heard of Jesus's mercy to poor lepers, and therefore, in a body, presented themselves all at once before him. But though coming to him as they did, like lepers conscious of their uncleanness, they stood afar off. See Matthew 8:1, etc. Leviticus 13:46. If my Reader hath the Poor Man's Concordance by him, I would refer him to consult it, under the word Master, for a full apprehension of that name as especially applicable to Jesus. I beg the Reader to observe the method the Lord Jesus was pleased to adopt in the healing of these men. Jesus said unto them, Go, shew yourselves unto the priests. Now this was God's command in the Old Testament dispensation, by way of the priests ascertaining the reality of the disease itself. See Leviticus 13:2-3. We may suppose, therefore, that in the case of these ten men, the thing had been already done; for they were shut out, in consequence of the disease, from civil and religious communion. When, therefore, the Lord Jesus commanded them to go and shew themselves to the priests, this was in conformity to the precept when the leprosy was healed. See Leviticus 14:2-3; and as a thing already done. What a beautiful view doth this give us of Christ's power and Godhead? No wonder, therefore, that when, by faith, they all, with one consent, departed to go to the priest, they were healed as they went. Reader! you and I may gather instruction here. It is blessed to be found in the way and in the use of means which the Lord hath appointed. But it is blessed also, as we go, to watch and discover the sovereign power and goodness of the Lord without means.
The striking character of the one, which instantly returned to Jesus on the discovery of his cure, opposed to the nine, which, if they went as Jesus had commanded them to the priests, returned not to thank their benefactor, is full of instruction. It is evident that this Samaritan had a lively sense who Christ was, by the display of this miracle. None but God could heal the leprosy. This, in his instance, Christ had done: and consequently in this view, Christ was God. And as such, with a loud voice that all around might hear, he glorified him. And now no longer unclean, he did not stand afar off, but fell down on his face at the feet of Jesus. But the most remarkable feature to be noticed in this miracle, as it related to this man, is that the Lord Jesus said unto him, his faith had made him whole. How is this? The whole ten were healed by Christ: and was there then anything special in this man's case? I would not be understood as speaking decidedly upon the subject; but I am inclined to think that there was, and that those persons differed widely in their characters, and in the mercy received. They were all healed of the leprosy of the body; but this man only of both leprosy of soul and body. And hence the different effects. When the ten felt their cure, nine of them had all they desired, all they asked for. But in this man, grace entered his soul, and healed a far deeper and more dreadful leprosy there; and, therefore, led by that awakening grace in the heart, he had forever done with Jewish priests and legal sacrifices, and fled to Christ the author and finisher of his salvation. Reader! if my views be right, we see at once the effect of distinguishing grace. Nine lepers, or in nine thousand, if only healed in body, will rise from beds of sickness as they lay down, never discerning the hand of that Lord, whose name is Jehovah Rophe: I am the Lord that healeth thee, Exodus 15:26. But the poor sinner, who feels and knows the leprosy of the soul, no sooner finds that Christ hath made him whole, but falls at his feet with a loud voice of thankfulness. Oh! the mercy of mercies, Jesus Christ; He goes no more to the law of a carnal commandment, but to Jesus, the High Priest, made after the power of an endless life. Hebrews 7:16.