The Magnitude
of Ingratitude
A Dreaded
Disease
And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that
he passed through the midst of Samaria and
Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village,
there met him ten men that were lepers, which
stood afar off:
Luke 17:11, 12
It is a tribute to modern medicine that most of us know
little about leprosy
Few of us have ever seen a leper
Most of what we know about leprosy is what we read
in the Bible
If we had lived in Bible times we would have known
more about it
It was the most dreaded disease of its day (the bubonic
plague or AIDs of its time)- incurable, deadly, hopeless
So much was it feared that anyone who was thought to
have it was banished from society
The rabbinic writings listed many remedies for various
diseases, but nothing for leprosy
The rabbis said that curing leprosy was like raising the
dead
Today it is known as Hansen’s Disease, after the
Norwegian doctor who discovered the bacterium that
causes it (in 1873)
Physically, the disease was horrible, often causing the
loss of feeling and deformity in extremities
Almost as bad were the emotional consequences of
being separated from family and outcasts from society
They had to wear torn clothes, unkempt hair, and cover
their mouths and cry “Unclean! Unclean!” whenever
anyone approached
Rabbinic traditions stated that they had to stand at least
100 paces from anyone else (“which stood afar off”)
On this occasion, Jesus met ten men who were joined
only by the commonality of their disease
Leprosy serves as a type of sin; what leprosy did to the
flesh, sin does to the soul
Sin desensitizes us, separates us, makes us loathsome
and hideous
Sin, like leprosy, eventually destroys
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy
youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years
draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure
in them;
Ecclesiastes 12:1
Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it
cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot
hear: But your iniquities have separated between
you and your God, and your sins have hid his face
from you, that he will not hear.
Isaiah 59:1, 2
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and
his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of
the Lord is against them that do evil.
I Peter 3:12
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted
of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil,
neither tempteth he any man: But every man is
tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust,
and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it
bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished,
bringeth forth death.
James 1:13-15
A Marvelous
Miracle
And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus,
Master, have mercy on us. 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.
Luke 17:13, 14
Likely, they cried out “Unclean! Unclean!” as the Lord
approached and as the law commanded
Like others before them, they recognized who Jesus was
Good news about their only hope had likely spread
quickly
And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and
had brought away captive out of the land of Israel
a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
And she said unto her mistress, Would God my
lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for
he would recover him of his leprosy. And one
went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus
said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
II Kings 5:2-4
Likely, they cried out “Unclean! Unclean!” as the Lord
approached and as the law commanded
Like others before them, they recognized who Jesus was
Good news about their only hope had likely spread
quickly
When held captive and made helpless by sin, we must
recognize Him
I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your
sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die
in your sins.
John 8:24
For when we were yet without strength, in due
time Christ died for the ungodly.
Romans 5:6
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
Note that Jesus told them, “Go show yourselves unto
the priests” (vs. 14)
It was not until they went that they were healed
Not told how far they went; thus not told how far back
the one came
Their going was a test of their faith; would it act
accordingly?
And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go
and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall
come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
II Kings 5:10
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mark 16:16
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized,
and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the
Lord.
Acts 22:16
A Revealing
Response
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed,
turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him
thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Luke 17:15, 16
The nine received the same blessing as the one; they
were ungrateful, he was not
Suppose they continued to go to the priest?
Suppose their leprosy returned because of their
ingratitude?
The fact that the one was a Samaritan implies that the
others were Jews, even greater indictment
It is generally thought that between Luke 17:10 and
Luke 17:11 is the timeframe when Jesus raised Lazarus
from the dead (Jn. 11)
Following that miracle the Jews sought to kill Jesus and
He walked no more openly among them
Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the
Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the
wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there
continued with his disciples.
John 11:54
It is generally thought that between Luke 17:10 and
Luke 17:11 is the timeframe when Jesus raised Lazarus
from the dead (Jn. 11)
Following that miracle the Jews sought to kill Jesus and
He walked no more openly among them
The resurrection of Lazarus might have been the
miracle that caused these men to recognize Jesus
These nine Jews had no excuse for their ingratitude
As on other occasions, a Samaritan revealed the
condition of the children of Abraham in the Lord’s time
(cf. Lk. 10; Jn. 4)
The Samaritan’s response is worthy of emulation- his
gratitude was evident
An Insightful
Inquiry
And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten
cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not
found that returned to give glory to God, save this
stranger.
Luke 17:17, 18
The Lord concludes the occasion with two questions
and a statement
“Were there not ten cleansed?”
“Where are the nine?”
“There are not found that returned to give glory to God,
save this stranger”
When we consider them, they were all the same except
for one thing
All were: lepers; outcasts from society; determined to do
something about their condition; believed that Jesus
could help them; appealed to Him; did what He
required; healed
The only difference: gratitude
Why did the nine not return?
Perhaps they were in a hurry to see the priest so they
could get on with their lives
Perhaps they assumed Jesus already knew they were
appreciative
Perhaps they thought the Samaritan’s expression was
enough for them as well
Are we guilty of the same?
In such a hurry to get on with our lives that we take
things for granted and fail to take the time to express
our appreciation?
Assume that God already knows anyway, so why take
the time to tell Him something He already knows
Think that prayers offered by others are sufficient for
us?
One of the great sins of the Gentile world was
ingratitude
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him
not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in
their imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they
became fools, And changed the glory of the
uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts,
and creeping things.
Romans 1:21-23
One of the great sins of the Gentile world was
ingratitude
We need to express our gratefulness to God often and
with genuineness
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the
which also ye are called in one body; and be ye
thankful.
Colossians 3:15
And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in
the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God
and the Father by him.
Colossians 3:17
O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his
mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the
Lord say so; whom he hath redeemed from the
hand of the enemy.
Psalm 107:1, 2
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
I Thessalonians 5:18
Are you counted
Among the Nine?