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n September 8, 1860, a crowded passenger steamer, the Lady Elgin, ran into problems just off the shore of Evanston, Illinois. Although hundreds of passengers died, several survivors clung to the ship's wreckage. As horrified observers on the shore watched, a seminary student name Edward Spencer, part of the volunteer lifesaving team and a committed Christian, swam out to save these survivors. Despite rough waves and cold water, Spencer eventually brought seventeen passengers to safety. His bravery took a heavy toll on his body, however, and he never fully recovered. Spencer died at age 81 in California. According to his funeral notice, not one of the people that he had rescued ever thanked him for saving their lives.
What a striking parallel to the account in today's passage! Levitical law required lepers not to associate with others (Lev. 13:45-46). The term leprosy in Scripture is used for a number of infectious skin diseases, all of which made the afflicted person socially ostracized and spiritually isolated from religious life. Supernatural healing of lepers was one of the evidences of Jesus' divinity. Once healed, a leper appeared before a priest, both to confirm the healing and to be made ceremonially clean. Then the person could return to the community.
Leprosy and other infectious skin diseases were dreaded in the ancient world, just as they are today. Gratitude would have been a natural response for anyone healed from such a disease. Yet today's passage tells us that only one of the ten who were healed gave thanks to Jesus. Even more remarkably, this person was a Samaritan. You may recall from previous Bible studies that Jews did not associate with Samaritans, mainly because the Samaritans accepted only the first five books of the Bible and had their own center of worship away from Jerusalem. Today's
account occurs in a larger section of Luke's Gospel that shows that many foreigners were coming to know Jesus, even though many Jews were rejecting Him. Salvation comes to those who come to Jesus, regardless of their religious heritage.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Giving thanks is always a good thing to do. Is there someone who was instrumental in your becoming a Christian? Or someone who has been a significant part of your maturity as a believer? Now might be a good time to send a note or e-mail to that person, letting him or her know how grateful you are for the way the Lord used them in your life. Now is also a great time to thank the Lord for the people and circumstances that He used to bring you into the kingdom.
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