One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying
God with a loud voice.
He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a
Samaritan.
Jesus answered, "Weren’t the ten cleansed?
But where are the nine?
Were there none found who returned to give
glory to God, except this stranger?"
Then he said to him, "Get up, and go your
way. Your faith has healed you."
What does this reveal about Jesus?
He expects the healed to praise God in response.
Notes & Applications:
This is a little different in that the healing occurred on the way to the priest who would verify their being clean. All ten exercised faith in that they presumed that they would be healed, even though they had left Jesus still lepers. But what is the theme here is their response to their healing.
It seems that not one had the faith nor appreciation to thank Jesus beforehand. But that's to be expected. But having been healed, only one came back to thank Jesus, and it seems to imply that this man was the only non-Jew of the group. Once again we see the superior faith of the Gentile such as was demonstrated by the Centurion and the Gentile Woman.
I could imagine this Gentile leper traveling with Jewish lepers would be treated like a leper of lepers. He was probably looked down upon even by the others. The Jewish lepers were on their way to the priest. But what did this Gentile leper have to do with that? He wasn't under the Law of Moses. Would the priest even have examined him, as he wasn't even a Jew? I could imagine he might have thought that Jesus was just speaking to the Jewish lepers and only they would be healed. Suddenly he found himself healed. Yes, Jesus loved him too! Upon telling the others he was going back to thank Jesus I can imagine they would be relieved to get rid of him. The Jews went to their priest while the Gentile went to his!