The Coming Kingdom

While traveling to Jerusalem, he passed between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten men with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

When he saw them, he told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were cleansed.

But one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned and, with a loud voice, gave glory to God. He fell facedown at his feet, thanking him. And he was a Samaritan.

Then Jesus said, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Didn’t any return to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And he told him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you.”  Luke 17:11-19 (CSB)

Like most of scripture, context matters for this healing passage. Luke is trying to say something here, and the interjection of a story amongst teaching matters. While lepers in scripture evoke strong response as we imagine them isolated outside of their communities unable to interact with their loved ones, in this instance, the healing takes place to emphasize two lessons on faith. One the precedes and one that follows. We’re in the midst of Jesus’ teaching on the nature of the Kingdom of God. Luke just told the story of the rich man and Lazarus (16:19-31), and then Jesus’ warning about those who bring the temptation to sin (17:1-4).

Terrified that they might be in the wrong because of the implications, the disciples beg Jesus to be given more faith (17:5) 

Jesus then emphasizes the power of faith with these lepers.

Faith, of course, is not belief, but an entrusting oneself to another. Pistis (noun) and pisteuō (verb) have the same root and have to do with trusting another, in the way that you might both believe and trust a pilot to fly you safely. It’s not just esoteric assent to an idea, but it has real world tangibility. Empty faith, or mere belief, doesn’t do anything, for even the demons believe (James 2:19). Luke is emphasizing that these ten lepers had the type of faith that changes things. When Jesus commanded, they responded. It wasn’t going to priest that saved them, but their trust. They believed and trusted in Jesus, and Jesus responded. To articulate a bigger message, and foreshadow the nature of the Kingdom, it was the foreigner who came and gave Glory to Jesus for what he did. A clear slight at how often Jesus has been and will be rejected by his own people. 

But then another equally import lesson on faith follows: 

When he was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them,

The kingdom of God is not coming with something observable; no one will say, ‘See here!’ or ‘There!’ For you see, the kingdom of God is in your midst. (vs. 20-21)

Already in Jesus’ day, people were hoping for escapist solutions. They wanted salvation from elsewhere. Someone else. But Jesus is telling his disciples, You are the Kingdom of God. My Holy Spirit within you IS the reign of God. Yes, I will be returning he continues and there will be an end. As mentioned earlier, those who continue to live rebellious lives contrary to the Kingdom will not be a part of the promise of the union of Heaven and Earth. However, look for the coming of the Holy Spirit to understand what the reign (kingdom) of God is really about. This is one of the reasons Luke is a two part book and includes the Acts of the Apostles. With the Spirit, comes the reign (kingdom) of God, also known as the Church.