Luke 17-18: Where were the nine? A Lesson in Thankfulness

In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one returned to thank Him. The question of the ages is where were the nine? Having studied all the historical records in the Syriac, Coptic and even Cryptic manuscripts in their original languages, I am able to tell you what the nine said instead of actually thanking Jesus.

• The first said, “Jesus knows I’m thankful, I don’t have to say it.”
• The second said, “I think I was getting better on my own anyway.”
• The third said, “I was the one who went, Jesus didn’t do anything.”
• The fourth said, “No one else said thank you.”
• The fifth said, “The Samaritan gave thanks for us.”
• The sixth said, “If I don’t have leprosy now, I must have never had it.”
• The seventh said, “The priest must have healed me.”
• The eighth said, “I’m going to wait and see if this healing will last.”
• The ninth said, “I’ll thank Jesus later.”

I hope you could see through my earlier sarcasm and realize I actually just made all that up. However, give thought to the above statements. How often have we refrained from giving thanks to God (or others) using a form of one of the above excuses.

We need to remember, God wants and deserves thanksgiving, not just some kind of ethereal attitude of gratitude. For what do you have to be thankful today? Don’t just be thankful, actually give thanks.

ELC