Scripture Reference for the Ten Lepers Healing
The healing of ten lepers appears in Luke 17:11–19, a narrative unique to Luke's Gospel [4, 7]. This account differs from the earlier healing of a single leper recorded in Matthew 8:1–4, Mark 1:40–45, and Luke 5:12–16 [5, 6]. The ten-leper episode occurs as Jesus travels "through the midst of Samaria and Galilee," likely along the border region between these territories [4].
The Narrative Context
Luke places this miracle during Jesus' journey toward Jerusalem, in a region where he had less established acquaintance than in Galilee or the capital itself [7]. The lepers, standing at a distance as required by their unclean status, cry out for mercy. Jesus responds by instructing them: "Go show yourselves unto the priests" [9]. This command references the Levitical procedure outlined in Leviticus 14, where priests examined healed lepers and pronounced them ceremonially clean [1, 9]. The law required a recovered leper to bring specific offerings—a trespass offering, a sin offering, a burnt offering, and a meal offering consisting of a tenth deal (one omer) of flour with oil [1].
The Healing and Its Significance
The ten are cleansed as they go, before reaching the priests—a detail that underscores Jesus' authority over both disease and ceremonial law [9]. Tertullian, addressing Marcionite objections, notes that Christ's instruction to show themselves to the priests demonstrates respect for Mosaic ordinance rather than contempt for it [10]. One leper, identified as a Samaritan, returns to give thanks, prompting Jesus to ask where the other nine are. This detail highlights both the ethnic boundary-crossing nature of Jesus' ministry and the ingratitude of those who received healing without acknowledgment.
Leprosy itself was understood in Jewish thought as a divine stroke or smiting (tsara'ath), often interpreted as punishment for particular sin [2, 7]. Jesus' repeated attention to lepers—this miracle is catalogued among his works alongside other cleansings [3]—signals his mission to remove both physical affliction and the spiritual alienation it symbolized. The healing served as tangible evidence of the Kingdom's presence in his person and ministry [8].
The narrative's placement in Luke, distinct from the Synoptic parallels of the single leper's healing, emphasizes Jesus' compassion extended across ethnic and geographic boundaries during his final approach to Jerusalem.
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Tenth deal — I.e., the tenth part of an ephah (as in the R.V.), equal to an omer or six pints. The recovered leper, to complete his purification, was required to bring a trespass, a sin, and a burnt offering, and to present a meal offering, a tenth deal or an omer of flour for each, with oil to make it into bread or cakes (Lev. 14:10, 21; comp. Ex. 16:36; 29:40).”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Leprosy — (Heb. tsara'ath, a "smiting," a "stroke," because the disease was regarded as a direct providential infliction). This name is from the Greek lepra, by which the Greek physicians designated the disease from its scaliness. We have the description of the disease, as well as the regulations connected with it, in Lev. 13; 14; Num. 12:10-15, etc. There were reckoned six different circumstances under which it might develop itself, (1) without any apparent cause (Lev. 13:2-8); (2) its reappearance (9-17); (3) from an inflammation (18-28); (4) on the head or chin (2”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Miracles of Christ, The — Water turned to wine -- Joh 2:6-10. Nobleman's son healed -- Joh 4:46-53. Centurion's servant healed -- Mt 9:5-13. Draughts of fish -- Lu 5:4-6; Joh 21:6. Devils cast out -- Mt 8:28-32; 9:32,33; 15:22-28; 17:14-18; Mr 1:23-27. Peter's wife's mother healed -- Mt 8:14,15. Lepers cleansed -- Mt 8:3; Lu 17:14. Paralytic healed -- Mr 2:3-12. Withered hand restored -- Mt 12:10-13. Impotent man healed -- Joh 5:5-9. The dead raised to life -- Mt 9:18; 19:23-25; Lu 7:12-15; Joh 11:11-44. Issue of blood stopped -- Mt 9:20-22. The blind restored to sig”
- Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 17:11: TEN LEPERS CLEANSED. (Luk 17:11-19) through the midst of Samaria and Galilee--probably on the confines of both.”
- Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 5:15: LEPER HEALED. (Luk 5:12-16) But so, &c.--(See Mar 1:45).”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 8 (introduction): HEALING OF A LEPER. ( = Mar 1:40-45; Luk 5:12-16). (Mat 8:1-4) When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.”
- Luke (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Luke 17:11: We have here an account of the cure of ten lepers, which we had not in any other of the evangelists. The leprosy was a disease which the Jews supposed to be inflicted for the punishment of some particular sin, and to be, more than other diseases, a mark of God's displeasure; and therefore Christ, who came to take away sin, and turn away wrath, took particular care to cleanse the lepers that fell in his way. Christ was now in his way to Jerusalem, about the mid-way, where he had little acquaintance in comparison with what he had either at Jerusalem or in Galilee. He”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 8:3: 8:3 Be healed: Jesus’ healing of lepers was tangible evidence of the Kingdom in his person and ministry (11:2-6).”
- Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 17:13: And when he saw them, he said unto them,.... When upon their loud cry he looked up, and towards them, and saw what a condition they were in, his compassion moved towards them, and he ordered them to do as follows; go show yourselves unto the priests. The Ethiopic version reads in the singular number, "to the priest", as in Mat 8:4 whose business it was to inspect into this matter, to see whether a person was healed, or not; and if he was to, pronounce him clean, when a gift was offered according to the law, in Lev 14:2. So careful was Christ that the ceremonial law, ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XXXV.--THE JUDICIAL SEVERITY OF CHRIST AND THE TENDERNESS OF THE CREATOR, ASSERTED IN CONTRADICTION TO MARCION. THE CURE OF THE TEN LEPERS. OLD TESTAMENT ANALOGIES. THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITHIN YOU (part 3): He meant to cleanse them first? Was it as a despiser of the law, in order to prove to them that, having been cured already on the road, the law was now nothing to them, nor even the priests? Well, the matter must of course pass as it best may,(6) if anybody supposes that Christ had such views as these!(7) But there are certainly better interpretations to be found”