November 22

And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? - Luke 17:17.

LET us view the narrative as a picture, and observe the various things in it, not as objects of curiosity, but as affording lessons “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness.” Behold the picture, and see, First, that all our Saviour’s miracles were not connected with salvation. As his works on the bodies of men were designed to be typical of his operations on the soul, we sometimes find them blended together. But this was not always the case.

Here we see ten lepers sharing equally his kindness, in their miraculous recovery, and yet nine of them remaining unchanged, morally and Spiritually, the same as before. And there are many also now who, like the Jews of old and these lepers, have experienced temporal and signal deliverances, without experiencing that Spiritual salvation which they were designed and adapted to prefigure.

What is bodily health if the soul is sick, and diseased, and dead? What are these nine lepers the better for their cure now? We may look again and see that adversity and affliction are more friendly and favourable to our intercourse with the Saviour than prosperity and health. These lepers, while they were suffering under their malady, cried to him with a loud voice; but, alas! as soon as they are recovered they go away and never think more of him. Thus many will “pour out a prayer unto God when his chastening is upon them,” and this circumstance will also serve to account for the afflictions of the righteous.

There is a needs be for them. If we look again we shall see that the generality of those who receive favours from God act as if they were insensible of their obligations. Oh! the ingratitude of these men made them much more vile than their former disease did. This ingratitude is general, and extends even to the righteous.

We may take the case of Hezekiah as an affecting illustration, and in how many instances do we see this, and find that we ourselves are not free from it. We may observe that however we forget our obligations the Lord remembers them, and expects suitable returns for them. He sees whether we are thankful with the one, or regardless with the nine, whether we come back to give God the glory with the Samaritan, or profanely depart with the Jews. He sees what blessings we receive from him, and how we receive them. He expects from us suitable improvement and returns.

We may observe also that we are not to avoid duty on the ground of singularity. Here was only one man out of ten, but he dares to come back regardless of the rest. He stood alone. So did Noah. Here was a world ungodly, nevertheless Noah walked righteously with God. Observe that the most unlikely sometimes excel the most promising. Who would not have expected more from the Jews than from this Samaritan? How many, who have but few advantages, have made greater improvement than others with more abundant privileges.

But lastly, let us observe the glory of the Lord Jesus, and think of his goodness. See, how no sooner did these men cry than he heard them; and let us remember that he has now what he always had, an ear for the destitute and the miserable. Let us behold his all-sufficiency and self-sufficiency. Power does not always accompany benevolence; but we see “nothing is too hard for the Lord.”