This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Life of Elisha” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, February 5, 1989.

Our scripture reading is from Luke’s gospel, and first of all we will be reading from the ninth chapter. Our reading in the ninth chapter is from verse 51 through verse 56, and then we will turn over to chapter 17 and verses 11 through 19. Hear the word of God.

And it came about when the days were approaching for his ascension that he resolutely set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he set messengers on ahead of him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for him. And they did not receive him because he was journeying with his face toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven to consume them? And he turned and rebuked them, and they went on to another village. And then turning over to chapter 17, beginning of verse 19, beginning of verse 11.

And it came about while he was on the way to Jerusalem that he was passing through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a certain village, there met him ten leprous men who stood at a distance. And they raised their voices, saying, And when he saw them, he said to them, Go and show yourselves to the priests. And it came about that as they were going, they were cleansed.

Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at his feet, giving thanks to him, and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answered and said, Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine, where are they? Were none found who turned back to give glory to God except this foreigner?

And he said to him, Rise, and go your way. Your faith has made you well. Our hope is in you, our God. With your word you come and by that word slay our pride. You review us, not just our actions but also our thoughts. Your word active to penetrate even to the thoughts and the intents of our hearts. O Lord, before you we stand, yet we are confident, not because we are found to have anything in us to commend us to you, but rather by your word, this very word that comes and scrutinizes us, there is that ministry, the ministry of your gospel whereby We are encouraged through Christ to come and present ourselves before you.

Now, over the face of the earth, Lord, your elect are gathered, and you are assembling them out of the tribes of the earth so that they would praise you, not only presently, but forever. Lord, we would confess that you are our God, that Jesus Christ is Savior. Knowing these things and confessing them, we then, with confidence in your word, take our place in the assembly which you have convened. Lord, we pray that as we assemble we will hear, and in hearing obey, and that for your glory.

Tonight we are beginning our consideration of a passage in Luke’s Gospel that takes us on a bit of a detour from our considerations of Elisha’s life and times. So we are moving from 2 Kings into the territory of the New Testament gospel of Luke. In turning to this specific gospel We come to a story that bears some connection to the story we have been presently considering about Elisha, and that is the one concerning Elisha and Naaman, the leprous Syrian. And this story in Luke’s gospel is joined to that story in 2 Kings, because in each we find a treatment of the subject of leprosy and those who are leprous. In Naaman, we have confronted one, or we have been confronted by one, who is a Gentile, one who stands at a distance by his race as well as by his disease. And in the story of the ten lepers, and specifically the Samaritan leper, we are likewise confronted with one who is at a distance not just because of his race, but because of his disease.

This evening we will be setting the stage for our consideration of this very familiar story from Luke’s Gospel. And in that we will be thinking a bit about Luke, his mindset, his intention, and we will be looking specifically at the first verse of this specific story which we have read, that verse being Luke 17, 11. So let me set the stage for you.

Luke, as a writer, Luke as a writer is quite taken with journeys, with trips. He has been described as the gospel writer, as that New Testament writer preoccupied with pilgrimage, sojourn. Now, as you think of Luke’s writings, there may be a number of journeys that he records that come to your mind.

At the outset of the gospel, there is the journey of one Zacharias to Jerusalem to perform his duty, he being of the tribe of Levite, a Levite with a yearly office to perform in the house of God. There is as well the journey of Joseph and Mary from the territories of Galilee southward, past Jerusalem to Bethlehem. If we think of Luke’s other New Testament writing, the book of Acts, we are taken with that trip that trip of Philip’s as he moved southward from Jerusalem on the road to Gaza, there encountering the Ethiopian eunuch that recorded for us in Acts chapter eight. And there are a number of other little journeys sprinkled throughout the writings of Luke, be it his gospel or the book of Acts. But Luke records for us in these two narratives which he gives us, the narrative concerning Christ’s life and the narrative concerning the life of the Church. In these two narratives, he presents us with two specific journeys that dominate the landscapes. You might not have realized it, but a great part of the Book of Acts is taken up with the matter of a journey, a specific journey.

And that journey centers in the figure of the Apostle Paul as he moves from the Jewish capital of Jerusalem to the Gentile capital of Rome. Through many episodes, through many lesser journeys, this one great journey unfolds, possibly beginning as early as Paul’s journey from Jerusalem to Damascus, but ending, of course, with the conclusion of his third missionary journey, as that finds its culminating point in Rome itself, moving from Acts 9 to Acts 26, taking in the majority of the territory covered in the Book of the Acts. The Gospel of Luke also tells us about a great journey. The great journey in this Gospel belongs, of course, to Jesus himself, as he moves from Galilee in the north. Keep in mind the geography, because the geography of the territory of Israel at this point is going to be very important for the development of this message. Jesus, in his journey moving from Galilee in the north to Jerusalem, the center of Jewish religious activity as well as the center of its political activity, of their political activity.

Now this journey is marked out quite deliberately for us by Luke, and his account of it begins for us in that passage that we read tonight from Luke chapter 9, verse 51, which reads, “…and it came about, when the days were approaching for his ascension, that Jesus resolutely set his face to go to Jerusalem.”

That’s where the journey commences. Now, the description of the journey moves on through the next ten chapters. So you see, it’s a sizable portion of this gospel, and it progresses in three distinct phases as you move from chapter nine through chapter nineteen. Each phase of the journey is marked out for us specifically with a reminder that the goal is, after all, the city of Jerusalem. Each time we see that city mentioned in this narrative, it seems as if to mark out another phase of the journey.

The first phase, then, moves from chapter 9, verse 51, through the 13th chapter, verse 21. That’s the first installment of the journey as Luke records it. The second Phase of the journey then moves from chapter 13, verse 22, where you will notice that Jerusalem is again mentioned as the destination. From the 13th chapter, verse 22, through chapter 17, verse 10. And now, the third phase kicks in, the final phase. Once more, verse 11. of that seventeenth chapter.

Jerusalem is mentioned once more, and this section will culminate with the twenty-seventh verse of the nineteenth chapter of Luke. But the story of the Ten Lepers, then, is the first story in that final installment, descriptive of this grand and great journey taken by Christ. Now that’s somewhat the overview for us here. But now we want to look at the text specifically.

17 verse 11. It will help if you have that verse in front of you. The mention of Jerusalem you note, and then after that the mention of Samaria. and Galilee. This opening verse is phrased, constructed in such a way that with a careful reading of it, we are taken off guard. A careful reading of this text takes us off guard. And you might compare what you find in your version, if it in fact is a New American Standard or a New International, comparing that with the King James. This verse tells us that Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem.

But then, and that quite oddly, quite strangely, It says in the literal translation, which the King James preserves, I might add, he was passing through the midst of, those are the words, the midst of, literal translation here, the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Now, if you’re sensitive to the geography, and that’s why I wanted you to keep the geography in mind, have that map. Have that map of Israel in the time of Jesus and Moses. If you have a map in the back of your Bible, turn to it and look at it. You know how things were arranged. Galilee was to the far north, Samaria was in the middle, Judea was to the extreme south, and Jerusalem at half of the length. You got it? You have it?

Galilee, Samaria, That is very important. But this verse, as it is phrased for us now, as I’ve been trying to say, presents us with a difficulty. And that difficulty is specifically the lay of the land which I have just described for Galilee, Samaria, Jerusalem, Judea. Moving toward Jerusalem from Galilee, one would move into or along the Samaritan territory, since it lay to the south of Galilee and to the north of Jerusalem.

You see the problem that is beginning to arise. The point made by many critics as they’ve reviewed this text has been that in looking at Luke’s treatment of Jesus’ journey from the North Country to Jerusalem in the South, the most natural order would have been to mention Galilee first and Samaria second. You see? You see?

He’s going to Jerusalem, but his point of departure is Galilee, then Samaria, and then after that he will arrive at his destination. But you note what is done by Luke in this 11th verse. He reverses the order. He speaks of Samaria first and Galilee second. The charge then by the liberal critic has has actually been laid at the feet of Luke, well, it’s obvious the man doesn’t know Palestinian geography. He’s a Gentile. Where did Paul pick him up, after all? Somewhere in Asia Minor, I suppose. Maybe in the territories of Macedonia. But, obviously, this man is ignorant of Palestinian geography. His statement here is evidence of his ignorance. He simply doesn’t know the lay of the land.

Now, some translators of this verse have squirmed. It may not seem like a very important issue, a very pressing matter. But many translators, including the translators at work in the New American Standard Version, have squirmed under the scrutinizing eye and the critical eye of those who have raised objections and suggested that Luke didn’t know, after all, Palestinian geography.

So they have come up with their own suggestions. They have suggested the following translation. If you have a New American Standard Version in front of you, you can follow along. Jesus was passing, this is what they had, between Samaria and Galilee. As if with the formulation of the words in this fashion, it wouldn’t make any difference which one you mention first. Okay?

Now, the force of this statement could be read somewhat along the line which places Jesus in the company of those Jews of his time. And what was their attitude? Their attitude was to avoid at all costs any contact with or contamination through the Samaritans, who were judged to be unclean. They were not purebred Jews, they were half-breed. They had their own view of things, they had a truncated Old Testament, an abbreviated version, compressed, compact edition, and they had their own estimation of religious practice. You remember Jesus’ exchange with the Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob? She gives voice to it. She says, we believe that it’s right for us to worship on Mount Gerizim. You Jews worship in Jerusalem.

So they had their own approach to religious practice. And in all of this, they are judged to be unclean by the Jews. Thus, the Jews would make an extended trip. It didn’t matter how the prophets moved. It didn’t matter what the shortest distance was between their home and Jerusalem. they would make an extended journey just to avoid the territory of the Samaritans. They would move southward first, till they hit the boundary of Galilee and Samaria, then they would turn eastward towards the Jordan, cross the Jordan even, go down along the banks of the Jordan on the east side, and once they had passed the territories of Samaria, they would recross the Jordan, enter the territory of Judea, and belong to Jerusalem. All of that in order to avoid contact with the Samaritans.

So it is suggested that Jesus here is passing between Galilee and Samaria along the lines of the habit of those Jews during his time. Now, all of this has added to it the fact that we gain, added to it the fact which we gain from our consideration of the outset of Jesus’ journey. Having read now from Luke chapter 9 and the story of the outset of the journey and his contact with the Samaritans there, not only is Jesus then suggested to be moving along this route that was frequented by the Jews of his time, But he had already entered the Samaritan village and the Samaritan territory, and when he did that, he was rejected, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem, and the Samaritans themselves would countenance that. Therefore, the route he chose took him back, backward, along the traditional road.

This, then, is the explanation for this eleventh verse. So rather than reading the literal translation which is given to us, that he passed through the midst of, which means that he went right down through the middle Samaria, as well as through the midst of Galilee, we are told that he passed between the two territories on that approved route to the south. in salvaging Luke from the charge that he doesn’t know Galilean or Jewish or Palestinian geography has a certain logic to it. But as we pointed out, it skirts the plain reading of the text. For the force is in keeping with the literal presentation of it in the King James. Jesus is, in fact, going through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. But having said that, we still have our problem.

For why would Luke mention Samaria first? I mean, does he really mean to suggest to us that first of all, Jesus went through the territory of Samaria, that is to the south, then he went back up north and went through the territory of Galilee? Why then does he mention Samaria first? should not the order be to pass through the midst of Galilee and Samaria on his way to Jerusalem?

The answer to the problem presented here, though it may seem quite minor, actually introduces us into a world that is quite profound. and into the intricacies of the thinking of this gospel writer. The answer to the problem is not to question Lut’s knowledge of geography. It is rather to question our knowledge of salvation history. The answer to the problem is not to question Lut’s knowledge of Jewish geography than our knowledge of redemptive history. We are not to see here then some sort of boundary straddling by Jesus as he makes his way south to Jerusalem.

The issue is resolved for us, when in fact we grasp hold of Luke’s dual purpose, his two-fold purpose. Now this is a complexity, and you’re going to have to stretch your mind a bit and hold on. On the one hand, you Luke is interested in telling us the story of Jesus. That’s plain to us, is it not? He gives us a gospel. But on the other hand, he is interested in telling the story of the church. That too is obvious, is it not? He gives us the book of Acts. But there is, you see, for both of these two stories which he tells.

A common geographical point. A common geographical point. And that common geographical point, whether you’re talking about the life of Jesus or the life of the Church, is the city of Jerusalem. That city is both Jesus’ destination and the Church’s starting point. It is Jesus’ destination and the Church’s starting point.

It is important to remember, however, as you take stock of this dual purpose of Luke’s, that the story of Jesus and Jesus’ journey are not irrespective of Luke’s consideration for the church itself, nor is the church’s journey devoid of Jesus, her Lord. Although the stories are told separately, one in a gospel, one in the account we find in Acts, these stories are unavoidably bound together. And at this point, here, Luke 17, 11, lest we should forget the Church while reading the story of Jesus, Luke literally, literarily jolts us with what appears to be a geographical mistake, error. The foundation, the ground, The foundation of and the ground for the Church’s journey, which will be described for us in the book of Acts, as the Church moves away from Jerusalem, is Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.

Therefore, at this juncture, Luke overlays his account of Jesus’ journey from Galilee through Samaria to Jerusalem with an anticipation of the Church’s journey from Jerusalem through Samaria into Galilee. That’s why the notations It is even more astounding than that, you see. With the anticipation of the Church’s journey from Jerusalem through Samaria into Galilee, there is brought to mind those classic words from Acts chapter 1 verse 8. and ye shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.”

The reverse direction is anticipated in the direction that Jesus is moving. The Church’s mission is included in the journey which Jesus is taking. The foundation for the Church’s mission and the accomplishment of her mission, the certainty of that, is already established for us as Christ moves southward from Galilee to Jerusalem.

Here then is the setting of the story, rather the setting of the stage for the story that follows. For just as the story of Elisha and Naaman previewed the coming day of blessing and redemption for Gentiles, so the story of Jesus and the lepers anticipates the same day. The same day. But there is one more thought here for us before we close.

Jesus in his journey to Jerusalem and to the cross carries within him his church And thus, in the success of his journey, he guarantees the success of the Church’s journey. Just as he has arrived at his destination, so the Church shall arrive at theirs. Just as he has fulfilled his mission, so the Church will fulfill her mission. But, that being true, There is also this to consider.

The picture is only completed as the church in her journey then carries the significance of Jesus’ journey with her as she goes to the ends of the earth. And what is the significance of Jesus’ journey? the cross. And that marvel illuminates and defines for the church her message and her life. Is it any reason then that that apostle who was so close to Luke should say, I am determined to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified.

There is a depth here. There are riches to be mined. A glory to perceive. A magnificence to acknowledge. Yes, Jesus in his journey literally moving from Galilee to Samaria to Jerusalem. But he lived his journey imbibing and anticipating the movement of his people from Jerusalem, through Samaria, through Galilee, to the very uttermost part of the earth. Is it not true? Are you not sitting here tonight because it is true? You are. You are. You are the testimony to the success of the Saviour’s mission and the very big success of the Church. All I believe…

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.