Luke 17:17

And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where [are] the nine?

And {G1161} Jesus {G2424} answering {G611} said {G2036}, Were there {G2511} not {G3780} ten {G1176} cleansed {G2511}? but {G1161} where {G4226} are the nine {G1767}?

Yeshua said, “Weren’t ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?

“Were not all ten cleansed?” Jesus asked. “Where then are the other nine?

And Jesus answering said, Were not the ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

Context

Luke 17:17 comes immediately after Jesus heals ten lepers. In verses 11-16, we read that as Jesus traveled through Samaria and Galilee, He encountered ten men with leprosy who stood afar off and cried out for mercy. Jesus instructed them to "Go shew yourselves unto the priests." As they went, they were cleansed. This verse captures Jesus's reaction when only one of the ten, a Samaritan, returned to give thanks with a loud voice, glorifying God.

Key Themes

  • Ingratitude vs. Gratitude: The verse sharply contrasts the nine who did not return to express thanks with the one who did. Jesus's rhetorical question, "but where are the nine?", underscores the common human tendency to receive blessings without acknowledging the Giver.
  • The Nature of Healing: All ten lepers received physical cleansing, a powerful demonstration of Jesus's compassion and divine power over disease. However, only the Samaritan received a deeper, spiritual wholeness, indicating that true healing extends beyond the physical to the spiritual, rooted in faith and expressed through thanksgiving.
  • The Importance of Thanksgiving: Jesus's lament highlights that gratitude is not merely a polite social custom but a crucial aspect of faith and worship. It is a recognition of God's grace and a proper response to His blessings.
  • Faith and Response: The Samaritan's faith was not just in receiving the healing but in his subsequent act of returning to glorify God. This immediate and public thanksgiving is a testament to genuine faith.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV uses "cleansed" (Greek: ekatharisthēsan), which refers to both the physical healing from the disease and the ceremonial purification required for lepers to be readmitted into society (Leviticus 14). The phrase "where are the nine?" (Greek: kai hoi enneá poú?) is a poignant rhetorical question, expressing Jesus's disappointment not in anger, but in sorrow over the widespread lack of thanksgiving.

Practical Application

Luke 17:17 serves as a powerful reminder for believers today to cultivate a heart of gratitude. We often pray for and receive blessings, but like the nine lepers, we can easily forget to return thanks to God. This verse challenges us to:

  • Recognize God's Hand: Acknowledge that all good things come from God (James 1:17).
  • Express Gratitude Publicly: Be willing to give thanks openly, glorifying God for His mercy and grace.
  • Seek Spiritual Wholeness: Understand that true healing and salvation are found in a faith that responds with thanksgiving, leading to a deeper relationship with God, as the Samaritan experienced when Jesus told him, "thy faith hath made thee whole" in the very next verse.

This passage highlights the critical importance of thanksgiving as a response to God's blessings and a vital component of a thriving spiritual life.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Romans 1:21

    Because that, when they knew God, they glorified [him] not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

  • Psalms 106:13

    ¶ They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

  • Genesis 3:9

    ¶ And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where [art] thou?

  • John 8:7

    So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

  • John 8:10

    When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

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