Luke 17:12

And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:

And {G2532} as he {G846} entered {G1525} into {G1519} a certain {G5100} village {G2968}, there met {G528} him {G846} ten {G1176} men {G435} that were lepers {G3015}, which {G3739} stood {G2476} afar off {G4207}:

As he entered one of the villages, ten men afflicted with tzara‘at met him. They stood at a distance

As He entered one of the villages, He was met by ten lepers. They stood at a distance

And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off:

Commentary

Commentary on Luke 17:12 (KJV)

Luke 17:12: "And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:"

Context

This verse opens the narrative of Jesus healing ten lepers, a unique account found only in Luke's Gospel. Jesus is on His final journey to Jerusalem, passing through the border region between Samaria and Galilee (Luke 17:11). The encounter takes place as He enters a village, highlighting His active, itinerant ministry. The presence of "ten men that were lepers" immediately sets the scene for a significant display of divine power and compassion.

Historical and Cultural Significance

In ancient Israel, leprosy (a term that encompassed various severe skin diseases, not just modern Hansen's disease) was a devastating condition with profound social, religious, and physical implications. According to the strict Levitical laws concerning leprosy, those afflicted were declared ritually unclean. They were forced to live in isolation outside towns and villages, to wear torn clothes, and to cry out "Unclean! Unclean!" to warn others of their presence. Their condition meant complete social ostracism and spiritual defilement, making them outcasts from family, community, and temple worship. The phrase "which stood afar off" precisely reflects this enforced distance, a legal and social requirement that underscored their profound isolation.

Key Themes

  • Profound Isolation: The lepers' enforced distance ("stood afar off") powerfully illustrates their tragic separation from society due to their condition. They were physically present but socially absent.
  • Desperate Hope: Despite their mandated distance, their act of "meeting" Jesus indicates their desperate hope and belief that He possessed the power to heal them, transcending all societal barriers.
  • Jesus' Accessibility and Compassion: This verse sets the stage for Jesus' willingness to engage with and heal the most marginalized and ritually unclean members of society. His ministry consistently reached out to those considered outcasts.
  • Divine Authority: The very presence of these ten lepers awaiting Jesus highlights His reputation as a healer and demonstrates the divine authority He wielded over sickness and impurity.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "lepers" is leproi (λεπροί). As noted, this term broadly referred to various severe and often chronic skin conditions that rendered individuals ritually impure according to the Mosaic Law. The emphasis in the biblical text is less on a precise medical diagnosis and more on the profound social and religious consequences of such an affliction. The detail "stood afar off" (ἀπὸ μακρόθεν, apo makrothen) stresses the significant physical distance they maintained, a direct consequence of their legal and social status.

Practical Application

Luke 17:12 reminds us of the profound human need for connection and healing, especially for those marginalized by society. Just as these lepers, despite their forced isolation, sought out Jesus, we are encouraged to bring our deepest needs, our "unclean" parts, and our feelings of isolation to Christ. This verse also serves as a call to empathy, prompting us to recognize and reach out to those in our own communities who may feel ostracized or forgotten. Jesus' willingness to encounter these men, even from a distance, foreshadows His compassionate touch and healing power for all who seek Him, regardless of their past or present condition.

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Cross-References

  • Leviticus 13:45 (13 votes)

    And the leper in whom the plague [is], his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.

  • Leviticus 13:46 (13 votes)

    All the days wherein the plague [shall be] in him he shall be defiled; he [is] unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp [shall] his habitation [be].

  • Luke 5:12 (8 votes)

    ¶ And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on [his] face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

  • 2 Kings 7:3 (5 votes)

    ¶ And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?

  • Luke 18:13 (5 votes)

    And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as [his] eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

  • 2 Chronicles 26:20 (4 votes)

    And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he [was] leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him.

  • 2 Chronicles 26:21 (4 votes)

    And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, [being] a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son [was] over the king's house, judging the people of the land.