When "Thank You" Means "You Win, Lord"
By Trevin Wax on Nov 24, 2008 in Devotional Thoughts | 
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“Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?”
- Jesus, to the Samaritan who returned to thank Him (Luke 17:17)
The account of such flagrant ungratefulness on behalf of nine lepers, healed graciously by Jesus, seems shocking to us today. How could only one of ten come back and say “Thank you?”
Yet, in Jesus’ day, the absence of vocal thanksgiving was not uncommon at all. In fact, thanking someone for hospitality or for an act of kindness could actually be considered an affront to the host!
If a person in Jesus’ day received a gift from his neighbor, he would not dare thank the neighbor verbally. Instead, he would begin thinking of how he could return the neighbor’s graciousness by doing something above and beyond that which had been done for him.
The culture of honor and shame created a climate leading each person to try to “outshine” the other in acts of generosity. Relegating gratitude to simply saying “thank you” essentially implied that one would not return the favor, thus ending the “give-and-take” relationship.
Understanding this ancient mentality opens up a deeper meaning to the Samaritan’s action of thanksgiving.
Instead of clinging to his cultural pride, the healed leper renounced the game of “outshining” the other’s honor and threw himself at Jesus’ feet in worship. He was announcing his utter weakness in trying to repay the Master for the gift of healing.
More than showing recognition for his healing, the Samaritan was recognizing that Jesus had “won” – the honor was His! It was pointless to try to return so great a favor, senseless to seek to uphold personal honor.
When we come before God with thanksgiving, we are doing much more than showing Him gratitude for certain gifts and blessings He has bestowed on us.
More importantly, we are renouncing the game of seeking our own honor, humbly acknowledging that God has given us more than we could ever repay! He is the only one worthy of praise and nothing we will do can ever compare with His amazing grace.
© Copyright by Trevin Wax | Print This Post | Share (Twitter, Email, Facebook)
Great insight Trevin.
That has always been a tough passage for me, simply because I have quite a hard time imagining that people could be healed of a disease which made them into outcasts, and then not show any gratitude for it. The context you give makes sense, and shows the humility of the one who returned.
Out of curiosity where did you first hear that take on this passage?
Mason | Nov 24, 2008 | Reply
I believe it was D.A. Carson. Or it might have been Kenneth Bailey. It’s been several years since I came across this take on the passage. (Back when I was doing extensive work in the Gospels.) Long story short… it could be any number of scholars who I consulted during my Gospels-study and dissertation work in Romania.
Trevin Wax | Nov 24, 2008 | Reply
Love it!
Nick | Nov 25, 2008 | Reply
Thanks for shedding some light on this passage. I have often wondered about the cultural setting of this story. This really helps me understand it.
Kevin | Nov 25, 2008 | Reply
Thank you Bro. Trevin. Excellent!
Randy | Nov 25, 2008 | Reply