Like Jesus, We Must Go to “Communities of the Marginalized”
and “Communities of Suffering”
“Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, ‘Jesus, Master, have pity on us!’ When He saw them, He said, ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, ‘Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?’ Then He said to him, ‘Rise and go; your faith has made you well’” (Luke 17:11–19).
(1) After reading today’s passage, Luke 17:11–19, first in the Korean Bible and then in the Greek New Testament, the phrase that immediately captured my attention was “between Samaria and Galilee” (diērcheto dia meson Samarias kai Galilaias, διήρχετο διὰ μέσον Σαμαρίας καὶ Γαλιλαίας) (v. 11), the route through which Jesus passed. The reason this phrase drew my attention is that there was “a village” (tina kōmēn, τινα κώμην) there, and in that village were “ten men who had leprosy” (deka leproi andres, δέκα λεπροὶ ἄνδρες) (v. 12). Why was there “a village” in such a place, and why were ten lepers living together as a group there?
1. The Geographical and Social Significance of “Between Samaria and Galilee”
The Greek expression dia meson (διὰ μέσον) means “between” or “through the middle of.” Geographically, Galilee was in the north, Samaria in the middle, and Judea in the south.
Jesus was traveling toward Jerusalem in the south, which means He was moving eastward along the border region separating Galilee and Samaria
This border area was a kind of “no-man’s-land”—a forgotten territory for both Jews (Galileans) and Samaritans. Since the two peoples generally avoided one another, this border region saw little traffic and was largely neglected and marginalized.
2. Why Was There “a Village,” and Why Were “Ten Lepers” Gathered There?
Forced isolation under the Law: According to the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 13:46), a leper was required to live outside the camp, separated from others, often driven outside the city and isolated from society.
A community of the marginalized: The only place where those expelled from society could live together was in a border zone where ethnic boundaries were blurred and ordinary people seldom went. Therefore, the “village” (tina kōmēn) mentioned in the text was likely not an ordinary administrative village but rather a segregated colony of lepers, formed by social outcasts struggling to survive.
Suffering broke down ethnic barriers: Under normal circumstances, Jews and Samaritans treated each other as enemies. Yet before the devastating reality of leprosy, ethnic distinctions became meaningless. Since one Samaritan appears later in the story, it is evident that this group of ten included both Jews and Samaritans. Humanly constructed religious and ethnic hostility had been swallowed up by their shared suffering, binding them together into a “community of suffering.”
3. The Theological Message Behind Jesus’ Journey
Jesus’ decision to pass through this dia meson (“between”) region was not accidental. He intentionally visited the isolated settlement located in the borderland that the world had rejected—a place that neither Jews nor Samaritans claimed as their own. This passage reveals the saving mission of Christ, who embraces those pushed to the margins of society, those who could only stand “at a distance” (porrōthen, πόρρωθεν) and cry out for mercy (v. 12).
(a) Here I believe that the fact that Jesus intentionally sought out and met this “community of the marginalized”—this “community of suffering,” where people were united by tragic illness rather than divided by religious and ethnic hostility—provides a precious example and message for all Christians.
a. The Church’s Mission and the “Community of Suffering” That Breaks Down Barriers
The world constantly divides people according to health, wealth, ethnicity, ideology, and social status. Yet in the face of disease and suffering, Jews and Samaritans alike were simply hurting human beings.
Just as suffering dismantled the artificial hostility created by human pride and prejudice, this passage powerfully proclaims that the church and Christians today must become an alternative community that tears down the boundaries established by the world—whether based on income, education, political affiliation, or social status—and embraces those who suffer.
b. A Faith That Goes to the “Dia Meson” (Borderlands)
Many Christians prefer to remain in a comfortable and secure “Galilee” or in a religiously prestigious “Jerusalem.” Yet Jesus’ eyes and footsteps were always directed toward the borderlands ignored by society—the isolated settlements of the marginalized, the dia meson.
This passage teaches that true discipleship does not begin at the center of the world but in the uncomfortable obedience of intentionally moving toward those abandoned on its margins.
(i) As I reflect on this precious example and message of Jesus, I am reminded of Sister Marianne Stöger and Sister Margareth Pissarek, two Austrian nuns known as “The Two Angels of Sorokdo.” The reason they come to mind is that these two women went to Sorokdo Island in Goheung, Jeollanam-do—a leper colony that society had isolated through fear and prejudice—and devoted their entire lives to demonstrating Christ’s love there.
1. The Devotion of Sisters Marianne and Margareth
A miracle accomplished with bare hands: Arriving at Sorokdo in 1962 and 1966 respectively as nurses, they served leprosy patients under extremely difficult conditions. While others wore protective clothing and gloves out of fear of infection, the two sisters would personally clean wounds and drain infected sores with their bare hands, saying, “Medicine must be applied carefully.”
Beloved “Grandmothers of Jeolla Province”: They came to Korea in their twenties, shared life with the residents, laughed and wept with them, learned the local Jeolla dialect, and became affectionately known by the people simply as “Grandmothers.”
Unconditional love: For forty-three years they served as volunteers without receiving a single penny in salary. Instead, they raised support from family and friends in Austria to purchase medicine for patients and establish an orphanage.
2. “We Are Leaving Before We Become a Burden” (Their Quiet Departure)
In November 2005, when both sisters were over seventy years old and facing declining health (including Sister Marianne’s battle with cancer), they quietly returned to Austria before they could become a burden to the residents of the island. Leaving only a letter behind, they departed before dawn without telling anyone: “As we have grown older and can no longer work properly, we have told our colleagues that we should leave before we become a burden where we are serving. We now believe it is time to put those words into practice. We are grateful for the great love and respect we have received despite being inadequate foreigners.”
When they left, the only possession they carried was the same worn-out suitcase they had brought with them more than forty years earlier (Internet).
· I am also reminded of a missionary couple in India who are supported by our church and by our family mission organization, Bible Mission Fellowship (BMF). Although they are newly married, they are sowing the seeds of the gospel of Jesus Christ among refugees living along the border region between Myanmar and India, demonstrating the love of Christ in a place of immense suffering.
a. Extremely Harsh Living Conditions in the Refugee Camps
Most refugee camps are located in remote mountainous areas or deep forests far from urban centers.
Housing: Because proper construction materials are unavailable, refugees build makeshift shelters from bamboo, banana leaves, and plastic tarpaulins gathered from the surrounding area. Their roofs offer little protection during the heavy monsoon rains.
Severe shortages of water and sanitation: Camps housing two to three hundred people often have only a few water tanks available. Conflicts over access to water are common, and during the rainy season muddy river water contributes to outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
Lack of medical care and infrastructure: Electricity is unreliable, and digital infrastructure such as internet access is virtually nonexistent. Refugee doctors who fled Myanmar have established temporary clinics along the border, struggling to provide care despite severe shortages of medicine and equipment.
b. Current Crisis Factors Affecting the Refugee Camps (As of 2026)
Internal conflicts among ethnic armed groups: In recent years, not only the Myanmar military but also rival ethnic armed factions within Chin State have engaged in territorial struggles. As a result, thousands of refugees have repeatedly crossed the border within short periods, creating further instability and confusion.
Cuts to international humanitarian aid: To make matters worse, reductions in humanitarian assistance budgets from the United States and other Western nations have placed even the most basic support programs operated by international relief agencies at risk of suspension.
Increasing isolation: As the Indian government continues constructing barriers along its approximately 1,600-kilometer border with Myanmar in an effort to control refugee flows from the civil war, many temporary refugee settlements face growing isolation and increasingly desperate conditions (Internet).
(2) Second, I wanted to learn more specifically about the “lepers” (leproi, λεπροὶ).
(a) “The ‘leprosy’ (lepros, λεπρός) that appears in the Bible was a tragic condition that carried not only medical implications but also profound social and religious significance in the ancient world. By examining the meaning of the Greek text and its historical background, we can understand more concretely how deep their suffering really was” (Internet).
1. The Medical Scope of the Greek Term Lepros (λεπρός)
Etymological meaning: The Greek root lepō (λέπω) means “to peel,” “to strip off,” or “to remove scales.” Thus, lepros was a general term referring to a wide range of severe skin diseases in which the skin became white, flaky, and peeled away.
Range of diseases: It included not only what modern medicine calls Hansen’s disease (leprosy) but also severe psoriasis, advanced vitiligo, fungal skin infections, and other serious skin disorders that appeared repulsive or seemed contagious.
2. The Religious Significance in the Old Testament Law (Leviticus 13–14)
In Israelite society, leprosy was not merely a physical illness but also a symbol of spiritual and ceremonial uncleanness.
Perceived as divine judgment: Jews generally regarded leprosy as the result of sin, a disease beyond human ability to cure and one that only God could heal.
A living death: Lepers were considered alive physically but, in a spiritual sense, as good as dead. Therefore, they were required to tear their clothes, let their hair hang loose, cover their lips, and cry out, “Unclean! Unclean!”
3. Social Punishment: Severe Isolation and Marginalization
Once a person was diagnosed with leprosy, the Law required immediate separation from family, friends, and the worshiping community.
Expulsion outside the camp: Lepers were driven beyond the city walls, forced to live in barren fields or caves far removed from human companionship.
Maintaining distance (porrōthen, πόρρωθεν): As reflected in Luke 17:12, where the lepers stood “at a distance,” they were required to remain at least 100 cubits (approximately 45–50 meters) away from healthy individuals. On windy days, they were expected to keep an even greater distance depending on the wind direction. If they approached too closely, they could be stoned without recourse.
4. An Exclusion More Cruel Than a Death Sentence
Their deepest suffering was not physical pain but the severing of relationships. They could never again hold the hand of a family member. They could not enter the temple to worship God. They lived as forgotten people, cut off from society—a form of psychological, social, and spiritual death.
Therefore, when Jesus passed by them, heard their cries, and cleansed them with His word, He was doing far more than providing a medical cure. He was restoring broken family relationships, reintegrating them into society and the worshiping community, and proclaiming a great message of salvation and liberation.
(i) As I reflect on the fact that the real suffering of lepers in those days was not primarily physical pain but the loss of relationships, I cannot help but think that there are still countless people today who suffer from this same pain of relational disconnection.
· “The social isolation and relational separation experienced by the lepers in the Bible continue in modern society, though in different forms that are often even more sophisticated and cruel.
The ‘modern-day lepers’ around us can be seen in the following ways:
1. The Invisible Colonies of Isolation in Modern Society
Lonely deaths and social isolation: Technology has advanced to the point where the world seems more connected than ever, yet cases of people dying alone and of socially withdrawn individuals who shut themselves away in their rooms continue to increase. They are the modern equivalents of those left ‘outside the camp.’
The elderly and the marginalized: Many elderly people live forgotten lives in nursing homes or isolated rooms, cut off from family affection and societal attention. Though alive, they are often treated as though they no longer exist.
Psychological and emotional stigma: Those suffering from depression, panic disorder, and other mental illnesses often retreat into deep isolation because they fear prejudice, misunderstanding, and cold judgment from others.
2. The Christian Mission: Messengers of Restored Relationships
Jesus’ ultimate purpose in healing the lepers and sending them to the priests was not merely to cure their skin. His goal was to restore them to their families, to the place of worship, and to the network of human relationships from which they had been excluded.
The mission of Christians today is the same. We are called not only to proclaim spiritual and physical healing but also to become bridges that reconnect those who have been cut off from others.
Just as the two sisters of Sorokdo restored the human dignity and relationships of leprosy patients by caring for them with their bare hands, we too must cross the invisible walls erected by society and become neighbors to the lonely and forgotten” (Internet).
(3) Third, when the ten lepers met Jesus and stood at a distance crying out with a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us,” I began to wonder why Jesus responded by saying, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”
(a) “There are very important legal, social, and theological reasons behind Jesus’ command to the lepers, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ Understanding the background of Leviticus 14 helps us grasp the depth of this command” (Internet).
1. The Priest’s Exclusive Authority to Certify Social Reinstatement (Obedience to the Law)
In Israelite society, a leper who appeared healed could not simply return home or reenter society on his own.
Official diagnosis: According to Leviticus 13 and 14, only a priest had the authority to examine a person and officially declare him “clean.”
Jesus’ intention: Jesus did not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (Mt. 5:17). Therefore, He instructed the lepers to follow the proper legal procedure so that they could lawfully and safely return to their families, society, and the temple community.
2. A Messianic Testimony to the Priests
In Jewish thought, leprosy was considered a disease that only God could heal.
An extraordinary sign: For ten lepers to appear before the priests completely healed was an unprecedented event.
Presenting evidence: In Matthew 8:4, after healing a leper, Jesus similarly instructed him, “Show yourself to the priest... as a testimony to them.” Thus, the sight of formerly isolated lepers standing cleansed before the priests served as a powerful witness to the religious leaders that the Messiah sent by God had arrived.
3. A Test of Obedience That Required Faith
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Jesus’ command is that He told them to go before He visibly healed them.
A miracle on the way: Luke 17:14 states, “As they went, they were cleansed.”
Faith demonstrated through action: If the lepers had said, “Our disease is still here—how can we go to the priests? Heal us first,” and refused to obey, they would never have experienced healing. Jesus worked through their obedience and faith as they stepped forward relying solely on His word.
Summary: This command was: A gracious provision of healing and restoration of social identity for the lepers. A powerful proof that Jesus was the Messiah for the priests. A test of faith that revealed the lepers’ willingness to trust and obey His word.
As they began to walk in obedience, the miracle occurred: their diseased flesh was restored, and their skin became completely clean.
(i) When I reflect on the fact that “the most remarkable aspect of this command is that Jesus told them to ‘go’ before He healed their disease,” I cannot help but think that even today the Lord commands us, “Go”—just as He commanded the prophet Jonah, and just as He gave the Great Commission—and that this command serves as a testing ground upon which our faith is examined.
“The Lord’s command, ‘Go,’ is the most powerful test of faith, revealing whether we truly trust in His faithfulness even when no visible evidence stands before our eyes.
When we connect this profound meditation with the broader context of Scripture, we can discover three spiritual truths more clearly.
1. Jonah and the Great Commission: Taking Steps Before Seeing Results
The prophet Jonah: God’s command to Jonah was also, “Arise, go to the great city of Nineveh” (Jonah 1:2). There was absolutely no visible sign that the enemy city would repent, yet God first required Jonah’s obedience and movement.
The Great Commission: Likewise, the final command Jesus gave to His disciples after declaring that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him was, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19).
To disciples who seemed powerless before the enormous barriers of the world, the Lord did not say, “Wait until you are fully prepared and have verified everything before moving.” Rather, He promised to be with them to the very end of the age and to work through them as they obeyed His command to go.
2. “As They Went, They Were Cleansed” (The Timing of Obedience and Miracles)
When the ten lepers looked at their own bodies, they still saw wounds, sores, and flowing pus. Had they said, “Show us evidence of healing first, and then we will go,” there would have been no miracle.
Faith is not moving because one has already been healed; rather, it is taking a step forward because the Lord has spoken, believing that His word is true even before the healing is visible.
The same principle applies to our lives today. If we wait until our finances are secure, our circumstances improve, and all our problems are solved before we move, we may never witness the Lord’s work. Even when every direction appears blocked, the miracle begins only when we step out in obedience to the Lord’s command, “Go.” It is on that road of obedience that miracles unfold.
3. The Testing Ground of Faith: “Your Faith Has Saved You”
Later in the passage (v. 19), Jesus declared to the Samaritan who returned: “Your faith has saved you.” All ten obeyed the command to go and received physical healing (v. 14). Yet only one returned after passing the deeper test of faith hidden within that command, and to him the Lord granted an even greater blessing—the salvation of his soul.
Even today, the Lord continually speaks to us: “Go first to the person whom you find difficult to forgive.” “Go to those who are marginalized and bound.” “Do not remain in that place of discouragement; go to the land of promise.”
The Lord’s command to “go,” often given at a time that makes no sense to our human reasoning, is not intended to confuse us. Rather, it is His wise means of refining our faith so that we may experience greater miracles and a deeper salvation” (Internet).
(4) Fourth and last, I would like to receive the lesson that comes from meditating on the fact that among the ten lepers who were cleansed, it was the “foreigner” (Lk. 17:18), the “Samaritan” (v. 16), who, upon seeing that he had been healed, returned glorifying God with a loud voice and fell at Jesus’ feet, giving thanks to Him (vv. 15–16).
(a) “The fact that among the ten cleansed lepers only one—the foreign Samaritan—returned to give thanks presents one of the most painful and essential spiritual lessons for Christians today, who can so easily become spiritually complacent. Based on the meaning of the original text and its theological background, let us consider three major lessons from this scene” (Internet).
1. The Spiritual Disease of Taking Grace for Granted (The Nine Jews)
Jesus expressed deep sorrow regarding the nine who did not return: “Were there not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give glory to God except this foreigner?” (vv. 17–18)
It is highly likely that the other nine were Jews. Because they belonged to the covenant people of God, they may have viewed receiving healing from the Messiah not as an act of grace but as something to which they were entitled. As soon as they were healed, they continued on their way—toward their religious obligations and daily lives—forgetting the Lord who had healed them.
The lesson for us: The longer we live the Christian life, the easier it becomes to regard God’s salvation and blessings as ordinary and expected. We can fall into a kind of spiritual numbness in which gratitude disappears. A believer who loses gratitude may have received healing in body, yet spiritually may not be much different from the nine Jews whose souls remained unchanged.
2. The Worshipful Attitude of One Who Understands Grace and Salvation (The Samaritan)
The Samaritan, by contrast, understood very well that he had absolutely no claim upon God’s favor. He was both a foreigner and a leper—someone considered cursed and excluded according to the religious assumptions of the day. For him, healing was not something deserved; it was an immeasurable grace that could never be repaid. The passage describes his gratitude in vivid terms.
“Glorifying God with a loud voice” (v. 15): This was an uncontrollable outpouring of joy and praise rising from the depths of his heart.
“He fell at Jesus’ feet” (v. 16): The Greek phrase epesen epi prosōpon (ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον) literally means that he fell flat with his face to the ground. This was not merely an expression of thanks to a healer. It was an act of complete worship and surrender, acknowledging Jesus as the Lord who governed his life, death, blessings, and future.
The lesson for us: True gratitude begins with a humble recognition that we are undeserving sinners with no merit before God. The greatness of our appreciation for grace is directly proportional to the depth of our humility.
3. Beyond Physical Healing to the Salvation of the Soul (v. 19)
The climax of this event is Jesus’ final declaration: “Rise and go; your faith has saved you.”
All ten experienced physical healing as they went. But only the Samaritan who returned to give thanks and glory to the Lord received the greater blessing of salvation. The Greek word used here is sōzō (σῴζω), meaning “to save,” “to rescue,” or “to deliver.” His experience went beyond cleansing from disease; he received salvation from sin itself.
The lesson for us: The Lord’s ultimate purpose for us is not merely the resolution of earthly problems or the restoration of physical health. His ultimate goal is that we enter into a personal relationship with Him and receive the eternal salvation of our souls. Gratitude is the key that transforms a miracle into salvation and brings us into deeper fellowship with the Lord (Internet).