NOTE: I’m going ahead and posting some quick thoughts today because I won’t have time the next few days.
2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c
I’m always glad when the OT lesson is from Samuel or Kings, because the storytelling in these books is so wonderfully detailed. And this story does not disappoint. As with last week’s OT text, I think there are important details that get left out in the editing. This text is to me about the healing power of God, the universality of God and appropriate human response to God. Notice that there’s a basic misunderstanding of God’s healing power: the Aramian king thinks it can be bought (verse 5), and Naaman thinks more of a show is needed to stir it up (verses 11-12). Naaman is so overwhelmed when just washing in the Jordan like Elisha said to do is enough – as in, God’s healing power is just there – that he realizes he can’t worship any other god but the Lord now. And ultimately, as we see in verses 15-19, worship – giving ourselves to God – is the only truly appropriate response. Contrast Naaman’s understanding to the Israelite king’s complete ignorance of God’s healing power at work in Elisha, verse 7. And note, too, that Naaman is a foreigner; when Jesus pointed this out to the hometown crowd in Luke 4:27, it got him in some trouble!
2 Timothy 2:8-15
This text also has some important points about God’s power and our response. The author says that, even though he may be imprisoned, God’s word is not chained. God’s power works in spite of our limitations, even through them. I love the verses 11-13. At first I get kind of tripped up, as the last couple of lines seem to be inconsistent: if Christ will deny us for denying him, then how is it that he can also remain faithful is we’re faithless? I think, though, what it’s saying is that God’s reign will ultimately prevail, whether we’re on board or not; but if we are on board then we get to participate in it rather than opposing it. Again, God’s power is just there, the question is how we’re going to respond.
Luke 17:11-19
And the Gospel text follows this same theme nicely, as Jesus gives God’s healing to ten lepers and just one of them responds. Note that, as lepers, these are outsiders (cf. Naaman). They live on the edge of town, they keep their distance from him. Notice that all that is needed is for them to act on Jesus’ instruction, and they’re healed – i.e., “as they went [to show themselves to the priests], they were made clean.” And one of them makes the connection: he’s so overwhelmed by God’s healing that he can only respond with worship. He praises with a loud voice, he lays himself out, he gives thanks. And then Luke gives the punchline – he’s a Samaritan, a foreigner. What I hear in Jesus’ words (“where are the others? Go – your faith has made you well”) is that the “circuit” of our participation in God’s healing is not really completed until we respond with our worship.
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