The National tribune., 1896-04-23
INTRODUCTION.
SUBJECT: THE TEN LEPERs.


| indicated aboye.l
INTRODUCTION.
SUBJECT: THE Ten LEPERs
l. Data
We have only this one account, given by st.
| Luke, written in Chapter 1:11-l9. st. Luke,
| il would seem. was the fttest Gospel writer TO
! report miracles relating to the physical, tn wit,
to diseases cures, restrictions, ETC., seeing
! that he was physician.
q Time.
The incident occurred in the latter part of
September of the year % A. d. That was FIVE
| to six months before Chrsps death.
g. Place.
Christ set out to go from Capernaum to Jeru-
salem. ST. Luke, 0 81. The account states,
He passed through the midst of Samaria and
| Galilee." VII. Two views are held rs TO the
route.
a. Leaving CaTernaum, Christ went south
| till he reached the boundary-line between
| Galilee and Samaria; then he went east on
! said line till he reached Scythopolis where lie
| crossed the Jordan, there being bridge at that
+ place; then he went on south along the eastern
bank Of the Jordan till he came to the neigh
! borhood of Bethabara, about due east from
! Jericho; then he recrossod tho Jordan, passing
on southwest till he arrived at jerusalem.
! This view supposes that through the midst
of" means 5ettceep. Various explanations arc
| suggested as TO why Samaria is mentioned
before Galilec. Tho following express this first
view: DeDieu, Wetstein, Campt ell, Bloomfield
Barnes, Jameson & Co., Beugel. LANCE.
b. Others hold Christ went through Samaria.
Reference is made to 8: 81, %. We know that
| in the early part Of his ministry lie did enter
Samaritan city. St. John, a, 5. This view
is held by DIR. A. Clarke, Calmet, Robinson in
his Harmony" DIR. James Strong in his " Har-
mony" Neander in his =" Life of Christ"
"a certain village" V. Il. We cannot say
definitely whether this was in Galilee Samaria
Perea, or even Judea. All we know is that it
| lay somewhere in Cbrisrs route from Caper-
mann to Jerusalem.
The position taken by the lepers was out of
! the village, aud off ono side from the road
leading into town. The Levtical law required
lepers to keep ut a distance out from towns,
cities. etc. and away from persons. And when
they heard persons coming they were COM
mauded to give warning of their presence.
Lev, - I5, 46 Nu., 5: q, 3; XII, 1875. The
Rabbis do not agree as TO the distance pro-
scrihed for lepers TO keep away from habita-
tons and persons. In verse IL it is said, there
met him 10 lepers." The word met" in Greek,
does not imply nearncss but opposteness, and
does not define distance 1t does not imply
contact, but the contrary. Any leper who iu-
truded within the forbidden distance was
logged with 40 stripeb save one. See "Carne's
Letters from the East" p. 62.
L. Leprosy.
The word leprosy Is derived from Greek
original, which means scaiy scabby. The
Hebrew word for leprosy signifies a heavy
shifting. A Iepersis severely smitten or
scourged Of God. The thought in the Jewish
mind was that this disease is special inflc
tion from Deity. THE Arabic root of the word
leprOsy means to cast down, to PROSTATE, refer
ri IN Lao tori we knn mai Al liz
jointing effects of tbis malady. The Chicago
Herald, abiding to the case Of leper in that
city, said: c8
johnson. the lepeY. Hes In a room of from tie
contagious ward. lie is hdeous. His hands and
hairless face encrused will, scsle.iike blotches
Of brown The face shows most distinctly
The ravages ofthe horrible disease The lower lids
Of the eyes dravSa down aud turned inside ou'.
The lips blue. afftt the is swollen twice
It's natural siz,. His bnck and abdomen are
covered with etcbereles. These scales slightly
Change color from time 10 time. (See lev. IL: 2
9-iI)
Leprosy, il is believed is incurable. II is
customary to separate lepers The Sand wich
Islanders devote one island TO tho exclusive
habitaton Ct lepers; u wit, Moiokai DIR.
Thompson, in Land aud Book" thus describes
the disease:
The scab comes on by degrees in different parts
OF the body; the hair falls from the head and eye
brows; the nails loosen, decay and drop off; iDiut
after joint OF the fingers and toes shrink up, and
slowly falls away; the gums are absorbed and the
teeth disappear; The nose, tile eyes the tongue aud
the palate are slowly consumed; aud fiGaiy the
wrelcied victim sI,rink- Into the earth and dsap-
pears, while medicine has no power To stay the
ravsgcs OF tie disease, even to mitigate sensibiy
It's t0rtures.
Sin is so terrible that it is often spoken of as
a leprosy Of the soul.
Christs sixth miracle was in the cnse Of
lepcr. Sec Matt, S:2-4; st. Mark, ] 0-4o
st. Luke, 5:l2-l6, Add ST. Matt, 26: G.
rnaA af l.. l. a
Moses, Ex., 4:6; Miriam, NJ, l2: 10; Naaman,
9 XII. SCI; Gehszi. 2 hi. 5:27; Uzzah 2 Ch.
36: -, 20. Refer in general to Lew, Is y, 3, g.
IL; Deu., 2i:8; XII, 1885.
The cure of loprosy thought impossible
save by Deity Himself aud hence miracles in
volviDg cure Of that disease were sufficient
credentials for Christ to furnish.
5. analysts.
II. Data. st. Luke, IL Il-I9.
2. Time Sept. A. ID. %.
;. Place. Near n village between Capernaum
aud Jerusalem.
!. Patients. Ten men. Nine
Jcws-one Samaritan.
o DiseHsc. LepFosy.
Is Pbysicinn Christ.
( /. Method. No med
2 iciue or touch
but
= mand of the ON
npo;cnt.
= , IT.. r,;r.,i, .. Time required.
= " ~ 4. Cure. No lime.
3 Conditions. Faith
mud Prayer.
: T. Public.
10 Complete.
g. Permanent.
7. Proof.
D. Witnesses.
g. Reporter. ST. Luke Achain
A. d. 81.
5. Lessons. Specially, gratitude-the one cx-
cepton.
g. Critical Notes
]. Go show yourselves unto the priests"
V. IA. leper was unclean not only in fact.
but cereruonially filthy. In such condition he
was excluded from home, society, and church
If person suspected of having the lep-
rosy he was forced out of the community and
could not regain admission among healthy peo-
pie ill priest, after due examination, gave
him a certificate. Hence, the 10 lepers
obliged TO go 10 the priest, pass 4 severe ordeal
OF investigation. and get permission to enter
city, home, synaeog See ST. Matt, 6:4. Then.
Christ wanted 10 obey the Mosaic law. He
probably hoped the priests would see in his
wonderful cures proof OF his Deity and be led
TO accept him. HiFts