28th Sunday 2016

2 Kings 5:14-17
2 Timothy 2:8-13
Luke 17:11-19

While the first reading is only a small portion of the entire story, the passage in 2 Kings tells us of Naaman and involves many people, including a prophet, 2 kings, a wife and a servant girl. Naaman isn’t a poor beggar or cast off by society, as was often the case for lepers. Before the piece of scripture we have here, Naaman is told by Elisha to wash in the river, but refuses. He’s washed in other rivers with the same promise and hope.

Naaman is an Armenian, a gentile, and yet is still cured by the God of Israel. This story reinforces the understanding that the Lord of Israel is the only God and cares for gentiles as well the Jewish people (2). “The story revolves around people moving from ignorance and misconceptions to full knowledge.” It was common to bring gifts to a prophet, however, Elisha refuses to accept them. This is to drive home his point that the miracle was the Lord’s doing and not His. (3)

Marginalized, the community of lepers includes Jews and Samaritans, two nationalities which were typically enemies. According to Leviticus lepers were to avoid contact with others, but, they relied on others’ charity for survival. It is suggested that they needed to be further than 50 yards, and in some cases, a wall separated them from mainstream community. However, because they call Jesus by name and used the title of “Master,” a title often used by the disciples, they most probably had interactions with him before (2).

After Naaman is cured, Gehazi, Elisha’s servant, lies to Naaman and Elisha in an attempt to gain finical and material rewards. He believes the Lord’s prophets should gain from His power. He is repaid for his infidelity with Naaman’s leprosy (1). While the ten lepers have been restored to their communities, Gehiza becomes an outcast of his own.

According to Barclay, when Paul writes, “Remember Jesus Christ risen from the dead” he is not referring to one definitive moment in time but a continued state of being which lasts forever. More accurately, Paul is saying, “Remember your risen and ever present Lord (4).”

Like Timothy our work includes serving the community, and Jesus reminds us that such work includes brings others into and back into the community. Jesus and Elisha, Naaman and the cured leper remind us that our Lord is sovereign, and is the Lord of all people, regardless of their belief. They remind us we are intended to be members of communities. Jesus’ saving grace allows us to be restored to our communities and society when we are or feel alienated from others. Finally, they exhort us also to welcome with friendship and practical support the disenfranchised and marginalized into our communities.

Journal Questions:

Discuss a situation in which you were told to do something which may have benefitted you, but that you resisted doing. Why? What changed your position? What was the consequence?
Recall and reflect on a situation where you witnessed the Lord taking care of people or a person who didn’t necessarily believe in Him. Did their attitude change? How did observing this situation deepen your relationship with God?

References:
1- The Collegeville Bible Commentary, Old Testament. The Order of St. Benedict, Inc., Collegeville, Minnesota, 1992.
2- New Interpreter’s Bible One Volume Commentary. Abingdon Press, Nashville, Tennessee, 2010.
3- The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 1990.
4- The Letters to Timothy, Titus and Philemon, Barclay, William. The Daily Study Bible Series, The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, 1975.

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