11 As Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he entered into a certain village, ten men who were lepers met him, who stood at a distance. 13 They lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. 16 He fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus answered, “Weren’t the ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there none found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?” 19 Then he said to him, “Get up, and go your way. Your faith has healed you.”

Luke 17:11-19 - World English Bible

Luke 17 placed the healing of ten lepers in the area between Galilee (Jewish territory) and Samaria (region of heretics). The scene was remarkable, for Jesus found the diseased men of mixed background (one was a hated Samaritan) in a village (Leviticus 13:45-46 instructed the men to live alone, outside any village or hamlet) and was greeted by the men with a request (again, Leviticus 13:45 told them to warn anyone approaching with the phrase “Unclean, unclean”). But, like many other times, he ignored kosher rules to heal those in need.

The one who returned to give thanks was an unclean Samaritan. Yet, Jesus did not reject him; instead, he bypassed the place of the priest and told the man to implicitly return to his former way of life.

The passage reemphasized how Jesus placed the good of the individual over that of the rule or custom. He came to save, not to punish.

How have you helped others, even in the face of violating the rules?