Written
by Uyoyou Christiana Charles-Iyoha
Severally,
Jesus Christ broke tradition. He healed a number of sick people such as the
bent over woman (Luke Chapter 13 verses 10 to 16); the man with palsy (Luke
Chapter 14 verses 1 to 6) on the Sabbath day. He also requested drink from a
woman of Samaria; what was not acceptable to the Jews and the Samaritans. The
fact that this request culminated in the salvation of the residents and
indigenes of a whole city speaks to the benefits of sometimes breaking with
tradition. Please see John Chapter 4 verses 1 to 42 for details.
The
ten lepers cried to Jesus to ask for mercy. They expected to be healed
immediately but Jesus did not pronounce the word of healing. Rather, Jesus
asked them to go and present themselves to the priests. Fortunately, they were
wise enough to obey Jesus. The Bible records that as they proceeded to the
priests abode or temple; they were cleansed. Their obedience to the instruction
of God through Jesus Christ gave them complete healing. They could have argued
that there was no point going to the priests since they were not yet cleansed. They
could have refused to obey. After all they asked to be cleansed, a prerequisite
to showing themselves to the priests. And rather than heal them, Jesus sent
them to the priests – to be humiliated or driven away from decent society? But
as they obeyed, journeying to the priest, they received their healing and could
confidently show themselves to the priests. In point of fact, one of them
returned to give thanks to Jesus when he noticed that they were cleansed on
their way to the priests.
