This one healed man does more than praise God. He bends over deeply for Jesus. He honours him as he would honour a king. He realizes that his wondrous healing happened, thanks to the One who sent him to the priests.
The evangelist Luke notes, Now he was a Samaritan.
Quite a stunning revelation for the people in those days. Samaritans were not well liked by the Jews in that time. It was better not to associate with Samaritans. Originally, they came from outside of Israel. In 2 Kings 17:24 we read, “And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.” The new inhabitants tried to learn about the faith of the Jews who returned from exile in Babylon, but they also retained the faith in their former idols – see 2 Kings 17:29–33.
Therefore, it is understandable that later on there is apprehension between Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ houses whether there might be cooperation
between Jews and Samaritans during the rebuilding of the temple (see Ezra 4:2).
And that is why the Samaritans built their own temple on Mount Gerizim. This is how in centuries following, the distance increased between both peoples, though they lived close together. It is remarkable that Jesus does not avoid them. We can see that clearly from the conversation Jesus had with the Samaritan woman (in John 4:1–54).
And now here is this healed Samaritan man who falls on his face before Jesus. Something is starting to glimmer here that anticipates that king Jesus will be acknowledged (also) outside of the Jewish people. This will later continue very forcefully (see Acts 1:8; Acts 8:5–8).
16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.