Bible Study Trinity 3

Why do simple instructions sometimes feel insulting or inadequate?

Week beginning Sunday 6th of July
Lectionary Reading: 2 Kings 5 : 1–14

SESSION THEME:

Servant Voices & Humble Waters


I Wonder

Begin with time of quiet.

When has help or wisdom come to you from an unexpected person or place?
Let memories surface without hurry; there is no need to analyse or “fix” them.

Scripture Reading.

Read 2 Kings 5 : 14
Pause briefly after verses 3, 10, and 13 to let the scene unfold.

Heart Response to Reading

I wonder:

  • Which character or phrase touches you most today—Naaman, the servant girl, the king, the servants, or Elisha?
  • What emotions rise in you as the story moves from pride to protest to healing?

Deepening the Conversation

Unexpected Messengers
A nameless, foreign slave-girl opens the door to Naaman’s healing.
Whose voices—perhaps small, young, or overlooked—have guided you lately?
What helps you notice and trust them rather than dismiss them?

Humble Obedience
“Go, wash in the Jordan seven times.” Too ordinary, Naaman protests.
Why do simple instructions sometimes feel insulting or inadequate?

True Wholeness
Naaman hopes to buy a miracle; instead he receives a gift he cannot purchase.
Where do you see the difference between earning grace and receiving it?
How might letting go of control or status make room for God to work?

God in the Ordinary
Mud-brown water, servant whispers, quiet obedience—these are the channels of divine power here.
Where have you glimpsed God recently in small gestures, everyday tasks, or hidden people
How might we cultivate attentiveness to such low-key movements of grace?

Historical and Cultural Context

  • Naaman was a high-ranking Syrian military commander. He was powerful, successful, and favoured by his king—but also afflicted by tzara’at, a skin condition often translated as leprosy. This made him ritually impure and socially isolated, even within his culture.
  • Leprosy in ancient times wasn’t necessarily what we know today as Hansen’s disease. It was a general term for various skin ailments that rendered someone “unclean” under both Jewish and surrounding ancient Near Eastern religious codes. Healing meant not just physical wellness, but restoration to society and worship.
  • The River Jordan is central to Israel’s story: it was the crossing point into the Promised Land (Joshua 3), a place of new beginnings. It later becomes the site of Jesus’ baptism. For Naaman, a foreigner, to step into this river is to enter the story of God’s people—even in a muddy, reluctant way.

Only half the picture

Now read to the end of 2 Kings 5 :15-end
In the voice of I Was There: Gehazi’s Story

I saw it with my own eyes.

Naaman, the mighty general of Syria, standing before my master with skin like a newborn’s and tears in his eyes. You wouldn’t believe it if you hadn’t seen what he looked like when he arrived—diseased, proud, wrapped in power like armour. And now here he was, humbled and healed.

He tried to give Elisha gifts—so much silver, gold, the finest clothing. A fortune. I could barely look at it without my heart racing. But Elisha, my master, just stood there, calm as ever, and said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I will accept nothing.”
Nothing.

I wanted to shout: Why not? He’s grateful! He can afford it! This could fund the work of the prophets for years! But Elisha wouldn’t budge. So Naaman left, healed and empty-handed. I watched the dust rise behind his chariot wheels and something twisted in me. I couldn’t let it go.

I told myself it wasn’t greed. Just justice. A reasonable exchange. A little reward for what we’d done.

So I ran.

I chased Naaman down and caught up with him just as he was about to disappear into the horizon. He looked concerned when he saw me.

“Is everything all right?” he asked.

“Oh yes,” I lied, with a smile. “My master sent me. Two young prophets have just arrived unexpectedly. He wondered if you might spare a talent of silver and two sets of garments.”

Naaman was all generosity. He gave me double what I’d asked for and even had two of his men carry it back with me. When we neared the house, I told them I’d take it from there. I stashed the goods in a safe place. My hands shook with the weight of the silver.

When I walked back into the house, Elisha was waiting. Still. Silent.
“Where have you been, Gehazi?” he asked.
I looked him in the eye. “Nowhere.”
But of course, he knew. He always knows.
He didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.

“Did not my spirit go with you?” he said. “Did I not see, in the Spirit, Naaman step down from his chariot to meet you?”

He listed everything I hadn’t even taken—vineyards, olive groves, flocks, herds, servants—as if he could see my fantasies laid bare. All the things I thought I might one day gain with that silver.

And then came the judgment: “Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you, and to your descendants forever.”

In that moment, I felt it. A coldness on my skin. I looked down and saw the whiteness begin to spread.
I had gone after silver, and what I caught was shame.

You can’t steal what God gives freely. You can’t twist grace into profit. I learned that too late.

Question to ponder

What questions and insights do you have about naaman’s healing when seen in the context of the whole of that chapter. Share those questions as a group ( not possible answers)

Or

A number of people had witnessed the healing of Naaman. On the surface they had seen God at work. But had their lives been transformed, renewed and healed?

Prayer and Silence

Hold a time of silence together.
God of lowly servants and healing rivers,
open our ears to the quiet voices you send,
break the armour of our pride,
and lead us to the waters where your mercy flows free.
May we step in, seven times if need be,
until our hearts are made new like a child’s.
Through Christ, the servant-King.
Amen.

Going Forward – Small Acts of Spirit

In this coming week:
Listen deliberately to someone whose voice is often sidelined—child, cleaner, refugee, neighbour.


Download here the PDF to print

Share:

Other Posts

Christmas party quiz question: “How many times does Mary, the mother of Jesus, speak in the Gospel of Luke?
Just people gathered. Waiting. Unsure.
Being With is a life changing approach to helping people to consider faith.
Faith often calls us to step into the unknown, trusting that God will reveal Himself in surprising ways.
Scroll to Top