Church Fathers Commentary Luke 17:11-19

"And it came to pass, as they were on their way to Jerusalem, that he was passing along the borders of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go and show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, with a loud voice glorifying God; and he fell upon his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were not the ten cleansed? but where are the nine? Were there none found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger? And he said unto him, Arise, and go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole." — Luke 17:11-19 (ASV)

St. Ambrose of Milan: After speaking the previous parable, our Lord rebukes the ungrateful.

Titus of Bostra: He says, And it came to pass, showing that the Samaritans were indeed receptive to the previously mentioned mercies, but the Jews were not. For there was enmity between the Jews and the Samaritans, and to resolve this, He passed into the midst of both nations so that He might unite both into one new man.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: The Savior next manifests His glory by drawing Israel to the faith. As it follows, And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers—men who were banished from the towns and cities and considered unclean according to the rites of the Mosaic Law.

Titus of Bostra: They associated together out of the sympathy they felt as sharers in the same affliction and were waiting until Jesus passed, anxiously watching for Him to approach. As it is said, who stood afar off. For the Jewish law considers leprosy unclean, whereas the law of the Gospel calls unclean not the outward, but the inward leprosy.

Theophylact of Ohrid: They therefore stand far off, as if ashamed of the uncleanness attributed to them, thinking that Christ would loathe them as others did. Thus they stood far off but were brought near to Him by their prayers. For the Lord is near to all who call upon Him in truth. Therefore it follows, And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."

Titus of Bostra: They pronounce the name of Jesus and obtain the reality for themselves, for "Jesus" is by interpretation "Savior." They say, "Have mercy on us," because they were aware of His power and sought neither gold nor silver, but that their bodies might regain a healthy appearance.

Theophylact of Ohrid: They do not merely supplicate or entreat Him as if He were a man, but they call Him "Master" or "Lord," as if they almost regarded Him as God. But He commands them to show themselves to the priests, as it follows: And when he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." For they were to be examined to see whether or not they were cleansed from their leprosy.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: The Law also ordered that those who were cleansed from leprosy should offer a sacrifice for the sake of their purification.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Therefore, in commanding them to go to the priests, He meant nothing less than that they were about to be healed. And so it follows, And it came to pass that as they went, they were cleansed.

St. Cyril of Alexandria: By this, the Jewish priests who were jealous of His glory would know that they were suddenly and miraculously healed by Christ granting them health.

Theophylact of Ohrid: But out of the ten, the nine Israelites were ungrateful, while the Samaritan stranger returned and lifted up his voice in thanksgiving, as it follows: And one of them turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God.

Titus of Bostra: When he found that he was cleansed, he had the courage to draw near, as it follows: And he fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks. Thus, by his prostration and prayers, he showed at once both his faith and his gratitude.

It follows, And he was a Samaritan.

Theophylact of Ohrid: We may gather from this that a person is not in any way hindered from pleasing God because he comes from a cursed people, as long as he has an honest purpose in his heart. Furthermore, let not the one who is born of saints boast, for the nine who were Israelites were ungrateful. Hence it follows, And Jesus answering him said, "Were there not ten cleansed?"

Titus of Bostra: In this it is shown that foreigners were more ready to receive the faith, but Israel was slow to believe. And so it follows, And he said to him, "Arise, go your way; your faith has made you whole."

St. Augustine of Hippo: The lepers may be taken mystically for those who, having no knowledge of the true faith, profess various erroneous doctrines. For they do not conceal their ignorance but brazenly declare it as the highest wisdom, making a vain show of it with boastful words.

Since leprosy is a blemish in color, when true things appear clumsily mixed with false things in a single discourse, they represent a leprosy. This leprosy streaks and disfigures the color of the human form, as it were, with true and false dyes. These lepers must be so put away from the Church that, being as far removed as possible, they may call upon Christ with loud shouts.

By their calling Him "Master," I think it is plainly implied that leprosy is truly the false doctrine which the good Teacher can wash away. We find that of those upon whom our Lord bestowed bodily mercies, He sent none to the priests except the lepers, for the Jewish priesthood was a figure of the priesthood that is in the Church.

Our Lord corrects and heals all vices by His own power, working inwardly in the conscience. However, the teaching infused through the Sacraments, or catechizing by word of mouth, was assigned to the Church. And as they went, they were cleansed; just as the Gentiles to whom Peter came, having not yet received the sacrament of Baptism by which we come spiritually to the priests, are declared cleansed by the infusion of the Holy Spirit.

Whoever, then, follows true and sound doctrine in the fellowship of the Church—proclaiming himself free from the confusion of lies, which is like a leprosy—yet remains ungrateful to his Cleanser and does not prostrate himself with pious, humble thanksgiving, is like those of whom the Apostle says, that when they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or give thanks. Such a person will remain in the ninth number, as imperfect.

For the nine need one, so that by a certain form of unity they may be joined together to become ten. But the one who gave thanks was approved as a type of the one, only Church. And since the others were Jews, they are declared to have lost the kingdom of heaven through pride, a kingdom in which unity is preserved above all. But the man who was a Samaritan—which is interpreted as "guardian"—kept the unity of the kingdom with humble devotion by giving back to the Giver what he had received, according to the Psalm: My strength I will preserve for you.

The Venerable Bede: He fell on his face because he blushes with shame when he remembers the evil he had committed. He is told to rise and walk because the one who, knowing his own weakness, lies humbly on the ground is led by the comfort of the divine word to advance to mighty deeds. But if faith made the one who hurried back to give thanks whole, then unbelief destroys those who have neglected to give glory to God for the mercies they received. Therefore, just as the previous parable declared that we ought to increase our faith through humility, this parable exemplifies it in the actions themselves.