18 . There are not found ] Ingratitude is one of the most universal and deeply seated of human vices, and our Lord was perfectly familiar with it. But in this instance He was moved by the depth of this thanklessness in so many recipients of so blessed a favour. Hence His sorrowful amazement. He felt as if all His benefits “were falling into a deep silent grave.”

“Blow, blow, thou winter wind;

Thou art not so unkind

As man’s ingratitude.”

save this stranger ] Rather, alien, 2Ki 17:24. See on Luk 10:33. Josephus says that the Samaritans eagerly called themselves when they wanted to disclaim a consanguinity which might be perilous (Antt. IX. 14, 3, XI. 8, 6): but it is almost impossible to suppose that Samaria was swept clean of every inhabitant, and the ethnographical and other affinities of the Samaritans to the Jews seem to shew some mixture of blood, which they themselves claimed at other times (Jos. Antt. xi. 8, 6; Joh 4:12).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Go show yourselves … – See the notes at Mat 8:4. By this command he gave them an implied assurance that they would be healed; for the design for which they were to go was to exhibit the evidence that they were restored, and to obtain permission from the priest to mingle again in society. It may also be observed that this required no small measure of faith on their part, for he did not first heal them, and then tell them to go; he told them to go without expressly assuring them that they would be healed, and without, as yet, any evidence to show to the priest. So sinners defiled with the leprosy of sin, should put faith in the Lord Jesus and obey his commands, with the fullest confidence that he is able to heal them, and that he will do it if they follow his directions; and that in due time they shall have the fullest evidence that their peace is made with God, and that their souls shall by him be declared free from the defilement of sin.

Were cleansed – Were cured, or made whole.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. Show yourselves unto the priests.] According to the direction, Le 13:2, c. Le 14:2, c. Our Lord intended that their cure should be received by faith: they depended on his goodness and power and though they had no promise, yet they went at his command to do that which those only were required by the law to do who were already healed.

And – as they went] In this spirit of implicit faith; they were cleansed. God highly honours this kind of faith, and makes it the instrument in his hand of working many miracles. He who will not believe till he receives what he calls a reason for it, is never likely to get his soul saved. The highest, the most sovereign reason, that can be given for believing, is that God has commanded it.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

It was according to the Divine law, Lev 14:2, that the leper in the day of his cleansing should be brought unto the priest, who was to judge whether he was healed, yea or no, and to offer the offering there prescribed. Christ sends them to the priests, partly that he might observe the law which his Father had given in the case, partly that he might have a testimony of this his miraculous operation. We shall observe that our Saviour cured some being at a distance from them, some by the word of his power only, though he were present in the same place, others by touching of them; he certainly chose thus to vary his circumstances, in actions of this nature, to let people know that the healing virtue was inherent in him, and that the proceeding of it from him was not tied to any ceremony used at the doing of the work, which he used or omitted according to his pleasure.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

14. show yourselvesascleansed persons. (See on Mt 8:4.)Thus too would the Samaritan be taught that “salvation is of theJews” (Joh 4:22).

as they went, werecleansedIn how many different ways were our Lord’s cureswrought, and this different from all the rest.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And when he saw [them], he said unto them,…. When upon their loud cry he looked up, and towards them, and saw what a condition they were in, his compassion moved towards them, and he ordered them to do as follows;

go show yourselves unto the priests. The Ethiopic version reads in the singular number, “to the priest”, as in Mt 8:4 whose business it was to inspect into this matter, to see whether a person was healed, or not; and if he was to, pronounce him clean, when a gift was offered according to the law, in Le 14:2. So careful was Christ that the ceremonial law, which was as yet in force, might be strictly observed: though these ten lepers could not be viewed and examined by the priest together, but one after another; for so is the tradition of the Jews a,

“two leprosies are not looked upon together, whether they be in one man, or in two men; but he views one, and either shuts him up, or declares or dismisses him, and then goes to a second:”

And it came to pass that as they went, they were cleansed; before they came to the priests, whilst they were in the way, they at once found themselves entirely healed of their disease; as Christ very likely gave them reason to believe they should; whereby his power was seen in it; and it was a clear case, that it was owing to him, and not the priests, that they had their cleansing. On the nature of the disease of leprosy, and of the likeness there is between that and sin, and of the agreement between the cleansing of a leper, and the cleansing of a sinner by the blood of Christ, [See comments on Lu 5:12]. Here it may be observed, that as these lepers had a cure while they were in the way of their duty, going, as Christ ordered them; so generally speaking, it is in the way of means, in an attendance on ordinances, that souls receive a spiritual cure from Christ: the man at Bethesda’s pool waited long, and had healing at last; it is good to watch at Wisdom’s gates, and wait at the posts of her door; faith in Christ, whereby the heart is purified, comes by hearing the word of God.

a Misn. Negaim, c. 3. sect. 1.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

As they went ( ). Favourite Lukan idiom of with articular infinitive as in 17:11 and often.

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

1) “And when he saw them, he said unto them,” (kai [don eipen autois) “And upon beholding (seeing and hearing) them and their cries, he said to them,” out of respect for, in harmony with the Law of Moses, Lev 14:2-32.

2) “Go shew yourselves unto the priests.” (poreuthentes epideiksate heautous tois hiereusin) “You will go, without turning aside, and show yourselves to the priests,” as cleansed persons, He did not touch the lepers, Luk 17:13, as on other occasions. The priests could not cure them but they could examine, diagnose, and pronounce them cured, to be restored to society.

3) “And it came to pass,” (kai egeneto) “And it occurred,” happened or came to be to them, to the ten of them, to all, Luk 17:12, as the Samaritan went away with the Jews, Luk 17:16; Joh 4:22.

4) “That as they went, they were cleansed.” (en to hupagein autous ekatharisthesan) “That as they went (while on their way) they were cleansed,” from the leprous malady that they all held. Evidently they had not gone far before they were suddenly healed. Their going from Him, yet because He had commanded it was proof of their faith before they were cured, 2Ki 5:15; Isa 65:24. Their faith and going were rewarded.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

14. Show yourselves to the priests This reply was equivalent to saying, “You are clean;” for we know that the discernment of leprosy belonged to the priests, who were enjoined in the law to distinguish between the clean and the unclean, (Lev 14:2.) Thus Christ preserves their right entire, and appeals to them as witnesses for approving of the miracle which he had wrought; and we have accordingly said, that pious and devout sentiments concerning Christ must have been entertained by those men who were instantly led, by his bare word, to entertain the hope of a cure.

On this passage the Papists absurdly build their auricular confession. The lepers, I admit, were sent by Christ to the priests; but it was not for the purpose of vomiting out their sins into their ears. On the contrary, they were sent to offer a sacrifice, as the Law had enjoined. They were not sent to cleanse themselves, as the Papists imagine that cleanness is produced by confession, but to show to the priests that they were already clean. It is an additional proof of the folly of the Papists, that they do not consider what a foul stain of infamy they throw on their confession; for, according to their reasoning, it will be quite enough if, out of the whole troop of those who have gone to the priests, a tenth part only shall return to Christ, and all the rest shall wickedly revolt. They cannot plead this passage in behalf of their confession, without giving us liberty to throw back upon them this advantage which it yields, that none return from the priests to give glory to God. But, not to dwell on these fooleries, we have ascertained the reason why the priests were mentioned.

It happened that, while they were going, they were cleansed. Here was displayed the divine power of Christ and of his words, and there was also a proof of the high estimation in which God holds the obedience of faith; for the great suddenness of the cure arose from the confident hope which induced them to undertake the journey, without hesitation, at the command of Christ. But if that transitory faith—which wanted a living root, and produced nothing more than the blade—was honored by God with a remarkable effect, how much more valuable is the reward that awaits our faith, if it is sincerely and permanently fixed on God? Though the nine lepers derived no advantage to salvation from the cure of the flesh, but only obtained a temporary gift by means of a fleeting and transitory faith, yet this figure points out to us the great efficacy which will attend true faith.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

(14) Go shew yourselves unto the priests.On the meaning and object of this command, see Note on Mat. 8:4. Here, however, it may be noted, there was no accompanying touch as the outward means and pledge of healing, and the command was therefore, in a greater degree than it had been before, a trial and test of faith. It did not necessarily imply a journey to Jerusalem. Any priest in any town was qualified for the function of inspecting and deciding on the completeness of the cure. Suddenly, or by degrees, as they went, the taint of blood disappeared, and their flesh became as it had been in the days of health.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

14. Unto the priests See note on Mat 8:4.

They went They started before they were healed. They were going to show themselves as cleansed while yet their utter foulness was upon them. Unless their faith is verified by the event they will find themselves going upon a very ridiculous errand.

They were cleansed At which a new purity, lightness, health, and vigour sprang up within them.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘And when he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And thus it happened that, as they went, they were cleansed.’

When Jesus became aware of them (an eyewitness touch) He commanded them to go to the priests to be examined, as though they were those who had been cured of their skin disease. We are reminded here of how Elisha commanded Naaman to go away and do something, rather than healing him on the spot. That too indicated a cleansing to come. It was calling on them for an act of faith. They still had their skin disease. But such was their faith that they went. And as they went they were healed. They were ‘made clean’. They thus no doubt then proceeded to go to the priests to obtain their certificate of cleansing, as Jesus had told them to do.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

14 And when he saw them , he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

Ver. 14. Go show yourselves unto the priests ] As if ye were already cleansed. They did so though they saw no sense for it; and before they came to the priests they were cleansed indeed. Make your “requests known to God with thanksgiving,”Phi 4:6Phi 4:6 . As who should say, Make account to speed, and be ready with your thanks, as if you had what you ask of God.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

14. ] One of our Lord’s first miracles had been the healing of a leper; then He touched him and said, ‘Be thou clean:’ now He sinks as it were the healing , and keeps it in the background; and why so? There may have been reasons unknown to us; but one we can plainly see, and that is, to bring out for the Church the lesson which the history yields. In their going away, in the absence of Jesus they are healed: what need to go back and give Him thanks? Here was a trial of their love: faith they had, enough to go, and enough to be cleansed: but love (with the one exception) gratitude, they had not.

. ] See note on Mat 8:4 .

. . ] i.e. while on their way; the meaning evidently being that they had not gone far, and that the whole took place within a short time. They had not been to the priests, as some suppose.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Luk 17:14 . .: the same direction as in the first leper narrative, but without reason annexed. : plural, either to the priests of their respective nationalities (Kuinoel, J. Weiss, etc.) or to the priests of the respective districts to which they belonged (Hahn). , etc., on the way to the priests they were healed. Did they show themselves to the priests? That does not appear. The story is defective at this point (“negligently told,” Schleier.), either because the narrator did not know or because he took no interest in that aspect of the case. The priests might not be far off.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

as they went = in (App-104.) their going.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

14.] One of our Lords first miracles had been the healing of a leper; then He touched him and said, Be thou clean: now He sinks as it were the healing, and keeps it in the background;-and why so? There may have been reasons unknown to us; but one we can plainly see, and that is, to bring out for the Church the lesson which the history yields. In their going away, in the absence of Jesus they are healed: what need to go back and give Him thanks? Here was a trial of their love: faith they had, enough to go, and enough to be cleansed: but love (with the one exception)-gratitude, they had not.

.] See note on Mat 8:4.

. .] i.e. while on their way;-the meaning evidently being that they had not gone far, and that the whole took place within a short time. They had not been to the priests, as some suppose.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Luk 17:14. , unto the priests) To more than one priest, because there were more than one leper. This would have to take place at Jerusalem, a long journey. It is thus that the Samaritan is brought over to the faith of Israel. [For which reason he is said in Luk 17:15 to have returned, .-V. g.] By this command the previous healing is by implication indicated.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Go: Luk 5:14, Lev 13:1, Lev 13:2-46, Lev 14:2-32, Mat 3:15, Mat 8:4

as: 2Ki 5:14, Isa 65:24, Mat 8:3, Joh 2:5, Joh 4:50-53, Joh 9:7, Joh 11:10

Reciprocal: Deu 24:8 – General Mar 1:44 – show Mar 3:5 – Stretch Luk 13:13 – and immediately

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

4

Show yourselves to the priests. This was in accordance with a law of Moses, and it is commented upon at Mat 8:4.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Luk 17:14. And when he saw them. Attracted by their cry. This miracle brings out the human side of the work of salvation, most fully.

Go and shew yourselves, etc. This command followed the healing in the first miracle of this kind recorded in the Gospels (Mat 8:4); here it precedes it. Our Lord would test their faith by their obedience, and, as it further appears, teach a lesson respecting love and gratitude, useful for the church in all ages.

As they went, or, were going, on the way, they were cleansed. While they obeyed, not because of their obedience, but because of the faith it expressed, they were healed. No one need wait to know all the truth before he can really believe and be saved; let him believe what he has heard the Lord say; if he really believes he will act accordingly, and the spiritual healing promised to faith will come from the Saviour. Personal faith in a personal Lord Jesus Christ is commanded; fuller knowledge will come afterwards and serve to increase the faith.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Observe here, 1. The preventing grace and mercy of Christ; their disease is cured where it can be complained of: Go, show yourselves unto the priests, says Christ, and in their going they were cleansed, they were healed before they could come at the priests, that as the power that healed them was wholly Christ’s, so might the praise be also.

Observe, 2. A two-fold reason why Christ commanded them to go to the priests.

1. In compliance with the ceremonial law, which required the leper to be brought to them, to judge whether healed or not; and if so, to receive the offering prescribed in token of thankfulness.

2. For the trial of their obedience: had they stood upon terms with Christ, and said, “Alas!” to what purpose is it to show ourselves to the priests; what good can their eyes do us? We should be glad to see ourselves cured; but why should we go to them to see ourselves loathed? Had they thus expostulated, they had not been healed: what command soever we receive from Christ, we must rather consider the authority of the commander, than the weight of the thing commanded, for God delights to try our obedience by small precepts; happy for these lepers, that, in obedience to Christ, they went to the priests, for as they went they were healed.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Verse 14

Show yourselves, &c.; for examination. The leper, when healed, was required to go to the priest, to have his cure officially ascertained.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

Probably the lepers did not expect Jesus to respond as He did. Rather than touching them, or pronouncing them clean, He gave them a command. The command implied that by the time they reached the priest they would have experienced healing. Normally a command to show oneself to a priest followed a cure (Luk 5:14; cf. Lev 13:49; Lev 14:2-3). The priestly examination would result in the lepers resuming normal lives. However these lepers could have refused to go and could have repeated their request to Jesus. Jesus was testing their faith and obedience. If they really regarded Him as their master, they should obey Him. They decided to obey and immediately experienced healing (cf. Luk 5:12-16). Jesus healed them from a distance (cf. 2Ki 5:10-14).

The lepers’ response would have taught the disciples and everyone else present the importance of trusting and obeying Jesus’ word. This was a lesson that Jesus had been teaching the Pharisees and the disciples (Luk 16:15-31). This miracle showed the benefit of obeying Jesus’ word because of belief in Him (cf. Luk 6:10; Mat 12:13; Mar 3:5). This lesson was not the main reason Luke recorded this incident, however.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)