Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2.pdf

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
perfect; but they first intoxicate wretched men with reliance on what they call imperfect
righteousness, and next add satisfactions, in order to blot out their guilt. But our faith needs no
other support than this, that God has accepted us, not because we deserved it, but because he does
not impute our sins.
LUKE 17:11-21
Luke 17:11-21
11. And it happened, while he was going to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of
Samaria and of Galilee. 12. And as he was entering into a certain village, there met him ten men,
lepers, who stood at a distance; 13. And, lifting up their voice, said, Jesus, Master, take pity on
us. 14. When he saw them, he said, Go, show yourselves to the priests. And it happened that, while
they were going, they were cleansed. 15. And one of them, when he saw that he was cleansed,
turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, 16. And fell on his face 335 at his feet, thanking him:
and he was a Samaritan. 17. And Jesus answering said, Were not ten cleansed? But where are the
nine? 18. None are found that have returned to give glory to God except this stranger. 19. And he
saith to him, Arise, go, thy faith hath saved thee. 336 20. And being interrogated by the Pharisees,
when the kingdom of God would come, he replied to them and said, The kingdom of God will not
come with observation; 337 21. For they shall not say, Lo, he is here! or, Lo, he is there! for, lo, the
kingdom of God is within you.
As, on a former occasion, Matthew and the other two Evangelists (Matthew 8:1; Mark 1:40;
Luke 5:12) related that a leper had been cleansed by Christ, so Luke mentions that the same miracle
of healing was performed on ten lepers The object of this narrative, however, is different; for it
describes the base and incredible ingratitude of the Jewish nation, to prevent us from wondering
that so many of Christ’s favors had been suppressed, and so many of his wonderful works buried,
among them. One circumstance, too, is added, which greatly heightens the infamy of their crime.
Our Lord had cured nine Jews: yet not one of them returned thanks, but, with the view of obliterating
the remembrance of their disease, they privately stole away. One man only—a
Samaritan—acknowledged his obligation to Christ. There is, therefore, on the one hand, a display
of Christ’s divine power; and, on the other hand, a reproof of the impiety of the Jews, in consequence
of which so remarkable a miracle as this received scarcely any attention.
335 “Et se ietta en terre sur sa face;” — “and threw himself on the ground on his face.”
336 “Ta foy t’a guairi, ou, sauve;” — “thy faith hath healed, or, saved thee.”
337 “Le regne de Dieu ne viendra point a veue d’oeil, ou, avec apparence;” — “the kingdom of God will not come visibly, or,
maniifestly.”
143
John Calvin