He (Jesus) commands them (the lepers) to show themselves to the priests. For the priests examined such people, and from them they received the determination of whether they were clean from leprosy or not (Lev. 13). The priests had signs by which they identified incurable leprosy. And even when someone had contracted leprosy and then recovered, the priests would examine them, and the gift commanded in the Law was brought to them. But here, when the lepers were indisputably such, what need was there for them to show themselves to the priests if they were not going to be completely cleansed? The command for them to go to the priests pointed to nothing other than the fact that they would become clean. Therefore it is also said that as they were going along the road, they were cleansed.
Lk. 17:15. And one of them, seeing that he was healed, returned, glorifying God with a loud voice,
Lk. 17:16. And fell down on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him; and he was a Samaritan.
But see, as we also said at the beginning, out of ten men nine, although they were Israelites, remained ungrateful. But the Samaritan, although he was of a foreign race, returned and expressed his gratitude (for the Samaritans were Assyrians), so that none of the Gentiles would despair, and none of those descended from holy ancestors would boast of this.
Lk. 17:17. Then Jesus said: were not ten cleansed? where then are the nine?
Lk. 17:18. How is it that they did not return to give glory to God, except this foreigner?
Lk. 17:19. And He said to him: Arise, go; your faith has saved you.
This miracle also hints at the universal salvation that was for the entire human race. The ten lepers signify all of human nature, leprous with evil, bearing upon itself the disfigurement of sin, living outside the heavenly city because of its uncleanness, and standing far from God. This very standing far from God interceded for mercy. For the God who loves mankind and desires to save and bless all, the strongest motivation for mercy is to see that no one partakes in goodness. For this very reason He condescended to heal those in such a condition. And although He healed all of leprous nature by becoming incarnate and tasting death for every person, nevertheless the Jews, despite being cleansed on the Lord's part from all the impurities of leprous sin, proved ungrateful and did not turn from their vain way to give glory to God the Savior, that is, to believe in Him — that He, the true God, deigned to endure the most grievous sufferings. For the Flesh and the Cross are the glory of God. Thus they did not acknowledge the Incarnate and Crucified One as the Lord of glory. But the Gentiles, an alien people, acknowledged the One who cleansed them and glorified Him by faith — that God is so loving of mankind and so powerful that for our sake He took upon Himself the utmost dishonor, which is a work of love for mankind, and having taken it upon Himself, suffered no harm in His own nature, which is a work of power.
Lk. 17:20. Being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
The Lord often mentioned the Kingdom of God in His teaching. But the Pharisees, upon hearing of it, laughed at the Lord and therefore approached with the question of when it would come, by way of mocking Him as an eccentric preaching about an extraordinary and strange subject. For none of the former teachers and prophets had mentioned it (the Kingdom of God). Or perhaps, having in mind their intention to kill Him before long, they approach Him with a question so as to sting Him and ridicule Him, as if saying: You speak of a Kingdom, but when will this Kingdom of Yours come? For tomorrow You will be handed over by us to death, You will be lifted up on a cross, and You will receive much other dishonor. What then does Christ say?
Lk. 17:20. He answered them: The Kingdom of God does not come in an observable manner,
Lk. 17:21. And they shall not say: behold, it is here, or: behold, there. For behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.
He does not answer the foolish according to their senseless thought and folly (Prov. 26:4), but leaves them to wander regarding the similar name of the Kingdom, and does not reveal to them either what Kingdom He is speaking of (for they would not have accepted it anyway), nor that this Kingdom is not like a worldly kingdom, but is a Kingdom above the world (John 18:36). Having kept silent about this, since by their willful deafness they were unworthy to hear of it, the Lord says concerning the time of the coming of the Kingdom that it is unknown and not subject to observation; for the Kingdom of God has no fixed time, but for the one who desires it, it is present at every moment. For the Kingdom of God undoubtedly consists in a life and ordering of oneself after the pattern of the Angels. Then, it is said, God truly reigns when nothing worldly is found in our souls, but when in all things we conduct ourselves above the world. And such a way of life we have within ourselves, that is, whenever we will it. For faith requires neither a long period of time nor journeys, but faith, and following upon faith a God-pleasing life, are near to us. Concerning this very thing the Apostle said: "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach" (Rom. 10:8). For to believe and, having believed, to walk worthy of the calling — this is within us. So then, the Pharisees mocked the Lord because He was preaching a Kingdom that no one had ever preached. But the Lord declares that they do not understand a subject that is within them and that is very easy for anyone who desires it to attain. Now, while I am among you, you can certainly obtain the Kingdom of God if you believe in Me and resolve to live according to My commandments.
Lk. 17:22. He also said to the disciples: The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.
That is, the Kingdom of God belongs to you as well, so long as I am with you. It belongs to you not only because you have believed in Me and followed Me, but also because you now live in perfect freedom from care, since I care for and think about you. But when I am no longer with you, such days will come that you will be given over to dangers, led before rulers and kings. Then you, as those of the Kingdom of God, will long for the present safe life that you lead with Me, and will many times wish to have even one of My days, that is, the days of My presence with you, as the safest of days. Although they (the disciples of the Lord), even while they were with Him, led a life not without labors and dangers, enduring flight with Him who fled and insult with Him who was insulted, yet if their former adventures are compared with the future dangers, it will turn out that they were then very safe. Therefore, even with such a way of life, that is, with small dangers and labors, the Kingdom of God was within the apostles; whereas after the Resurrection they were like captives and exiles. With these words the Lord prepares the hearts of the apostles for labors and endurance, and tells them beforehand so that they would not be scandalized (John 16:1).
Lk. 17:23. And they shall say to you, "Look, here," or "Look, there" — do not go, and do not run after them,
Do not listen, He says, to anyone's persuasions that I have come here or there.
Lk. 17:24. For as the lightning, having flashed from one end of the sky, shines to the other end of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day.
For My second coming, most radiant and most glorious, will not be confined to any one place, but just as lightning is not hidden but appears from one end of the earth to the other, so bright and manifest will My second coming be, and it will be hidden from no one. Therefore, do not yield to the temptations of false christs. Previously I appeared in a manger and for thirty years was in humiliation, but then it will not be so: I will come in all glory, accompanied by angelic hosts, and in a single instant.
Lk. 17:25. But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
Then, since He had foretold terrible calamities for them, comforting them and urging them to endure these manfully, He sets Himself before them as an example. Do not marvel, He says, if such difficulties befall you as to make you wish for the return of My present sojourn with you. For I Myself, who am to appear as lightning, must first suffer many things and be rejected, and then come in that glory. Let this, then, be for you a persuasion to virtue and an encouragement to patience, that is, look to Me and trust that for you, too, in return for enduring dangers and rejection, glory shall be your portion, just as it is Mine.
Lk. 17:26. And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man:
Lk. 17:27. They ate, drank, married, and were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Lk. 17:28. Likewise, just as it was also in the days of Lot: they ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built;
Lk. 17:29. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all;