Luke 17:11-19
13. Jesus, Master. It is evident that all of them possessed
some measure of faith, not only because they implore Christ’s assistance,
but because they honor him with the title of Master. That they made use
of that expression sincerely, and not in hypocrisy, may be inferred from
their ready obedience; for, although they perceive that the filthy scab
still remains in their flesh, yet as soon as they are commanded to show
themselves to the priests, they do not refuse to obey. Add to this that,
but for the influence of faith, they would never have set out to show themselves
to the priests; for it would have been absurd to present themselves to
the judges of leprosy, for the purpose of attesting that they had been
cleansed, if the promise of Christ had been regarded by them as of no more
value than a mere inspection of the disease. They bear a visible leprosy
in their flesh; and yet, trusting to Christ’s word alone, they have no
scruple about declaring that they are clean. It cannot therefore be denied,
that some seed of faith had been implanted in their hearts. Now though
it is certain that they were not regenerated by the Spirit of adoption,
yet there is no absurdity in supposing that they had some beginnings of
piety. There is the greater reason to fear that sparks of faith, which
make their appearance in us, may be extinguished; for, although lively
faith, which has its roots deeply fixed by the Spirit of regeneration,
never dies, yet we have seen formerly that many conceive a temporary faith,
which immediately disappears. Above all, it is too common a disease that,
when we are urged by strong necessity, and when the Lord himself prompts
us by a secret movement of the Spirit, we seek God, but, when we have obtained
our wishes, ungrateful forgetfulness swallows up that feeling of piety.
Thus poverty and hunger beget faith, but abundance kills it.
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, (Leviticus 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.
15. And one of them, etc. It is uncertain if he returned when
they were halfway, and Luke’s words appear to imply this; but I think it
more probable, that it was not till he had heard the decision of the priests
that he returned to give thanks. He must have obtained permission from
the priests to return to the ordinary intercourse of life; and he had no
right to neglect the command of Christ, and to defraud the temple of God
of a sacrifice. Some will perhaps be better pleased with a different conjecture,
that as soon as he saw that he was cleansed, and before he applied to the
priests for a testimony, he was seized with a devout and holy zeal, and
returned to the Author of the cure, so as to commence his sacrifice with
thanksgiving. The words of Christ contain an expostulation with the whole
nation; for it is by way of reproach that he draws a comparison between
one stranger and many Jews, because it was customary with them to swallow
up God’s favors without any feeling of piety. And this was the reason why
Christ gained hardly any reputation among them by miracles so numerous
and so splendid. Let us learn that this complaint is brought generally
against all of us, if we do not at least repay the divine favors by the
duty of gratitude.
19. Thy faith hath saved thee. The word save is restricted by
some commentators to the cleanness of the flesh. But if this be the
case, since Christ commends the lively faith of this Samaritan, it may
be asked, how were the other nine saved? for all of them without exception
obtained the same cure. We must therefore arrive at the conclusion,
that Christ has here pronounced a different estimate of the gift of God
from that which is usually pronounced by ungodly men; namely, that it was
a token or pledge of God’s fatherly love. The nine lepers were cured; but
as they wickedly efface the remembrance of the grace of God, the cure itself
is debased and contaminated by their ingratitude, so that they do not derive
from it the advantage which they ought. It is faith alone that sanctifies
the gifts of God to us, so that they become pure, and, united to the lawful
use of them, contribute to our salvation. Lastly, by this word Christ has
informed us in what manner we lawfully enjoy divine favors. Hence we infer,
that he included the eternal salvation of the soul along with the temporal
gift. The Samaritan was saved by his faith. How? Certainly not because
he was cured of leprosy, (for this was likewise obtained by the rest,)
but because he was admitted into the number of the children of God, and
received from His hand a pledge of fatherly kindness.
