Luke 17:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

At the commencement of His final journey, the Lord encountered a negative response from His disciples in a particular area of Samaria. To counterbalance this setback, one Samaritan approached the Lord, expressing gratitude far greater than that of the nine Jewish individuals. As Jesus traveled between Samaria and Galilee, He came across ten lepers who pleaded for mercy. Upon seeing them, He instructed them to go and show themselves to the priests. As they journeyed, they were miraculously healed of their leprosy. However, among the ten, only one Samaritan returned to express his thanks, falling at the feet of Jesus in worship.

As Christ sought to commence His journey to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration, He did not take a direct path from Ephraim. Instead, He traveled northward to the region bordering Samaria and Galilee. There He encountered ten lepers, nine of whom were Jewish and one a Samaritan. They were too afraid to approach the Lord due to their infectious condition, which compelled them to shout warnings to others who might unwittingly come near them, calling out, “unclean, unclean.” Thus, they stood at a distance and cried out to Him, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” The Lord heard their desperate cries and instructed them to show themselves to the priests. As they went on their way to do so, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

Jesus and the apostles were not welcomed by the Samaritans, so they traveled to a different village (Luke 9:56), likely located outside of Samaria. As they journeyed toward Jerusalem, their path took them through the region between Samaria and Galilee, suggesting that they may have had to return to Galilee to continue their route.

As the moment drew near for another journey to Jerusalem, the Savior, while continuing His teachings and acts of kindness, gradually made His way southward toward the region of the Jordan, choosing a less direct path. Yet, the anguish of humanity still sought His merciful assistance through this approach.

The journey to Jerusalem signifies the Lord's path from Galilee to the Holy City during the final Passover celebration of His earthly ministry, culminating in His crucifixion. In traveling between Samaria and Galilee, He moved along the border of these regions, visiting the villages situated on either side of this demarcation.

As the Lord Jesus Christ journeyed towards Jerusalem, He traveled along the border of Samaria and Galilee. Upon nearing a particular village, He encountered ten lepers, among whom was a Samaritan. Leprosy was deemed a contagious illness, and in accordance with the Mosaic Law, individuals afflicted with it were prohibited from residing within villages to safeguard the healthy from infection (Lev. 13:46; Num. 5:2). Thus, they formed isolated communities, wandering in desolate areas, and could not return to their homes as long as the disease persisted (4 Sam. 7:3).