• The healing of the lepers represent sin or false teachings, which keep us far from the Church. Christ's command to go to the priests symbolizes His respect for the Mosaic Law and the priesthood of the Church, which is responsible for administering the sacraments that make one clean.

• The miracle highlights the ungratefulness of the nine Israelites compared to the humility and thanks of the one Samaritan. The lone Samaritan, interpreted as the humble Gentile Church, demonstrates true faith. His grateful return and prostration exemplify humility, which is the true path to spirit. 

• The Samaritan received more than physical healing. Jesus said to the Samaritan "your faith has made you whole." This proves that unbelief destroys those who neglect to give glory to God, while humility and thanks secure spiritual wholeness, a reward of grace - not a deserved wage.

• Only one of the then returned to Jesus and gave glory to God. The Samaritan's genuine gratitude and humility before Jesus "made [him] whole," not his pride nor his heritage. 

The Lepers

St. Ambrose links the parable of the humble servant (Lk 17:7-10) to the following of the ten lepers.

• After teaching the lesson of humility and duty, Jesus immediately provides a real-life example of the opposite vice: ungratefulness. 

Titus of Bostra interprets the geographical setting as having a theological purpose.

• Only the Samaritan returned to give thanks, suggesting the "Samaritans were indeed well disposed towards the mercies" of God, while the Jews were "not so."

• By intentionally passing through the region that housed both groups, Christ intended to decrease hostilities between the two groups and unite them. 

St. Cyril of Alexandria explains the theological purpose behind the healing of the ten lepers.

• The miracle is a manifestation of Christ's glory and is part of His mission to "draw over Israel to the faith."

  1. The lepers were completely excluded from society and considered ritually "unclean" under Mosaic law.

  2. By healing them, Christ was demonstrating His ability to save even those who were considered cast out from Israel itself.

Distance, Prayer, and Healing

Titus of Bostra focuses on the physical distance and shared suffering of the ten lepers.

• The lepers came together "from the sympathy they felt as partakers of the same [suffering]." Standing together, "anxiously looking out to see Him approach."

• "They stood at a distance" because lepers were required to do so by law as they were deemed unclean. 

• However, the Law of the Gospel goes beyond the physical. What the Gospel identifies as unclean is not on the outside, but what is on the inside: the "inward leprosy" of sin.

Theophylact explains the lepers' action of standing "afar off" and the significance of their prayer.

• The lepers stood at a distance because they were "ashamed of the uncleanness" that was plagued them. They assumed that Christ would "loathe them as others did."

• Even though they stood far away, their prayers made them close to Him. "The Lord is nigh to all them that call upon him in truth."

• Their cry, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" signifies both their recognition of Christ's authority (Master) and their desperate need for His compassion.

Titus of Bostra explains the significance of the lepers' prayer.

• By saying the name of Jesus, they "gain to themselves the reality." The name Jesus means "God Saves," and by calling on it, they were calling on His power to save them.

• They didn't ask for worldly things like "gold and silver." Instead, they prayed "Have pity upon us," because they were "sensible of His power."

Theophylact explains the two key aspects of verses 13-14.

• The lepers called upon Jesus as Master, indicating a high level of respect. They don't just call upon Him as another man, but "they looked upon Him as God."

• They were commanded to show themselves to the priests, according to Mosaic Law [1], so that they may be determined to be healed. This honors the established laws, even though Jesus' actions supersede the law.

St. Cyril of Alexandria explains that the command for the lepers to show themselves to the priests was a necessary step.

• The law mandated that those who were officially confirmed as "cleansed from leprosy should offer sacrifice for the sake of their purification."

• Jesus was ensuring the full legal and religious process was honored, demonstrating His respect for the Law.

Theophylact explains the deeper meaning of Jesus's command.

• The healing was not conditional on the priestly examination, but on the act of obedience to Christ's command. As soon as they began to walk in obedience, "as they went they were healed."

St. Cyril of Alexandria explains the subtle theological purpose behind Jesus's command.

• By making the lepers heal "as they went," Christ ensured that the Jewish priests, who were often "jealous of His glory," would have to acknowledge the miracle.

• Because the lepers would arrive clean when they left diseased, the priests were forced to recognize that the healing was "suddenly and miraculously" granted by Christ, confirming His divine power.

One of Ten, the Samaritan

Theophylact highlights the contrast between the grateful Samaritan and the ungrateful Israelites.

• Out of the ten lepers, the nine Israelites were ungrateful. They received the miraculous healing but failed to return.

• The single Samaritan stranger was the only one who "turned back" and returned to Christ. His gratitude was public and wholehearted.

Titus of Bostra explains the significance of the Samaritan leper's actions.

• Previously, the law required him to stand afar off, but his physical healing removed the barrier and allowed him to get close to Christ.

• His act of returning and "fell down on his face at his feet giving him thanks" was a physical demonstration of his inner state, "showing at once both his faith and his gratitude."

Theophylact highlights the contrast between the grateful Samaritan and the ungrateful Israelites.

• Even though the grateful leper was a Samaritan, it shows that being from a different race does not stop anyone from pleasing God. As long as he comes to God genuinely.

• On the other hand, the nine ungrateful Israelites serve as a warning. Being part of a chosen people or a good heritage means nothing if your heart is lacking gratitude and faith. 

Titus of Bostra summarizes the spiritual lesson of the ten lepers.

• The miracle demonstrates that "strangers were more ready to receive the faith" (the Samaritan), while "Israel was slow to believe" (the nine ungrateful Jews).

• Christ's final words to the Samaritan, "Arise, go your way, your faith has made you whole," emphasize that the Samaritan received more than just physical healing. He recieved a spiritual wholeness, or salvation, which the ungrateful nine did not receive.

St. Augustine offers a detailed mystical and allegorical interpretation.

• Lepers are compared to heresies:

  1. Like a leprosy, heretics profess their errors outwardly, boastfully showing off their ignorance of the true faith. 

  2. Like a "blemish in color," false teachings include truth and lies mixed together. The lies are disfigurements in the truth just like leprosy disfigures the skin. 

• And so these "lepers" must be removed far away from the Church, yet their calling out to Christ recognizes their need of a true teacher. The leprosy needs a good teacher in order to wash away. 

  1. Of all the healings that Jesus performed, only leprosy needed to be shown to a priest. This shows the necessity of the priesthood, which comes from the priesthood of the Jews. 

  2. While Christ heals all vices directly, the "teaching of infusion by means of the Sacrament, or of catechizing by word of mouth, was assigned to the Church."

• The healing that occurs as they were going is like the Gentiles [2] who received the Holy Spirit before the sacrament of Baptism. This cleansing is the "infusion of the Holy Spirit" even before they formally receive the Sacraments from the Church's priests.

• Those who follow good doctrine within the Church but are still "ungrateful to his Cleanser" are like the nine. They fail to prostrate themselves with "pious humility of thanksgiving." 

  1. They are like those the Apostle says, "when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, nor were thankful." [3]

  2. The nine are "imperfect" because they "need one" (unity) to become ten (representing completeness).

  3. The Grateful Samaritan is symbolic of "the one only Church." The word Samaritan can be interpreted to mean "guardian." The Gentile (Samaritan) embraces the essential virtue of humility and gratitude, which the proud Israelite lost.

St. Bede the Venerable provides a final spiritual interpretation of the Samaritan's actions.

• He falls on his face [4] in an act of prostration, meaning the Samaritan "blushes with shame when he remembers the evils he had committed," signifying genuine repentance and self-humiliation.

• The person who lies "lowly on the ground" (in humility) is then "led to advance... to mighty deeds" (spiritual progress).

• The Samaritan's faith made him whole because he "hurried himself back to give thanks." On the other hand, "unbelief destroys those who have neglected to give glory to God for mercies received."

• The parable of the unthankful servant teaches that we should increase our faith by humility. The actions of the grateful Samaritan prove that humility and gratitude are the necessary foundation for receiving and retaining God's grace.