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Luk_17:11-19. The great discussion from Luk_15:1 onwards is now concluded. Now, before proceeding with his narration, Luke first gives into the reader’s hands again the thread of the account of the journey (comp. Luk_9:51, Luk_13:22). According to de Wette, indeed, this is a confused reminiscence of the journey, and according to Schleiermacher an original introductory formula left standing by the compiler.
καὶ αὐτός ] As to καί , see on Luk_5:12. αὐτός : he on his part, independently of other travellers to the festival who were wont to travel direct through Samaria, Joseph. Antt. xx. 6. 1.
διὰ μέσου Σαμαρ . κ . Γαλιλ .] According to the usage of μέσον (with or without an article, see Sturz, Lex. Xen. III. p. 120) with a genitive, this may mean either through the midst of Samaria and Galilee (Luk_4:30; Jer_37:4; Amo_5:17; Bornemann, ad Xen. Anab. i. 2. 23), or through the strip of country forming the common boundary of Samaria and Galilee, i.e. between the two countries on the borders. So Xen., Anab. i. 4. 4 : διὰ μέσου (in the midst through between the two walls) δὲ ῥεῖ τούτων ποταμός ; Plat. Leg. vii. p. 805 E. Comp. ἀνὰ μέσον , Eze_22:26; Jdg_15:4; 1Ki_5:12. The former (Vulg. and many others, including de Wette) is opposed to the context, since Samaria is named first, but the πορεύεσθαι εἰς Ἱερουσαλήμ led first through Galilee.[216] No; according to Luke, Jesus Himself journeyed in the midst, between (“in confinio,” Bengel), through the two countries, so that He kept on the boundary, having before Him on the south Samaria, on the north Galilee. See also Wetstein, Schleiermacher, Bleek, Hofmann, Weissag. u. Erfüll. II. p. 113; Lange, L. J. II. 2, p. 1065. His direction is to be regarded as from west to east, as in Luk_18:35 He comes into the neighbourhood of Jericho. Now as Jericho is situated not far from the Jordan, but Luke says nothing of any passing over to Peraea (nevertheless Wetstein assumes this crossing over, which is said to have occurred at Scythopolis, so also Lichtenstein, p. 318), it is thus, according to Luke, to be assumed that Jesus journeyed across on the boundary of Samaria and Galilee eastward as far as the Jordan, and then passing downwards on the Jordan reached Jericho. A disagreement with Matthew and Mark, who make Him journey through Peraea. See on Mat_19:1.
That Σαμαρείας is named first, has its natural reason in the previous statement of the direction εἰς Ἱερους ., in accordance with which, in mentioning the borders, Luke has first of all in view the forward movement corresponding to this direction. The narrative contained in Luk_17:12 ff. Luke has not “constructed out of tradition” (Holtzmann), but has borrowed it from his source of the journey.
δέκα ] οἱ ἐννέα μὲν Ἰουδαῖοι ἦσαν , ὁ δὲ εἷς Σαμαρείτης · ἡ κοινωνία δὲ τῆς νόσου τότε συνήθροισεν αὐτοὺς ἀκούσαντας , ὅτι διέρχεται ὁ Χριστός , Euthymius Zigabenus.
πόῤῥωθεν ] μὴ τολμῶντες ἐγγίσαι (Theophylact)—to wit, as being unclean, to whom closer intercourse with others was forbidden (Lev_13:46; Num_5:2 f.). See on Mar_1:43, and the relative Rabbinical regulations in Lightfoot, Schoettgen, and Wetstein.
Luk_17:13. αὐτοί ] they on their part took the initiative.
Luk_17:14. ἰδών ] when He had looked upon them, had His attention first directed to them by their cry for help.
πορευθέντες κ . τ . λ .] for on the road their leprosy was to disappear; see what follows, where indeed Paulus, in spite of the ἐν τῷ ὑπάγειν (which is made to mean: when they agreed to go!), interprets ἐκαθαρίσθ ., they were declared to be not infectious!
τοῖς ἱερεῦσι ] the Samaritan to be inspected and declared clean must go to a Samaritan priest.
Luk_17:15. ἰδών , ὅτι ἰάθη ] even before his coming to the priest,[217] who had therefore communicated to him no remedy (in opposition to Paulus).
Luk_17:16. κ . αὐτὸς ἦν Σαμαρείτ .] and as for him, he was a Samaritan (by way of distinction from the rest). This is made use of (Strauss, II. p. 53 f.) for the view that the entire narrative is woven together from traditions of the healings of leprosy and from parables which recorded Samaritan examples. This audacious scepticism is emulated by Eichthal, II. p. 285 f.
Luk_17:17. οἱ δέκα ] all the ten; οἱ ἐννέα , the remaining nine. See Kühner, II. p. 135 f.
Luk_17:18. οὐχ εὑρέθ . κ . τ . λ .] have they not been found as returning, etc. Comp. on Mat_1:18.
τῷ θεῷ ] who through me has accomplished their cure. Comp. Luk_17:15. Proper gratitude to God does not detract from him who is the medium of the benefit. Comp. Luk_17:16.
ὁ ἀλλογενής ] heightens the guilt of the nine. The word does not occur in classical Greek; often in the LXX. and the Apocrypha, especially of Gentiles. The Greeks use ἀλλόφυλος , ἀλλοεθνής . The Samaritans were of foreign descent, on account of their Cuthaic blood. Comp. on Mat_10:5; 2Ki_17:24.
Luk_17:19. Jesus dismisses the thankful one, giving him, however, to understand what was the cause of his deliverance—a germ for the further development of his inner life! Thy faith (in my divine power, Luk_17:15) hath delivered thee. This faith had not yet the specific Messianic substance; as yet, Jesus to him was only a divine, miraculously powerful teacher. See Luk_17:13.
[216] According to this understanding Jesus must have journeyed, not southwards, but northwards, which Paulus and Olshausen actually suppose, understanding it of a subordinate journey from Ephraim (Joh_11:54). But this is totally opposed to the direction ( εἰς Ἱερουσ .) specified in the context, in respect of which Jesus is wrongly transferred already at Luk_10:38 to Bethany. See on Luk_9:51. Schleiermacher’s view of this passage is altogether untenable, as well as that of de Wette, according to whom (comp. Strauss, II. p. 202) the notice is only intended to explain the presence of a Samaritan, and therefore Σαμαρείας is put first. As though Luke would have written in such a thoughtless mechanical fashion!
[217] If the Samaritan had first been to the priest (Calvin, Schleiermacher), Jesus could not have put the question which He asks at ver. 17 f., since the nine Jews had a much farther journey to the priests. The return of the Samaritan is to be conceived of as very soon after the departure, so that the whole scene took place while still in the village.